3 Ways Scripture Teaches Us We Can Increase Our Faith.....By Rebecca Barlow Jordan

 3 Ways Scripture Teaches Us We Can Increase Our Faith

By Rebecca Barlow Jordan

So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  - Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

How do you increase your faith? I used to struggle with this as a young Christian. But in time I’ve learned at least three simple ways to help build and increase our reliance on God.

1. Read the Word

Reading or hearing God’s Word is like planting a garden. If you want to grow or “build” a garden, you must first plant the seeds, or the actual plant or flower. God’s Word is the seed that grows the faith. Knowing His promises, what God says about you, about life, and about Jesus’ plan for eternal life won’t transplant themselves into your brain by osmosis. Become familiar with the Bible and what faith is all about by meditating on its contents. This will give you the basis for growing or increasing your faith.

2. Heed the Word

James 1:22-24 (NKJV) offers a second way to increase your faith: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

If we fail to heed what we’re reading and ignore what God is telling us, then our faith grows stagnant. It took faith for us to become children of God in the first place. Therefore, in order to grow and increase our faith, we need to use that “measure” of faith God gives to everyone and build on it.

3. Test the Word

There is a difference in “testing” God by “contesting” Him (seeing how far God’s patience will go with your own self will) and “testing,” or proving God’s Word is true.  Malachi 3:9-11  (NIV) offers one practical way God says we can prove Him faithful to His Word. This passage concerns tithing and being good stewards of the things He has given us:  Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”  As you “test” or act on what God says and experience God’s blessing, your faith grows.

The process of testing the measure of faith you have may involve trials and difficulties. How can you increase your faith in those circumstances? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:2-3, NIV).

My Prayer for You

Lord Jesus, increase our faith as we learn to depend on You and trust You more and more. Help us to crave Your Word: to read it, to heed it, and to test it, so it can truly become part of our lives. We long to be doers and not just hearers. Lord, we desperately need more of You and less of ourselves. Thank You for Your faithfulness in always keeping Your Word.

The Parable of the Lamp on a Stand.....Craig Denison Ministries

 The Parable of the Lamp on a Stand

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Jesus loved to use stories to illustrate profound, life-transforming concepts. He loved to use real and genuine settings, characters, and ideas that apply to all of us to reveal God’s heart of pursuit and love. This week we’re going to spend time allowing the parables of Jesus to speak directly to our situations, mindsets, and core beliefs about who God is. Open your heart and mind to be transformed by the powerful and captivating stories of Jesus.

Scripture:“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

Devotional:

Reading Matthew 5:14-15 used to stress me out. Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” How can we with all our mistakes, misgivings, and failures be “the light of the world?” How could God in all his wisdom choose to use us to reveal Jesus, the only hope of eternal salvation, to a lost and dying world?

As I grow in my knowledge of God’s heart, I grow in the revelation of his desire to use me. Passages like Matthew 5:14-15 used to focus my attention on my own sin and darkness rather than God’s grace and love. But faithfully in his love, he guides my thoughts to what matters: the overwhelming reality of the Holy Spirit transforming me into the image of the God who created me.Today, let’s allow the Spirit and the word to transform the way we view ourselves and how God in his infinite wisdom would use us to change the world.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” At salvation your identity changed. You are now “created in Christ Jesus.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 says it this way: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” You are a new creation not by your own doing, but by the powerful finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross. At salvation your sins were wiped away, cast off as far as the east is from the west. Such was the transformation that took place in your heart at salvation that you could be filled with God himself. Jesus says in John 14:16-17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” God himself “dwells with you” and through salvation now lives inside you.

Passages like the parable of the lamp on a stand used to stress me out because I didn’t understand what God wanted to reveal through me to the world. I used to think God wanted to reveal perfection in me, that I had to act perfectly to demonstrate Christ. What I didn’t realize is that the greatest revelation I could give a broken and needy world is that God, through the immeasurable depth of his love, meets me in my brokenness and continually makes me whole. I realized that God, only by his grace, is taking what was lost, weak, selfish, and lonely and is filling me with unimaginable love and security through restored relationship with him. God doesn’t want you to reveal perfection. He wants to reveal the fact that in your imperfection he has loved you from the beginning with an everlasting love.

