Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

You may not consider yourself the world’s most prolific sinner yet you still have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is the job of your conscience to let you know when you have done something that falls short of God’s perfect will for your life. What can you do when your conscience indicates to you that you have violated God’s law? Prior to Christ’s dieing on the cross, you were required to make a sacrifice. However, as a result of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, you have the power and confidence to come before God and confess your sins and know that your sins have been washed away.

You know that your sins can be washed away with a simple confession rather then a costly sacrifice because you believe God. You have read the New Testament and you understand that God has simply commanded you to come unto HIM and confess. While this is contrary to your human nature that yearns to do something in order to earn a clear conscience, you understand that it is not your works but that it is your faith that saves you. Your faith and faith alone gives you the ability to maintain a clear conscience.

It is important that you desire to draw near to God. The closer your relationship with HIM, the easier it will be for your conscience to be pricked with guilt for your violations of HIS perfect law. It is because God loves you that HE gave you the Holy Spirit to be your guide. The closer you are to God, the more painful it will be for both you and God when you damage that relationship by sinning.

A parent who loves their child is quick to discipline their child when it violates their rules that are established for the child’s health and safety. A good parent does not disciple a child for no reason at all, but disciples the child to remind the child of the consequences of doing things that violate the rules. The child being punished does not understand their parent’s statement of how administering this disciple hurts them more then it hurts the child. Yet the same can be said for God. Jesus’ death on the cross causes God more pain then any punishment HE administers to you because you violated HIS law that was established for your health and safety.

God is not a monster that you are to be afraid of HIM. Instead, God desires that you draw near to HIM in faith understanding that HE is a loving parent who desires to see you to do great things for HIM hear on this earth. God is your creator and HE yearns to have a close relationship with you. However, HE understands that HE has given you a free will and thus it is up to you to desire to establish a close relationship with HIM. HE has not gone anywhere; HE is patiently waiting for you. By faith you understand your position with God and you desire to draw closer to God.

What have you done today to draw closer to God? What effort have you made to meet God where HE is so that you can be in a position where HE can bless you and HE can direct you in the way you should go? Do you need to come before God today and confess your sins so as to remove your sins as a hindrance to you drawing closer to God? Whatever it takes, you should draw near to God for you know that HE is your God and HE is your Creator and HE loves you. By faith you will put HIM first.

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

You should not be content with where you are at spiritually today. It should be your desire that you continue to grow closer to God. To many Christians simply go through the motions, they only accept the basic truths of Salvation and that is it. However, there is so much more to Christianity then just being saved from your sins so that you can avoid going to hell. The basic salvation message Paul analogizes to baby’s milk while repentance from dead works is strong meat.

Go find a five-year old boy who has a couple older brothers who are several years older then him. This five-year old boy will insist that you start calling him a “big boy”. It is his desire that he grows so he can do things with his big brothers. He is not content at staying momma’s little boy.

So too spiritually, you should see other Christians who are more spiritually mature then you are and you should desire to grow spiritually to be more like them. You should not be content to just get by spiritually but instead, it should be your focus to do whatever you can do so that you may be given more responsibility from God. Your faith in God must grow so that God can teach you deeper truths from HIS word.

You still are not eating baby food but have for many years been digesting solid foods. If you have been saved for any length of time, you should have now progressed well beyond the basic doctrines of the scripture. You must constantly be striving to draw closer to God. You must strive to learn the deeper doctrines. As you allow yourself to be stretched by God, your faith will grow. It needs to be your desire to draw closer to God because you know HE will never leave you nor forsake you. The closer you come to God, the harder the trials but also, greater the rewards.

Where are you at spiritually? Are you content with your spiritual level? Are you content with how God is using you today? Hopefully your answer was no to both questions because you understand that as you grow closer to God, God can use you to do more for HIM. It should be the desire of your heart to be used more by God.

There is so much more to the Christian faith then just salvation from your sins. While you know that Christ has forgiven all of your sins, you should not be content until you have victory over all your sins. Christ has given you all the tools to have victory over all sins, but you still have your own personal sins have not found victory over. By faith you understand that God has given you the victory, and by faith you can receive victory over every violation of God’s perfect law.

It is up to you to take the steps that are necessary for you to put aside spiritual milk and to take up spiritual meat. Just as a child desires to grow up, so too must you desire to spiritually grow up. You must learn to draw closer to God. The deeper the truth, the more you should desire it. Your life is not all about what you can get from God, but instead, your purpose is to see what you can do for the furtherance of HIS kingdom.

Hebrews 4:1-2 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

The nation of Israel had been promised by God that HE was going to deliver them from the Egyptians and give them the promise land. However, when the nation of Israel heard about the giants in the land, they did not have enough faith to trust God even though HE had delivered them from the Egyptians to go and fight the enemy and claim that which God had promised them. As a result, an entire generation died in the wilderness and it was their children who received the blessing God promised. Because of a lack of faith, an entire generation came short of God’s promises.

Saul was anointed the first king of Israel. Had Saul only remained humble and obeyed the direction of the Lord, his children would have reigned as king after him. However, Saul did not have the faith to simply wait and trust the Lord and while the Lord allowed him to reign for 40 years, he did not have a glorious death and his sons died with him. If only Saul had remained obedient to God, not only would his reign have been different, but also his line would have become the royal line in Israel. It was because of Saul’s sin that God had Samuel anoint David.

Judas was called by Jesus to be a fisher of men. However, Judas allowed greed and corruption to crowd out his relationship with Jesus to the point that he rejected the One whom he was called to serve. Judas had been sent out by Jesus along with the other disciples and was given the power to heal the sick. Nonetheless, because Judas desired material possessions, he forsook his calling and guilt later caused him to kill himself.

God has a special purpose for your life. However, the question that God has for you today is whether you will receive HIS promise. Will you have the faith to trust HIM to go where HE directs you? Will you obey HIM even though the circumstances around you just do not seem right? Will you remain faithful to HIM and not allow the things of this world to crowd out your relationship with HIM? You must hold fast to the promises of God and you must understand that while the storms of life surround you, God is able at anytime to stop the storm and fulfill HIS promises to you.

What sets you apart from the world is that when you heard the preaching of the gospel, you had the faith to believe God’s promises. So many have heard the gospel and have rejected its simple truth. The gospel has no benefit for those who reject it. In the same way that people reject the promises of God when they choose not to repent from their sinful ways, so too can you reject the deeper promises of God by being content to live not doing anything great for God. You must strive to be all that you can be for God.

God has a special promise for your life. It is up to you to grab a hold of God’s promises for your life and to weather out the storms of life so that you might obtain the fulfillment of God’s promises. You must have the faith to hear HIS promises and to obey HIS instruction for your life. You must not allow your sinful nature to stop you from receiving what God desires for you to obtain. You have heard the promises – obtain them.

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Paul is speaking to the church at Galatia about the importance of sowing proper seeds. He first reminded the church that according to what you sow, so shall you reap. One of the seeds that Paul desires that the church to sow is doing good unto others. Doing good unto others is not the same as loving your neighbor as yourself. However, Paul understood that one would probably not have enough time to do good unto everyone whenever they had a problem. In this verse, you see that Paul prioritizes who you are supposed to help when you have limited time or financial ability. You are to put your Christian brethren first.

Yes, you can be doing good by feeding an orphan in Africa who is starving. Nonetheless, if there is a Christian family in your local community who does not have any income, Paul is commanding you to first help the Christian family. Yes, you can be doing good by giving up your weekend to help your neighbor move, nonetheless, if your neighbor is not a Christian and there is a Christian family building a house that weekend, you should be prioritizing your time by helping the brethren.

It is important to understand this principle of putting others first and helping out others when you have the opportunity. However, while you might think that it is more important to do good unto the heathen when you have limited resources, Paul is telling you the exact opposite is the truth. You do not know what challenges your Christian brethren is facing. They could be experiencing trials. Your gift of time or money could be just the encouragement that they need not to yield to temptation.

As a Christian, you are called to a higher calling. God desires that you give so that it will be given to you. God desires you to sow so that you can reap. God desires that you help others so that in your time of need, God can use others to assist you. However, just because someone is an unbeliever, it does not mean that you should not help them. It could be the seeds that you sow to this unbeliever will someday cause them to accept the truth of the gospel. Nonetheless, when you are faced with a decision between helping a believer and helping an unbeliever, Paul tells you help the believer first.

Examine your life. Are you right now facing some trial that you cannot fully understand? Maybe the reason you are not seeing immediate relief from your trial is because you once had the opportunity to assist a brother or sister in Christ out of a similar problem and you chose not to do good unto them but instead chose to put your own needs first. You must be vigilant to look for other’s needs. Maybe they just need a time of encouragement and you can offer that by simply showing a little hospitality. You must keep a very close relationship with God so that you can hear HIS still small voice so that you can quickly act and assist the brethren who God places around you.

