A Measure of Faith

Everyone has faith in something.

We have faith the sun will rise and set daily.

Faith the floor will be there as we set our feet upon it.

These are constants.

The faith put in jobs, cars, friends, family and ourselves is not.

This type of faith can fail.

But when we come to Christ we are given a "measure of faith".

Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given to me,

to everyone who is among you, 

not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,

but to think soberly,

as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

An everlasting faith in God, Who will never fail.

It is a gift that grows.

Every Christian is given the same amount of faith

and every time we tap into faith by

leaning on, trusting in, and obeying God faith magnifies.

II Thessalonians 1:3

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren,

as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly,

and the love of of everyone of you all abound toward each other....

The power source of faith is the word of God.

Just as water is a power source for electricity.

Without water--no power.

Without God's word--little faith.

Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

The more of God's word the greater the faith.

Faith is planted in our spirit and as we water it with the Word

it flourishes and is nurtured by the Holy Spirit.

Water your measure of faith today with the Word of God.

Get Your Free Gift Here-->God

Get your free gift.

Just send in your info, no purchase necessary.

Simply pay for postage and handling.

You can enter just about every type of sweepstakes

or contest you could think of.

You can buy a lottery ticket (or more)

every time you go to the neighborhood store.

Every one of these sweepstakes, contests, 

& lotteries will cost you something.

Either time, personal information (which can be sold)

or money.

Yet the greatest gift is free!

It is the gift of salvation.

Romans 5:18

Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment

came to all men, resulting in condemnation,

even so through one Man's righteous

act the free gift came to all men, resulting

in justification of life.

What do we have to do to get it?

Not much---just receive it!

God gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, as a free gift.

It is up to us to receive His free 

and unmerited gift of salvation.

By accepting this free gift we become a "whosoever".

Romans 10:13 ASV

for, whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord

shall be saved.

Not all can become a "whosoever".

Claim your free gift today!

Just Waiting For The Parade

A victory parade is held to celebrate victory over the enemy.

The United States did it with the allies after WWI and II.

In ancient times the parade was lead by the conquerors

followed by the spoils of war.

Next came the leader of the defeated army

and the captives

and finally, the victorious army.

The defeating army held this procession to make a 

public spectacle of the captives.

The Bible lets us know Jesus has already won the battle.

He accomplished this on the cross.

Jesus took our captivity captive.  Ephesians 4:8

Colossians 2:15

He has freed us from the destruction of sin.

Having disarmed principalities

and powers, He made a public spectacle of them,

triumphing over them in it.

Jesus now leads us in victory.

2 Corinthians 2:14

Now thanks be to God who always leads us

in triumph in Christ and through us diffuses the

fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

The battle has been won.

The parade is getting ready to start.

Don't sit on the sidelines watching.

Join the victorious in Christ!

Your Best Friend

We all have friends.

Some are lucky enough to have a special friend...

A best friend.

We look for certain characteristics in a best friend.

Honesty--someone who will tell you the truth.

Numbers 23:19 AMP

God is not a man that He should tell or act a lie.

Unconditional Love--someone to love without judgement.

Romans 5:8

God demonstrates His own love toward us,

in that while we were still sinners, 

Christ died for us.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son.

Help-- someone willing to go out of their way to help.

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Matthew 20:28 AMP

Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but 

to serve and to give His life as a reason for many 

(the price paid to set them free)

Loyalty--someone who is true to their word.

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithful, by whom you were called into 

fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus is my best friend.

Is He yours?

Trampoline!

I'm borrowing some word imagery from a dear friend.

We both were living at the Gospel Rescue Mission for Women.

Getting our lives back, studying the Word and 

spending time with Jesus.

We were in a class and my friend shared with us

her thoughts on Ephesians 6:16.

Above all, taking the shield of faith,

which you will be able to quench all the fiery

darts of the wicked one.

She described a trampoline as her shield and

whenever Satan's darts tried to attack and stick

to her, all  they would do was bounce off.

This image has stayed with me through the years.

Anytime I feel attacked, I picture my friend holding

up her trampoline with all the fiery darts bouncing off.

It's a great picture of the Word of God.

Mark 11:22 AMP

Have faith in God constantly.

Faith in God's Word is  our greatest weapon.

We can count on Him, on His trustworthiness,

and His never ending love for us.

But in order for our shield to work well, 

we must use it.

Lift up your shield and those darts will bounce off.

Ephesians 6:16 AMP

Lift up over all the (covering) shield of saving faith,

upon which you can quench all the flaming

missiles of the wicked (one).

Was Grandma Right?

Most of us probably grew up around grandparents

and great grandparents who would impart words of wisdom.

They had wonderful intentions,

but were they right?

And was it Biblical?

