Devotionals from Dad

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I have a tendency to be a bit driven. Once I get mind set on doing something there is no stopping me! The carrier bearing in my wife's car had gone bad and it needed a new driveshaft. I had ordered the part and it was delivered on Friday morning. When I got home from work I decided that I would put the new driveshaft in. I had 2 hours to do the job before my wife got home, just enough time. I don't have a lift at home so I had to find a way to raise the car enough that I could get under it and replace the driveshaft. I had driven it up into my shed which has a ramp about 18 inches high and then backed it up on car ramps so I could have room to lay underneath it. I was in a hurry and forgot to block the wheels. Nothing good ever comes from being in a hurry! When the last bolt came out of the driveshaft the car slowly rolled off the ramps. I tried to use my left foot as a wheel chock and it just rolled over my toes, but I had steel toe boots on so my foot was not hurt, but I was trapped under the car and couldn't get my fat belly out,... but I was not hurt. I dug my cell phone out my pocket and called my sister in law Pat. I was pretty sure she was home and she was less than a quarter mile away. When she answered the phone I told her, I am in trouble! I am trapped under my car! She yelled, I will be right there. She got a jack out of my shed, jacked up one side of the car giving me just enough room to slide out. The she remained there until I finished the job. My only injury was a scratch on my fat belly! Evidently God's not done with me yet!

Philippians 1:6 ESV And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 

As a believer in Christ you must know that God has a purpose for your life and nothing can stand in the way of the completion of that plan in your life. Now, I don't recommend that you put God to the test quite like I did,.... but that being said I still believe the God will preserve us as believers so that we can accomplish His plan. There is no retirement plan for the faithful. No matter how long you have been a faithful servant of God your work is never finished. Until that day that you stand before the throne of God and hear him say, Well done my good and faithful servant.

Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

We are saved by grace through faith, but we are saved to do good works. Jesus tells us that we are to lay up treasures in heaven. To hear those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” from Jesus, first you must place your faith in Him, you must be saved. The unbelieving will never hear those words. Once you receive salvation you must faithfully serve God. Here are some ideas on ways you can serve the Lord. First, share what God has done for you, share your testimony. Tell others of how Jesus has changed your life, or in my case preserved my life from being smashed underneath my wife's car. Another way to serve God is to serve the less fortunate. The bible says, If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Another way is to forgive others of their offenses. This means you let go of your desire to get revenge. Jesus modeled forgiveness. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate, when he suffered, he made no threats. Finally, seek to know the character of God better through worship and fellowship with other believers. Listen to sermons and devotionals, study your bible and pray. As a faithful follower of Jesus Christ you must believe that God has a plan for your life. If your still alive then Gods not done with you yet!

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What are the things that people treasure the most? According to a Google search the top 4 things people treasure are: the beauty of nature, the joy of friends, the love of family and the thrill of learning. However, I would tell you that all you need to do is take a quick look at someone's check book ledger and you will soon learn what they truly treasure, what is most important to them. If you look at my checkbook you will see that I spend a lot of money on groceries. One thing that I treasure is a good meal! Around Christmas time if you look at my checkbook ledger you would soon learn that my children and grandchildren are very important to my. During the spring and fall I enjoy going camping, cooking over and open fire and relaxing around the campfire with my wife, family and friends. My difficult question for you is this; would you still love Jesus if the things you treasure the most in life were taken from you?

John 21:15 ESV When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 

Honestly, it’s hard for me to even imagine what my life would be if certain things or people weren’t in it. God forbid if something unexpected were to happen such as the death of my wife. That would rock my world and shake the foundation of my life and make me question God. What if my house was to catch fire, I was suddenly homeless and all had was the clothes on my back. What if I faced a serious health diagnosis like a terminal cancer diagnosis. These are things that have happened in life to people I know and love, but what if they happened to me....what if? As a true believer, no matter what happens in my life I am supposed love Jesus, even if the thing I treasure the most is taken from me! The core of the Christian faith is that love for God is unconditional and not dependent on external circumstances. Love is not just a biblical principal. It’s the foundation of who God is. 

