Faith

                       Faith 

       As Christians, faith must be one of our foundations to following Christ. Faith is very important to a true Christian lifestyle. Without faith we might not even literally be alive, because in everything we do there must be an action of faith. We use faith only realizing what we think is the possible that is seen with our natural eyes, but there are hidden effects that are never noticed. For example, when you turn on a light switch you already know the light is going to come on. To actually flip the light switch and have an expectation for light to appear from the light bulb is a natural conjecture.  Even in this situation you are using faith. The faith is not in the light switch but in the light bulb from the acknowledgement of flipping the light switch. How much more could we move through the mighty works of God using the same actions as a result of faith? 

      Faith is not only used by the Christian body but by many other religions. There is one difference between Christianity and all the other religions, and that is that our God is not a God of hate but of grace and love showing us the secrets and treasures of heaven when we begin to surrender our lives over. He is always caring for us and wanting us to be blessed exceedingly and abundantly when are in him. 

     Worry will totally destroy the whole operation of faith. Worry is wondering and doubting whether the situation or prayer will even come true. Worry is evidenced by nothing happening because of the lack of faith.  When we begin to worry the faith becomes less and less.  When we begin to worry we also begin to limit God and lose sight; we are not standing totally on the truth and word of God through any circumstance.  We need to begin to overcome that worry and doubt, stepping into full faith and knowing that God is in control.  It is not always that God will do things your way but by His way, for His ways are higher than ours. We should never question, and therefore cancel a revelation of Jesus. Jesus is perfect theology and can’t fail us in our situations just because we can’t see or imagine the amazing wonders taking place among us.

   The Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Even though we can’t see it, we must use it, for God has given it to us for a reason.  He wants to use this faith to bless our lives and lives of others to further his kingdom. Miracles will be shown by enacting our faith and by going by what the Bible says about faith.  The impossible will become possible, and the supernatural will become natural. The Bible says that by this faith we can move mountains.

  The power and use of faith can go beyond even our own understanding, because our God is beyond all of that. God is a big God.  The faith of bringing us into the salvation of Christ allows us to have deep intimacy, and we do not know how far we can go in him. The intimacy entwines with faith greater than a mustard seed to become a watermelon - so we can step into the kingdom and start moving the mountains in our lives.

Satisfied

Lately it's really been hitting me that nothing else in this world will ever satisfy me, but Jesus. I know that sounds so cliche, but is has never been so true to me. Over the break I found myself trying to satisfy myself with hanging out with a guy, but of course this guy didn't satisfy my heart. We were created to have wholes in our hearts that only Jesus can fill. People have longings in their hearts and instead they look to the world to fulfill their longings, but really their hearts are crying out for something real and true- Jesus Christ! In Superman the movie there is a line that Superman says that gets me every time, "You say the world doesn't need a Savior but I hear them crying for one everyday." Dang!! I don't think people realize their deepest desire for something real, but it is definitely present in every person's heart. There's a song that says, "Crying for love, dying for truth, my generation is aching for you." The very depths of our soul ache for our true Daddy. The Creator of the Universe loves us so much that he decorated the skies, he painted the sunrise, he placed sparkling wonders in the sky at night, he chose to live in our hearts, and He gave his only son so that we could live. Wow, why do we choose to deny Him over and over again? Because, our flesh desires the things of this world. So, every morning you have to choose to die to your flesh, so that we can glorify and seek the ONE TRUE GOD! Only Jesus will truly satisfy!
With all Sincerity and love,
Mallory

Perseverance

“Because you have kept my commandment to persevere...” (Revelation 3:10)

One of my favorite scenes from the movie Facing the Giants is the death crawl. Do you remember that scene in the movie where the coach blindfolds Brock and makes him crawl across the entire football field with his teammate on his back? There were many times that Brock wanted to quit and give up; it was straining and he felt like he had nothing left. But, his coach kept encouraging him to keep going and persevere until the end.When Brock finally made it to the end and realized he had crossed the entire field without quitting, his belief in himself, his team and his coach completely changed. He conquered something he thought was impossible and came out stronger. He persevered.

Perseverance is more than just endurance- it’s more than holding on with everything you’ve got until the end. It’s endurance combined with the absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for and fighting for will happen. Perseverance is defined in Webster’s dictionary as, “the steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, in spite of difficulties, trials and obstacles.” Despite difficulties, we persevere. Despite trials, we persevere. Despite obstacles, we persevere. We persevere toward our calling. We persevere to the voice of God.We persevere to the end.