You have an obligation to God to do good unto others. You are not to be selfish with your time, your talent, or your treasure, but instead, you must use those to bring glory to God. By faith you obey God by putting others ahead of yourself. By faith you will plant those good seeds by helping others during your time of abundance so that during your time of need, God can use others to help you.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Scripture tells us by your fruit will people know you. When you look at a fruit tree, you will see the trunk, the branches, the leaves, and of course, in its season, you will find fruit. If you had a fruit tree that for several years did not produce any fruit, what good is the tree? Instead, a fruit tree is expected to produce fruit after its own kind.

As a Christian, God is looking at your life to see if you are producing fruit. God is not looking to see you produce apple, oranges or cherries, but God is looking at your life to see if there is any love, gentleness and faith. Accepting Christ as your personal Savior should have changed your life. People should be able to look at you and know that there is something different. People should be able to look at you and see the fruits of the spirit.

As a Christian, there are several different kinds of fruit that God expects of you. Not only does HE expect you to be fruitful and multiply by introducing new individuals to the love of Christ, HE expects that your life change and that you start living your life by higher standards. HE expects that not only are you able to talk the talk but that you are able to walk the walk. Your life must reveal to others that you are different.

One of the many fruits of the spirit that you must demonstrate is faith. God expects you to have faith in your life. You demonstrated faith when you accepted Christ as your personal Savior, but God does not want your faith to die there. A fruit tree does not produce once and stop. A fruit tree is expected to produce new fruit year after year. So too, God expects you to demonstrate the fruit of faith throughout your life.

The fruit of the spirit is not a choice. You are not allowed to select which fruit you desire to produce. Instead, God expects all nine fruits to be in your life at all times. It takes time and effort to properly prepare your life to demonstrate to others that you have faith. So likewise, it takes time and effort to prepare your life to demonstrate the other eight fruits of the spirit.

You will demonstrate the fruit of faith when you are able to hear the still small voice of God and do it. You will demonstrate the fruit of faith when the storms of life are raging around you and you are able to stay calm because you know God is in control. However, you cannot fake faith. If your faith is not genuine, then people will see quickly that your faith is not real. You must live your life in such a way to ensure that you produce the fruit of faith in your life. You must spend time in the word of God. You must spend time in prayer. You must spend time seeking God’s will and then of course, you must do it.

Faith is just one of many fruits that God expects to be demonstrated in your life. As you draw closer to God, your life will change and the fruit of your drawing closer to God will be that you start demonstrating to God and others the fruits of the spirit. As you face trials, your faith in God should grow. You must allow the trials that come into your life to draw you closer to God. Do not allow the trials to draw you away from God. Examine your life. Can others look at you and say that you have demonstrated the fruit of faith? If not, what must you prune out of your life so that you produce more quality fruit.

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

If you desire to do great things for God, the most important thing is your faith being demonstrated through love. Yes, you can obey all the commandments, but if you are not demonstrating your faith through love, you are not living your life in a manner that will produce the maximum results.

Circumcision was a practice that was commanded by God starting with Abraham. For thousands of years, people have obeyed God’s commandment to Abraham to circumcise. Nonetheless, while the act of circumcision is an act of obedience, it is not an act that saves a person from their sin. The coming of Jesus did not overturn the law of circumcision because we know that Jesus did not come to overturn the law, but HE came to fulfill the law. However, where the law of circumcision was designed to set apart the children of God, now the act that sets apart the children of God is the acts of faith accompanied with love.

What is love? Jesus commanded us to love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. You are also told that there is no greater love then one who lays down their life for another. Paul told you that faith without love is nothing. As a child of God, your life must be different from those who are of the world. People must be able to look at you and recognize that there is something different about you. When you demonstrate to others the love of God that includes putting other’s needs before your own needs; then you will magnify the name of the Lord in your life.

It is your faith accompanied by your life that causes you to be of value for Christ. Many people will obey the law down to the dotting of i’s and crossing of t’s. However, because they are such a stickler for the law, they lose sight of the practical side of Christian living. While knowing the law is good head knowledge, Christ does not want a bunch of spiritual intellectuals running around this earth. Instead, Christ selected apostles like Peter and John who while they were not very well educated, they were able to learn the principles of practical Christian living and able to turn the world upside-down as they demonstrated to the world their faith.

If you desire to be of any value to Jesus Christ, then you need to learn to start demonstrating your faith. You can talk the talk, but until you start walking the walk, it is not of value. Your life is to be a demonstration to the world of what the power of Jesus can do through an individual who desires to put God first in their life. By learning to live by faith and putting others before yourself, Jesus will be magnified through you and HE will be able to use you to touch the lives of those around you.

As you learn to walk by faith, your life will be transformed. While you still must obey the law, your real value comes when you learn to listen to the still small voice of God and learn to follow God’s promptings. Everyone is capable of obeying the obvious instructions from God, but it takes a close relationship with God for you to walk by faith. Walking by faith is a higher calling, one that God desires that you apply to your life so that through your faith and love, you will bring great value to the kingdom of heaven.

Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Abraham believed that God had called him to land that he would not possess but that his children would possess. Abraham believed God that he was going to be the father of many nations. On many occasions, it is recorded how God came to Abraham and spoke to him. Abraham believed God, and God was glorified.

Abraham was not perfect. Abraham did sin by not fully trusting God’s perfect plan for his life. However, while Abraham did attempt to fulfill God’s promises in his own way, God was faithful to complete in Abraham those things that God had promised.

God knows that you have a sin nature that sometimes causes you to doubt those things that HE has promised you. Nonetheless, it is your duty to God to remember those things that HE has promised and to not grow weary in waiting. How much better would God’s blessing be upon Abraham had he not taken matter into his own hand and conceived Ishmael? Abraham had heard the voice of God. God had blessed him in all things other then the promised child. It was impossible for Abraham and Sarah to bear a son, but God desired to do the impossible through them. While Abraham did not lose the promise of God as a result of his sin, his sin did cause turmoil that exists until this day.

You have an obligation to God to put yourself into a position that you can hear HIM. Once you hear God’s voice and understand HIS will for your life, then like Abraham you must trust God and obey HIM. Satan will do everything possible to get you to grow impatient and to try to fulfill God’s promise in your own way. Nonetheless, God will be glorified in your life if you learn to simply trust and obey.

The Jews knew that they had a special place in the sight of God because they were of the seed of Abraham. However, Abraham did not receive his position of favor with God because of who his father or grandfather were, but his position with God was determined based upon his actions of faith. It was Abraham’s faith that was accounted to him for righteousness and it will be your faith that God desires to see.

As you live your daily life, you must learn to put God first. You must learn to hear HIS voice and do those things that are pleasing in HIS sight. Your faith in God will grow as you learn to do HIS will and you begin to see HIS blessing and protection as you do HIS will. Your life is a spiritual journey in which it should be your goal to please the One who made you and saved you. Your purpose in life is to glorify God.

It is your faith that saves you. It is your faith that gives you an identity with God. It is your faith that enables you to please God. Without faith you are nothing. However, by your faith you can find true contentment. Just because you believe, it does not mean that your life will be easy. Abraham believed and there were many times that he was afraid for his own life. Yes, you will not be perfect, yet nonetheless, you can still live a life pleasing to the Lord if you will hear God and follow HIS footsteps. Without faith it is impossible to please God. However, with faith, you are a spiritual child of Abraham.

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

It does not matter how hard you try, obeying the law will not enable you to reach heaven. The reason for this is that no matter how hard you try; you are going to violate the law. The sin nature in man is so strong that no one but Jesus was or ever will be able to live a perfect life. Yes, you may sin less then the person next door, but you still have violate at least one law, and if you have broken one law, you are guilty of breaking all of the law. You are a lawbreaker, and once you are a lawbreaker, you are not entitled to enter the kingdom of heaven. You cannot reach the kingdom of heaven on your own accord.

Nonetheless, by faith, you can accept Jesus’ sacrifice on this earth and have your sins blotted out. You understand that it is not anything you have done that caused your sins to disappear from God’s view but that it was the gift of God by the sacrifice of Jesus. You are a sinner; there is no getting around it. Nothing you can do can change the fact that at one time you sinned. But by faith, Jesus covers your sins with HIS blood so that you can live for eternity in heaven.

Too many individuals think that they can get to heaven based upon the law. They see that they are not a major lawbreaker and that they are overall a good person. Nonetheless, Paul is very clear in this passage that it is not the law that saves you but it is your faith that enables you to be innocent in the eyes of God. While the law cannot save you, it does reveal your violations of God’s perfect will and your need for God’s free gift.

