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Wednesday, 31 May 2006

THE EXPRESSION OF FAITH
Mood:

energetic
Topic: Hebrews 11:17 - 19
People put their trust in different things. Some place faith in the Lord; others trust in themselves or another person. Faith can even be placed in relationships, money, or politics. Anytime we put absolute trust in something, we demonstrate faith. So, the question isn't, Do I have any faith? but rather, In what have I placed my faith? Looking at that question honestly will shake up your assumptions about your spiritual life.

An old saying explains, "Faith gives feet to belief." Simply put, this means that faith is the active expression of what you believe about God. If you have the idea that He sits in some far - off place called "heaven" and only halfheartedly listens to your prayers, then that will reveal itself in your day - to - day walk of faith. Your God will seem small, powerless, and disinterested. The result will be a string of seemingly unanswered prayers and a general sense of defeat.

If, on the other hand, you believe that God is right beside you, whispering in your ear, pouring out His Holy Spirit upon you - and that He is intimately familiar and concerned with the minutiae of your life - then such a belief will impact your faith walk. Prayer will be a joyful exchange between cherished friends, and the evidence of our heavenly Father's miraculous power will become commonplace in your daily life.

Weak faith says, "God can." Great faith says, "God will." But perfect faith - godly faith - says, "It's done." Your faith is your testimony. What does your faith say about God?

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 10:00 AM CDT

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Tuesday, 30 May 2006

WHAT IT MEANS TO PRAY IN FAITH
Mood:

special
Topic: Mark 11:20 - 24
Have you ever - even subconsciously - accused the Lord of not answering your prayers? When you face a troubling time in which God doesn't seem to respond to your petitions, the first thing you should do is take a good look at the message of your prayer. Are you truly praying in faith, trusting your heavenly Father to work a miracle, or are you simply complaining to Him about everything that has gone wrong? Think about whether you have prayed like this:

"Oh God, the situation at my workplace is just terrible. My coworker shouldn't treat me in this manner. I go out of my way to help him, but he just walks all over me. I never get any appreciation. I never get any recognition for what I do. I never get what I deserve. I, I, I. . . me ,me, me."

Sound familiar? You've most likely lifted up such a prayer at some point. And when you have, you no doubt found that this kind of praying does not bring about miraculous, sweeping change. Why is that? The answer is in the focus, which in this case is "self." So, what would be the object of faith in this prayer? "Self." That's not the prayer of faith that the Lord Jesus told us about.

Praying in faith means earnestly seeking the Lord's wisdom and power for your life. It means laying down any claims you have - any personal motivations and complaints - and surrendering yourself fully to whatever He has for you. When you move yourself out of the way, you give God room to maneuver. And that's when you'll see His power displayed.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 12:31 PM CDT

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Monday, 29 May 2006

MAINTAINING A SPIRIT - FILLED LIFE
Mood:

hug me
Topic: Colossians 3:1 - 3
Christian psychologist Bill Gillham reminds Christians that they are not fighting an inner civil war. Though it seems a battle rages between our old man and new man, Gillham says this belief is a trick of the devil.

Romans 7:20 - 23 is the ammunition Gillham uses to explain this truth. In this passage, the apostle Paul explains that it is not our old selves we are fighting but a "a different law in the members of my body," which is sin, "waging war against the law of my mind. . . ." The enemy is attacking our minds!

T. W. Hunt writes: "Philippians 2:5 tells us that we are to have the mind of Christ. This verse is part of a poem (Phil. 2:5-11) that was originally a hymn. This verse says that we are to think like Jesus thinks. In the original Greek, the command is in the form of the verb phroneite, the plural imperative of the verb phroneo, ?to think or to be minded in a certain way.' Our mind is to have the same characteristics that Christ's mind has. . . ."

"The spiritual mind will develop in the same way that a little child's mind develops. Even at spiritual birth, we have the ?mind of Christ' (1 Cor. 2:16), but in subsequent growth that mind must contend with established habits, the culture in which we live, and the work of Satan. In us, the mind of Christ matures in a process of growth."