 Matthew 22: 37-40 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Is it possible to love God more than the person I love the most in the world, more that even my wife? The answer is not only yes it is possible, the answer is, I absolutely must! This is what it means to be a Christian. I must love God first and love God most. I must love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. Being a Christian means that I love God with everything I have and everything I am. I cannot do that if I love something in this world more than I love God. 

Luke 14:26 ESV If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 

Jesus doesn’t want us to despise our families, our spouses or our children. He wants us to know that following Him means choosing Him over anything and everything else. If you want to be a Christian, to be God's disciple, you must love Him more than anything or anyone else in your life, in fact you must treasure God more than even your own life. So what do you treasure most in life?

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When I was a child Saturday mornings television was filled with cartoons. There was Bugs Bunny, Road Runner and the Coyote, Scooby Do, The Super Friends, The Land of the Lost and a few others that were educational like School House Rocks and Sesame Street. One of my favorite Sesame Street characters was Count Von Count. He had a comical resemblance to Count Dracula, but that is where the similarity ends. The Count was a happy and helpful character who enjoys counting anything and everything. The Count and I have a few things in common. I enjoy counting things and I have a few eccentric number tendencies. The thermostat in our house must always be set on an even number. If I am running the volume on the TV it makes me feel better if is on an even number. It is okay if it is stopped on a multiple of 5 such as 20, 25, 30 or 35 but in my mind it is better if it is on an even number. Thinking about Count Von Count made me stop and think for a moment,... just when was the last time that I stopped to count my many blessings? Just the fact that I live in the United States of America make me a very wealthy person. Poor people in the United States have more material resources than most of the world’s richest nations. A groundbreaking study by “Just Facts” has discovered that after accounting for all income including charity and welfare benefits like subsidized housing and food stamps, the poorest 20 percent of Americans consume more goods and services than most people in other affluent countries. In other words, if the US poor were a nation, it would be one of the world’s richest. So what should I do with all my wealth?

Malachi 3:10 ESV Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 

Sometimes I confuse wants and needs. I can become so focused on my wants that they feel critical to my well-being. Then, when God doesn’t meet my so called needs, I get frustrated, impatient and to be honest maybe even a bit upset with God. If you ever feel this way, you need to ask yourselves, are my wants essential to accomplishing God’s purpose, or is it only for my enjoyment? If your will is aligned with the will of God, He will answer all your prayers because you will be wanting what is needed to glorify God. God is happy to satisfy your wants when they fit within His purpose and will.

Psalm 37:4 ESV Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

God isn’t obligated to grant your wishes or fulfill any plans but His own! The bible says that those who seek Him won’t lack any good thing. The heavenly Father wants His children’s greatest desire to be Him! When that is true in a believer’s life, then you won't require a lot of stuff, entertainment, or people in order to be happy. 

Matthew 6:33 ESV But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done. 

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I have many fond childhood memories growing up with a large extended family. My father was one of 7 children. He had 3 brothers and 3 sisters. When I was younger I had 10 Aunts and Uncles and 24 first cousins, my fathers oldest brother died in a car accident before I knew him. When everyone was present there was about 50 family members and at some point in time someone was going to pick you up and give you a loving bear hug that left toes dangling in the air. We frequently had our family reunions outside at the pond near my grandparents home. We would fish, swim and roast hot-dogs around a large bonfire. As the sun was setting we would all pile on the hay wagon and go for a hay ride around the dirt roads near my grandpa's farm. One of the treasured traditions that we held sacred was reciting the Lord's Prayer. Grandpa would gathers us around the table in a large circle before the meal and we would all join hands and then he would leads us in the Lord's prayer. 

