How To Help Your Faith Grow

Growth is an important part of our lives, both natural and spiritual. Healthy things grow and are a source of joy. Just ask any dedicated gardener.

God has given to each person a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Jesus said even faith the size of a mustard seed is important (Luke 17:5-6).

Jude 20 tells us to build ourselves up in our most holy faith, the basis of our spiritual life. But how? Let’s look at three possible ways:

ONE:  Know and Believe God’s Word:  God’s word is forever settled in heaven, and His faithfulness endures to all generations (Psalm 119:89-90).

We must hear the Word (Romans 10:17). It’s wonderful to get to attend church or hear God’s word taught over the airwaves, but we must also get into God’s word on our own (Psalm 119:105, 130, 133).

Knowing God’s word helps us to obey His will. That’s how we show our love for and our faith in Him (John 14:15).

TWO:  Be Encouraged by Testimonies of God’s Goodness:  Not only is God an ever-present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1), but faith in God brings about marvelous accomplishments. Be encouraged as you read testimonies in God’s “Hall of Faith,” Hebrews Chapter Eleven.

Testimonies are just personal stories of how God has worked in someone’s life. As we share, we build up one another’s faith and provide comfort where needed (1 Thessalonians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Even the great Apostle Paul was encouraged by reports of the steadfast faith of believers in the places He had ministered (1 Thessalonians 3:6-8).

THREE:  Review How God Has Worked in Your Life:  First of all, be thankful for your salvation (John 3:16-19). What a marvelous gift. We don’t have to work for it; however, after we are saved, the good works we do are to bring glory to Him, not us (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Personally, I’m thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the One who leads us into all truth (John 14:16-17, 16:13-15).

I also thank God for every good thing He has brought into my life over the years. I don’t believe in luck, fate, good karma, or horoscopes. Scripture says every good and perfect gift comes from God our Father above (James 1:16-17).

Read your Bible and mark verses that speak to you. We’re not cookie-cutter Christians. God works with us individually. How awesome is that!

Pixabay: Soil, Seed, Seedling image: Plnatbest.

How To Know True Love

I’d say most people think of love as an emotion. February 14^th is Valentine’s Day in the USA. Restaurants, chocolate shops, florists, and card shops do great sales in honor of the day.

These things are enjoyable, but not long-lasting. True love means taking action toward the best for someone other than ourselves, not one day a year, but every day!

True love is important. True things are genuine, not false. They can be trusted. True friends, for example, are faithful and loyal at all times. So-called “fair-weather friends” tend to fade away when challenges arise.

Colossians 3:12-17 lists some characteristics of love. It’s encouraging to know that Christians have Christ to help them live with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

To “forgive as the Lord forgave you” (verse 13) clearly leaves no room for resentment or vindictiveness. If you want peace, forgiveness is one way to get it (verse 13-15).

I love reading my Bible. No matter how many times I re-read scripture, it always seems fresh and new. This week, that was Romans 12:9-18 as I considered “what is true love?”

It begins by saying love must be sincere (verse 9). That matches the description of true love above (in paragraph four). Living in harmony with one another (verse 16) leaves no room for pride, conceit, or a haughty spirit (verse 16).

As much as possible on our part, we are to live at peace with everyone (verse 18). Isn’t it nice to know we are not held responsible for rough times if others choose not to respond to our efforts of forgiveness or reconciliation?

Please read First Corinthians 13:4-8 for yourself. It’s a classic section on love that begins with love IS and continues with what love IS NOT. The conclusion is that “(true) love never fails” (verse 8).

This kind of love is what makes marriages last for decades and childhood friendships endure into adulthood.

Please, enjoy the emotions of love, but look for the actions of true love if you want something that lasts.

Pixabay: Hearts, Red Hearts, Background; MissMilly.

  

One Way to Deal With Depression

Did you know King David did not write the entire Book of Psalms? Let’s look at a couple of encouraging things written by the sons of Korah.