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 1:52 PM CDT

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Sunday, 28 May 2006

BLESSED MOTHERHOOD
Mood:

bright
Topic: Proverbs 31:28 - 31
The last few verses of Proverbs 31 offer an encouraging message: Women who have submitted to God's plan and yielded to the Spirit's transforming work will reap a plentiful harvest. What does this fruitfulness look like?

~ Verse 28: "Her children rise up and bless her." What a sweet reward it is for mothers to hear adult children say, "We are grateful for the way you raised us." Some might express thanks for their mother's love and acceptance; others might feel appreciative for discipline, prayers, or lessons about how to follow God. Regardless of the words they use, the impact on Mom will be the same: great joy. Sacrifice and hard work are required to raise children the Lord's way, but such a lifestyle will lead to a place of deep satisfaction.

~ Verse 28: "Her husband also . . . praises her." Spouses know the best and worst about each other. But when women allow the Spirit to change them, He will also prompt husbands to show honor to their wives.

~ Verse 30:"A woman who fears the Lord . . . shall be praised." Not only do children and husbands acknowledge a mother's value; so does God. He is pleased when she believes Him, follows His plan, and lives unselfishly.

~ Verse 31: "Let her works praise her." The Lord will cause others to recognize how godly mothers have lived, serving not only their own families but also people in the community. Their example will inspire others to reach out.

Each acclamation a mother receives becomes an opportunity to testify that the Lord accomplished it all. It is exciting to let one's life testify to Him!

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 10:20 AM CDT

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Saturday, 27 May 2006

PRECIOUS FAITH
Mood:

cool
Topic: 1 Peter 1:3 - 7
Our tested faith is more precious than perishable gold. The more coins we spend, the fewer we have, but our assurance in God never runs out as we use it. Men are often impoverished by the quest for gold, but faith can only enrich a person. And while money may temporarily appease one's greed, trust in Jesus forever satisfies the soul.

Gold doesn't begin its life as the pure, shiny material we see in jewelry. Instead, miners drag out hunks of dirty metal with bits of black running throughout. Before a piece of gold can become a beautiful necklace or a perfectly shaped coin, it must be refined by fire and crafted with tools. In the same way, God sends trials into Christians' lives to shape His children. His ultimate goal is to transform each believer into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

God uses many tools in His transforming work - disappointment, broken relationships, illness, and financial problems are a few. He always chooses the device that will build our faith in the area He is focused upon. Unlike inanimate gold, we have a choice to accept or reject His work. We can whine, resist, and give up without making any changes. But let this be fair warning: God will return repeatedly to a faith area that needs His attention until we finally submit. He loves us too much to leave us in our imperfect condition.

Our faith is precious to God. Though His work is sometimes painful, He will never challenge us beyond what we can stand. (1 Corinthians 10:13) And through the refining fire and shaping process, the Master Craftsman holds us closely.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 4:28 PM CDT

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Friday, 26 May 2006

WHY GOD TRIES OUR FAITH
Mood:

lazy
Topic: 1 Peter 5:6 - 10
A good reporter asks six basic questions when investigating a story: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? With regard to growing faith, we already know the answer to some of those questions. God builds our trust anywhere and anytime. Today we will focus on why strong faith is important to the Lord.

~ Faith trials draw our attention to Him. Sometimes worldly pursuits coax us to drift away from Jesus. If we encounter a situation for which we have no solution, our wandering focus snaps back to Him as we begin to pray and look for a way out of the trial.

~ Faith trials teach endurance. We develop the stamina to bear up under heavy loads without discouragement because we trust that God will see us through. He increases our capacity by applying slight pressure. When we prove we can handle a little, He adds more, constantly working on our witness till we shine like gold.

~ Faith trials train us for higher service. We must endure and keep our attention on Him so that we are prepared to work anywhere in His kingdom. God designs opportunities for every believer, shifting us to greater areas of service as we grow in faith.

~ Faith trials glorify God. The greatest praise we can give to our heavenly Father is to walk hopefully through a dark valley. We are a living example of His faithfulness and trustworthiness for everyone to see.

