Step out in Faith!

            Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

            Oswald Chambers wrote, “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.”

What is holding you back? Go for it and trust God to take you through.

You know I love ya, Don

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, & Mockingjay

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

The Hunger Games trilogy and movie franchise has made millions over the last 5-6 years. The franchise spins an apocalyptic tale on poverty, totalitarian government, and oppression. People can relate to these issues because everyone is under the curse of sin and oppressed by the results and consequences of sin. Life is a true game of hungering for abundance in life and in healing from the brokenness of rejecting God.

Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection, establishes a path out of darkness. It is our faith and trust of Jesus which brings true victory. Every follower of Jesus is a true victor. Jesus blesses those who accept the challenge to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Do not be deceived by the enemy and try to fulfill your hunger with worldly desires. The only way to fill the hunger and thirst is to seek the face of Jesus in the abundance of life he offers.

You know I love ya and may the love of Jesus be ever in your favor. Don

Peace in our fear!

            Matthew 14:26, “When the disciples saw him waling on the Lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” They said, and cried out in fear.” Just as they crumble… Here Comes Jesus!… walking on the water

Emotional storms within us can be as hard to handle as external physical ones. Grief, fear, and worry can cause us to be in great turmoil. To see us through the rough times of life, God provides His protection and peace. But protection does not mean that troubles won’t occur. Jesus allowed the disciples to experience the fear and anxiety of being in a boat on a turbulent sea. He permitted them to suffer because He has something far more important in mend He wanted to teach them to recognize their own helplessness, His sufficiency, and their need of Him. The same principle applies to us as well.

The peace that God provides is not dependent upon the quieting of our circumstances or the removal of external pressures. Nor does it mean the absence of conflict. The promised peace comes in three ways.

-       First, Jesus Himself becomes our peace. Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus has reconciled (that is to make us friends again) with God. We are no longer enemies with God. In God we can rest.

-       Second, When in right relationship with the Father, we have the ability to live at peace with others. Through God, we have the power to choose to forgive, to keep no record of wrongs, and to show love to people who oppose us.

-       Third, the transforming work of the Holy Spirit enables us to experience an increasing sense of inner tranquility.

So, in our fear … Here Comes Jesus!… walking on the water! You know I love ya, Don

St. Patrick ... the rest of the story

Patrick lived in the fifth century, a time of rapid change and transition. In many ways we might say that those times of turbulence and uncertainty were not unlike our own. The Roman Empire was beginning to break up, and Europe was about to enter the so-called Dark Ages. Rome fell to barbarian invaders in 410. Within ten years of that time, the Roman forces began to leave Britain to return to Rome to defend positions back home. Life, once so orderly and predictable under Roman domination, now became chaotic and uncertain. Patrick entered the world of that time.

 

Patrick was born Patricius somewhere in Roman Britain to a relatively wealthy family. He was not religious as a youth and, in fact, claims to have practically renounced the faith of his family. While in his teens, Patrick was kidnapped in a raid and transported to Ireland, where he was enslaved to a local warlord and worked as a shepherd until he escaped six years later. He returned home and eventually undertook studies for the priesthood with the intention of returning to Ireland as a missionary to his former captors. It is not clear when he actually made it back to Ireland, or for how long he ministered there, but it was definitely for a number of years. By the time he wrote the Confession and the "Letter to Coroticus," Patrick was recognized by both Irish natives and the Church hierarchy as the bishop of Ireland. By this time, also, he had clearly made a permanent commitment to Ireland and intended to die there. Scholars have no reason to doubt that he did. He died on March 17 the day we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick…took the circumstances of the day and turns them to his and God’s benefit. For example, Many see a four-leaf clover as Irish and for St. Patrick’s day. That is not true… St. Patrick used what were all over the hillside of Ireland…three leafed shamrocks to teach about the three aspects of God…father God the Creator, …the Son Jesus, the Redeemer, … the Holy Spirit living within believers, the comforter. 

You know I love ya, Don 

Big and little of what Jesus can do.

Best of Friends…who would you label as your best friends?

