Saturday Sacrifice: Don't Give Up, Keep the Faith

Just like my big bro Chris said, by faith we believe

that God’s miraculous power back then is still

present and available now.

Think about it… All those times you thought you

couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. God

 would show up just in the nick of time!

You didn’t give up, you kept the faith. I encourage

 

those who feel like giving up, and feel like God isn’t

working out your situation. Keep the faith, persevere,

continue to seek the Lord, God will definitely show up

and show out!

 

 

 

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Keep your faith in action! Believe that God is, and

 that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
 
 

FAITH ACTION VERSE:
 

⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. ~ Hebrews 11:6

Just by continuing to seek the Lord, you are keeping your faith in action. Even though you don’t see the answer to your prayer yet, you believe that he will come through. You’re still asking, you’re still seeking, you’re still knocking…
 

FAITH ACTION VERSE:

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ~ Matthew 7:7-11

 

Quick vid about THE LANGUAGE OF FAITH...Do you know it??...

 

 

 

 

 

Stay in peace, not in pieces =)
 

Saturday Sacrifice: Hannah

Friday Felloship: Today Get your Hands on Faith

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for”.  Stop in the verse there, substance is the key. Substance is something tangible. Next part of the verse says “evidence of things not seen.”

We use faith in these situations as hope is needed in them and there’s no evidence of actuality.

1.      Uncertain situations

2.      Unknown situations

3.      Against all logic situations

In Exodus we find God’s people in an uncertain situation, will pharaoh destroy them?

 In an unknown situation how will they escape?

Against all logic Moses told the people of God to fear not and watch the salvation of God, will they trust God in the face of destruction?

Maybe, I lost you lets update our questions. In uncertainty, will I get that job I just interviewed?

When faced with unknown, will I make it through the week with my finances being extremely limited?

Against all logic, God does he speak to us and is prayer effective?

When you’re faced with these situations this is what you do…..

GET YOUR HANDS ON FAITH

Hebrews 11 stresses accomplishments of people that got their hands on faith:

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

¹⁸ Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

¹⁹ Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

When you have faith, your imagination is activated. The scripture in blue, demonstrates this. Abraham went to offer his son as a sacrifice believing God would raise him from the dead, despite never seeing it done.

God is pleased By faith as mentioned in Hebrews. Please God today and activate your imagination of God regarding wherever you are. Use these people as your example and this format.

To the unemployed person By faith go before God in prayer and claim today at 10am I’m receiving a call with the job I desired.

To the person that’s frustrated with the same thing all week By faith go to God in prayer and claim now in the name of Jesus I receive the peace of lord that passes all understanding. I’m not leaving prayer or ceasing to call your name until my peace comes.

To the person in school worried about their studies and grades,  say to yourself By faith I’ve done my best and I will do Great as I am favored by God because Jeremiah 17:7 says

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.” By faith I believe this scripture applies to my education.

Hebrews 13:8 says
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” By faith we believe this and know God’s miraculous power then is still present and available now.

By faith we please God. What are you changing or receiving By faith?

Thirsty Thursdays: Seek and Submit

Pride can be defined as a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.  Having pride when it comes to self esteem and self worth is a good thing, we should be proud of who we are. On the other hand too much pride can be a very bad thing, making us stubborn, hard headed and unwilling as well as vain and conceited. Along with having pride we should also have humility so we may understand our rank or importance so to speak and be able to submit to authority. 

Exodus 11 continues to show the arrogance and excessive pride of Pharaoh. Even after all the other plagues God brought upon Egypt, Pharaoh still did not want to listen or submit to God and allow the Israelites to go free. Each time another plague came upon Egypt, Pharaoh “hardened his heart” instead of humbling himself, thus having God send another plague. Life could have been a lot smoother for Pharaoh and the Egyptians if only he had submitted to Gods will and released the Israelites as Moses instructed him to do.

I myself can sometimes be a very prideful individual (Shocking I know). It is something I have come to notice (first step in fixing a problem is realizing there is one) and now try to work on. As my relationship with God grows, he deals with me more and more and helps deliver me. The support of others also helps me improve and grow spiritually. "24 and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another..." Hebrews 10:24-25. My bible study group, small group, church family all have truly been a blessing to me and my walk with Christ (love ya). We serve a mighty and all-powerful God; there is nothing he cannot deliver us from, nothing he can’t fix. God performed the ultimate sacrifice for us, for our sins, so “persevere in faith”. “22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart, and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” Hebrews 10:22-23. We all have shortcomings and mess up, but God can restore us. Come unto him, repent and believe in faith, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” Hebrews 10:36. God will always be there for you, just seek him out. 

Stay Thirsty My Friends

Thirsty Thursdays: Ron 

Warrior Wednesdays: The Power of the Pen

The story of the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt is a powerful demonstration of God's extensive power. It is one of the stories that is taught in every Sunday school class, it has been depicted in movies and reenacted throughout time to tell of the glory and power of God. Thus fulfilling what God said "..that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how I am the Lord." Exodus 10:2. Can you imagine if this story had never been recorded? 

Plagues of blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock dying, boils, hail, locuts, total darkness, and death of all firstborn. With 10 plagues there is no doubt that some of these plagues would have been forgotten or messed up when retold if they had not been written down. I know it can be easy for me to forget something that just happened. The event may have been great at the time, but over time the details become hazy. If this story had never been written it may have been told to a few generations, but would have probably died out. Many of us would have never had the oppurtunity to hear about the greatness that God showed to both the Hebrews and the Egyptians.