As our faith increases, others witness the reality of Christ in our life. We also benefit personally by having greater confidence and anticipation of His blessing.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 8:17 PM CDT

Updated: Friday, 26 May 2006 8:21 PM CDT

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Thursday, 25 May 2006

FAITH ON TRIAL
Mood:

quizzical
Topic: 1 Peter 4:12 - 19
Some days we feel as if our faith is on trial and Satan is running a cross - examination that challenges our confidence in God. But the only important question is this: Are you going to believe what the Lord says, no matter what He allows into your life?

The heavenly Father always has a purpose for testing believers' faith. He stretches us so that we will have a greater capacity to serve Him. Though we may sometimes feel we are at our limit, the process actually occurs gently, like stretching a new rubber band a little at a time. With each extension, we are able to accomplish more for His glory.

It is often easy to trust God for certain things more than others, but He desires our complete dependence, regardless of the situation. That is why He will test His children in the same area repeatedly until they can successfully bear up under the pressure. Afterward, they will be able to testify to non - Christians about what the Bible says and also about their own experience of divine help in dark valleys.

We will taste both success and failure as our faith is in the process of growing. The disciple Peter had a share of both. But each time the Lord stretched him, his capacity for service became greater. In the book of Acts, it is Peter who fearlessly preaches at Pentecost and also heals a lame man without a shred of doubt. (Acts 2:14 - 36; 3:1 - 7)

Our faith will be put on trial. If we are wise believers, we will respond by trusting God to stretch and develop our conviction until we are the men and women He desires us to be.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 7:06 AM CDT

Updated: Thursday, 25 May 2006 7:08 AM CDT

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Wednesday, 24 May 2006

NEVER GIVE UP
Mood:

crushed out
Topic: Hebrews 11:23 - 29
Winston Churchill, the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister during World War II, included a now - famous quote in a speech to students of his former school: “Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty… Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

As Christians, we are called to wait on God until He acts on our behalf. In order to resist the urge to give up, we must not focus on our circumstances. (Hebrews 11:17) says that Moses endured his trials “as seeing Him who is unseen” - he consistently looked for God and His will. Standing on the shore of the Red Sea while the Egyptians prepared an attack, Moses clung to God’s promise of protection and called out, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13). The sea parted and the Israelites escaped what seemed to be an impossible situation.

Moses triumphed over many dangerous and difficult situations because he was committed to doing God’s work. Too often modern believers are devoted to pleasure, comfort, or our “rights.” When the Lord’s will interferes with those priorities, we falter. But a genuine commitment to God with no exceptions means nothing can induce us to give up.

Our unchanging Lord never deserts His children; He encourages us to cast our cares on Him. (Hebrews 13:5, 8; 1 Peter 5:7) These beautiful assurances are ours to claim when we are tempted to quit. Put your faith in Him, cling to His promises, and commit to His way. Never give up!

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 4:46 PM CDT

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Tuesday, 23 May 2006

THE FAITH TO HOLD OUT
Mood:

caffeinated
Topic: Hebrews 12:1 - 3
Sometimes our life seems like a long, dark tunnel. Perhaps we are unable to discover a solution for a problem, or we cannot find relief from pain. Regardless of the direction we turn, we find no hope for anything better than our present circumstances.

Thankfully, we serve a God who feels our pain and knows our limitations first - hand. Jesus Christ walked through the valley of the shadow of death and cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”(Mark 15:34). This means that when our faith is stretched to the breaking point, our strength is exhausted, and our dreams are broken like shattered glass, Jesus understands. And He asks us to hold out when everything in us screams to give up.

Giving up means abandoning God’s help for our own puny strength. We try to manipulate a situation or simply avoid pain. In essence, we’re choosing to believe that Satan in his worldly power is stronger than Christ within us - which is the exact opposite of what the Bible says is true. (1 John 4:4) Of course, the Devil is not more powerful, but we let him win a battle if we give up on the assurance that God will see us through difficulty. When we have that attitude, we miss the Father’s blessing and limit our usefulness in His kingdom.

