Big Faith Or Big Doubt?

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 17:6

Jesus told his disciples that having even a small amount of faith can accomplish great things. Similarly, having a small amount of doubt can impede great things. All of us experience doubt, but it's when we allow that doubt to overcome our faith, that we limit ourselves and hinder the work that God wants to do in us and through us.

Which is bigger in your life right now: faith or doubt?

Going Beyond Thank You

My dear friend, herself the wife to a US soldier, posted this on Facebook and I felt it was such a great reminder in the midst of everything else going on this holiday...

"Lots of people are posting celebratory updates about the upcoming long weekend. Please remember the purpose of memorial day. This year I remember the fallen, the broken, and those still in the battle.... Every day is memorial day."

So I want to encourage you, wherever you live, find a way to honor those who have served and sacrificed for this country. Maybe do something for a family who has lost a loved one in the service. Write a thank you card. Many places hold Memorial Day services that are open to the public.

No matter your stance on war or politics or whatever, people gave their lives so that you could have the freedoms you have today.

Remember what this day is about.

Try to go beyond just the simple "thank you" posting on Facebook or Twitter. These men, women, and their families deserve more than just one holiday, but let's do our best to honor them today.

Give Hope (Repost)

We are living in very discouraging times. People are facing seemingly hopeless situations in their lives today. People are struggling. Many are at a point where they want to give up. And just maybe you are one of them.

In Christ, there is hope...hope for change, hope for healing, hope for restoration, hope for a better tomorrow.

As Christians we carry the HOPE of Christ!!

We are His hands and His feet, the vessels that He chooses to use to show others how much He loves them. We are (or should be) THE voice of hope to hurting and hopeless people.

I challenge you to go out and be a source of hope today. Take time to pray and ask God to put someone on your heart who needs to hear from Him. Pray that God would put people in your path who need to be encouraged. It may be someone you know or a complete stranger. And don't just pray for them but DO SOMETHING to physically show them the love and hope that Christ is truly about.

I know a lot of you are dealing with your own stuff and are in need of an extra dose of hope yourself! My challenge to you today is to rise above your own trials and share hope with someone else who needs it as much as (or maybe even more than) you do.

I end with a scripture in Romans, and this is my prayer for you today...

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Have Faith

Today's post is from "Praying God's Word" by Beth Moore. It ministered so much to me yesterday, I wanted to share it with you...

Faith is the only thing that will ever close the gap between our theology and our reality.

Father, You've told me that when I ask I am to believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave tossed by the wind (James 1:6). You said to Your children, "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all" (Isaiah 7:9). Please teach me to stand firm, Lord.

Christ Jesus, before You rebuked the winds and the waves, You asked Your disciples, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" (Matt. 8:26). Help me to fully embrace that the One whom the winds and waves obey is the same One who watches over me. Help me to not hinder Your works on my behalf over a lack of faith.

"Praying God's Word"
Beth Moore
B&H Publishing

Not If, But When

But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
And through the rivers,
they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be scorched,
nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;"
-Isaiah 43:1-3

Notice that it doesn't say IF you pass through the waters, or IF you walk through the fire. It says WHEN. Difficult times are inevitable. And WHEN we walk through them, God is there to walk through them with us.

What Are You Thankful For?

"...in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
-1 Thessalonians 5:18

It is God's will that we are to give thanks. And not just to simply give thanks, but to give thanks IN EVERYTHING.

I know that we all face tough circumstances on a daily basis. There are things that some people are dealing with right now that are unimaginable. But despite what you and I are going through, we all can find something to be thankful for. Look around you. It may be for something big or something small. It might be for something practical or extraordinary. You can even thank God for the trial you are going through, knowing that He can bring good out of it.

So here is the challenge. I am challenging you to not only think about something you are thankful for, but actually write it down, where you can visually see it. Comment here, post it on Facebook or Twitter, write it in a journal... just write what you are thankful for. There is power in a grateful heart. It can change your attitude, your perspective, and even your circumstances. It also can have a great impact on those around you.

Too often, we do not verbalize those things we are thankful for. So here's your chance...

What are you thankful for?

There's Only One You

The following is an excerpt from Jon Acuff's blog. This totally smacked me in the face. For those who have dreams you are pursuing, it can be easy to get caught up in emulating people you look up to and completely ignore that God created you for a purpose that only you were meant to fulfill.

When you’ve got a dream, it’s easy to find someone who succeeded at something similar and believe that is your only path to success. We often discount our own dreams or talents as we try to emulate someone we think has “real talent.” Our particular gifts “don’t count.” So we shove them aside and are tempted to become someone else even as we chase our dream. But here’s the thing:

We only need one Tim Ferriss.

We only need one Andy Stanley.

We only need one Seth Godin.

And it turns out, those positions on the planet are already filled. Gloriously so I might add. We don’t need another Tim Ferriss. We’ve already got that. We’ve already got everyone else, but you. We are short one you. We need you. We need your dream, in your unique way, with your unique thumbprint.

So learn from your heroes. Be inspired by your heroes. But be careful you don’t take steps away who you’ve been called to be and become someone you’re not.

Jon Acuff
http://www.jonacuff.com/blog/
http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/

Emotions Can Be Deceiving

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?"
-Jeremiah 17:9

I am currently trying to navigate a situation where my emotions have been running pretty high. As I was venting to my husband the other night about what I wanted to say and how I wanted to handle it, he told me, "Why don't you just wait a few days, let your emotions settle down, and pray about how GOD wants you to handle it."

What great wisdom there was in that! I always try to remind myself to not make decisions based off of my emotions, but when you are in the midst of the situation, it can be hard to remember.