First, Korah was a Levite and spiritual leader who led a rebellion against Moses. When Moses sought God for an answer, that rebellion did not have a happy ending. (If curious, read about it in Numbers 16:1-35.)

In David’s time, he appointed men from Korah’s clan to serve as choir leaders. That line of temple musicians continued for hundreds of years (1 Chronicles 6:31-38; 2 Chronicles 20:18-19).

To me, that shows you can choose to serve God, whether your forefathers did or not.

Next, let’s consider depression and discouragement. These emotions are nothing new.

When my piano students used to get frustrated at making a mistake, I’d say, “It’s good to know you made a mistake. Now you can correct it.”

We may not always know why we feel discouraged or depressed, but it’s OK to ask, “Why?” It means you’d like to make a change

The psalmist asks: (1) “Why am I downcast, (2) Why am I uneasy, and (3) Why has God forgotten me?” (Psalm 42:5, 9, 11). But he doesn’t stop there. He remembers previous days when God seemed near, and he enjoyed going to church and praising God.

He declares he’s thirsty for the living God (Verse 2). Physical dehydration is serious, and spiritual dehydration isn’t any healthier. Physical dryness is improved by drinking water. Spiritual dehydration can also be helped.

It’s good to be honest with yourself. The psalmist asked hard questions, but then he decided to move in a positive direction: (1) He remembered the good things God had done (verse 6-8), and (2) He encouraged himself to put his hope in God (verse 5, 11).  

Paul also encouraged us to move forward and find peace: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6-7).

Like the psalmist said, “*Put your hope in God.”

*Remember, if you try the psalmist’s approach, but are not able to deal with depression or discouragement on your own, talk to a spiritual leader or professional counselor. We are put on this earth to help one another.

Pixabay: Rain, Nature, Window; RichardsDrawings.

Personal but Pertinent

A friend and I attend a weekly non-denominational international Bible study. It’s called *CBS, or Community Bible Study. I had heard of it for years, but I was always busy in ministry with my husband.

We begin and end in a large group, with breakout groups in between. Discussions are based on the workbook lessons we have answered by reading the scripture references; however, sometimes questions require personal answers.

Here’s a personal question I enjoyed:  **Christianity is sometimes criticized as being exclusive…how would you respond to that criticism?

There are two sides to every story, so my first answer is no, then yes. Many scriptures could be shared, but my space is limited:

SIDE ONE:  I do not believe Christianity is exclusive because God Himself extends an invitation. John 3:16-17:  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Jesus gave His disciples an assignment: Matthew 28:19-20: Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.

SIDE TWO:  Invitations require a response. John 3:18: Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Jesus issued a personal invitation. Revelation 3:20: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

If we choose to receive God’s gift of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins: (1) We are cleansed from our sins (1 John 1:9), (2) begin a new spiritual life (2 Corinthians 5:17), and (3) become members together in the Body of Christ (Colossians 3:15).

Any group with membership has its own requirements, values, and loyalty. Christian commitment means knowing and doing what Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:20).

That requires daily reading your Bible and asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand how to apply it to your life (John 14:15-17).   

*www.communitybiblestudy.org

**CBS: The Book of Psalms: Volume Two; Lesson 16: God’s Kingdom Expands; Day 5, Question 20; p. 6.

Pixabay: Bible, Christian; charlotte_202003.

How to Defeat Fear

No one I know would choose to live in fear. But even the most gifted or wealthiest among us do not have all good days, or only sunshine and no shadows, no troubles.

One way to defeat fear is to face it . . . not try to dodge it, or run away from it. Let’s see what Psalm 56:1-13 has to say about it.

David prayed honest prayers while fearing for his life. He told God he was being pursued by men who wanted him dead. They were relentless, planning his demise, lurking about, and always watching him!

