Words of God

Words of God

Acts 3:19, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (NIV)

James 5:16, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (NIV)

The Work of the Believer

The Work of the Believer

By Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 12:5-7

The world's definition of success differs greatly from God's. Take the role of a pastor, for example--it would be easy to accept accolades for church growth, as many people equate high attendance numbers with a minister's effectiveness. But the Lord desires that we obey Him with humility. Whether we draw a crowd or not, success is measured by obedience.

 

This looks different for each believer. Some Christians have very visible jobs, so their efforts are public and obvious. Others serve Christ in quiet, less noticeable ways.

 

God bestows upon His followers gifts tailored to each one's ordained assignments. The Holy Spirit reveals our calling, and we're to give our best effort. Of course, no matter what the task may be, the result will be worthless unless the Father breathes life into it. In other words, we are entrusted with God-appointed work. He assigns the duty, provides the skills, and causes growth. The Lord deserves all of the glory. We are blessed simply to be a part of His plan.

 

As mere vessels that God uses, we should be thankful for anything He accomplishes through us. And by giving Him all the credit, we need never feel defeated with disappointment. Rather, in spite of how things may appear, we trust Him to achieve His good purpose.

 

Honor is misplaced unless it goes directly to the One who creates, sanctifies, and sustains. God created you for specific tasks to further His kingdom. He wants to use your life--and will allow you to watch His powerful hand at work. Listen for His leading, and praise Him for all He accomplishes.

How God Displays His Power in Our Weakness

How God Displays His Power in Our Weakness
By Kia Stephens

Throughout the Bible, God displays His power among weakness. One of the accounts occurs when Jesus healed the blind man in John chapter 9. As Jesus and his disciples went along they saw a man who had been blind since birth. Here in this passage Jesus used one of the most unconventional healing methods known to medicine. John 9:6 (NIV) says, “After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.” The blind man and the disciples alike had a weak understanding. They had no idea what Christ was doing in this moment.

This is the case for many of us. When it comes to life's idiosyncrasies, we are weak in our understanding of how things are going to work out for our good. A financial crisis, a terminal illness, a job loss, and a broken relationship are all opportunities for God’s power to be displayed.

This is why Scripture reminds us that God’s ways are not like our ways in Isaiah 55:8. He is able to use people, circumstances, and difficulties in ways we cannot even fathom. When we are weak in our understanding we can trust in God who understands and controls all things. He can use the circumstances we do not understand to display His power.

Trust His Heart

Trust His Heart 
By Meghan Kleppinger

"But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.'" Psalms 31:14

Whether it be financial, relational, spiritual, or physical troubles (and don't they all seem to come at the same time?), it's easy to find ourselves questioning God and His plan for our lives.

Christian singer Babbie Mason's song, Trust His Heart, addresses these times of hardship. I heard this song for the first time when I was a preteen, and its moving lyrics continue to encourage me now in my adult years. I sing the chorus whenever I'm going through one of life's rough patches.

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart

These aren't just lyrics of a song, they're descriptions of God's character and reminders of His promises as told through scripture.

1. God is too wise to be mistaken
"To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his." (Job 12:13) (NIV)

"But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. (Jeremiah 10:12) (NIV)

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33) (NIV)

2. God is too good to be unkind
"O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalms 34:8) (NAS)

"Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me." (Psalm 69:16) (NIV)

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2, 3) (NAS)

3. So when you don't understand, When you don't see His plan, When you can't trace His hand, Trust His heart

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6) (NAS)

"For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11) (NAS)

Isn't it good to know that  when we are afraid or in the middle of a circumstance we don't understand, that we can trust the ways of our wise and wonderful God!

Intersecting Faith & Life: Commit scriptures to memory that remind you of God's character and share the confidence you have in Him.

A Prayer for God to Do the Impossible

A Prayer for God to Do the Impossible
By Daily Disciples

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ And the Lord said, ‘If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you.” – Luke 17:5-6

Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old when Isaac was born. Both Abraham and Sarah were well past child bearing age. Most likely, they could not imagine having a baby at such an old age, but God had a different plan. The Lord knew the exact time in which Sarah would have Isaac and it would clearly be a miraculous blessing to her life. Throughout the years, as the Lord kept telling Abraham of this promise, Abraham kept believing and waiting on the promise to be fulfilled. Twenty-four years after God first promised an heir to Abraham, three men showed up at Abraham's door. The Lord was one of the three and He again restated His promise that they will bring forth a son, a baby boy. Sarah reacted by laughing. The Lord responded with a question: "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Abraham was a man of faith. God said it and Abraham believed what God said. Simple, pure, powerful faith. Sarah believed Abraham and trusted his words but when the Lord showed up, she lacked in her faith to believe. She even laughed at what God said. For us, sometimes it is easier for us to believe a person or to believe in a person than to trust in God. If God gives us a promise we can have a hard time trying to work it out ourselves. The hardest part is waiting on the Lord to fulfill it. We wait, we wonder and sometimes we worry but God is always faithful to keep His promises. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. Nothing. If He says it, then He will do it.

Lord, you are faithful in all things. Your promises endure forever, and there is no limit to your miracles. In your hands all things are possible. You are the one who conquered death and made a place for us in heaven. May we never cease to sing your praise. In your name we pray, Amen.