Just a few of Grandma's sayings with Bible verses

If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace...

Actions speak louder than words.

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, 

but in deed and in truth.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Proverbs 7:1-3 My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands
within you.  Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye.
An apple has many health benefits. Apples have antioxidants 
which fight disease.  God's word is like the apples antioxidants, with it
we have life. 
Proverbs 4:22  For they are life to those who find them,
and health to all their flesh.

The best things in life are free.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, 
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God

There is nothing more valuable than the free gift of salvation.

Grandma was full of wisdom!

You've Got a Friend

The seventies had some great singer/songwriters that inspired change.

Some good, some bad.

This was a very tumultuous time following the end of

the Vietnam war which ended in 1973.

And yet it was a time of great revival in Christianity.

Many thousands came to Christ.

There were huge tent revivals with Christian rock music.

Hundreds of people came together under 

those tents with minds of one accord.

It was all about Jesus.

Carole King wrote a song, but James Taylor made it a hit.

It wasn't a Christian song, 

however, it is so like Jesus!

"You've Got a Friend"

Just like the song say's,

"when you're down and troubled

and you need a helping hand,"

Jesus will be that hand.

"You just call out my name 

and you know wherever I am, I'll come running."

Jesus is just a call away.

He is waiting to be your friend.

He will never hurt you and He will never desert you.

He'll always come running to you.

God Will Get You Home--Max Lucado

What we see will last only a

short time, but what we cannot see

will last forever.

2 Corinthians 4:18

"For some of you, the journey has been long.

Very long and stormy.

In no way do I wish to minimize the difficulties 

that you have had to face along the way.

Some of you have shouldered burdens 

that few of us could ever carry.

You have bid farewell to life long partners.

You have been robbed of life long dreams.

You have been given bodies that can't sustain your spirit.

You have spouses who can't tolerate your faith.

You have bills that outnumber the paychecks

and challenges that outweigh the strength.

And you are tired.

It's hard for you to see the City in the midst of the storms.

The desire to pull over to the side of the road

and get out entices you.

You want to go on, gut some days the road seems so long.....

Let me encourage you.....God never said that 

the journey would be easy, but He did say that the

arrival would be worthwhile."

Max Lucado--In the Eye of the Storm

This is a devotion I have marked in Max Lucado's book

"Grace for the Moment" which 

has helped me in times of trouble.

I hope it brings peace.

Heaven or Hell

Where you spend eternity is up to you.

Many things can be said of hell.

Some theologians teach hell is "fire and brimstone", others teach

it is complete separation from God.

There is also a belief of when you die you simply are no more.

You cease to exist.

In all scenarios, a very grim end or eternity of pain.

What ever view you take, hell is a place where sinners go.

The Bible describes hell as a place of torment, of weeping

and gnashing of teeth, utter darkness, a lake of fire,

eternal separation of God's blessings, a prison,

and finally torment where the worm doesn't turn or die.

Luke 16:19-31, Matthew 8:11-13, 2 Peter 4:8, 

Revelation 20:15, Mark 9:48

In comparison, heaven is eternal fellowship with God.

There will be no more sadness, every tear wiped away, 

no pain, and no death.

Our bodies will be restored to the original creation.

They will be like Jesus.

Christ's resurrected body "was real, visible, capable of 

being handled, and recognizable.

Yet at the same time it was able to pass through

solid objects and disappear."

Revelation 21:1-27, Philippians 3:21, 

We can only vaguely imagine what heaven will be like.

Even our wildest idea will not compare to 

His glorious place of residence for us.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Only through Christ will we reach heaven.

There is no other way.

John 14:6

It's your choice.

Personal prayer of faith:

Dear heavenly Father,

I know I'm a sinner, please forgive me. I know Jesus died for my sins and rose again.

I ask Jesus to come into my life as Lord and Savior.

I ask this in Jesus Name.

Amen.

Break The Hard Shell

Breaking our hard exterior may not be such a bad thing.

As children, we are bendable, pliable, and

can easily adapt to people, things, and situations.

We look with fresh eyes upon the world.

But then, we grow up,

and as we grow, we tend to lose our bendability.

We are shaped by our circumstances.

We can become stubborn, inflexible, obdurate (pig-headed),

and set in our ways.

But Jesus tells us 

"unless you change and become like 

little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 18:3 NIV

So how do we become like little children?

We break down the hard shell that surrounds us.

Once we do , we can be put back together in a different way.

A different form....the image of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17

We become a new creation,

and old things have passed away,

all things become new.

God is the Master Potter.

Isaiah 64:

But now, O Lord

You are our Father;

We are the clay, and You our potter;

and all we are the work of Your hand.

Let God be your Master Potter!

He can only transform your hard shell. 