Because you are weak and in need of God, you are the absolute best person to lead others to Jesus. If you act like you have everything together, as if nothing is wrong, then those distant from God will have no reason to believe God desires relationship with them. But in revealing your imperfection, in being honest and real with those around you, you will offer hope to a world that has none. You will reveal the core of the gospel: that God has incredible works prepared for those who simply come to him in need and cry out for his help. In your imperfection you are a perfect example of Jesus’ love that comes only by grace.

God desires to shine the light of his love through you today in powerful ways. He longs to reveal to others how deeply he has loved you in his grace. He has incredible plans in store for you if you will simply be real with a world that desperately needs relationship with their Creator. Have the courage to be yourself and to be honest and vulnerable. Honesty is all your heavenly Father asks of you. In your honesty, God will reveal a greater love than this world has ever known. In the reality of who you are, God will shine forth hope, guiding those who are lost to the safe shores of restored relationship with him. May you find peace in the fact that God longs to use you exactly as you are. May you find purpose in the works he has set before you to do. And may you find joy in the revelation of God’s immeasurable love poured out on you through his grace.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the depth of God’s love for you. In your sin and need of him he continually shows you grace, gives you his presence, and offers you joy for your mourning.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.” Psalm 30:11

2. Now ask the Spirit to reveal God’s desire to use you today. Allow God to shift the way you see yourself. Allow him to ignite in you a passion to see those who are distant from God come to the revelation of his grace and love for them.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

3. Ask God to fill you with the grace to be courageous and honest. Ask for the strength to be real and vulnerable with others.

“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” James 4:6

One of the most transformative parts of living in relationship with our heavenly Father is the freedom from having to act around others. You are fully loved, liked, and enjoyed just as you are. So great was God’s desire for relationship with you that he sent his only Son to die for you. There is a new peace available to you as you live in the freedom to be fully yourself. Rest in the fact that the Creator of the universe loves and likes you. You have no reason to act. May you find security today as the love of your heavenly Father lays a sure foundation for you to live honestly and courageously.

Extended Reading: Psalm 30

Same Team: The Gifts of the Church Body.....LAURA BAILEY

 Same Team: The Gifts of the Church Body

LAURA BAILEY

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NIV)

“Same team! The SAME team,” I yelled with hands cupped around my mouth, willing my voice to reach the ears of the peewee players on the court. It was the last game of the season, with minutes on the clock, and tensions were high to score that final basket.

My husband and I had spent many practices drilling the importance of teamwork into each player. When they made a basket, we celebrated the team, not just the individual, explaining that every player had a part in scoring. One person stole the ball, and the other dribbled it down the court while another guarded an opponent. Next, a pass to a teammate under the goal and finally swoosh — nothing but net!

Nonetheless, the only player who appeared to matter at all was the one who made the basket. In their desire to be in the spotlight, players hogged the ball, pushed others and sometimes stole the ball out of the hands of their own teammates. If only they worked together, I thought, the team could accomplish so much more!

And then I felt the familiar prick of conviction exposing areas of my life where I engage in this same behavior.

Do I look for opportunities to assist others in ministry, or do I want to be in the “service spotlight”? 
There have been times I’ve declined an opportunity to serve behind the scenes because I worried my work would go unrecognized.

Do I believe that working together with the body of believers for the Kingdom is better than my own success? 
Outwardly, I’ve cheered on my brothers and sisters in Christ, but inwardly, I’ve wrestled with feelings of jealousy and discontentment.

Do I think my talents and gifts are more valuable than those of other members of my church? 
Sometimes I’ve become focused on what I am achieving for the Lord instead of what the Lord wants to achieve through me for His glory, not mine.

In his first letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul outlined the role of believers in the early Church. Likening the church body to the human body, he encouraged Christians to accept their unique roles, for they worked together to help the entire body function properly. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) God created each body part with a specific job, equally important; one couldn’t exist without the other. Paul pointed to this truth when he said, “Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body” (1 Corinthians 12:15, NIV).

The same is true for the body of believers. God gives His children spiritual gifts to serve the Church and bring Him glory. Our service works in tandem with individuals possessing other purposes, coming together as many parts functioning as one body.

Our key verse reminds us that we are the body of Christ here on earth, and each one of us is valuable and vital: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

What a gracious blessing from our heavenly Father! We don’t have to feel overlooked or compete for the “best servant award” because we all play a vital part in a healthy Church. Every person matters to God, and each person's role is valuable. Our diverse talents work together for a common goal: to know God and make Him known.

