Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
As CHRISTIANS we believe IN God but do we BELIEVE GOD?
Chew on that little nugget for a second.
For many of us we are quick to note our belief "in GOD".
Maybe there is a cross around our necks, a Bible on the coffee table, a membership card from our local congregation stuffed in the back of the wallet. We believe in creation and the cross. We rarely miss a Sunday and have a plan for daily prayer. We do a Bible study, teach a class, or maybe even mentor someone. We send checks to foreign missions to drill wells and have our World Vision child prominently displayed on the fridge.
Yes there is no question we believe IN GOD. We may even believe that we are to “work” for Him as well; at least we know we should.
(We are) created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
But that isn’t the question today.
I am not asking you if you believe IN GOD.
I am asking a more “penetrating” question of do you BELIEVE GOD?
Do you BELIEVE GOD when life has you frustrated and so punch drunk that you can’t focus and He says, “wait on Him and He will lift you on the wings of eagles”? – (Isaiah 40)
Do you BELIEVE GOD when things are crumbling around you and seemingly nothing good can be gleaned and He says that it is still “all good”? (Romans 8)
Do you BELIEVE GOD when you are feeling insecure and alone and He says, “I will never leave or forsake”? (Hebrews 13)
I could go on.
I work with so many folks who will quickly answer YES to the surveyor who stops to ask the question “Are you a Christian”. Many will say they “go to church” even. But that isn’t the question today. The question is do we believe GOD.
I will be honest, I struggle with that question myself; especially in this recent season of life.
But I MUST BELIEVE that GOD is always willing to orchestrate my path, stride ahead of me, and embolden me to face the challenges of life.
I must believe GOD’S when He says:
(We have) Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Hebrews 4 (MSG)
I must BELIEVE GOD when HE has promised to be FOREVER faithful!
2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you…
So I close today with a riff on my opening question.
Given what you have going on in your world today is it time for you to BELIEVE GOD too?
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” ― Merton
Got to BELIEVE it.
I love you all…
Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)
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