Imagine a thief being caught and he is now before the court. The evidence is presented that he took some money from an old lady. After the State has presented all their evidence, it is now the thief’s turn to testify. Imagine what the jury would do if for the next five hours, all the thief did was talk about all the crimes he did not commit. The jury will listen to all these other non-crimes and wonder why the criminal even spoke since he did not deny his theft but simply was trying to justify himself by his good behavior. The thief is not in the court because of his good behavior but is present because of his theft.

Trying to justify yourself by sins you never committed will go about as far with God as the jury listening to all the good things that a thief has done in his life, nowhere. When you are being judged by God, you are being judged because of your inadequacies, the areas that you have fallen short, you are not being judged because of all the times you obeyed the law. Unless you have been previously pardoned by the simple task of accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you will not spend eternity in heaven.

As a Christian, you are not sinless but by the grace of God you will sin less. You understand the principle that you are not saved by law abiding, but you abide by the law because it pleases the One who saved you. Nonetheless, when you do sin and fall short of the glory of God, you must by faith return to the cross and accept Christ’s gift of blotting out your sins. Christ’s blood is not just for the unsaved; it is a constant gift that is needed each and every time you sin. By faith, you are innocent of past transgressions.

II Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Who in this world knows you better then yourself? If you desire to not be a hypocrite, then you need to examine your life and you need to determine whether or not you are really in the faith. Others can think that you are in the faith. You can tell others that you have faith. Nonetheless, you are not who others think you are or who you tell others you are. Your actions dictate to God who you are as a Christian.

Cain and Abel both made sacrifices. However, Cain had not examined his heart and God did not approve his sacrifice. Both Saul and David conducted sacrifices while they were king, yet Saul lost the kingdom and David was said to be a man after God’s own heart. Both Peter and Judas followed Jesus as one of the 12 disciples. They both were given power to heal and do great things for God. However, after the death of Jesus, they both examined their lives and one killed himself while the other learned to die to himself so as to live for Christ.

There is going to come a day when the real you will be broadcast to the world as it was for Cain, Saul, and Judas. You have the choice to continue to hide your hard heart while pretending to serve God or you can examine yourself now and repent from your wicked ways. God does not like hypocrites and HE will have no problem exposing you for who you really are. If God were to put your real life up on a big screen, would it be something that would cause thousands of people to see and be encouraged, or would you be humiliated because everyone found out just how shallow your faith really is.

An inventor will test the product before he goes and reveals his invention to the world. A cook will test the meal before she serves it to her guests. In a like manner, Paul commands you to prove your faith. Test your own life in private to prove your faithfulness before you go out into the world to do great things for God. You will face many trials and temptations that will reveal to the world the true depth of your faith. Before God reveals your shortcomings, it is probably best that you personally examine your faith and test it so that you know that it will be acceptable unto the Lord.

God is holy and just. Do not think that HE will let you get away with anything since you call yourself HIS child. The longer you attempt to live in your own hypocrisy, the more severe God will have to deal with you. Do not think that you can slide by God. Instead, since you know your shortcomings, it is time that you step forward and take care of it. You must go before God and confess your sins and you must seek to have a heart after God’s own heart. As you purge the poison from your own life, be prepared for God to start using you in ways you never imagined.

Others can tell you where they think you have fallen short of God’s glory, however, it is always best if you would examine your own life and see what the things are in your life that are hindering the development of your faith. You should constantly be growing closer to God and if you are not, then it is up to you to weed out the problem. It is your life and you cannot afford to live it as a hypocrite. Examine your faith.

II Corinthians 10:15-16 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men�s labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

In these verses Paul teaches you a lesson in how to remain focused. Paul did not go around boasting of what other apostles were doing, but instead he stayed focused upon the people whom God had called him to. If Paul had chosen to boast about the success of Peter, James or Philip, all he really would have been doing was putting down the people who he was called to reach and implying to them that they just are not increasing their faith fast enough to suit him. He also might have been discouraged because he was not seeing as much progress as other apostles were obtain.

Instead, Paul remained focused upon one group so as to assist them in increasing their faith. Once Paul felt he was successful and that the church no longer needed his daily attention, then Paul would move out to a new area where the gospel had not been preached. Paul did not go and preach where other apostles had already gone but instead looked for new places so that the gospel would spread quickly.

Paul understood that in order to do as much work for the Lord as possible, he needed to go and find new people who had not heard. Upon finding this new group, he would stay with them and work with them until the job was complete, that is, until they had sufficient faith to understand the way that they should go.

By concentrating on one thing at a time, Paul was able to do great things for God. Paul had a vision of moving on, but he never moved on until he had finished what God had for him to do. Paul did not measure his success based upon others, nor did Paul try to steel other’s limelight by trying to share in the work that others had started. Paul desired to serve the Lord and instead was very careful to ensure that God’s will was done in his life.

What is the group that God has called you to minister unto? Understand that before you can expect God to increase your ministry, you must be faithful to HIM and finish the job that God has before you now. You need to be like Paul who worked tirelessly to ensure that the faith was increased of the group that he was working on before he moved on to another group. By staying focused you will be able to devote all of your energies to the task at hand. By staying focused your work can be completed.

By faith you understand God’s purpose for your life. By faith you will not focus upon what others are doing but instead will focus upon the results that you are obtaining for God. By faith you will not move onto a new ministry until the task before you has been completed. Once your job is complete, you are now ready for God to use you elsewhere.

What on earth are you doing for heaven’s sake? God desires that you understand your purpose and that you begin to fulfill that ministry so that HE might be magnified through your life. Remember to keep God’s purpose for your life as the main thing. Do not let the things of this world distract you from God’s purpose. There are many distractions that you can face, but your faith will be fulfilled as you remain focused on God’s plan.

II Corinthians 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

Paul is encouraging the church to demonstrate with their life an abundance of faith. Paul is not saying that one can have too much faith, but instead is encouraging the church to live their life fully for the Lord to such a point that it is obvious to all whom you serve.

However, Paul did not simply desire to see the church demonstrate faith, knowledge, diligence and love, but Paul desired that they also demonstrate that they also have the grace of God in their lives. Paul mentioned the churches of Macedonia who went through some great trials of affliction. Even though they were poor, their joy in affliction was such a testimony to Paul that he now wanted the church of Corinth that follow after the example of the Macedonia churches.

God desires that you have joy when you go through trials. Even though you may be poor, you are rich in faith. Your heavenly riches are the most important things you possess come judgment day. You of course would probably prefer to see the blessing of the Lord upon your life in a more tangible way. Nonetheless, the trials that you face are a blessing since God has picked your trial specifically for you for the purpose of conforming you to HIS glory. God desires that you learn to rely upon HIM so that HE will be glorified through you. It is not easy, but if you can stop and look at the bigger picture, you will be in a position like the Macedonia churches who had enough faith to joy during their trials.

God’s grace can only come from your complete reliance upon HIM. It takes great faith to trust God through the storms of adversity. You must understand the ways of God before you can claim HIS joy during persecution. Your love for the Lord must be deep in order for you to not grow bitter when things do not go the way you envisioned them. Nonetheless, it is necessary for you to possess the grace of God in your life not only as a testimony to the world of God’s power in you, but also as a testimony to God that HE has complete control over your life. Until you completely yield your life to God, how do you expect God to use you to do great things for HIM?

God has commanded you as a Christian to count it all joy when temptations come your way. God desires that you rejoice regardless of your circumstances because you understand that God is in control. Job was able to abstain from cursing God because his possessions did not own him but instead, he fully trusted God regardless what occurred in his life. As you obey God by trusting HIM and allowing the joy of God to abound in your life, not only will you draw closer to God but also your faith will grow. As you learn to have joy during affliction, the grace of God will be abundant in your life causing those around you to understand that there is something different about you.

It takes faith to obey God to do the opposite of your human nature when trials befall you. Nonetheless, if you desire to really abound in faith, then you must learn to have joy in your affliction. It is not always easy to obey God. Nonetheless, God’s grace will always be sufficient for you. Believe the promises of God and understand that God does love you and that the trials of your faith are designed to reveal God’s love through you.

II Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

When you walk by sight, you rely upon your own ability to go where it is safe and to avoid places that you believe are prone to danger. When you walk by sight, you rely upon your own abilities to do what you want when you want. However, as a Christian, you walk by faith. Walking by faith means that you must blindly obey God and trust HIM. You have confidence that you can trust HIM because you have seen HIS faithfulness in your life in the past. Walking by faith means you must rely upon God to protect you.