Like the author of Exodus, Moses it is important that we write down our spiritual journey and mircales that God has done for us so we may pass it down to future generations.

Below is an excerpt from Rick Warren's book, A Purpose Driven Life explaning the importance of writing down your journey. I challenge you to begin a journal today:

Write down our progress in a journal – The best way to reinforce our progress in fulfilling God’s purpose for our life is to keep a spiritual journal. This is not a diary of events, but a record of the life lessons we don’t want to forget.

Writing helps clarify what God is doing in our life. Our life is a journey, and a journey deserves a journal. I hope you will write about the stages of your spiritual journey in living a purpose-driven life.

Don’t just write down the pleasant things. As David did, let’s record our doubts, fears, and struggles with God. Our greatest lessons come out of pain, and the Bible says God keeps a record of our tears. Whenever problems occur, remember that God uses them to fulfill all 5 purposes in our life: Problems force us to focus on God, draw us closer to others in fellowship, build Christlike character, provide us with a ministry, and give us a testimony. Every problem is purpose-driven.

We owe to it to future generations to preserve the testimony of how God helped us fulfill His purposes on earth. It is a witness that will continue to speak long after we’re in heaven.

Pass on what we know to others – If we want to keep growing, the best way to learn more is to pass on what we have learned. Those who pass along insights get more from God.

Stay Blessed and Continue Warring for Christ!

Warrior Wednesday: Brittney

Transforming Tuesdays: I Am God

Have you ever struggled with believing WHO God is? Have you ever struggled with believing WHAT God can do? Have you constantly struggled with these thoughts even after being exposed to signs and miracles?  Don't you know that: I AM GOD???

In Exodus we see one of my all time favorite biblical stories that was also made into a movie: The Story of Moses!!! Moses was chosen by God to go to Pharaoh to tell him to let his people (the Israelites) go.  God, the omnipotent, knew that Pharoah was going to give Moses and Aaron a hard time, but he sent them on this mission anyway.  The two brothers were ordered to show the Egyptians many signs and miracles where they all had a common goal: TO SHOW EVERYONE THAT I AM GOD.  This is so similar to our everyday lives, because we are given so many signs and exposed to so many miracles that confirm that God is God!!! For instance, has God ever healed you from an illness??? Once healed from that illness have you ever wondered how you were going to afford the medical bills???  One thing that I have to keep reminding myself is that God is God and because he is who he is, he does NOT do anything halfway!  If he is said he will do it, then it is just that!  If God told you that he will allow you to move into a new home, you can’t then turn around and worry about how you are going to afford the mortgage.  Like our Guest Blogger for February, Georgeona, said you cannot trust God and worry at the same time.  At the end of the day you have to choose one: Are you going to worry or give it to God?

God showed Pharaoh and all of the people of Egypt who he was when he made them subject to various plagues.  He plagued the people with gnats, frogs, blood in all of the water, and even flies.  This whole ordeal was utterly exhausting and disgusting to say the least.  Personally, I cannot stand gnats, flies (they say that they poop whenever they land), and the sight of blood makes me weak.  I cannot imagine being witness to all of this.  However, this was all a part of God’s plan to show the believes and non-believers alike, that I AM GOD.  God did all of this to  deliver the Israelites from slavery.  When I first read this I immediately thought about the repulsive history of slavery in America, but God revealed to me that it’s so much bigger than that…

Slavery isn’t just a physical picture of minorities being beat; slavery is a mental.  To be a slave means to be subservient to a specific person or influence.  Pharaoh as a person owned slaves, but in today’s society we are often slaves through influence.  The good thing about this is that God is a deliverer and because of his blood we are afforded forgiveness. When God says I AM GOD, he is saying that he is a deliverer! This means that he can deliver you from any and everything.  

Think about this:

1.     Are you a slave to the love of money?

2.     Are you a slave to doubt?

3.     Are you a slave to material things?

4.     Are you a slave to alcohol?

5.     Are you a slave to fornication?

6.     Are you a slave to drugs?

7.     Are you a slave to lying?

8.     Are you a slave to adultery?

Don't fret, we all become slaves to a particular mindset at times.  I personally no longer want to be a slave to worry any longer.  In all of my years of living, it has never benefited me.  If anything it has done more harm than good: I have lost weight, sleep, and even grown depressed.  I don't understand why I fall victim to the same trap every time, because without avail God shows me that: I AM GOD.

Challenge: Let’s all try to think of influences or persons that we have become slaves to.  This can be anything listed or anything you feel applies to your life personally.  Once you find that one thing, try to ask God daily to deliver you from that enslavement.  Slowly and surely I believe that God will deliver you completely and I know this because according to him, I AM GOD.

Scriptures of Encouragment:

- I AM the light of the world (John 9:5).
- I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me (John 14:6).
- I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8).
- And Jesus said unto them, I AM the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).
- Remember the former things of old: for I AM God, and there is none else; I AM God, and there is none like Me (Isaiah 46:9).

Transforming Tuesdays: Jamera 

A friend posted this link on my Facebook wall yesterday and it serves as confirmation as to who God is :)