The Lights Are On

God sees everything.

2 Chronicles 16:9

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro 

throughout the whole earth.

He sees what we do in secret and 

when we are out and about with others.

God knows us, sees us, and

thinks about what we do.

Proverbs 5:21

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,

and He ponders all his paths.

Do we act the same alone and with others.

God sees us and all we do.

Jeremiah 23:24

Can anyone hide himself in secret places,

so I shall not see him? says the Lord;

Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.

He sees the good, bad, and the ugly.

He is pleased when we do right, sad when we do wrong,

but no matter what He loves us.

Proverbs 15:3 (a)

The eyes of the Lord are in every place....

Live as if the lights are always on.......

Under Pressure

James 1:2-4 The Message

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, 

when tests and challenges come at  you from all sides.  

You know that under pressure, 

your faith-life is forced into the open 

and shows its true colors.  

So don't try to get out of anything prematurely.  

Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed,

 not deficient in any way.

Patience is not a great ability to wait.

It is how you act while you are waiting.

God uses our problems/pressure to stretch and grow us in our faith.

It is similar to physical exercise.

Not fun while doing them but the results are stronger 

and healthier bodies.

Our spiritual exercise leads to stronger faith and reliance on God.

Romans 5:3

We also glory in our sufferings,

because we know that suffering produces perseverance.

Miracles Still Happen

God still does miracles.

They may not always be easy to see or recognize.

But everyday miracles surround us.

When Jesus walked the earth, He performed miracles.

These were done as signs and wonders.

John 4:48

Then Jesus said to him,

"Unless you people see signs and wonders,

you will by no means believe."

Everywhere Jesus went He did miracles 

so those who saw would believe.

The apostles went about performing miracles in the Name of Jesus

after His death and resurrection for the same reason.

Today, everyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior

have received a miracle.

A miracle of salvation.

Through the Holy Spirit, people are freed from the bondage 

sickness, fear, and addictions.

Christians who receive the Holy Spirit "upon" them,

(different than the Holy Spirit in you),

are endowed with supernatural power.

Acts 1:8

 But you shall receive power when the 

Holy Spirit has come upon you;

and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

This power is what allows us to go through life 

and be effective disciples for Christ.

In its most simplistic way, miracles can be as

simple as a sunrise, sunset, the smile of a newborn

or as complex as stars in the universe, or the way

our bodies are designed.

Miracles are answered prayer.

When we stay expectant, God will show up.

All Of Us

God didn't pick and choose the best of us.

He chose all of us.

God rejoices when we choose and turn to Him.

He is saddened when we reject Him.

God describes His joy in a metaphor in Isaiah 62:5:

For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you;

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride

so shall your God rejoice over you.

Jesus is the bridegroom!

We are the bride.

It is up to us to say "yes".

John 3:16 KJV

That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,

but have eternal life.

Whosoever: Who ever, what ever person, any person who, 

anyone, anybody.

We are chosen, all of us.

Choose Him!

God Loves Me

GOD Loves me.

God LOVES me.

God Loves ME.

ME!

Notice the emphasis.

There is nothing more powerful than the love of God for He is love. Through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection we are shown the ultimate love God has for us. 

So in those times where we feel unloved say out loud

God loves me!

"Saving us is the greatest and most concrete demonstration of God's love,

the definitive display of His grace throughout time and eternity".

David Jeremiah

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,

That whoever believes in Him should

not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 8:37-39

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors 

through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither 

death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, 

nor things present nor things to come, 

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, 

shall be able to separate us from the love of God

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:4-5

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love 

with which He loved us, even when we were dead in 

trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.

1 John 4:9-10

In this the love of God was manifested toward us,

that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world,

that we might live through Him.  In this

is love, not that we loved God, but that He love us and 

sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Know Who You Are

Not sure who you really are? Read this list of Biblical truths that reveal who God made you to be.

I am complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10).

I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).

I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).

I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).

I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).

I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17-18).

I have received the power of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, to cast out demons, to speak with new tongues.  I have power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me (Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:17-19).

I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him Who created me (Colossians 3:9-10).

I have given, and it is given to me; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, men give into my bosom (Luke 6:38).

I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).

I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).

I show forth the praises of God Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

I am God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23).

I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).

I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I am a spirit being alive to God (Romans 6:11;1 Thessalonians 5:23).

I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind (2 Corinthians 4:4).

I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22,25).

I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).

I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37).

I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).

I am a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).

I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).

I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9).

I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19).

I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13).

I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12).

I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7).

I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13).

I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13).

I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7).

I am called of God to be the voice of His praise (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9).

I am healed by the stripes of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12).

I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11).

I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7).

I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward (Philippians 3:14).

For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20)