So, how is everybody doing? One thing I am especially having a difficult time with is observing our nation going down the tube rapidly. Washington seems to care for themselves only and are doing things which seem so evil and ignorant. But on the other hand I understand that God is in control and His judgement has finally been unleashed on this nation. Even with that understanding it is so difficult because we still live here and love this nation. The nation that was firmly built on the foundation of Jesus at its onset. Let us pray, "Oh God You are just, holy and righteous. Your ways are good and perfect. Help us to keep our eyes on You during these most troubling times. Help us to continue our love walk. To continue our faith walk. To continue to repent for our nation. To continue to pray for, love and bless our elected officials which is difficult at times. May we fall madly in love with you like never before. In Jesus name...AMEN."
This particular blog is a past entry from my personal journal. Please enjoy and be blessed. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes and ears so we may see and hear what the Holy One is saying.
In death, life will come. Sounds unusual but God's Kingdom works on that principal. If we are not enjoying intimacy with Christ to the measure we desire then something has to die. God's Kingdom demands faith and love. Faith and love demand dying to our selfish desires and thoughts and submitting to God's desires.
Faith is trusting God when we think it's impossible, hard or when we just plainly don't agree. If Peter would have waited until the sea was calm and all conditions were right he wouldn't have exercised the faith that Jesus demands. If Abraham would not have journeyed to a far land just because God said so, and if he had not taken the sword to his son without believing God would raise him from the dead then we wouldn't have our father of faith. If Jesus would not have laid down His life and believed God for His resurrection then we would be doomed.
Faith in God always requires a step of denial to our desires and thinking. All things from God require a journey through the cross. Faith always begins with a surrender of our thoughts to God's thoughts. Faith without works is dead. Either the action is an actual stepping out of the boat (obedience) or the action of a surrendered will (waiting) til the promise is fulfilled. By faith and patience we inherit the promises.(Hebrews 6:12 )
Obedience is the action of faith. God said that NOW He knew Abraham feared Him because of his obedience. (Genesis 22:12 ) He also says if we love Him then we will be obedient (faith and love in action).(John 14:15 ) Whatever God has promised you and I will bring hope. In order to receive that promise we must go across the bridge of love and faith. Faith cannot work without love. (Galations 5:6) We grow in our intimacy with Christ through prayer, reading the Word and sometimes just hanging out with Him. Allowing Him to wrap His arms around us. That love spurns trust (faith) and now we wait hopefully and with full assurance til the promise is fulfilled.
So whether faith is obedience in action or the submitting to God out of love while we wait for a promise it is always going through the cross. Always going through humility knowing that we are much lower than our God. Faith and love are always a form of self denial. It is always saying that I believe God. I love God. I trust God. And it always, always says I will do these things whether I feel like it or not. Why? Because Jesus is my master and that is my role in this God/man relationship. Trust(love) and obey for there is no other way. And oh boy, how will we survive these times without a most firm foundation in Christ Jesus ?
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