Matthew 6: 9-13 NKJV Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 

This prayer should truly be our hearts desire, something we strive for! When we pray "hallowed be thy name", we are acknowledging that God's name is holy and should be treated as such. We ask God to forgive our debts or sins as we forgive those who sin against us and to not lead us into temptation.... But are we to quick to look past the petition, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! For more that 2,000 years, faithful followers of Jesus have prayed these words, that He taught His disciples: “May Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” But have we paused to think through what it really means? When I pray and when I say, on earth as it is in heaven. I pray for God’s will to be done instantly, that there will be no delay in His will being accomplished. I pray for God’s will to be done constantly, that there will be no cessation or vacation from the will of God being accomplished. I pray for God’s will to be done completely... that there will be no half measures in the accomplishing of His will. And, finally, I pray for God’s will to be done worshipfully, just like the angels of heaven, who happily, vocally and brilliantly speed to do God’s bidding, His name may be glorified, His kingdom may come, and His will may be accomplished here on earth. Of course, implicit in the prayer for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, is my own prayer for my submission to God’s will. It makes no sense to pray for these things to be accomplished everywhere but in me. So for me to pray, may Your will be done, means that I will do what You God says, I will go where God leads. So, for me, praying, on earth as it is in heaven, must be a daily act of surrender of my own will I must be an eager, obedient servant. It is a renewed commitment of my life to the cause of Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 

Most days I am pretty darn confident that I know what I am doing. Just ask my wife and she will tell you that it is my way or the highway! So for me to fully surrender my will to Go and to acknowledge that God's will is better than my will is a humbling and difficult task for me. My plans aren't your plans God,my ways are not yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God's ways higher than my ways, so “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!”

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Nothing is more demanding than a newborn baby that is hungry. The child will scream at the top of its lungs until the he or she gets what they desire. Newborns crave milk with a passion. When they are hungry, they have no patience, they cry out to be satisfied and to be satisfied right now! Their hunger is not some passive, “I can do that later,” kind of thing. The bible tells us that we are to crave the milk of the word just like newborn babies.

1 Peter 2:2 CSB Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation,

How often do newborns crave milk? Do they only want to eat once a week on Sundays? Or perhaps once a day? No! A newborn baby is likely to want to eat every 2-3 hours, resulting in eight feedings a day. This leads me to ask myself the question; How often do I crave the Word of God? In Deuteronomy chapter 6 the bible gives us a clear answer to this question.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 CSB These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.

I don’t know about you, but it wouldn’t hurt me to be a little more hungry for God’s word. I get hungry on Sunday mornings and most Wednesday nights and occasionally during the week I will study God’s word. Can you imagine how you would feel physically if you only ate 3 times a week? I don’t know about you, but I get hungry for a meal or a snack many times, sometimes more than 3 times a day! And if I miss a meal, I feel the physical effects of it almost immediately. At times I think I could use my stomach to keep track of the time of day. So why don't I have the same desire and need for spiritual nourishment? The bible also says that I should hunger and thirst for righteousness and that if I do it will be a blessing.

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

To hunger and thirst doesn’t resonate today like it did in Jesus’ day. When food and water were scarce, people were often hungry and thirsty. In our culture, food and water are plentiful, so are we missing or not grasping the urgency Jesus intended? Hungry, thirsty people work hard, urgently, to get food. To hunger and thirst for righteousness, means we should urgently pursue righteousness. To hunger for righteousness is to yearn for God’s rule in our lives. It is to have a thirst for God’s Word and for the company of our Christian brothers and sisters! Do you hunger for righteousness? Do you pursue holiness? Or are you satisfied with a snack of righteousness once a week on Sunday mornings. Do you have a passionless routine, a dull, dutiful life, no different than the rest of the world around you? Or like the newborn baby do you cry out for the word of God in such a way that everyone can see that you are not satisfied, that you are starving for more time in God’s word! Real disciples yearn for God’s righteousness and pursue it. It is my prayer for both me and you that we are hungry for God’s word just like the newborn baby is for milk!