Romans 5:8-11 is all about friendship:

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

Paul is using a “how much more” argument. It basically works like this: If the greater thing is true, then the lesser thing is of necessity also true. If God has done the harder thing, then surely He will do the easier task. Look closely at verse 9: “Since we have now…how much more shall we be…” And verse 10: “For if when we were…how much more…” Even verse 11 employs something similar: “Not only…we also.”

Since God did the more difficult task of justifying weak, wayward and wicked sinners, then to rescue us from wrath is relatively effortless. We could say it this way: If God has already done the difficult, can we not trust Him to do the comparatively simple thing of completing the task?

If Jesus can…____________ (Fill in the blank) than he can also… _____________ (Fill in the blank).

Paul is making some stunning statements in this section of Scripture to show HOW we are to live with the tension of what we have “already” and what is “still to come.” The best is really yet to be! In each of these three verses we’ll discover that Jesus has done the hard part of making friends with God a possibility thus…we can trust Him to make the future even greater.

The believer is blessed with friendship with God by reconciliation (to make friends again) and having Jesus living within.

You know I love ya, Don 

What is Missing in Heaven?

Heaven....

 

To our earth-bound minds, Heaven is an abstract concept, a realm foreign to us. We accept by faith the reality of this spiritual realm, but it’s difficult to imagine what Heaven must be like. The Bible only gives us hints at what Heaven is like, and the descriptions we have appear in the form of poetry and metaphor. Galileo remarked, “The intention of the Holy Spirit is not to teach us how Heaven goes, but how one goes to Heaven.” The glories of Heaven far surpass our perception. Heaven is a real place, and the reality will exceed all images and symbols. The Apostle Paul was given a vision of heaven, but words failed him. Human language has limitations. All Paul could say was that he experienced things so astounding that they couldn’t be told (II Cor 12). Heaven is a reality unreachable to any of our senses. It’s like explaining the world to an unborn baby.

Heaven is “Paradise restored”. Because of sin, Adam made a grave of a garden, but Christ has made a garden of a grave. Sin resulted in expulsion from a garden, and salvation is restoration to Paradise. Some things will be missing in Heaven. There will be no death, no pain, no sin, no curse, no tears. God declares through the prophet Jeremiah 31:13, the Message: “I will turn their mourning into gladness, their weeping into laughter, lavishing comfort, invading their grief with joy.” The injustices and deprivations of earthly life will be fully and forever corrected. In Heaven we will be liberated from every loss. We will find Heaven a place where the Lord’s Prayer is fulfilled--where God’s Name is hallowed, His Kingdom is come, His will is done.

In heaven. Sad thoughts of earth such as murder, rape, divorce, deception, death, destruction...memories of loss and sadness, depression and hunger, disease or disability just won't have a place in heaven. These horrors of the fallen flesh will all be mitigated and eclipsed like the stars are eclipsed by the rising sun. Because the brightness of the risen son will be brighter than any guilt, any shame, any sorrow, and anything sin might might have used to destroy. We won't forget, but we will have no need to remember.

I pray you are not missing in heaven...you know I love ya, Don

Faith....not insurance, but assurance of the what God can do.

For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 8:38-39 (Amp) 

Increase our faith so we may see
What you’re doing in our lives
And all that we’ll accomplish in you
So our faith begins to rise

We need to be reminded, Lord,
Of the small mustard seed
And how the same amount of faith
Moves mountains if we believe

As we walk in pure obedience
With confidence in you,
Our faith begins to grow and flourish,
Bearing more abundant fruit

We must go beyond the limits
Of our comfort zones,
Our faith is activated at those times
When we walk into the unknown

For it’s when the safety net is gone,
We realize we need our Lord,
When there’s nothing left to fall back on,
We must lean on God much more

And faith is released in our hearts
As we bend our knee to pray;
We shall be strengthened as we walk
And commit to Him each day.

© By M.S.Lowndes

This  a great poem that reminds us of the power that faith grants every person. 

You know I love ya. Don

 

 Click for more of M.S. Lowndes poetry

Unify...unity....joined....together!

Recently, I have had a many discussion about unity in families, in relationships, and in the church. It brought to mind the text from Ephesians 2:14-17

 For he himself (Jesus) is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

 Jill Brice writes:

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If the middle wall of partition has indeed been broken down by the death of Christ, why then do so many people inside the kingdom still meet a stone wall where true fellowship is concerned? Why does the wall still divide black and white, rich and poor, those with social status and those without? I believe it is because Christians have not been taught that the basis of their unity is belonging.