Have you ever had someone blindfold you because they had a surprise that they wanted to show you? For a period of time, you did not necessarily know where you were going but had to trust that the person leading you would not lead you into harms way. You were led by an individual who could see where they were going and who knew where they desired to take you. You followed to see the hidden reward that would be revealed at the end of the journey.

Walking by faith is really no different. You must understand first that you are following God who desires to led you on the way that you are to go. While you may not always understand what is going on around you, you must trust God and stay close to HIM. The reward that you receive when you reach the end of this life will be worth all the uncertainty as you learned to simply trust and obey.

Walking by faith requires that you put all your trust in God. This means that you have to put aside your own ambitions in order to take on the yoke of Christ to do what Christ desires you to do. Walking by faith really is not a difficult thing, the difficult part is giving up your right to do what you want, when you want to do it. Walking by faith requires you yield your right to do what you want so as to do what you ought to do.

The longer you walk by faith, the further you will move from your own comfort zone. As you move out of your comfort zone, the more reliant you will need to become upon hearing God’s voice and then following the direction that HE has given you. The best place for you as a Christian to be is when you are not reliant upon yourself but are completely relying upon God for your direction.

Walking by faith should not be a season in your life. Walking by faith should not be something you do when you do not know what you should do next. Instead, walking by faith should be a daily decision you make to seek the will of God and to do it. While human nature makes it hard for your to let go of your will and seek to do the will of God, the longer you serve God and walk in faith, the easier it will be for you to hear God and obey the direction HE has for your life.

Do you daily seek the Lord and ask HIM to direct you? Serving God requires that you hear HIS voice and that you follow HIS direction. You cannot afford to only partially do the will of God, partial obedience will put you in a position where God will probably need to punish you for not completely trusting HIM. Have you learned to put aside your own desires in order to seek to do what God desires you to do? When you walk by sight, you do what you want to do rather then what God knows is best for your life.

II Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

Throughout the history of Christianity, many Christians have given up their lives as a result of their faith. They could have lived, but in order to live, they were required to renounce their faith. Paul is telling you that the same faith that that those Christians had who died for their faith is the same faith that dwells within you when you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

As hard as it is to believe, the same faith that the apostle Paul had is the same faith that you have. However, while you have the same faith, how you use that faith is going to be different. You can give a shovel to a three year old and an identical shovel to an adult and put them both to work. Because of age and maturity, the adult will be able to use the shovel more effectively and will be able to accomplish more with the same tool.

You have within you the same faith as Peter who healed a lame man. The difference is that Peter understood the tool that God had given him and he used it to bring glory to God. Throughout history many Christians did great things for the glory of God. You read their stories and you are encouraged to be more like these individuals. However, these individuals did not magically become great in faith one day, they had to face many trials in their life as God tested them and proved them. As they learned to remain faithful to God, God extended their faith and they ended up doing great things for God’s glory.

You can take an ax and go chop a tree down, but if you give that same ax to a professional lumberjack, he will be able to do the job much more effectively and much more quickly. However, the lumberjack was not born from birth with the natural ability to fall a tree. Instead, that lumberjack had to spend countless hours in the woods doing his job. He had to learn from other lumberjacks and there was some trial and error involved. However, the longer he practices his profession, the greater his ability with the ax.

So to, when it comes to practicing your faith, God does not expect you to be a George Muller the first day that you become a Christian. George Muller himself did not become a great man of faith the first day he decided to trust God for his provision. By the end of his life, Muller was able to do many mighty things for God. However, Muller’s faith was stretched from the very beginning when he had to rely upon God for his salary to feed his family. As God continued to demonstrate HIS faithfulness, Muller’s faith grew in small steps until he was building great buildings all in faith.

You have the ability to do great things for God. You already have the tools. However, the only question is whether you are willing to go through God’s training camp in order to learn how to use the tools that God has given you? As you allow your faith to be tested, you must keep your eyes upon God and learn to rely fully upon HIM.

It is time for you to learn to do great things for God. First, ask God to use you. As you learn to use the tools that God has given you, you will find that God’s grace is sufficient. Learn to hear HIS voice and follow HIS directions for you. Each small step of faith you take will draw you closer to HIM so one day you can do great things for HIM.

II Corinthians 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

Paul did not use his authority as an apostle to lord over his fellow believers. Instead, Paul saw his position as one who was to come alongside and help the believers increase in faith. Paul understood that if he could assist the believers in increasing their faith, then they would be better equipped to stand against the temptations of Satan.

Imagine a father teaching his young son how to ride his new bike. The father understands that he is not always going to be around and that his son needs to learn to ride the bike on his own. As such, it does no good for the father to tell his son how stupid he is that he cannot ride the bike the first time. The father does not ride the bike for his son to show his son how to ride, but instead, the father stands beside his son and balances the bike for his son while his son learns to balance and pedal at the same time. It may take some children longer then others to learn how to ride a bike, but the good father will take the time because he understands the importance of his child learning to ride on their own.

Paul may have been an apostle appointed by God. However, Paul did not use his position in the church to condemn the church but instead used his position to assist them in drawing closer to God. Just as a good father will tell his son when his son is not balancing himself right on the bike, so too, Paul would let the church know when they were out of balance in their Christian walk. Paul saw the entire picture and he desired that the church grow in faith so that they could stand on their own.

Paul’s purpose in working with the church was not to condemn the church but to assist the church in growing. If Paul attempted to lord over the church at Corinth, they would have resented his leadership and probably would not have changed. However, because of the way Paul approached the church’s problems, he was able to have their attention. He may have been saying the same thing, but the important thing is how he said it.

You have probably heard the old adage that it is easier to catch bees with honey rather then vinegar. It is important to say the right thing but it is also important in how you say it. Jesus came to this earth not with the attitude of king of all creation but as a servant. Paul understood the importance of this servant’s heart and incorporated it into his ministry when he was working with the church.

Who are those around you who God has placed you in a position to assist in increasing their faith? How do you react to them? Do you lord over them or do you stand beside them and assist them as they draw closer to God? It is important to remember that the deeper their faith, the better position they will be in to stand against Satan’s attacks.

If Jesus did not lord over those around HIM, what makes you so different that you can condemn and ridicule rather then befriend and restore? If you desire to assist others in their relationship with God, then you must have a servant’s heart. You understand the significance of faith, now it is time to ensure that you have the right attitude when you assist another so that they will receive the message. It should be your purpose to encourage your fellow brethren to increase their faith so that they can stand.

I Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Paul is finishing his first letter to the church at Corinth and in his salutation he is encouraging the brethren in Christian living. In this verse he gives four different commands that every Christian should incorporate into their life for the purpose of avoiding falling short of the glory of God.

One of the best ways to avoid unintentional sin is to be on guard for it. Just as a watchman guarded the city, so you must be on guard to ensure that Satan does not gain unauthorized access into your life. Just because your faith comes under attack, it does not mean that you should abandon your faith and retreat. Instead, while things may not be going as you anticipated, remember your foundation and stay the course.

Paul then instructed that Christians are to act like men in their Christian’s life. It appears that the Corinth church was too passive in their faith. The church needed to be bold in its approach and needed to be more aggressive when it came to maintaining the faith. As Christians, when trials and temptations come, rather then flee or yield, you need to learn to attack the sin and conquer it. Finally, Paul commanded the church that they are to remain strong. One remains strong physically by exercise. One remains strong spiritually, by reading the word, memorizing scripture, and by praying.

God does not desire that you be passive in your Christian walk when the enemy comes. Instead, HE desires that you first be prepared, that you second stand your ground, third that you fight, and fourth that you have properly prepared yourself for this fight. Absent your obedience to these instructions, you are going to yield to many temptations that you had the ability to overcome. Remember, God is not going to give you a battle to fight unless HE knows that you are able to handle it. However, you must learn that you probably are not going to be able to handle the fight on your own, but that you are only going to be able to concur this trial when you face the problem God’s way.

Satan is not going to be passive when it comes to trying to tarnish your influence for the kingdom of God. As such, you must not be afraid because you understand that greater is HE that is in you then he that is of this world. You must remain attentive and aggressive to ensure that you do not diminish your faith by violating God’s perfect law. Satan is never going to give up, so too, you must never rest spiritually less Satan catch you while you are not watching and not spiritually strong enough to face the trial or temptation.

You are in a spiritual battle. You chose to fight for the side of righteousness the day you accepted Christ as your personal Savior. If you desire to be affective for God, you must be active in your approach. Now is not the time to passively sit back and watch what happens. Instead, you must prepare for the attack and you must prepare to fight.