Even when we cannot detect His involvement, God is working every moment on our problem. But we must trust His perfect timing for revealing the answer. Your Father knows your hurt, and He will bring you through that dark tunnel. Do not give up before reaching His blessing.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 2:57 PM CDT

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Monday, 22 May 2006

STAGES OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE
Mood:

hug me
Topic: 2 Peter 3:14 - 18
Just like us, the early church faced many trials and heartaches. Persecution of Christians was ever on the increase. In writing to the churches, Peter admonished believers to be diligent in their faith and secure in the peace of God. But how can we be peaceful in restless times? And how can we remain hopeful when injustice is increasing?

The answer is found by looking at the object of your affection. What gets most of your attention? If your mental focus is set on the difficulty of your circumstances, then more than likely you will struggle with maintaining a good attitude and an awareness of God’s presence. But if your attention is centered on Christ and the promises He provides in His Word, then you will experience a residing peace that lingers deep inside.

Perhaps your life has gotten off course. You find yourself complaining to God and wishing you were in a different set of circumstances. God has a plan for you right where you are.

The Christian life is a process. We learn as we grow through life’s difficulties, and God uses each one to teach us more about His faithful love and care. If you have drifted in your devotion toward Him, go to Him in prayer and confess your wayward attitude. Then ask Him to restore the sweetness and joy of the fellowship you once shared with Him.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 4:07 PM CDT

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Sunday, 21 May 2006

OVERCOMING SWAYING FAITH
Mood:

hug me
Topic: Matthew 14:22 - 32
The Lord wants to do far more in believers’ lives and through their witness than most are willing to allow. We believe that He can do great things, but the problem is that we are not sure He will act on our behalf. Consequently, we feel we are unable to trust Him fully for personal answers. Vacillating between faith and doubt like a boat in a squall makes for a sick and tired Christian. If we desire to calm the sea of faith, we must first act on our will rather than simply making choices according to feelings or sight. Peter walked on water because he proceeded in trust instead of by reason. As believers, we will not become stable in our faith until we recognize that believing God is a choice. The second action of a faithful believer is to focus attention on God. When we look at our circumstances, we are restricted to our own limited view of the situation. As long as Peter was staring at Jesus, his feet stayed on the water’s surface, but the moment he looked at the wind - whipped waves, he began to sink. Finally, we are to maintain our focus on the Lord by keeping our mind in the Word. We cannot trust our sight, reason, or knowledge to steer us through a storm of doubt. All we can truly depend upon is Scripture. Choose to believe that the Lord will work on your behalf. Then focus your attention upon Him, and claim a promise from Scripture that applies to the situation challenging you. When those three actions regularly become a part of your life, you will stop swaying. The heavenly Father will honor our steadfast faith.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 8:09 AM CDT

Updated: Sunday, 21 May 2006 8:11 AM CDT

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Saturday, 20 May 2006

WHY WE HESITATE TO TRUST
Mood:

cool
Topic: Luke 5:1 - 11
On the Sea of Galilee, the optimal time for fishing had passed hours earlier, so the fishermen cleaned their nets instead. But one lowered his into the water at the request of an itinerant preacher. The reward for Peter’s trust was a net - breaking catch.

As believers, we want equal success in overcoming doubts so that we can courageously follow God. But sometimes we rely on our own faculties to decide whether or not we will trust Him. Perhaps what He is asking of us seems unreasonable. For instance, the principle of tithing goes against human wisdom: When we give God one - tenth of our income, He makes the remaining 90 percent spread farther than a hoarded 100 percent could.

In other situations, we hesitate to trust the Lord because our knowledge or experience contradicts His plan. All of Peter’s expertise indicated that fishing at such an hour would be useless. Sometimes God challenges believers to act even when they do not understand how they can be successful.

Listening to others’ opinions is another stumbling block to unswerving faith. There is a time for seeking godly counsel, but when the Lord makes His will clear, we are to act. We are not to pick up the phone to ask a few friends what they think. No opinion matters except that of Jehovah, who does not make mistakes in presenting His plan.

The next time you find yourself in doubt, think about what is causing you to hesitate. Then you can pray specifically to overcome the faith hurdle and move on to receive your reward.

Posted by Prophecies Of Revelation at 3:32 PM CDT

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