Unity begins when we get our theology straight. If the wall has been broken down and yet the wall is still there, it is because someone has been busy building it up again! What is a wall? It’s a barrier – something that includes others and excludes you. We sense it, though it be unseen, between people inside the church. We see different factions with religious and personal differences. Yet our unity is in belonging. For through Him we all have access by one Spirit unto the Father. He sees all of us kneeling down at our bedsides at the end of the day!

I must tell Jesus, “The wall will not be built by my hands!” I must not be a builder of walls. I must lay down my trowel and use my hands rather to reach out to my brother and sister in love. I need to keep acting as if the barrier isn’t there; I need to walk through it and speak into years of silence. I must write another letter and extend another dinner invitation. I must do what I can to make sure others know I believe in belonging!

I could not agree with Jill more...we must strive to remove the barriers that hinder relationships. In fact, it is our duty to live for the goal of loving God, loving each other, and loving life. 

You know I love ya, Don

If the middle wall of partition has indeed been broken down by the death of Christ (see Eph. 2:13-14), why then do so many people inside the kingdom still meet a stone wall where true fellowship is concerned?  Why does the wall still divide black and white, rich and poor, those with social status and those without?  I believe it is because Christians have not been taught that the basis of their unity is belonging.

Unity begins when we get our theology straight.  If the wall has been broken down and yet the wall is still there, it is because someone has been busy building it up again!  What is a wall?  It’s a barrier – something that includes others and excludes you.  We sense it, though it be unseen, between people inside the church.  We see different factions with religious and personal differences.  Yet our unity is in belonging.  For through Him we all have access by one Spirit unto the Father.  He sees all of us kneeling down at our bedsides at the end of the day! 

I must tell Jesus, “The wall will not be built by my hands!”  I must not be a builder of walls.  I must lay down my trowel and use my hands rather to reach out to my brother and sister in love.  I need to keep acting as if the barrier isn’t there; I need to walk through it and speak into years of silence.  I must write another letter and extend another dinner invitation.  I must do what I can to make sure others know I believe in belonging!

- See more at: http://justbetweenus.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=105816#sthash.Elfiw8lH.dpuf

And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.  ~ Ephesians 2:16 - See more at: http://justbetweenus.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=105816#sthash.Elfiw8lH.dpuf

And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.  ~ Ephesians 2:16 - See more at: http://justbetweenus.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=105816#sthash.Elfiw8lH.dpuf

Pride is the Folly of Fools...I am one of the fools!

Catherine of Genoa reminds us of how our wisdom can puff us up and bring us to a place of confidence only to reveal that the "our" in the equation is foolish pride. There are too many times in my life that I can think of when I thought I was the one that knew the most only to quickly discover I did not know anything in comparison to others int he room and especially to God. I think Catherine would agree with the old saying, "There are always better fish in the pond."

One of these times for me was as I entered into College at Pacific Christian College. In High School, I was playing piano and organ in most every church. I usually played a wedding a weekend. It was not uncommon for me to play for one or two funerals a month. It was good money and I was pretty good at what I was offering. I also was part-time at a church as a choir director and we had shared in several fun worship offerings. The greatest part of being the hired piano/organist was that I was young and the only one around. Then, I entered into college. I was no longer the only one and the competition was much high. It only took a few days for me to realize how small I was and that I was not as good as everyone in my High School years had lead me to believe.

Another time was when I got to meet George Herbert Bush. It was a Monday Morning and I was asked to be a special ambassador for Sevier County, TN to welcome the former president to our town. He and Mrs. Bush we scheduled to watch a Lee Greenwood show that evening. I was excited. I took the day off, I got my best suit on and I headed to the regional airport for their plane to arrive. I stood next to the Governor of Tennessee and the Mayor and shook the President and the First Lady's hands as they stepped off of the plane to welcome them. It was a great day and I thought I was someone special. As I got into the car and drove out of the airport parking lot, I was overcome with conviction from the Holy Spirit. I sat there and the Holy Spirit said to me, "You didn't get that excited to meet me yesterday in services and I am the Creator of the Universe." I was cut to the heart and it changed me. That was over ten years ago, but since that day my Sunday Morning experience starts on Saturday afternoon and I make every effort to prepare and be excited to meet with God in Sunday Worship.