Emotions can be deceived, manipulated, and easily provoked. They are not to be trusted as the authority in our lives.

Do not confuse your emotions for the Holy Spirit. God created us with emotions, but we are not to be RULED by them.

Pray Instead of Worry

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done.

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

-Philippians 4:6-7

Generation Gap

Something I have been noticing lately is that there seems to be a pretty big gap when it comes to generational relationships, especially in the Christian church. Older people tend to look at the younger thinking they are foolish because the younger generation don't follow the same order and structure that they did. The younger ones, in turn, think the older ones are just completely 'out of touch' with the way the world is today.

There are vast differences in the generations represented in this day and time. But there is so much we can all learn from each other if we simply open our minds and take the time to listen.

The Weed Of Bitterness

"Hurt leads to bitterness, bitterness to anger; travel too far that road and the way is lost."
-Terry Brooks

Bitterness is like a weed. It usually starts as pain or hurt that is unresolved. Instead of letting go and making a choice to forgive or move on, you hold onto that pain. Sometimes that holding on is unintentional. But many times, we choose to hold onto it. And before we know it, that small seed of hurt has taken root and grown into bitterness and resentment.

Nothing good ever comes from bitterness. It takes the sweetness out of life.

A weed starts out harmless enough, but if left alone, it slowly grows and invades the area where it has taken root. It steals the soil's nutrients from the plants around it, so it becomes stronger and chokes out the beautiful flowers and plants that are around it.

Likewise, once that seed of hurt has been planted in your heart, if left alone, it will take root and slowly grow into a weed of bitterness. It will steal your joy and rob you of the ability to see or appreciate the beautiful moments in your life. And eventually, it will consume you.

Get to the root of the issue and find the source. Take it to God, forgive, let go. Life is too short to hold on to bitterness.

Beyond Our Control

Being so young (and a girl), it's easy for my daughter to get caught up in very minor things. Most of them are just part of life and simply out of her control. I find myself many times telling her, "Honey, I know you are upset, but there's no use crying over something beyond your control."

Today was one of those days for me. It started off waking up to a child with pinkeye, and ended with our friend having to cancel watching our kids for a date night with my husband. Minor as these things may be, it's still frustrating when things don't go the way you expect them to.

We all face circumstances of life that are beyond our control. Many of those circumstances are tough to deal with and definitely give us just cause to be upset. But we can't let these times consume us. We can't let them break us. Instead, take them to God, leave them in His hands, and walk away. Instead of focusing your time and energy on the things you can't change, focus on the things you CAN.

God Knows You

The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who take refuge in Him.
-Nahum 1:7

If you feel like there's no one who you can trust or no one who understands what you are going through--God does. It says that He KNOWS those who take refuge in Him. The word 'knows' in Hebrew means an experiential knowledge. It's deeper than a superficial acquaintance.

God knows you inside and out.

He knows exactly what you are feeling and what you are facing. As you walk through the craziness that life can bring, rest in knowing that God sees you, knows you, and loves you. He is your stronghold. Take refuge in Him.

Remember What God Has Done

Remembering what God has done in the past spills over into believing God for our future.
-Beth Moore

I've always found it crazy how quickly, and how often, the Israelites forgot the things God had done for them. When God sent Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt, He sent plagues, He led them through the wilderness by a cloud and by fire, and the biggest yet, parted the Red Sea so that they could cross over on dry land! Yet even despite these miraculous events, the Israelites still had a problem with trusting God.

Crazy right? Yet how many times has that been true in my life? More times than I care to admit. Even when finances have been tight for our family, God has always come through for us. He has always taken care of us. So why do I still stress out if/when the end of the month rolls around and we seem to be a bit short? God has given me promises in His word. But instead of believing God's word when facing an seemingly impossible situation, I believe what circumstances appear to be.

In the Bible, when God did something great and profound in someone's life, they would often build an altar. This altar would serve not only as a testimony, but also as a reminder for what God had done. Maybe we need to do the same. Someone once gave me a great idea--to start a testimony journal. Whenever God answers a prayer, write it down. When God meets a need, write it down. When God speaks a word of encouragement to you, write it down. Then when circumstances come that tempt you to doubt or fear, go back to that journal and remember what God has done!

Wisdom and Discernment

"The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer."
-1 Peter 4:7

I am a firm believer that Jesus is coming back. That time is drawing closer with each day that goes by. The Bible is clear that in the last days, there will be quite a bit of chaos. In addition to the increase of wars and natural disasters, people will fall away from their faith and many will be led astray by false doctrines and teachings.

As Christians, it is vital that we really know the Word of God and use the wisdom and discernment that He provides to us.

When Peter tells us to use sound judgment, the Greek word used is Sophroneo, and it means to be self-controlled, moderate as to opinion or passion. When things get tough, we need to do our best to not give in to assumptions, opinions, or even emotions, but to be grounded in God's truth. We all know that we can't believe everything that is told to us via media, so this is where the importance of knowing Scripture comes in. By knowing God's Word, we always have something to compare and judge things against. Even beyond that, there is so much invaluable WISDOM throughout the Bible.

Secondly, Peter tells us to be sober in spirit, and in the Greek that means to be calm and collected in spirit. When you accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior, God gives you the Holy Spirit...a guide, instructor, and helper. When there is chaos surrounding us, we must not react, but instead take the Word of God and the wisdom He gives us, and use that together with the Holy Spirit to respond the way He leads us to. Using DISCERNMENT.

I am so thankful for the tools that God gives us to navigate life. I am thankful that in the midst of all the craziness and chaos that this world can bring, God is always there, that He is steadfast, and that He will never leave me.

Be Sober

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
-1 Peter 4:7-8