Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what do not see."
By faith we believe God created the universe and all that is in it. By faith, Noah built the ark when warned about things not yet seen. If you read Hebrews 11, you will find many stories of people who lived by faith. Some of them include Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Abel, Enoch, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, the prophets, the prostitute Rahab, and others. I would encourage you to read Hebrews 11 especially if you are struggling in your faith.
Should we as Christians doubt God? NO! For if he can calm the storms, walk on water, feed the five thousand, turn water into wine, heal the sick, and raise a dead man; how can we doubt God? We must not doubt but believe. It takes complete faith. Faith is believing in the things not yet seen.
James 1:6
"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
We must believe and not allow Satan to put the doubt there. If we give it to the Lord at the altar, then leave it there, don't take it back. With faith also comes action. We must act in faith believing and knowing God called us according to his purpose for such a time as this.
James 1:22
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
James 2:20
"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?"
James 2:26
"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
Let us live by faith and not by sight that we may be an example to others. May we listen to God's calling and be obedient to His calling. May we be credited as a righteous child of God. May our lives reflect the love of Jesus Christ towards others. Help us O'Lord to believe and not doubt. Help us each day to walk by faith, doing what you have called us to do.
Blessings to you all!!!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Prayer of Faith
Prayer is very powerful and very essential in our spiritual walk with God. It is also a very powerful way of communicating with God. One Sunday morning, we had a missionary speak at our service by the name of Karla. She is so anointed by the Lord and spoke with such boldness and compassion. Her title was "Prayer of Faith." I would like to share some of my notes from her message that morning. It was so powerful. It is a reminder that when we pray, pray the prayer of faith. There are three key points in praying the prayer of faith: Prayer of Faith, Fervent, and Availeth Much.
James 5:13-16 "The Prayer of Faith"
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of righteous man is powerful and effective."
I am going to begin by talking about the Prayer of Faith. There are two ways we can pray the prayer of faith:
1) Pray in the Word (stand firm in the Word)
You have no power if you aren't submerged in the Word.
2) Be used in the gift of faith
Be available to be used.
The second key point is Fervent:
Agonize in prayer.
Pray according to God's will not your own.
Pray fervently, in tongues and in the Spirit.
The final point is Availeth Much:
Be available to be used by the Spirit.
We cannot operate in God's will unless we are in the Spirit.
The prayer of faith gets the job done.
Imagine if we all spent an hour a day praying, even if it was a short simple prayer, what a difference the power of prayer makes. Praying and spending time with God allows us to develop a more personal relationship with God. He will make our paths clear and help us in times of turmoil. The power of prayer changes things.
I love the quote "You have no power if you aren't submerged in the Word." You simply can't grow spiritually if you are not reading God's Word or applying it to your life. You have to make time to read God's Word and study it. It requires disciplining yourself. You must make time with God in order to have a relationship with God. It is amazing what God can do through us if we allow him to use us according to his will. Make an effort to spend time in God's Word and in prayer seeking God's will for your life. Make an effort to pray the prayer of faith. By praying the prayer of faith, praying fervently and being available to be used by the Spirit, God can move in miraculous ways.
Romans 8:16-17
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."
Romans 12:11-12
"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
James 5:13-16 "The Prayer of Faith"
"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of righteous man is powerful and effective."
I am going to begin by talking about the Prayer of Faith. There are two ways we can pray the prayer of faith:
1) Pray in the Word (stand firm in the Word)
You have no power if you aren't submerged in the Word.
2) Be used in the gift of faith
Be available to be used.
The second key point is Fervent:
Agonize in prayer.
Pray according to God's will not your own.
Pray fervently, in tongues and in the Spirit.
The final point is Availeth Much:
Be available to be used by the Spirit.
We cannot operate in God's will unless we are in the Spirit.
The prayer of faith gets the job done.
Imagine if we all spent an hour a day praying, even if it was a short simple prayer, what a difference the power of prayer makes. Praying and spending time with God allows us to develop a more personal relationship with God. He will make our paths clear and help us in times of turmoil. The power of prayer changes things.
I love the quote "You have no power if you aren't submerged in the Word." You simply can't grow spiritually if you are not reading God's Word or applying it to your life. You have to make time to read God's Word and study it. It requires disciplining yourself. You must make time with God in order to have a relationship with God. It is amazing what God can do through us if we allow him to use us according to his will. Make an effort to spend time in God's Word and in prayer seeking God's will for your life. Make an effort to pray the prayer of faith. By praying the prayer of faith, praying fervently and being available to be used by the Spirit, God can move in miraculous ways.
Romans 8:16-17
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."
Romans 12:11-12
"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Keep the Faith, Finish the Race
This post is in memory of a very dear friend of ours from church, Harvey Pilsing. He went on to be with the Lord on Saturday morning, Oct. 10, 2009. He had been battling Leukemia. Bill and I looked up to him and his wife, Rosemary. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. Harvey was so in love with Christ and loved his wife dearly. I have always said that I wanted to be like them. Rosemary has such incredible faith in the Lord and she was beside Harvey every step of the way. Harvey never gave up, he fought to the end, never giving up on the Lord. He truly fought the good fight, kept the faith, and finished the race. He knew God was calling him home and now he is no longer suffering for he has been completely healed. He is in Heaven rejoicing with Jesus Christ. It will be hard not seeing him at church. I thank God for bringing them into our lives. Rosemary is a precious woman of the Lord and an example not only of Christ but to all the women that know her. My prayers go out to Rosemary, their daughter Renae and their son, Daryl. I am very thankful to have known Harvey and that God brought this family into our lives. They have truly touched our lives. My prayer is to be like Christ but also to keep the faith, no matter what struggles lie ahead. May we be an example of Christs' love to others as Harvey has been to us. We will never forget him for he will always be in our hearts. Lord, we thank you for your great love and mercy. For when we stumble, you are always there to help us along the way. May we keep our eyes on you Lord. May we be the light in this dark world. Help us to "Go Out" into this world sharing your great love with others. May we be the example of you Lord. May others look upon our life as a reflection of you. May we fight the good fight, keep the faith and finish the race.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
2 Timothy 4:7-8 says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."
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