I know that God is with us every moment of everyday. I know that we enter into His presence only in awareness in a corporate setting during a church worship service, but that His presence is always with us. What Catherine reminds me is that our God is more than I can comprehend and when I pay attention, he reveals himself in the greatest of ways. It is like Catherine states: "God's love wills to stand naked and without any cover since it has nothing to hide."

Learning to lean on God takes every effort...doing it together is what hold us to a greater power. You know I love ya, Don

Set Free By Excercising Faith!!!

  

Faith is Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Faith is facing the facts without being discouraged by them. It's NOT denying a diagnosis but defying a verdict. Faith is not hoping God will, but KNOW He will.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

Oswald Chambers wrote, “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.”

Living a life that is committed and dedicated to spiritual formation is NOT EASY....in fact, God's eye twinkles in the struggle because in the struggle we develop a reliance on God. In the struggle, our faith in God grows and our courage is realized by the ones around us. When the world grasps the benefits of what God is working in the believer, the world is amazed. The benefit is that God loves the journey and He never leaves us nor forsakes us, but walks with us on the path of righteousness and his name receives all the glory. It is God's presence in the Holy Spirit that brings a comfort and ease to being a Christian.

It is in our prayer, fasting, meditation, worship, righteousness, and our faith that we are bound as servants. It is also the means by which God transforms us into beautiful things.

Living in faith...you know I love ya, Don

Faith to make it!!!

"Most of the actions of the church are based on what "we" (the church) think we can do verses the basis of faith and what God can do!!!"

Best, Better, Great, Greatest!

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." Matthew 18:1-5

The disciples come to Jesus and ask, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom?" They are asking the greatest creation of all, the actual Son of God, and the One all creation will worship in the new Kingdom. What arrogance and boldness on the part of the disciples. They are literally looking into the eyes of the greatest One in the Kingdom of heaven and asking, "Who is the greatest?"

Yet, Jesus doesn't zap them down like the fig tree. He doesn't curse them with boils or call down fire to burn them off of the surface of the earth. Jesus could have easily made it so that they had never been born. Jesus doesn't show any anger in the text at all.

Jesus simply call over a child, holds the child and says..."Do what he is." Jesus doesn't tell us to mimic what this child does, but that we are to be what the child is. A child is a follower, filled with joy, amazement, wonder, and innocence. A Christ-follower sees a child and does what the child is.

It is easy for us to look at the disciples and pass judgment on their arrogance. It is easy to point the finger at them. But, are we not just as arrogant, egotistical, and self-absorbed. Every time we decide to do it our way without considering God's direction, wisdom, and support, we are figuratively saying, "Who the greatest Jesus...you or me?" We should not accuse the biblical disciples, you and I are just as bad as they were, if not worse.

So, the next time you see a little child in all their innocence and joy...see yourself in their eyes and don't just mimic the child...be the child. Trust Jesus beyond the words of life and give him everything you hold and the "stuff" that is holding you. You Know I love ya, Don

Established in 1982

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude." Colossians 2:6-7

Have you ever witnessed the sign over a business or restaurant that states, "Established in ___." You fill in the date. What is the purpose of those signs? The date for the establishment of an organization, business, or even a family is a time for celebration and a means of honoring the beginning of something special.

As in Colossians 2, there is a need to be established in our faith. Our faith becomes the sign for the rest of the world to see. We celebrate in that which we believe while honoring the One in which we have faith. Now, what does it mean for God to establish us in our faith? In this verse that phrase means that we are not simply established, we are confirmed in our faith; our faith is a sure thing. It’s not just a sure thing for today, but it will remain true into eternity (1 Cor. 1:8).

Great! Now we can just close the Bible on that one and live free knowing we are established in our faith, right? Not really! If I know that I’m established in my faith . . . why do I still struggle with doubt and fear? Why is it I do not love others as He has loved me?