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I can’t understand it. I make suggestion after suggestion that’s better than what other people propose and at best, I get but the most obligatory thank you, but no thanks. Then to make matters worse, the bad idea proposed by the group gets implemented. Why can't these people see that my idea and plan is in their best interest. Unfortunately, I do the same thing with God. I make these great plans, I implement my plans, then I invite God to come join me in my plans. Sometimes I am just to smart for my own good. “Too smart for your own good” is an expression that means a person's intelligence or cleverness causes them problems. More times than I can count, I have listened to people outline the plans they have in store for the next season of their life. And I've done the same exact thing. We like to talk about the things we're going to do, the places we're going to go, and the open doors we're going to walk through. Occasionally, our plans work out like we expected, but more often than not, they get amended, sometimes drastically. 

Proverbs 3: 5-6 NIV Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

No matter how smart you may think you are you probably don't have everything figured out. You are not supposed to figure out your path through this life alone! God will guide you throughout all the twists and turns of life. He will protect you and take care of you. He will lead you to a life of freedom and purpose, greater than any life you could figure out you by yourself. Allowing God to be your guide begins with a commitment to trust that God's plans are better than your plans. Trusting God's plans for my life is one of the most difficult things for me to do. I am a bit of a control freak and it so difficult for me let go and follow the plans of God. I often see stickers on vehicles that say, “God is my Co-Pilot.” This is so true for me but unfortunately if you are putting your faith in God and, trusting his plans than God should be your pilot, not your co-pilot! For some of us we take life decisions and plans to the opposite extreme. We make no decisions, we say, “I will pray about it,” but for some reason we never hear God's plans. We lack confidence or faith and think,.. well if I do nothing than I can't have done anything wrong. If you’ll let him, God will guide you in and out of every circumstance by tugging on your spirit and speaking to your heart. With God in charge of your life you will be perfectly led. You just have to trust him to lead you better than you can lead yourself.

Matthew 6: 31-33 NIV So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

God cannot lead you where you will not follow. Do you have a plan for your life? Have you submitted that plan over to the Lord? Can you confidently say that the Lord is pleased with that plan? Friends, our desires, if left unchecked, will open the door to a life that is fueled by pride, selfishness and idolatry, turning us away from the Lord. But if we seek God in all things, we learn that, what our hearts truly desires can only be found in Jesus. When we make plans, we need to make sure that those plans align with God's greater purposes. A plan that aligns with His purposes pleases Him. A plan that aligns with His purposes is blessed by Him. A plan that aligns with His purposes brings Him glory. So don't be to smart for your own good! God's plans are better than your own!

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For the most part I never have a problem voicing my opinion. Matter of fact I am pretty confident in my abilities. I have a sign over my dresser that says, “I am not a control freak, but I could tell you how to do that right!” However, when it comes to sharing about my faith it seems I have a shortage of words and lack of confidence. Why is it that I can be so confident about so many things except the one thing that is most important, telling the lost about how Jesus died for their sins and how they can have eternal life in heaven. I am confident that I am not the first person that lacks confidence when it comes to sharing my faith with the lost. Even Moses in the old testament told God he had trouble speaking.

Exodus 4: 10 ESV But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

Stuttering may have been a problem for Moses, although it is unknown what speech difficulty the prophet had. Some scholars take Moses’ words as simply an excuse to avoid carrying out God’s instructions, but it is possible that Moses did have some type of speech impediment. It may have been a stutter, although there’s no way to know for sure. It could be that Moses lacked confidence due to what he considered a lack of proficiency in formal speaking. Why is it that we don't have enough faith to trust the one who made our mouth to give us the words we need to say? God used only his words and spoke into existence absolutely everything in creation. Despite Moses’ stuttering, if that’s what it was, God used Moses in great ways, showing that He is sovereign over everything, including speech difficulties.