Notice three important steps to facing fear: First, he poured out his heart to God and asked for help. Then he declared he chose to trust in God and His word. Last came a decision to control his thoughts; he would not concentrate on his enemies or their evil plans (Psalm 56:3-4, 10-11).

I don’t know where I heard this, but someone said, “When fear knocks at your door, send faith to answer it!” (Perhaps they were familiar with 1 Peter 5:8-9a).

Faith includes trust in God’s word. How well do you know it? Hopefully, you pursue it daily. Read it, make notes, highlight verses that speak to you. That’s when it becomes personal!

What do you do when God answers prayer? David said, “I will praise His word, give thank offerings to God, and walk before Him in the light” (Psalm 56:10-13).

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” And Psalm 40:8 says, “I delight to do your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

We can defeat fear.

Thanks to the internet, we live in a connected world, full of reasons to fear. Some are up close and personal, while others come on the news from far away.

Would I want to return to days without cell phones or internet capabilities? No, and I doubt you would either.

What I want to do is defeat fear by following David’s example: (1) Know God’s word, (2) Trust in it, (3) Pour out my heart, (4) Ask for help, and (5) Control my thoughts.

 Pixabay: Man, Head, Scared Image; PublicDomainPictures.

The Best Bread

In my early years, I lived in a town with a major bakery distributor. On certain days, the sweet smell of freshly-baked bread was strong. To a bread lover like me, the aroma was a pleasure.

Bread has been called “the staff of life” for good reason. Just think of how many ways bread is prepared and eaten around the world. It’s such a life-sustaining basic that some even use the word as slang for “money.”

When I pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), I’m thankful for my daily food, but today God impressed me to value it differently.

Let’s consider a couple of Jesus’ dealings with bread.

During His forty days of temptation and fasting in the wilderness, Satan tried to tempt Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by turning stones into bread (Matthew 4:1-4). Jesus replied, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

He was concerned with people both spiritually and physically. Take Luke 9:10-17, for example. He was trying to get away with His disciples, but crowds followed them.

Jesus taught spiritual principles for hours and healed many people. As the day was ending, the disciples said, “Send them away so they can go find lodging and provisions.” But, Jesus said, “You feed them.”

"With what?” they asked. "What do you have?" They found five loaves and two fish. After Jesus blessed their meager findings, all the people were fed.

You might eliminate bread and live on a low-carb diet physically. But spiritually, the same principle does not apply. We are to live a balanced life in both areas. 

Healthy spiritual values require taking time to read God’s word.

Some do it in the morning and others in the evening. The issue is not the time of day; the important thing is commitment.

Find time to get deeper into God's word than just a daily devotional. That's more of a snack to keep you going until you can sit down for a meal.

Make it your goal to say like the psalmist, “With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments” (Psalm 119:10).

Pixabay: Bread, Candy, Pies; aureliofoxrj.

How To Make the Best of Our Time

We’re facing a NEW year. Isn’t it great? By the time twelve months have passed, we’re all ready for a new start. Hopes run high for improvements with personal New Year resolutions.

In one of the oldest psalms in the Bible, Moses wrote, “Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14). As a caregiver, I can tell you I gratefully experienced God’s loving devotion and new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

God created time - - - days, years, and seasons - - - but He is not bound to it nor limited by it (Gen. 1:14-18). We’re the ones who live just one day at a time, and each day brings new challenges and a need for more decisions.

In Psalm 90, Moses says our basic life span is 70 years, or perhaps 80 if we’re strong (Psalm 90:10). We often hear of people living beyond 100 years, but the bottom line remains the same. We all live one day at a time, and we cannot count on tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1; James 4:13-17).  

Determine to live your best life this year, one day at a time!

Moses wrote, “Teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).  

And David said that wisdom begins with a healthy fear of the LORD, plus a heart to follow His precepts (Psalm 111:10).

In view of that fact, be wise in perseverance this year:

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes (one day at a time),

even to the very end (Psalm 119:112).

Pixabay: Time, Time Management, Time Planning, geralt.