Faith and Hope

[He] was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God (1 Peter 1:20b-21).

When counselors encourage their clients to "have faith and hope," a reasonable response might be, "Faith in what? Hope in what?" For sure, encouraging a discouraged person to have a positive attitude and a bright outlook can be helpful. But in truth, faith and hope are only as good as their object. Which would be wiser when faced with walking across a frozen pond: great faith is most important, weak faith in a thick sheet of ice would be better and safer. 

Peter says that God demonstrated, through Christ's resurrection and glorification, that our faith and hope should be in God. The Resurrection is history's greatest demonstration that life on earth, we can depend certainty for the end of life on earth, we can spend on it to keep faith and hope alive until we get there. Develop your faith and hope in God by renewing your mind with His "exceedingly great and precious promises" (2 Peter 1:4).

The begining of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. ~George Muller

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Through the eyes of faith

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Paul viewed whatever happened to him through the eyes of faith like Moses, who, according to Hebrews 11, "left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen" (11:27). Like Moses, Paul endured the hard times by focusing on the eternal. He used his trials as reminders to focus on things not seen. When your heart is right, you can do that. 

Awhile back Cynthia and I traveled to Houston for an Insight for Living event. While there we enjoyed a brief visit to the home of some good friends. Being down in the city in which I was reared reminded me of a home she and I had been in many years before. The place had a huge stone fireplace, big enough to crawl into. I relish those rare occasions when I can sit by a roaring fire and read or listen to classical music. I'm a fireplace guy!

Anyway, etched into the massive piece of timber that formed the mantle of that magnificent fireplace were these words:

"If your heart is cold, my fire cannot warm it."

Cynthia and I will never forget those words above that great stone hearth. There's no fire in the world that can warm a cold heart. A cold heart stays riveted on the hardship and refuses to see beyond the present. Paul's heart blazed with the fire of faith, allowing him to see the unseen. That's what kept him together under pressure. His heart stayed warm. Nothing of what touched Paul externally would cool him deep within. Rather, it fueled his inner flame. The longer the persecution continued, the hotter his fire for God. He focused on the One who works His eternal purposes in the unseen realm when all around him gave way. Adversity strengthens our faith, consuming the dross of fear and unbelief as it melts away doubts. ~ Charles Swindoll

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). old on to faith! #fueltheflame #faith

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Truth and Freedom

A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike; to restrain her is to restrain the wind or to grasp oil in one's right hand. (Proverbs 27:15-16)

I used to hate reading Proverbs when I first started my walk with the Lord because I had an excuse for everything. But Lord, he...she...they...did this or this or that! Intriguing (smh) to look back at all I've written in my bible. Encouragement, conviction, pride, humility...it's been a roller coaster ride. One thing I know for certain, is that abiding in God's Word is TRUTH and FREEDOM. Is it easy? Certainly not. But is it worth it? Absolutely yes! Confession: I spent years trying to prove that I was right and Keith was wrong. I spent years trying to yell louder so I could be "heard:. I wasted years sitting up at night crying believing I was fighting with this man. God, through His Word, allowed me to see my error and poor judgement. He saved my marriage. 

You see, the enemy wants us to believe we're fighting with flesh and blood - Kieth's words against my words; Keith's wisdom; Keith's wants against my wants. The enemy wants us to believe that there is something good that God is keeping from us - something wonderful we are being denied of. 

But the truth is, there's a larger war going on amidst our personal battles. We can't see everything - even as "wise"  as we believe we are. All of the fences (laws/parameters/plumb lines) built around our lives through the truth of the Word are for our own protection and good. Why is it hard? Our pride and stubbornness. What makes it possible? Faith and humility. You choose - it's called free will. One will take you down a road of hardship and misery. The other will take you down the road of peace, sweet sleep, and rest. He is the only One who is faithful and true. Choose wisely. 

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