Incorporate these four steps into your life so that you please God and become an effective servant. Before the trial, you must prepare by staying close to God and by watching for the enemy so you are not surprised. Then when the fight comes, do not back down and do not become passive. Fight because it is not only your faith that is on the line, but also, you are fighting to set an example for all those who come behind you.

I Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Your faith is centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What sets Christianity apart from every other religion in the world is that you serve a God that concurred death. It is because Christ was raised from the dead that you can have faith in God. If Christ had not risen from the dead, what would make the Christian religion any different then the Muslim religion?

Sinful individuals started other religions while the Christian religion was founded upon the sinless Son of God. Other religious leaders have been killed for their false faith in their own God, but only Jesus was able to overcome death. Jesus did not only claim to know the way as other religious leaders did, HE claimed to be the way.

If Christ was not resurrected, then your faith is in vain and you have been wasting your time serving a god that is dead. Without a living God, your religion is no different then all the other religions, a way for you to attempt to appease your your guilty conscience. A living God enable you to still have communication. A living God means that HE is able to show you the way that you are to go.

Remember the power that was demonstrated by Elijah when Jehovah answered his prayers with fire. This is the same God that Peter and John served when they reached down and raised the lame man. Jesus performed many miracles to demonstrate to the world that HE was the Son of God. However, the miracles that HE performed were not to draw attention to HIMSELF but to draw attention to God. Jesus was on the earth to teach you the truth while the miracles HE performed were secondary byproduct.

So how can you be confident that Christ was risen from the dead? You can search the scriptures and see that there were hundreds of individuals who saw Christ alive after HE had died on the cross. You trust that the Civil War occurred in this country even though you were not around to witnesses it. You believe that there was a Civil War because there is credible evidence from people who were there and who recorded the events as they took place. If you were trying to place a criminal at a crime scene, the more witnesses that testified to the fact, the more likely the truth would be established. However, it does not matter how many individuals testify to the facts, if they are not credible witnesses, then the thing cannot be established.

The reason you know that the witnesses who saw Christ’s resurrected body are credible is by examining their life and seeing how Christ changed their life. The fact that they had the power of God in their life shows that they were not just serving a dead god by which they intended to receive the glory of man.

There are many individuals in this world who have great faith in a dead god. These individuals are willing to die for their dead religion. Yet their lives are in vain because they are not serving a living God. You are serving a living God and as such, you have the confidence and boldness to understand that your faith is not in vain. Be bold in preaching the gospel because you know that Christ is raised from the dead.

I Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Great faith is not the ultimate achievement for you as a Christian. The Christian walk is not about just mastering one thing. Peter gave a list of eight items that he called precious promises. Faith was the first item and love was the final item. Paul listed nine different items which together result in the fruit of the spirit. In Paul’s list, love is mentioned first while faith is the seventh item mentioned. Throughout the New Testament, you will come across various lists for daily Christian living and you will find in almost every list both love and faith.

The Christian life is not about mastering just one thing. Jesus Christ your example was perfect in all areas of HIS life, not just one or two. HE is to be your example, and you have an obligation to God to not just specialize in one attribute of Christian living but must strive to allow all aspects of your life to be affected by Christ.

No one is able to maintain a balanced diet by just eating carrots. While carrots may be good for you, if that is all you ate day after day, year after year, your body would be missing several key nutrients that can be found in other food groups. It does not matter how nutritious carrots are, the longer you allow your diet of nothing but carrots, the worse off your health will be.

Faith is an important thing in the Christian’s life. Without faith, you would not be a Christian. Without faith you would not be able to hear and follow the will of God for your life. Without faith your life would not be a testimony to others that God is alive and powerful today and that HE desires to do great things through those who will but listen to HIM. However, while faith is important, you cannot strive to make faith your ultimate goal in life. Instead you must pursue all the precious promises.

It is important to demonstrate great faith in your life because it is by your faith that others will see the power of God. How can the world have a healthy fear of God absent they see the power of God in someone’s life. If you were to study the fear of the Lord, you would see many examples of individuals who did great things for the Lord and those around feared the Lord after seeing the mighty miracles.

Nonetheless, just because you are able to demonstrate the power of God, your life must also demonstrate the second greatest commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself. As Paul mentions in this passage, without love, your faith is nothing.

You should increase your faith. It will be very important for your Christian development for you to learn to have the power of God in your life at greater levels. However, do not focus on just faith at the expense of other aspects of your Christian life. The Christian walk should affect every aspect of your life. The world should see you and know that there is something different about you. While you will never be perfect, you should strive to allow God to be magnified in your life. By faith you obey God and do those things that HE instructs you to do. Faith is important, but it is not the only thing.

Jude 20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Your faith does not grow just because you are who you are. Your faith grows because of a conscience effort that you put in to cause yourself to grow in the faith. You read the stories of great men and women of faith and you desire great faith. These individuals did not receive great faith as a result of their good looks; they obtained great faith by understanding who God is and ensuring that they had a proper relationship with God.

Jude gives you three tools in this passage that you can use to build your faith. The first tool you must use is prayer. Prayer is essential to understanding the will of God for your life. When you understand God’s will for your life and you follow HIS plan, you can have confidence that God’s work done in God’s timing will not lack God’s provision. A husband and wife cannot expect their relationship to grow absent communication. So to, if you desire your faith to grow, you must learn to communicate with God. The better you understand and apply the power of prayer, the greater your ability to build your faith.

The second tool that Jude mentions is to keep yourself in the love of God. The word “keep” means to guard or protect. Sin is one of the quickest ways to destroying your faith. However, you know that God loved you so much that HE sent HIS only Son to die for you. A husband and wife who really love each other are not going to go out and intentionally do things that they know are going to hurt their spouse. You know that sin in your life hurts your relationship with God. Thus, if you desire to grow your faith, guard yourself from sin by abstaining from things that you know will hurt the One who loves you. The better you understand and apply the principle of keeping yourself in the love of God, the greater your ability to build your faith.

The third tool that Jude mentions is to look for the mercy of God. Most Christians really do not seem to understand God’s mercy. They do not seem to understand the principle of God’s forgiveness. Instead, they often find themselves dwelling in the past, reminding themselves of their faults instead of living today with a clear conscience. While you must learn from your past sins, you cannot afford to dwell upon them. Instead, if you desire to grow closer to God, you must be willing to put out of your mind those things that you have done to damage that relationship in the past. A husband and a wife cannot expect their relationship to grow if they are constantly reminding each other of arguments that occurred five years ago. In the same way a husband and a wife must learn to forgive and forget, so too must Christians learn to receive the mercy of God. You cannot afford to have Satan constantly reminding you of your past sins. The better you understand and apply the mercy of God to your life, the greater your ability to build your faith.

Do you desire to see your faith grow? Jude gives you three simple tools that you can use to grow your faith. Learn how to pray, use the love of God to abstain from sin, and when you do sin, learn to accept God’s mercy in your life. It is going to take a conscience effort on your part to build your faith. You must desire to have great faith and you must apply yourself to living a life pleasing to the Lord. As you learn to apply these tools in your daily walk, you will see your faith grow.

Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Beware of false teachers who teach that you can do what you want, when you want because of God’s grace. These teachers do not teach you to do that which is right in the eyes of God but rather to do that which is right in your own eyes. The grace of God is not designed as a “get out of jail free card” that you can use whenever your conscience begins to disturb you. The grace of God gives you the power to overcome your sin nature because you understand the sacrifice made by Christ to forgive your sins.

Not only do you need to beware of false teachers, but you also must be like Jude and be quick to help others see the fallacies being taught by others. If you see a wolf in sheep’s clothing, that is not the time to take a nap. Throughout history, there have been many false teachers who have led thousands astray and have done great damage to not only the church, but also to those individuals whom they led astray.

Jude is telling you that keeping your faith will be a fight. There are many enemies who desire to destroy your faith. As a warrior, you have a duty to God to fight to preserve that which HE entrusted unto you. You have something worth fighting for, but you are the one who must defend the faith. You may not fancy yourself to be in a spiritual battle, but just because you do not want to obey God and fight for the faith, it does not mean that the battle does not rage around you.

The Greek word that is used for the words “earnestly contend” is a similar word to the word “strive” used by Jesus when HE commanded you to “Strive to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke 13:24). It is also similar to the word “fight” used by Paul when he commanded Timothy to “Fight the good fight of faith” (I Timothy 6:12). You are in a spiritual battle and the sooner you realize it, the better off you will be. A warrior who is prepared is always looking out for the enemy; they are quick to ensure that the enemy does not gain any ground because of their lack of attention.