Exodus 4: 11-12 ESV Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Even though you can be confident that God will give you the words you need to speak to the lost that does not mean you will not be faced with tribulation and difficulties. In Matthew chapter 10 Jesus warns his disciples that they will face persecution and opposition as they carry out their mission.

 Matthew 10: 18-20 ESV and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 

These verses speak to the challenges and trials that Christians may face as they seek to live out their faith and spread the message of the gospel. These verses tell us that you will face persecution and the living out the Christian faith. It serves as a reminder that following Jesus will not always be easy, and will require great courage, faith, and perseverance. How do you gain confidence that God will use your mouth? First remember that God keeps all his promises, next know that God is on your side. God didn't create us and redeem us without giving us the ability to carry out His will. God promises that the Holy Spirit lives within us and will be our advocate. Finally, be patient and avoid judging yourself too harshly. Understand that you'll make mistakes. You are only human. As believers, we are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus, even in the face of opposition and adversity and trust the one who made your mouth and He will give you the words you need to say. 

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A daily shower has many important health benefits. Most people need a daily shower. In addition to the most obvious benefit, the reduction of body odor, a daily shower also improves immune function, eases muscle aches and pains, reduces swelling, increases blood flow, improves concentration, lessens fatigue and makes it easier to breathe. Showering cleans the skin and removes dead skin cells to help clear the pores and allow the skin cells to function. It washes away bacteria and other irritants that could cause rashes and other skin problems. However, the main reason why people shower as much as they do is that it helps them meet social standards of cleanliness and personal appearance. In other words the average person is ashamed by the body odor that can occur if they have not taken a daily shower. So my difficult question for you is: Why do we not not feel the social pressure to spend time in God's word daily? Which is more important your health and personal hygiene or spiritual health and hygiene? 

1 Timothy 4: 13 ESV Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 

Spending time in God's word daily is as crucial for a good spiritual health, as taking a daily shower is important for good physical health. Reading your bible daily allows you to deepen your relationship with God by understanding His character, receiving guidance for your life, finding encouragement, and aligning your actions with God's will. Reading Gods word creates a foundation for living a life according to Christian principles.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 ESV And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 

When we spend time with God, we can unlock God’s plans for our lives. We can receive direction from Him on the steps we should take and decisions we should

make for our lives. Many of us have questions about our lives; what are we supposed to do, what is our purpose in life, what steps should we be taking concerning our lives? Who better to guide us than the One who created us? 

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

The people we choose to spend time with can either “make or break” us, they affect our character and can even shape who and what we believe. We essentially become like those who we choose to spend time with. If we choose to spend time with God, we will find ourselves becoming like Him. We will not only get to know His character, but we will begin to adopt His character. The more we spend time in God’s word, the more we will begin to adopt His character, we begin to think like Him, love like Him, see others the way that He does. The more you spend time with God and look to Him, the more you will become like Him. Spending time with God daily is just as important to your spiritual health as taking a shower daily is to your physical health. So shower yourself daily with the word of GOD!!!!

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I like to show up unannounced at my good friend, Ginger Melvin’s, home. When she answers the door she uses the door like a shield to hide behind. She grips the door jamb with her fingers and slowly pokes the top of her head out from behind the door so that all you can see is her eyes and forehead. From her reaction it is not hard to tell that my unexpected visit has caught her off guard. She is happy to see me because I am usually bringing her either some garden goodies or something that Joyce has canned for her. Just like when I show up unexpectedly at Gingers home, Jesus Christ’s return will happen when you least expect it!

Luke 12:40 ESV You must be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

What does it mean to be ready? The definition of the word is: to be in a suitable state for an activity, action, a situation; to be fully prepared, to prepare for someone or something to be ready for an activity or purpose. With this definition in mind are you ready for Jesus Christ Return? Are you sure that you are living in a state of preparedness so that you will not be caught off guard by Jesus returns? Jesus said to be dressed and ready for service and to keep your lamps burning.

