It is important for you to understand that while faith must be pure and potent, faith is really very simple. It's simply believing that God will do what He says in His Word. When Jesus said, "He who believes has everlasting life" (John 6:47), each of us must decide that either those words are true and apply to us, or they are not true and apply to no one. If we believe that they are true and choose to believe they are true for us, we receive the gift of eternal life (John 1:12).
At its most basic level, faith provides a means by which we can receive the gift of eternal life, but beyond that, faith serves a crucial role in the life of each believer. It is part of the "full armor of God," the "shield of faith," serving to protect us from the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). As Hebrews 11:1 tells us, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
When things are going well for us, faith comes easy. However, when times grow tough, our faith is tested (James 1:2-3). During those times of trouble, ask yourself the following questions:
1) Do I believe that God loves me? (John 3:16; I John 3:1)
2) Do I believe that God is sovereign and that "all things are possible" in Him? (Job 42:1-2; Matthew 19:26)
3) Do I believe that God is able to accomplish His will in my life? (Proverbs 3:5-6)
4) Do I believe that God hears me when I pray according to His will? (I John 5:14-15)
5) Do I believe that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose"? (Romans 8:28, NIV)
If during times of troubles or trials you can answer "yes" to those questions, you have all the faith you need. Through every difficult time in your life, know that through faith you can "cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you" (I Peter 5:7, NIV).
True faith is simple but powerful. It draws us closer to God. When we go through the valley of despair, faith leads us back to the mountaintop. When we find ourselves facing an insurmountable obstacle, faith moves the mountain. Not the faith of the mighty, nor the faith of a saint, but the faith of a child, the faith of a mustard seed.
Habakkuk 2:4 [NLT]
"'Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.'"
What this has to do with weight loss: Living by one's faith makes one's life truly healthy and meaningful. Willpower is not necessary, when Godpower is available and utilized. Is your faith evident, even in your weight-loss journey?
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, sometimes I make faith out to be something so difficult, when it's really very simple, as simple as saying 'Yes' to You. It's knowing You, knowing Your Word, and knowing that Your Word is true for me. Lord, help me today to exhibit simple, pure, potent faith in whatever circumstances I find myself, and may that faith be my shield as I fight the good fight of faith. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, living life with simple yet pure and powerful faith.
Showing posts with label I Peter 5:7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I Peter 5:7. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #54 [Spring Cleaning, Worry, Day 2]
Along with cleaning out strife, negative talk, and gossip, we're seeking to rid our heart and home of worry and any fear attached to that worry. There is only one sure way to do that, and it's found in I Peter 5:7, "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully" [Amplified].
That's what the Lord wants you to do--cast/throw everything that's bothering you to Him. If you have trouble doing that, or you're like the fisherman who casts his line but then reels it back in, it may be because you do not yet have the realization of how much God cares for you, how much He loves you, and how concerned He is about every aspect of your life. If that's true of you, ask Him to show you how much He cares for you. You just may get a vision of Calvary.
Psalm 55:22 [Amplified]
"Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail)."
What this has to do with weight loss: You were created to live in a garden, not walk through life weighted down with the cares of this world and pounds of pain. You don't have to worry and fret about releasing the excess weight that's been weighing you down for so long. You don't have to fear slipping into old eating habits, falling off the diet wagon, or failing to keep off that which you've already lost. Give all of those fears and worries to the Lord, knowing that He wants you to do that, and He is able to sustain you and cause you to be successful on your weight-loss journey.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I thank You that You created me to live in a garden, not walk through life weighted down with care. I desire to be free, today, of all the fears and worries that have caused me to forget how much You care for me. I realize that You've been waiting for me to give all my burdens over to You, so that You can take care of them. I don't know why I've tried to carry them myself, tried to take care of them on my own. I haven't done a good job, because they're still here. Now I know that You are the only One who can take them away, like yesterday's trash. I give every concern, anxiety, and worry to You, Father, for I see that just as Jesus bore all our sins on the cross, He bore my sins of fear and worry. I will bear them no more. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen."
Go forth today, free of the weight of fear and worry.
Education is one way to combat fear and worry. Educate yourself and your sister/daughter/neice/granddaughter/friend about how to stay safe in a world of psychos, players, punks, and pervs, by reading The Guy Detector, available at http://www.cdeanhall.com/products.html. Sample pages available for viewing there, also (see bottom of web site page).
That's what the Lord wants you to do--cast/throw everything that's bothering you to Him. If you have trouble doing that, or you're like the fisherman who casts his line but then reels it back in, it may be because you do not yet have the realization of how much God cares for you, how much He loves you, and how concerned He is about every aspect of your life. If that's true of you, ask Him to show you how much He cares for you. You just may get a vision of Calvary.
Psalm 55:22 [Amplified]
"Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail)."
What this has to do with weight loss: You were created to live in a garden, not walk through life weighted down with the cares of this world and pounds of pain. You don't have to worry and fret about releasing the excess weight that's been weighing you down for so long. You don't have to fear slipping into old eating habits, falling off the diet wagon, or failing to keep off that which you've already lost. Give all of those fears and worries to the Lord, knowing that He wants you to do that, and He is able to sustain you and cause you to be successful on your weight-loss journey.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I thank You that You created me to live in a garden, not walk through life weighted down with care. I desire to be free, today, of all the fears and worries that have caused me to forget how much You care for me. I realize that You've been waiting for me to give all my burdens over to You, so that You can take care of them. I don't know why I've tried to carry them myself, tried to take care of them on my own. I haven't done a good job, because they're still here. Now I know that You are the only One who can take them away, like yesterday's trash. I give every concern, anxiety, and worry to You, Father, for I see that just as Jesus bore all our sins on the cross, He bore my sins of fear and worry. I will bear them no more. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen."
Go forth today, free of the weight of fear and worry.
Education is one way to combat fear and worry. Educate yourself and your sister/daughter/neice/granddaughter/friend about how to stay safe in a world of psychos, players, punks, and pervs, by reading The Guy Detector, available at http://www.cdeanhall.com/products.html. Sample pages available for viewing there, also (see bottom of web site page).
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