There is nothing more fundamental to the Christian then their faith. Your relationship with God begins with faith. The longer you walk with God, the more you see that your faith is such an important part of your Christian life. Christ was willing to die so that you might be free from the law of sin and death, why are you not willing to fight so that the gospel given to you might be preserved from false teachers.

If ever there was a time for Christians to stand up for their faith, now is that time. The world mocks your faith because they do not see dedicated Christian’s committed to their faith. Until Christians learn to stand up and fight for the truth of their faith, the world will see the Christian religion as nothing more then a crutch for the weak.

Are you ready to fight for the cause of Christ? Christ has given you the truth and you know that the truth shall set you free. The truth of your Salvation should be worth fighting for, you should be willing to reveal the false doctrines of others and be willing to share with others the simple gospel given to the world.

I John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Faith is such an important aspect of your walk with God. By faith you acknowledge your sins and accept the fact that apart from God, you can never see the kingdom of God. Jesus told Nicodemus that “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5). Nicodemus was trying to understand how a person could be born again and Jesus explained “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6). The concept of being born again is not one that common sense tells you is so, it is a concept that must be simply believed.

Because you were of this world before you by faith were born of God, your sin nature has a strong hold on your life. You can be sure that the world is not going to let you go without a fight. However, just because you are going to face temptations, it does not mean that you are going to have to yield to them. You do not have to yield to your sinful nature because through Christ, you have gained the victory. You have everything that you need to defeat the enemy.

When David defeated Goliath, David did not need fancy armor. All David needed was a heart to do the will of God and a simple slingshot. David understood that the victory was not going to be his because of how great he was but that the victory was going to be from God because this was an enemy that needed to be defeated. All David needed to do was be willing. So too you already have the tools to overcome the sin nature that constantly attempts to pull you down. All you need to do is trust God, follow HIS direction, and watch how God rewards your faith with victories over sin.

You already have the tools to experience victory in your life. The question is will you use them. Imagine if someone had a plugged up toilet and right beside the toilet sat a plunger. You would think it real funny if for 30 days, the toilet stayed plugged up and the person never even used the plunger. Imagine every day the person coming into the bathroom saying “I wish someone would just fix this toilet.” You would consider this individual really foolish since he had the tools but he was just refusing to fix the problem.

Do not become content with your problem. Do not sit there and wish that someone will wave a magic wand and solve your problem for you. Instead, realize that God has already given you the tools to allow you to have victory over your sin nature. By faith are you saved and by faith you overcome the world.

Your victory over sin is not something that is up to chance. Your victory over sin comes when you exercise your faith and you determine in your heart that you are not going to allow the devil to have the victory over your life any more. You do not have to yield to sin, it is a daily choice that you must make to follow God rather then the world.

Your acceptance of Christ as your Savior was just the first step of faith. You accepted salvation so that you could see the kingdom of God. Now you need to accept that through Christ, you can overcome the world. Do not allow Satan to have one more victory in your life. Instead, learn to allow Christ to work through you so that you can see the victory.

I Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

When you were of the world, you belonged to the devil. However, when you choose Christ as your personal savior, the devil becomes your adversary. The devil is looking for opportunities to cause you to stumble. Not only does your sin cause you to fall short of the glory of God, but it can also be a hindrance to those around you. Your sin can be a hindrance to an unsaved individual because Satan is going to reveal your sin to them and point out that you are no different then they are and your sin will be a hindrance to other Christians because Satan will use your sin to tempt them into lowering their standards.

Peter warns you about falling pray to the attacks of the devil. He warns you that to resist the devil. You are to resist the devil by remaining steadfast in the faith. In order to remain steadfast, Peter gives two commandments that will assist you in remaining steadfast. The first one is to abstain from wine and the second one is to be watchful. Peter encourages Christians to avoid wine because the affects the wine has upon your ability to recognize Satan’s attacks. It is hard to resist the devil and avoid falling short of God’s will for your life if you do not even recognize Satan’s attacks.

Through Christ you are able to overcome the attacks of the devil. While the devil may bring afflictions upon your life, you have the confidence that God works everything for good for those who love HIM and are called according to HIS purposes. The devil is not just out to get you, he is seeking to destroy all those who call upon the name of Christ. This is not just a personal battle between you and the devil but you are a part of a huge war between Christ and the devil.

You can resist the devil and remain strong in the faith because you understand that the same afflictions that you are facing right now, many other Christians have faced and through Christ have become more then conquerors. This is similar to going to a huge maze. You may have never gone through this particular maze, but you understand that many people have faced this maze and have come out of it. While you may temporarily get lost in the maze, you know that there is a way of escape out of the maze and that if you remain calm and stay persistent, you will eventually conquer this maze. You can conquer the maze because others have been able to conquer the maze.

By faith you know that you can overcome the temptations thrown at you by the devil. By faith you are aware that the devil desires to cause you to stumble and you will hold yourself up to a higher standard so that you do not allow your life to be a stumbling block for others. It takes faith to follow the higher calling God has for your life so that your life is pleasing to the Lord.

The devil is looking for an opportunity to cause you to stumble. Are you watching to ensure that you do not create an opportunity in your life to give the devil the opportunity he is looking for? If you let your guard down, Satan will be quick to pounce upon your lack of vigilance. Resisting temptation begins with not placing yourself in a position that you can easily fall pray to the devils attack. By faith you will remain steadfast.

I Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

It does not matter your race, your nationality, or your social standing in the community. It does not matter how rich you are or how poor you are. Your salvation comes by faith, circumstances or corruptible things do not redeem you; the blood of Christ who is the spotless lamb redeems you.

You could place your security in many things, but as a Christian, you have chosen to put your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather then looking at the material things of this world and expecting your security and pleasure to come from them, you are in the position where God is all you need and you hope in HIM to provide for you. It does not matter the circumstances that surround you for you know that you have the hope that when your time here on this earth is done, you will spend eternity in a much better place, heaven. Because you have this hope of heaven, you do not have to worry about what is going to happen to you here on this earth.

Satan is going to attempt to tempt you to place your focus on things of this world. Satan desires that you place your security in your paycheck, your health insurance, or your savings account. Spiritual things are more important then your security here on this earth. Doing the will of God should be more important to you then living a peaceful retirement.

God will take care of you. As you learn to seek HIS face, because you have trusted in HIM, you will learn to place your hope and your hope in God. It is not easy allowing the things of this world not to distract you. It is human nature to be in control over your life, to be confident in your position because of who you are. Nonetheless, God desires that you learn to relinquish your right to control your life and instead, allow HIM to direct you and guide you in ways you never would imagine.

If Joseph had his confidence in his great management abilities, he would have been devastated when he was falsely accused, lost his job and was sent to prison. Joseph’s confidence came from God so when he faced unexpected trouble, Joseph did not lose his faith and he did not lose his hope of what God was going to do through him. Joseph’s confidence came from God and as such, he was able to survive trials and temptations.

Your faith is more then just the simple decision to trust that God raised HIS Son from the dead on the third day. Your faith is a daily decision to put the will of God first in your life and to not allow the things of this world to become your security. God is in control; your blessed hope is that one day you will live in heaven where there is no pain, no injustice, no more tears. To you, this world is just a stepping-stone to a better place.

Examine your life. Is there anything in your life that if God took away from you would cause you to become bitter at God? You have an obligation to put your faith and your hope in God. You should be seeking HIS will because it is through HIM you have been saved. Your security cannot be wrapped up in some title, a relationship, or in your pocketbook. Instead, God is all that you need and if HE chooses to take everything away from you, you can be like Job and thank God for what HE has done.

I Peter 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

There are so many examples throughout the scriptures of individuals who exercised great faith. However, one must realize that the most important step of faith is the very first one, that is, receiving God’s gift of salvation. By faith you are saved. It takes faith to believe that God sent HIS only Son to this world to die for your sins so that you might have restored communication with God. By faith you believe that Christ
is the only way.

So many individuals will spend eternity in hell because they did not believe that God could send anyone to hell. They are just not willing to believe the testimony of the scriptures. Often you will hear that an individual has a hard time believing a book that was written almost two thousand years ago. However, these same individuals are willing to believe that the world evolved just because some scientist says it did.
It is not a matter of not having faith; it is a matter of whether you have your faith in the right thing. People will believe what they want to believe. However, it is important to remember that the fear of the Lord is not doing what is right in your own eyes but is doing that which is right in God’s eyes.

If you desire to do great things for God, then you must ensure that your faith has a proper foundation. The proper foundation is none other then the simple accepting of God’s gift of salvation. Once the proper foundation is laid, then your faith can grow and you can do many wonderful things for God. However, if there is any doubt in your
salvation, this weakness in your foundation will make all of your works of faith utterly meaningless.