Luke 12:35-36 ESV Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

What does it mean to be dressed? To be dressed is to be ready emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. We are not to go about our lives as though Jesus' return has no bearing on how we live today, but neither are we to sell everything we have and go wait on a mountaintop for His coming. He wants us to be living in anticipation of His return. To have our lamps burning so that everyone will see the light of Christ shine, by the way we live. We are to be witnesses, alert and not asleep, understanding the times. In addition to being ready, ourselves, for Jesus return we must do all we can to make sure that others are ready. For those who are unprepared for His coming. He says His appearance will be a like the arrival of a thief in the night. There will be many people who are busy building their nest egg here on earth, distracted by their responsibilities, jobs and relationships and too concerned about what others think of them to give even a moments thought to what will happen if they are not ready for Jesus return. Those left behind for find themselves in a world that is rapidly changing and not for the better! Can you imagine what the world will be like when the Holy Spirit’s restraint is taken away. At that moment, the world will have no born-again believers anywhere. All the Christian workers in hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, rescue missions, relief agencies will be gone. Every Christian in law enforcement, social work, and health care,... all gone. But there is hope!

Acts 16:31 ESV And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.

For those who love the Lord and are waiting for His return, His coming will be like the joy that a new born baby gives their mother. Unspeakable joy and overwhelming gratitude belong to the believer who is looking for Jesus' return. The faithful will rejoice at the sight of the Lord's coming because great will be their reward!

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All of us place our trust or faith in things everyday and most times we don't even realize it. Every Sunday morning, you find your favorite pew and you sit down. You didn't even think twice about sitting down, did you? You know what a church pew is and you know what it is supposed to do and so you trust that it is going to hold you up. So for the most part you sit down without a second thought. Sure maybe you have encountered a well worn lawn chair that the webbing looked frayed and you wondered, will this hold me up? Or maybe you sat on a chair that was on an uneven surface and it suddenly sifted to one side giving you a momentary scare that you might get dumped on your backside, but for the most part we don't worry about where we sit. Just imagine what it would be like if every time we sat down we had to examine the place we were going to sit, to check it for cracks, make sure it was solid in construction and to test the chair to see if it would hold us up. That would take forever, and it would be so awkward.

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

Real faith requires action! A mere profession of faith proves nothing; only action can demonstrate if your faith is genuine. It is not enough to claim to have faith, we must live it. Our actions indicate who or what we have placed our faith in. Just saying you have faith is not enough, you have to do something. Without true faith, you are stuck at home on the couch. You will be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Opportunities exists every day and all around you, but if we don’t have the faith to follow the path that God reveals to you, you will never experience the presence and blessing of God. All my life I have loved racing, hot rods and classic cars, so here is an illustration of faith that really hits home for me. God can't steer a parked car! Driving a car takes a great deal of faith. First, you must start your car. Most people have no idea, especially with new complex computer control cars what makes them run. They simply have faith that when they turn that key or push that button on the dash, the car will start. Next you must demonstrate you faith by putting you car in gear and pressing down on the accelerator pedal. Do you really understand how the power of engine under the hood of your car is transferred to the wheels and motivates your down the road? Probably not you just have faith it will work. And let's not forget about the brakes on your car, trusting them to stop your 5 to 6 thousand pound car that is traveling at 70 miles per hour is a real testimony of placing your faith in something.

 James 2: 14-17 ESV What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 

We can say we have faith but if it doesn’t result in action, it is useless. We see that in some people’s lives all the time, all talk no action. They tell a good story but when it comes time to do something they don’t follow through. Many of us are simply selfish. We have the mentality that we have worked hard for what they have and we have earned every bit of it! When you truly place your faith in God and you believe that God will provide for all your needs, then you are free to give what you have to others. You show your faith by living without the fear of losing what you really do not possess. We should act with a faith that God is able to provide for us no matter how much we give away. Because nothing you have is really yours anyway it is a gift from God!

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