We can joyfully contribute because all service is valuable and important in God’s economy.

We can genuinely cheer on our friends and co-laborers in Christ because we know that God has uniquely gifted them to serve Him. Their talents don’t extinguish ours — we ignite one another.

We can see the value in each person, not for what they do but who they are: a child of God.

May this encourage us as we serve and support the “teams” of believers that make up the body of Christ in our local churches.

Heavenly Father, thank You for granting us spiritual gifts. May we seek to bring You honor and serve the Church well with our talents. Help us remember we are all valuable and needed for the body to function healthily. We love You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

The Comfortable Church.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Comfortable Church

Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 28:16-20

I think it’s fairly evident that the society we live in is very self-centered, and this same characteristic can be present in a church. Whenever a local body of believers develops an inward focus, its fruitfulness in ministry begins to decrease, and each member’s Christian walk is hindered.

Many believers want their church to be cozy and comfortable. They come to listen to a nice sermon, fellowship with friends, and have their needs met. But Godnever intended for the gathering of His people to be like a country club; He calls us to join an army that will bring the gospel into enemy territory.

An effective church—one that poses a real threat to the Enemy—is a body of discipled people who have been taught the truth of Scripture, trained for service, and helped to mature spiritually. But all this is accomplished for the purpose of going out into the world, not for becoming a self-contained sanctuary of Christian comfort.

The urgency of the Lord’s command and the desperate condition of humanity should motivate us to leave the safety of our Christian fellowships and deliver the message of salvation through Jesus. To avoid this responsibility is to miss the Father’s plan for your life and the opportunity to help build His kingdom.

None of us want to waste time or energy on trivial things and thereby miss the exciting fulfillment of God’s will. He has called us, not to a life of comfortable tradition, but to an adventure of obedience. Answer His call—you’ll help fill His kingdom with people from every tribe and nation.

Nothing Can Separate Us From God’s Love.....By Anne Peterson

 Nothing Can Separate Us From God’s Love

By Anne Peterson

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

Of all the lies the enemy of our souls tells me, one of the biggest is this: God isn’t with you, you’re in this all by yourself. Satan is really good at being bad. He knows our weaknesses, and he knows when to hit us. Just as he led Jesus into the wilderness, do you remember when he did that? Right after Jesus was baptized by his cousin, John. Right after God publicly declared that Jesus was God’s Son in whom he was well pleased (Matthew 3:16-17).

And what does the enemy tempt us with? It depends on what our need is at the moment. In Jesus’ case, Jesus was tempted with turning stones into bread because he was hungry.

…neither death nor life
As I have stood near graves of my loved ones, the enemy tries to tell me God is far away, and has left me alone. But God tells us that death nor life are not a reason for God’s love to diminish. What comforting words. It is times like those that we need to hold onto truth with both hands, ignoring what our feelings are telling us.

…neither the present nor the future
As I’ve gone through losses, my mind tries to make sense of what I am experiencing. Then it will shift to what my future will look like without this loved one. I cannot fathom how this could ever be a good thing, and at that very moment, I am unable to believe that God could work that circumstance for my good. Any time I try to understand an infinite God with my finite understanding, I come up empty.

…nor anything else in all creation…
While in times of weakness, Satan seems powerful, but God’s Word tells us “neither angels nor demons, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from God’s love.” 

God continually reminds me his ways are higher than my ways and his thoughts are higher than mine. I remember the day it hit me that God and I must not think alike. I think I heard God chuckle that day.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are in Christ. And those who are in Christ are in God. The Bible tells us when we accept Christ, we are given eternal life and no one can pluck us out of the Father’s hand (John 10:28). Now that’s what I call secure.

Intersecting Faith & Life:
Maybe there have been times in your life when you’ve felt a big gulf between you and God. I would venture to guess that the enemy has tried telling you the same lie. In those times, when it feels like God has stepped back, we need to rely on God’s Word. And when we can’t understand what God is doing, we need to trust God’s character. For God doesn’t lie (Numbers 23:19).

I always get in trouble when I rely on my feelings. Feelings are fickle. One moment you feel one way, but those feelings can change so quickly. Our feelings can’t be trusted.

