Following In Jesus Christ Footsteps

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Faith Is Believing

Jeremiah 29:11 (75 kb)
11For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Faith is a funny thing. I mean we all need it to survive. We have to believe in certain things to make it day to day even if it is that the day will end soon or that tomorrow will be a better day. Sometimes though we have to admit that it is hard to believe in things and other people let alone ourselves. To take it a step further, it is harder to believe that other people believe in us when we know how much we believe in ourselves and we realize the levels don't always match. Our faith can be affected by so many different factors that we have no control of. But I imagine that the biggest factor that affects our faith is ourselves (at least it is in my life).

We all have a preset connotation of what we think we are capable of doing. We all know that we have limits and boundaries that are hard for us to surpass. Then God comes into the picture. In my life He has asked me to go beyond those limits that I had set for myself and go into areas I would never had thought of entering and do things that I had never considered or brushed off if I had thought of them. I would never had thought that at this point in my hearts desire would be to minister the Word of God to the world and make disciples out of as many people as possible. I didn't think that I would be equipped, qualified, or even wanting to accomplish a task like that.

Looking back into the Bible we see that this frame of mind and the call of God were a common thing amongst those who had called. Moses was fearful that the call God had given to him was far too great for his abilities. He didn't speak well and was not the leader God was asking him to be. There is something that Moses never considered and sometimes we fail to remember if God calls us he is going to make sure that we have all that we need to succeed in His calling. His glory depends on our success. God provided Aaron to Moses to be his spokesman. He provided signs and wonders to help establish Moses as the Messenger of God in the sight of the Egyptian Pharaoh. God also called Abraham into a new and strange land that would be his promised land for him and his generations that would follow. He left his home with his family based solely on the promise that God would fulfill His promise and deliver him a new homeland where he and his family would prosper. The Bible says that he stayed in that new land as if he were living in a foreign land living in tents as if he were a visitor and not the new owner. I am sure (only because he was human) that there were times in the tents when he was unsure of what he had heard and questioned his own faith. I am also sure (since his promised land was established and his generations were blessed and prosperous) that he realized that Gods glory depended on the fulfillment of His promises and His faithfulness to see them to completion.

I have come to realize that Gods glory depends on my success in accomplishing His will and purpose. As long as I take my direction from God and His word then I will be successful in all I undertake. I have also come to realize that God is big. Real big. He sees the whole picture where we might only be privy to what we see in front of us. He sees what we see plus what is in the future, what is behind us, and the other players on the board and their moves. He sees the outcome and directs us to that goal. I also know now that when God asks me to go somewhere that is unfamiliar to me or to do something that is uncomfortable for me that I am never alone. He goes with me and ahead of me.

I guess I have said all of this to hear myself say: if God believes in me, has chosen me and has faith that I can do His will and serve His purpose, who am I to argue?

catcmo2006

Today's Inspiration

Jeremiah 2:12-13 (99 kb)Today's Inspiration
In those days when you pray, I will listen
Jeremiah 29:12

For God says, At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you. Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:2

One of Those Days

Have you ever had one of those days? You know, one of those days where you feel like you shouldn't have even bothered to get out of bed. You run out of toothpaste. You spill coffee on your clothes. You lose your car keys. The boss is in a bad mood at work. You know, one of those days.

Maybe it is more serious than that. You get some negative news from your doctor about some results from a test you took earlier. Or even worse, someone you love gets those results from their doctor. Maybe you are going to be short on your rent for the third month in a row, which could lead to being evicted. Or a spouse decides they don't want to be your spouse anymore. One of those days.

Then again maybe everything is going your way or better. The kids get up on time and are ready before you are. Your boss tells you that she appreciates you and you are getting a promotion and a raise. Or maybe it is as simple as everyone being home for dinner at the same time or balancing your checkbook to the penny. One of those days.

If you are like me, regardless of the kind of day you are having, you are usually talking to God about it anyway. Whether it is asking, why me? or when will this end? You may even be asking Him to help you get through the day. Whatever it is I am usually talking to Him. After all, he knows every situation I am in and how it is going to turn out. Why not ask him fir help to endure, or for the wisdom to reach the end as soon as possible? Sounds logical right? I would venture to guess that we don't even consider the fact as to whether or not God hears us or is even listening to us until we find ourselves in less than comfortable situations.
When things are going good, we don't often wonder if He hears us because more than likely we are not asking for anything. But let a little discomfort of trial and tribulation hit us and then we care. We hit the panic button and we feel as if we are the most important and only things that should be on Gods mind at the moment. We wonder if He hears our prayers or is listening to them because surely if He knew what we were going through He would put an immediate stop to it. (We never stop to think that we are going through the situation because it is something that we need to go through to grow spiritually.) Regardless of how it may feel or seem, I know He hears us. How? Because He says so In those days, when you pray, I will listen.

If he hears us then why doesn't He move on our behalf right away? Who is to say that the way of moving on your behalf isn't waiting until just the right moment when your faith has been stretched to its limit? Maybe your faith is being stretched so it can grow and you can learn to trust God for bigger things. Who is to say that God isn't waiting until just that right time to intervene? In fact God is saying that very thing. At just the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you.

When it is one of those days, god waits until you have reached your limit and steps in when you need the help. He helps us endure until we cant endure anymore, not because we don't want to, but because we have utilized all of our resources. The day we need Him when we cant go on by ourselves is the minute that we need to be saved just the right time. That's when one of those days turns into our day of salvation. catcmo2006

I Am Chosen Of God

1 Peter 2:9 (48 kb)

I AM . . .


1. A child of God (Romans 8:16)
2. Redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy (Psalms 107:2)
3. Forgiven (Colossians 1:13-14)
4. Saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8)
5. Justified (Romans 5:1)
6. Sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11)
7. A New Creature (2 Corinthians 5:17)
8. Partaker of His Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:4)
9. Redeemed from the Curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)
10. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness (Colossians 1:13)
11. Led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)
12. A Son of God (Romans 8:14)
13. Kept in Safety Wherever I Go (Psalms 91:11)
14. Getting All My Needs Met by Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:19)
15. Casting All My cares upon Jesus (1 Peter 5:7)
16. Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might (Ephesians 6:10)
17. Doing All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Me (Philippians 4:13)
18. An Heir with God and a Joint Heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17)
19. Heir to the Blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14)
20. Observing and Doing the Lord's Commandments (Deuteronomy 28:12)
21. Blessed Coming in and Blessed Going out (Deuteronomy 26:6)
22. An Heir of Eternal Life (1 John 5:11-12)
23. Blessed with All Spiritual Blessings (Ephesians 1:3)
24. Healed by His Stripes (1 Peter 2:24)
25. Exercising My Authority over the Enemy (Luke 10:19)
26. Above Only and Not Beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)
27. More than a Conqueror (Romans 8:37)
28. Establishing God's Word Here on Earth (Matthew 16:19)
29. An Over comer by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of My
Testimony (Revelation 12:11)
30. Daily Overcoming the Devil (1 John 4:4)
31. Not Moved by What I See (2 Corinthians 4:18)
32. Walking by Faith and Not by Sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)
33. Casting Down Vain Imaginations (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
34. Bringing Every Thought into Captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5)
35. Being Transformed by Renewing My Mind (Romans 12:1-2)
36. A Laborer Together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9)
37. The Righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)
38. An Imitator of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1)
39. The Light of the World (Matthew 5:14)
40. Blessing the Lord at All Times and Continually praising the Lord with My Mouth (Psalms 34:1) catcmo2006