Seeing a sign on the side of a building that says “Established 1992,” I certainly don’t doubt their word for it. I don’t look up the record of the building to make sure it’s true. If I’ve done business there and know firsthand what they’ve been doing since 1992, I would be silly to doubt that they were established. Isn’t this what God is saying about our faith too? I can see God has built faith into my life . . . I can see the business He’s been doing in and through me. He is established in me. My actions and responses become that sign for the rest of the world to see.

Learning to demonstrate my "establishing" is not always as easy as hanging out a sign. We work at the example in practicing our dedication and commitment to God and each other. We have a short life time to be a witness and to give testimony to the work in our lives. Personally, I am striving to make every effort to increase the ease in seeing my "established in" sign.

You know I love ya, Don

By Faith . . . getting through the sorrow of life.

"Faith is . . . what the ancients were commended for." Hebrews 11:12 (NIV)

Nicholas' passing has forced me to even lean more on Jesus and my faith. The limited vision of the future is a challenge for me. Yet, it is through faith that any Christ-follower takes each and every step. In grief that faith becomes even more precious. So, Karen and I have made a conscience effort that in these times of great sorrow, we will live "by faith."

Steve Wilcox wrote:

YEARS ago, a friend made a small wooden sign for my college dormitory door. Stained dark brown with white letters, it read, "Have Faith in God." Those words have been both a challenge and a hope to me ever since.

They challenge me because -- despite countless trips past that sign -- I have not always adhered to its timeless admonition. Sometimes when job uncertainties have arisen, I have been slow to trust God. When family losses have mounted, my confidence in Christ's companionship has sometimes waned. Even happy times have been a challenge, as they have sometimes subtly robbed me of the vigilance I need to cultivate faith.

But these words inspire hope as well. Hebrews 11 reminds me that by faith some of the Bible's most humble characters rose above their circumstances and their failings to please our Creator. As we see from the Gospels, Jesus delivered folks who had "great faith" (Luke 7:9), "little faith" (Matt. 6:30), and had even lost faith (Luke 8:25). From all these encounters I gain new hope and encouragement. What a comfort to know that Christ lovingly welcomes all of our "signs" of faith!

Therefore, I am taking one step at a time. That is progress from last week in that I was living one breath at a time. I miss Nicholas every moment and I do not believe that will ever change. The wound is healing in that we are learning to live with the pain. In fact, it is making us stronger by increasing our faith in the One that is providing the strength to face the day. It is by faith, we survive.

You Know I love ya and appreciate all your support in our time of loss.
Don

Working to Increase our Faith!

In Philippians 2, Paul tells us to continue to "work out of salvation with fear and trembling." He is telling to continue the work of the kingdom, to strive for a life the is set apart from the rest of the world, and to worship the Lord with our whole heart. I found the following that describes this action better than I can (written by Jon and Josh Bailey):

One day the great Michelangelo attracted a crowd of spectators as he worked. One child in particular was fascinated by the sight of chips flying and the sound of mallet on chisel. The master was shaping a large block of white marble. Unable to contain her curiosity, the little girl inquired, "What are you making?" He replied, "There is an angel in there and I must set it free."

Every Christian at their conversion is handed a large cold white marble block called religion. We must then take the mallet in hand and set to work. Religion is not our goal but we must first start there. Now there are many names for religion. At times we do call it religion but we often use other words and images to describe it. Sometimes we call it our faith. Jesus spoke in terms of the Kingdom of God. We say we are the Church, Christians, or Disciples. There are many names with varying nuances of meaning but in the end they all describe the same thing. We are a people of Faith, faith in Christ to be sure, but faith nonetheless.

We are not a business or institution. We do not sell or produce anything. We advocate no earthly cause. We serve no worldly authority. We come to a church building made by men. And to do what? Practice our faith. But we just as well could have met on a hillside or cave.

Our leader is not here, not so that I can show him to you or offer irrefutable evidence of his existence. That means faith is all we have. We are born through faith, live by faith, and die in faith. After my death, then and only then will I know in full, as the Apostle Paul says, when I see Jesus face to face. Until then I had better understand this religion thing.

Now that sounds pretty daunting doesn’t it? Here’s the good News. It’s not all that difficult. Religion is a marble slab and we have to find, like Michelangelo, the angel inside.