And yet, when we decide to trust what God has told us in His Word, we have something solid to hold onto. And in those times when we feel a little shaky, we can always reach out to Him. He’s always there, loving us as only God can.

His Hand

I do not understand my life,
It’s difficult for me,
Some questions have no answers,
at least that I can see.

And yet, with every year I’ve grown,
there is a truth that God makes known.
I do not have to understand,
but simply hold my Father’s hand.   

© Anne Peterson

Father, God, thank you so much for Your Word. That we can open the pages and read Your love letter whenever we have doubts about what is happening in our lives. We can get grounded in the truth instead of believing what is happening around us. God, thank you for loving us so much and for your promise that nothing can separate us from You. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

For Further Reading:

Read Isaiah 55:8-9

 

A Prayer for Those Caught in the Gossip Trap.....By Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Those Caught in the Gossip Trap

By Meg Bucher

The fibers in my stomach began to fly off with my lunch as mud slung out of my smartphone speaker. For seven years, I had tried to find the good and lend an understanding nod, until God revealed my agreeability made me guilty of conspiracy. Afraid to come across as judgmental, I refused to weigh in directly.

Confidence at a high volume lofted a convincing argument on dishonesty’s behalf, and a strangling hold on the hand of truth that threatened to lurch out of my stomach. I always found something positive to say about the person in vocal peril, but ran the risk of being directly associated with the entirety of the conversation.

 “Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle.” 2 Timothy 2:16 (VOICE)

Through the Holy Spirit abides in every Christian heart, and the uneasinesses I felt was a warning for me to evacuate that phone call. God is the protector of our hearts, alerting us to falsities that attempt to crack through the surface.

What is“ungodly babbling?” Paul warned of false teachers, whose grand assumptions illuminated a lack of knowledge. In 1 Timothy 1:4, he warns, “Tell them to turn away from fables and endless genealogies. These activities just cause more arguments and confusion.”

Gossip operates on opinion. Faith is fueled by fact.

“Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer.” 2 Timothy 2:17 (VOICE)

The more we entertain gossip, the more likely we are to consider it. Aiming to operate in peace with someone by allowing them air out their opinion puts our hearts at risk for misaligned empathy.

“Instead, they should concern themselves with welcoming in and bringing about the reign of God, which is all about faith. “ 1 Timothy 1:4b

Looking back, I had made room in my schedule to take that phone call, and it cost me. No one can force an ear-full of gossip upon us, yet we often let a guilt-filled, “good friend,” status overcome our urge to hit“Ignore.” When we pray for God to redirect the way we spend our time, He is faithful to answer.

“Our teaching about this journey is intended to bring us to a single destination—a place where self-giving love reigns from a pure heart, a clean conscience, and a genuine faith. “ 1 Timothy 1:5 (VOICE)

When our minds are full of things we wish we didn’t know about people, it threatens to taint our view of them. Christian life aims to see the God-placed strand good in everyone.

Gossip is rooted in lies or twisted truths. Even honest reporting has an undermined intention to throw its victim under the bus. It’s deceitful, and one of the devil's favorite tools. Lying is his specialty, and he aims to “kill, steal, and destroy.” (John 10:10) A stolen, destroyed, or annihilated reputation can emotionally destroy a person. We are to have nothing to do with those conversations(2Timothy 3:5b).

Those who fall into a pattern of speech that isn’t rooted in the truth tend to be most convinced that they know what they are talking about. Don’t be fooled. Motivated by a need to feed insecurity, their confidence is rooted in opinions.

A conversation that is focused on negative attributes and hearsay is never worth the time it takes to entertain. A godly friend will understand why we can’t go there with them, and hold us accountable, too!

Father,

Praise You for godly friends who hold us accountable. Thank You for illuminating the deceitful power of gossip, that we all entertain within earshot daily.

Forgive us for listening to it instead of walking away. We confess that often we don’t speak up out of fear of rejection, and pray that you help us to have the courage to honor others with kind words when their character is being publicly slain.

Bless and heal those who have been mangled by gossip, and others enslaved by its addictive habit. Heal our insecurities, and help us learn to turn to you for affirmation. Make us busy serving others in love to give You glory, instead of sitting in circles of babble and participating in chatter-filled phone calls. Empower us with Your Holy Spirit to head Your warnings, and steer our conversations with Your love.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.