Do not give Satan any ground when it comes to the foundation of your faith. Make sure your foundation is sure. Just as you would not accept living in a house that you knew had an unstable foundation, so too you cannot afford to live your life with an unstable spiritual foundation. The foundation of your Christian walk is your faith in God’s gift of salvation. It is this foundation that ensures that you will spend eternity in heaven. All the other good things that you do are worthless if there is any problem with your basic faith.

Satan actually loves to cause you to doubt about the security of your salvation. You do not have any doubt that you were physically born into this world even though you do not remember the day you were born and you have no remembrance of life in your mother’s womb. How much more can you believe that you were spiritually saved since you can actually remember the day, the prayer, and life prior to salvation.

The salvation of your soul is the very basis of your Christian walk. It is because of that sure foundation that you are able to hear God’s voice and do great things for HIM. Because Rahab believed and feared God, she was willing to forsake her people to join herself with the people of God. Once she made that decision, there was no turning back. She could not go back to her old ways.

Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. Just as Abraham believed what God told him and followed God’s promptings, so too must you listen to God and follow HIS direction for your life. The very first step is the salvation of your soul. Once you have a sure foundation, God can do mighty things through you.

I Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

When you have accepted Christ as your personal Savior, there is no promise that life is going to be smooth and prosperous. In fact, according to Peter in this passage, it is pretty much a forgone conclusion that you are going to go through trials. Having faith is not going to be easy, because God is going to allow it to be tested to prove the purity of your faith. It is easy to say that you believe God when everything is going right, but can you still give glory to God when your world is crumbling around you?

Job was an extremely wealthy man who had great faith in God. Job had so much faith that God actually called Job perfect. Yet regardless of Job’s great relationship with God, God still allowed Job to be tested to prove to Satan and the world that Job had put all of his faith in God and that Job was not going to curse HIM.

You will not know how God is going to test your faith. God could test your faith as HE tested Job by taking away everything HE had given to Job. God could test your faith as HE tested Abraham by telling Abraham he was going to have a son and then wait many years for it to come to fruition. God could test your faith as HE tested Jesus�’ disciple’s faith by putting them into a boat and sending them on their way and then bringing a huge storm to interrupt their planned travels.

There are many ways that God can test your faith. HE can allow you to be threatened with death as Daniel and his friends faced. HE can allow you to be falsely accused as Joseph experienced. HE can allow you to face great persecution as Paul faced for simply doing the will of God.

If you want to be sure of one thing as a Christian, it is that God is going to allow you to be tested in order to prove the generous of your faith. Just as gold must go through the fire to remove all the impurities contained within, so too must God take you through the fire to remove the impurities of the world from among you. Rather then questioning God why HE is allowing you to experience such terrible storms, you should be thanking God that HE is counting you worthy to experience such trials. God has promised you that HE is only going to allow you to face trials that HE knows you are going to be able to bear.

Trials are actually a good thing in the life of a Christian. While the world hates anything that has the appearance of being unfair, as Christians, you should have the faith that God is in control and that HE has allowed things to happen to you to prepare you for the work that HE desires to do through you. As God allows you to face trials, HE is attempting to draw your attention to HIM. Do not allow your trials to distract you.

Are you going through a trial today? What is your trial? Stop right now and thank God for the trial that you are experiencing. Realize that God has a purpose for this trial. Understand that after this trial, there will be less of the world and more of God in your heart. God never promised you a carefree life if you accepted HIS gift of salvation. You are facing a trial of your faith; do not allow Satan to win this trial. Keep the faith.

I Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

You are valuable in the sight of God. The word “kept” found in this verse means to protect. Kept has a strong military meaning and was often used to describe the advanced guard. God is watching out for you and is preparing you for the last days. You must understand that if you desire to have God’s protection, then you must follow HIS will. How could an army be protected if they did not follow the path of the advanced guard?

God allows you to make your own choices. It is by faith that you choose to follow HIM. Your faith in God is centered around your belief that Jesus died for your sins and that HE was raised again on the third day. You understand that because you believe Jesus was raised from the dead, you have an eternal inheritance in heaven that is waiting you. You have all the incentive in the world to strive to do God’s will.

By faith you understand that God desires to protect you and keep you. However, if you chose to disobey HIS will for your life, then you must suffer the consequences for your disobedience. A shepherd who was tending sheep who had a lamb escape would break the leg of the lamb in order to show the lamb how much he loved it. The lamb would not be free to run where it desired and was forced to stay close to the shepherd who would take it everywhere. When the leg was healed, there was not much incentive for that lamb to wonder too far because it understood the consequences of getting out from the protection of the shepherd.

You must understand that Satan cannot touch you absent permission from the Good Shepherd. By faith you understand that God is protecting you and that HE has a purpose for your life. By faith you accepted God’s gift of salvation, why would you desire to escape from HIS protection by doing what you want, when you want?

Take a bunch of toddlers to a park. It will not be long before one of them decides that they are going to go on an exploration trip on their own away from their group. The toddler really does not have much understanding as to the danger that they are putting themselves into by wondering away from the close care and supervision of the one who is watching them. However, that toddler would be much safer if it would just learn to be content and to stay where it was instructed to stay.

You do not know all the dangers that God keeps you from when you abide in HIS’ will. Just as a toddler does not understand the dangers of kidnapping, being hit by a car, or how to care for itself; so too, there are many spiritual things that you will probably never understand until you reach heaven. Staying close to the center of God’s will is the best place that you can be.

By faith you accepted Christ as your Savior. By faith you will follow the will of God for your life. By faith you understand that God has a purpose for you and that HE is preparing you for that purpose. God’s purpose not only includes what you do here on this earth but it also includes the last days when HE shall return to this earth a second time. You do not see the whole picture. Allow HIM to guide you so HE can protect you.

James 5:14-15 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Sin has its consequences. One of the manifestations of secret sin is a heath problem. However, just because an individual is sick, one should not assume that there is deep secret sin in that individual’s life. Jesus confirmed this point when his disciples asked HIM about a man who was born blind whether it was the man who sinned or whether this man was blind as a result of his parent’s sins. Jesus replied that this particular sickness was not because of sin but was for the glory of God.

How many times during Jesus’ ministry did you see HIM first forgive the sick individual’s sins and then HE would heal them? Jesus understood that this individual’s sin had a direct correlation to their sickness and as such, if the person desired to be healed, then they first needed to be forgiven of their sins.

James here is reminding you of the correlation between sickness and sin. He desires that Christian be aware that one of the ways God reveals secret sins is by sickness. God does not allow HIS children to escape the consequences of sin, because sin means that Satan has won a victory in a Christian’s life. If there is secret sin, God may allow that individual to become sick so as to drive that individual to his or her knees and to cause them to confess their sins so that God can once again be magnified in their life.

James tells us that the elders of the church should come and pray over the sick individual. However, just because the elders come and pray, it does not necessarily mean that the person will be healed. There are some sicknesses that are unto death. However, if that sickness is related to sin, then a confession of those sins and being prayed for by the elders will result in healing.

The apostle Paul was a great man of faith, yet he had an infirmity that was never healed. Paul’s infirmity was never healed not because Paul had unconfused sins but because God desired to be glorified in Paul’s life. Do not look at every individual who is sick and start assuming that they have secret sin. However, the elders of a church who are asked to pray for the individual should collectively inquire to ensure that there is not a hidden sin that is causing this sickness. If the elders are going to pray in faith that God heals the sick Christian, the confession must be made so that there can be complete restoration.

One of the reasons why the elders must go together to pray for the sick and not just one of them is so that God receives the glory. There is power in numbers for you know that were two or three are gathered in God’s name, HE is there.

Do you have bad health? Examine your life to ensure that your sickness is not related to secret sin. If your sickness is a punishment from God for your sins, bring in the elders of the church, confess your sins and ask that they pray for you so that God can heal you and forgive your sins. God desires to be glorified in your life and HE will be glorified when HE heals you after your confession and after the elders have prayed for you.

James 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Rahab understood that God was going to deliver her city Jericho to the Israelites. However, just because she believed her city was doomed, it did not automatically save her from destruction. Rahab’s actions needed to demonstrate her faith so that she would be saved. When Rahab saw the spies, she received, hid, and then prepared a way of escape for them. Because Rahab’s actions demonstrated her faith in God, God spared her from the destruction of Jericho.

Rahab may have been in the city of Jericho, but her actions set her apart from all the other inhabitance. Her actions demonstrated that she did not live by the cities standards but that she desired to serve the God of the Israelites. Rahab very easily could have turned in the spies, but she desired to be free from the influences of Jericho so she befriended the spies and assisted them in their task.