Working at increasing my faith everyday - you know I love ya, Don

My faith shall become sight

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Faith is defined as the unshakable confidence in the reality of the yet unseen world and the certainty of God's yet unfulfilled promises. Faith is belief in what you cannot see - in this instance, the existence of God - and that he will keep his word and reward those who trust in him. Alexander Whyte explains these two statements this way:

"Faith in its most elementary sense, faith in its first and foundation sense, simply means the reliance place by one man on the truthfulness and power of another. You make a statement of fact to me or give me a promise and offer an assurance and faith is that state of mind in me to you, that state of mind in me which accepts your statement and relies on your promise." [Sermons of 1881-82, 68]

Now, of course, that it a great deal easier to say than it is to do. Sometimes people speak as if faith were the easiest thing in all the world. They make it seem as if God's kindness is shown in this: that instead of requiring us to keep his commandments for salvation, he lowered the bar and requires us now only to believe in him. But, of course, it is exactly the reverse. Faith, true faith, is the most difficult thing in the world, it runs directly counter to the entire tendency of our inner being. No one ever believes by himself or herself. No one can believe. Faith is and must be the gift of God otherwise no one would ever believe and be saved.

Think of what must be believed in order to become a Christian. That you are God's creature, that you have rebelled, that he is holy and you are guilty as a sinner before him, that he sent Jesus Christ into the world to atone for sin, that by believing in Jesus his righteousness and the virtue of his death are imputed to you so that your guilt is swept away and you are accounted righteous in God's sight, that, if you believe in Jesus, you have been made a new creature in Christ, have been given a summons to live a new life and the power to live it, that when you die and your body is laid in the ground, your soul will be immediately and gloriously in the presence of God in heaven, and Jesus Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead and to vindicate those who have trusted in him, and that endless bliss and perfect satisfaction of human life, body and soul, awaits, at the resurrection, those who have trusted Jesus Christ.

You can't see any of this. You can't prove it in a laboratory. No one ever comes back from the other world to tell us of how things are there. The evidence of our eyes is against all of this. We can't see sins forgiven, we have to believe it. We can't see the soul in heaven. We have to believe it. We have to believe it all on the strength of God's promise. Christ said he would return, but it has been 2000 years! We must believe that he will keep his promise.

Our Faith remains true for the Christian himself or herself through the course of the Christian life. I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I also have faith in the Word and that the Word was made flesh...I ALSO know that He is working in my life and the lives of Christ-followers all around me, because I have seen His work and can testify to the truth that He lives.

Praying for you and our Faith today - Don

Feet like a deer

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 3:19

This verse represents one of the greatest confessions of faith to me. Habakkuk is one of my favorite prophetic writings. "Though everything around me fail-the fields, the vineyards, the flocks, the herds-yet will I rejoice in the Lord." This is the OT version of Phil. 4:11-13. Habakkuk knew that he had no strength of his own, but that God could give him the strength he would need to go through the trials that lay ahead. "He will make me like a deer-I will jump over the mountains." We saw a deer out in the field Saturday evening and it is amazing to see these creatures run and flow through the air.

How much more this ought to mean to us because God enables us to swore 
through the air. Habakkuk looked through the fog and mist and wondered 
at God's program, but in Christ we know God's plans for this age 
(Eph. 1:8-10, and chap. 3). We have the entire Bible to study, and 
Habakkuk did not have this. We have the record of life, death, resurrection,
and ascension of Jesus Christ, as well as the promise of His coming again.
If any people ought to walk by faith and rejoice in the Lord, it is the
Christ-follower today. Yet too often we doubt, complain, run ahead of God,
and even criticize what God is doing.

Habakkuk shows us how to deal with life's problems: (1) admit
them honestly; (2) talk to God about them; (3) wait quietly before
Him in prayer and meditation on the Word; (4) when He speaks, listen
and obey. Never run away from the difficulties of life, because God
wants to use those difficulties to strengthen your faith. "Never doubt
in the dark what God has told you in the light." The just shall
live by faith.

You know I love ya - Don
[Excerpts taken from Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament]

Tough Times? Or preparation for the next life?

Let’s look through the book of Matthew and see what He was willing to bear.