Here’s a cool analogy I heard a couple of years ago about perseverance . Our life is in God’s hands like a bow and arrow in the hand’s of an archer. The archer is aiming at something the arrow cannot see, but the archer continues to stretch and strain- aiming at the target, while the arrow says, “I can’t take it anymore!” The archer pays no attention; he goes on stretching until his eye is on the target and his purpose for the arrow is in sight. Then, he lets the arrow fly; aiming at the target.

We have to be like a bow and arrow in the hand’s of the Lord; entrusting ourself to God. Even when it’s dark and we can’t see the light and He’s stretching and straining us. Trust Him. Persevere! He has His eye on the prize. He can see the target ahead, even when we can’t. Keep going! The prize is ahead! If we could just grasp that, how much easier would it be to trust God in every situation and continue to persevere.

“Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

James explains that perseverance is the product of faith being tested. While nobody enjoys being tested and stretched in their faith, James says, “Consider it pure joy”, for perseverance makes the soul, “mature and complete.” But, we must finish. We have to complete the task ahead of us.

Is there something in your life right now where you need perseverance? We need to proclaim in confidence like Job did, “Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him.” (Job 13:15) There is a call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work steadfastly, knowing with certainty He will never be defeated and we will come out stronger.It’s going to take everything you’ve got to persevere, but know with perfect assurance that He has his eye on the prize and He aiming you towards it.

Perseverance is strong and confident, built on the knowledge that God is perfect love. Even though we can’t physically see Him right now and don’t understand what He’s doing, we know Him. We trust Him. It’s throwing yourself completely abandoned into the arms of Christ knowing that He is who He says He is. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10)


-Hayley

Letting Go of Idols...

¹⁷As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

   ¹⁸And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

   ¹⁹"You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

   ²⁰And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up."

   ²¹Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

   ²²But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

   ²³And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!"

   ²⁴The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

   ²⁵"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

   ²⁶They were even more astonished and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?"

   ²⁷Looking at them, Jesus said, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."

   ²⁸Peter began to say to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You."

   ²⁹Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake,

   ³⁰but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.

   ³¹"But many who are first will be last, and the last, first."

A long reference, I know. It's probably one you've read or heard many times before. I encourage you to go back and read through it carefully. This young guy is a pretty good guy and has followed all the commandments ever since he was little. Jesus sees his dedication and passion to find eternal life and has a love for him. He then strikes into the cord of the man and tells him to sell all he owns and give to the poor (vs 21). What happens? The young man walks away saddened because he loves all he possesses.

How many times do we find ourselves in our possessions? The new IPhone comes out and we all need to have it even though our 3G works just fine (this is coming from someone who owns both the itouch and the ipod classic). We've been consumed by consumerism and especially around this time of the year. There is so much in this text that you could dissect and get out of, but i want to focus on the last few verses. in verse 29, Jesus tells us that we will leave comforts of this world for His advancement of the Kingdom. Houses, family, friends, jobs, mp3 players, maybe even our life. This is in direct conflict with the prosperity gospel because Jesus points out here that we will lose things of this world. Depressing right? Keep reading. Jesus continues in verse 30 saying that we will receive 100 times in this PRESENT age. Jesus is speaking out to those who are broken and alone. You don't have a family? You do in Christ. You don't have a home? You are sheltered in God's grace. You may lose your life, but you shall receive eternal life in Jesus. We WILL even go through persecutions and trials, but thanks be to God who wipes the tears from our eyes when face to face with Him in eternity...

Take the next few moments, right where you're at, and think long and hard about things in your life that Jesus may be asking you to give up. Please don't read into this as a "YOU HAVE TO BE POOR TO BE A CHRISTIAN!" I'm saying that there are things in our life (sometimes good) that we close our hand around and they become an idol in our life. I know I have many, and I guarantee I will be praying about what I need to give up. God be gracious and give me strength in doing so. Do you have idols in your life? Are you putting things before God, things that sometimes aren't even bad or wrong? Are you not only willing to follow Christ's teachings (like the young rich ruler), but also give up what Christ convicts you of? Or will you walk away sad, having nothing but your idols. I would rather be rich in Christ and poor in worldly comforts. Lord, show us our heart and what we need to cleanse it of. Let us walk away from our "comforts" and find comfort and strength in You and You alone...

-Jake