What would have happened to Rahab if she had only believed in her heart that the God of the Israelites was going to deliver her city unto the Israelites? If Rahab had done nothing, it would not have mattered how much she believed, it was her actions that enabled her to be saved. Doing nothing would not save her; her actions demonstrated her faith.

Being saved by works is similar to what individuals face every year who live in coastal communities where hurricanes can hit. An individual may hear that a hurricane is heading their way. They can believe that a hurricane is coming their way all they want, but until they act upon that belief, they can never be saved. Some individuals disregard the warnings all together not believing that the hurricane will actually hit them. If the hurricane does hit their area, because they did nothing, they could lose their life and their property is more apt to be destroyed.

Just because you believe that a hurricane is coming and that destruction is imminent, it does not mean that you will be saved from this destruction. One will need to actually act upon that belief and board up all the windows, clean up the objects in the yard and then go find a suitable place to weather the storm. It does not matter what you believe in your heart, it is your actions based upon that belief that will save you.

Rahab knew of the pending destruction of her city Jericho and she acted upon that belief to save herself. By faith you understand that the wages of sin is death and that if you die in your sins, you will spend eternity in hell. However, just believing that there is a heaven or a hell will never save you, you have to make a choice and do something to demonstrate your faith so that you will be free from the grasps of sin.

Look at your life, there is more to your faith then just the simple belief. You must act upon that belief if you desire to be free from the influences of sin. You believe that there are consequences to sin so you now need to make sure your actions respond according to your belief so that you might be free. You must be like Rahab and you must act upon your belief if you desire to be truly saved from your sins. Faith without action is dead no matter how sincere and no matter how genuine.

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

You are saved by faith. You live in the world; you were born with a sin nature. Just because you proclaim Jesus as Lord, it does not mean that you will be free from sin. While you have been a slave to sin, by faith you have become a servant of God. The word justified as found in this verse among other things means innocent and free. This means that your actions coupled with your faith is what enables you to be free from sin.

Because you are a servant of God, you have the choice whether to do the will of God. It is as you choose to do that which is right in the eyes of God that you will find true freedom. True freedom is not the ability to do what you want when you want; true freedom comes when you learn self-control and how to do what is right.

God may choose to perform a miracle in your life when upon your acceptance of HIS Son as your personal Savior; HE will free you from a particular sin habit. Nonetheless, while HE may free you from one sin habit, you probably have many other sin habits that Satan will not be quick to relinquish. By faith you are saved, but now it is time for you to start living your life pleasing to the Lord so that you might experience true freedom. Until you start living for God, the question becomes, are you really a changed individual?

The fulfillment of the promise of your faith comes when you learn to hear God’s voice and do as HE has said. The fulfillment of your faith is similar to a box of legos. You can look at the box and see this wonderful picture of what can occur if you take the box. However, until you open the box and actually follow the directions, you will never see the fulfillment of what all you can do with the pieces that are contained in the box.

Taking the box of legos is equivalent to faith. Just because you have it, does not mean that you have utilized it to its full potential. All the box of legos contains is a many pieces that if properly used will become something. It is by following the directions that you turn all those insignificant pieces into something great. So too, by hearing God’s voice and following HIS promptings one step at a time, God will be able to turn your life into something wonderful. However, you must hear God’s voice and you must follow HIM.

Stop and think. Do you desire to be simply saved by faith, or do you desire to do great things for God? Hopefully you answered that you desire God to use you. In that case, you must learn to put aside the things of the world and begin to serve God. There is no room in your life to serve both God and the world. You must learn to take the time to put God first and to do as HE has said. Until you learn to start allowing your faith to have an active part in your life so that you are walking a new life rather then just talking about it, you might as well be a box of legos sitting on the shelf with a pretty picture on the front showing all who pass by that while there is potential, currently, that is all it is, potential.

Yes, by faith you were saved from hell and destruction. Nonetheless, it is your actions after you are saved that will demonstrate to the world that your faith changed you. It is your actions of listening to God and doing what HE says that will open the doors of your life to do many wonderful things for the Lord. It is those small choices that you make that will make you worthless or effective. What will your actions reveal today?

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Abraham could have said all day long that he believed God and that he trusted God. However, Abraham could not prove his words with words alone, but he had to step out and demonstrate to God that he trusted HIM no matter what. God tested Abraham’s faith by asking Abraham to sacrifice the son of promise. Abraham had no idea that this was a test. Abraham’s actions of taking his son and raising the knife to kill his son demonstrated to God that Abraham’s faith was genuine.

You have heard that actions speak louder then words. Abraham’s actions proved his faith. You can say all day long that you believe in God, but until you start obeying HIS commandments, you are a hypocrite. Faith without works is dead, or faith without action is dead. It is too easy to say one thing and do another. God and others look at your actions to see if they correspond with your words.

King Saul is an example of one whose actions and words did not correlate. Saul was told to go kill all the Amalekites. He was not to leave one of them alive, including no animals. Saul however spared some sheep, oxen and the king, Agag. Saul made the excuse that he spared the animals for sacrifices. However, God had commanded utter destruction and had not asked for sacrifices. Saul was talking the talk, but he did not walk the talk in that he did not completely obey God. There is no such thing as partial obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience or faith without works.

It is not easy to always walk the talk. There are so many great examples of individuals who did great things for God. You feel so inadequate by your own imperfections. However, the Bible does not just tell you the good things that your heroes did, but it also tells you their shortcomings. God told Abraham that Sarah would bear a promised child, yet Abraham did not demonstrate his faith in God when he attempted to fulfill God’s promise through Sarah’s servant Hagar. This lack of faith on Abraham’s part demonstrates that God is willing to forgive and still use you after you have fallen short of HIS perfect plan. It also shows that no matter how much faith that you demonstrate later on, one is still accountable for the consequences of your actions.

You know that “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3). Abraham’s belief was not filled with words but it was demonstrated by his actions. Without Abraham’s actions, he would not be attributed as the father of faith today. Abraham had to take God at HIS word and do as he was instructed.

You can claim all day long that you have faith. However, if your life does not demonstrate that claim, you are a hypocrite. Until you start living your life for God and do what HE has commanded you, your faith is dead and you will have no impact upon this world. Why should anyone follow you if you have no fruit?

Stop sitting on the fence. You are committed to God and HIS purpose for your life or you are serving yourself. You cannot serve both God and the world. Your actions prove whom you serve. Your works will prove your faith. Faith without works is dead.

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told you that “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16). James is basically repeating the same principle by putting you on notice that if your faith does not produce any results, then your faith is dead.

Something that is dead is typically removed as having no value. If someone dies, for a couple of days, there is a lot of activity around the dead individual before placing the dead individual in a grave where they never return. When you cut the grass, the grass that you cut is usually gathered up and immediately discarded. At the end of every year, after the corn harvest, all the corn stocks die and the farmer removes all the stalks from his field. Typically, when something dies, it is removed.

Dead is not a good position for ones faith to be in. If fellow Christians were to treat ones dead faith in the same manner that they treat other things that are dead, one would no longer be a part of the local church. One who has dead faith should not be teaching or preaching in church. Great effort should be made to see what can be done to assist the brother or sister in Christ to revitalize their faith.

If Christians are permitted to not demonstrate their faith by their works, then the entire faith will receive a black eye. A Christian who is only proclaiming to have faith but that faith does not change his or her life is giving the world opportunities to ridicule Christ. It is a serious matter if one Christian is not walking the walk by allowing their faith to be demonstrated by their actions.

If you see a brother or sister whose faith is not producing any fruit, you should be concerned and you should see what you could do to encourage that fellow believer to begin to demonstrate their faith. Take the time to disciple that individual so that they understand what God expects of them. If the church ever desires to be effective in the community, then it needs to learn how to examine itself to ensure that every member is a productive for the cause of Christ.

Jesus told you that you are the branches and HE is the true vine. He also said that God is the husbandman. Jesus stated that if you abide in HIM, then you will produce much fruit. One of the husbandman’s duties is to remove those branches that die out and do not produce fruit. Your faith must be demonstrated by your works so that God does not cut you off. God is patient and does give second chances as is demonstrated by the parable of the fig tree (Luke 13:6-9). However, as demonstrated by the parable, there comes a time when the unproductive fig tree must be destroyed for a lack of fruit.

God has no room for lukewarm Christians who are simply going through the motions. Either you are alive and active in your faith, or you are dead. There are too many who proclaim to be Christians but do not fear God and as such, they are dead in their faith and they do not produce any fruit. It is time that you ensure that your life is producing fruit. Examine your life and ensure that the world can see works associated with your faith. It is your actions that will prove to all that your faith is real and genuine. Be productive for the cause of Christ by ensuring that your walk and your talk correlate.