He was willing to bear temptation after temptation with out sinning. (Matthew 4:4-11)
He was willing to bear the fact he had no where to lay His head. (Matthew 8:20)
He was willing to bear how little faith His disciples had. (Matthew 8:26)
He was willing to bear evil thoughts against Him. (Matthew 9:3-4)
He was willing to bear insults being called a glutton, a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. (Matthew 11:19)
He was willing to bear being accused of breaking the law on a Sabbath. (Matthew 12:2)
He was willing to bear being accused of being Beelzebub after casting out demons. (Matthew 12:24)
He was willing to bear no honor from his own country and his own home. (Matthew 13:57)
He was willing to bear the fault-finding Pharisees. (Matthew 15:1-2)
He was willing to bear the slowness of His disciples in understanding. (Matthew 15:16)
He was willing to bear the great multitudes that came to Him for healing. (Matthew 15:29-31)
He was willing to bear His disciples lack of faith. (Matthew 16:8-12)
He was willing to bear Peter’s rebuke. (Matthew 16:22-23)
He was willing to bear Peter’s nonsense about building three alters when He was transfigured. (Matthew 17:4)
He was willing to bear His disciples constant questions. (Matthew 17:10)
He was willing to bear the Pharisees who came to test Him. (Matthew 19:3-6)
He was willing to bear the mother of Zebedee’s sons foolish request to have her sons sit at His right and left hand when they came into His kingdom. (Matthew 20:20-23)
He was willing to bear Peter, James and John sleeping instead of praying and watching while He prayed in the garden. (Matthew 26:36-46)
He was willing to bear false testimony against Him. (Matthew 26:59-63)
He was willing to bear being spit on and struck in the face. (Matthew 26:67)
He was willing to bear Peter’s triple denial. (Matthew 26:75)
He was willing to bear being humiliated, tortured and crucified. (Matthew 27:27-37)
He was willing to bear being blasphemed and taunted at while hanging on the cross. (Matthew 27:39-44) (Think on it devotions)

What are we willing to bear? "Lord Jesus, thank you for your patience with us. Thank you for being willing to bear what you did in order to save us from our sin and give us life with you eternally. In your name. Amen."

Romans 5:3-5, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Bearing it together and encouraging each of us to press on! - You know I love ya - Don

Filled with Hope

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

This verse is filled with hope!

A. The Lord will command. I love the Lord's commands. He is safe and just. He is compassionate and filled with wisdom. He is also love. Perfect commands bring abundant life and total hope.

B. We will be reunited with our loved ones that were Christ-followers. There is no loss in death except for the loss of the sinful nature. Then when we are reunited, we will experience total unity in heart, mind, and soul to recognize the completion of our hope.

C. We will be with Jesus. I don't think there is anything that will be more hopeful than a future of being with Jesus. If you are familiar with the song, "I bowed on my knees" there is a line that states, "I want to see Jesus for He is the One who died for me." I know Jesus because He lives in my heart, but I am ready to see Jesus. That will be when my faith (that which I hope for) will be made sight.

This verse is filled with hope.

"Almighty God, thank you for hope. Thank you for being the source of all hope. Thank you for filling my day with hope so that I may serve you and bring hope to others. In Jesus' name I say thanks. Amen."

You know I love ya - Don

Yes, We Can!...By Faith....

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
-Martin Luther King, Jr., - submitted by Sarah B., Burlington WI (www.theripplesproject.org)

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. - Hebrews 11:1-3

There is a new catch phrase in United States political arena. "Yes, We Can..." I was thinking about that new phrase and remembering today is Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I was also reminded that Mr. King was a Republican and strong conservative. (side note....the Republican party has always held to civil rights, lets not forget that Lincoln was a Republican.) Mr. King also strongly believed in the American ability to work, dedicate, and live the American Dream. Mr. King was also a STRONG Christ-follower.

So, in my mind, I was wrapping all these ideas into some kind of logical thought, when I was lead to Hebrews 11-12. Yes, we can through the power of Faith in a Mighty God. Mr. King understood that through the mighty power of God, anything is possible. Yes, we can achieve any dream....yes, we can be piercing light in a dark world....yes, we can climb to any height...yes, we can be followers of Christ because of our faith in Him!

May we never forget we can through Jesus Christ and always have faith,

You know I love ya - Don