Tag: faith

The Serenity Prayer

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Jesus in Matt 7:7

Praying in the park one morning for God’s thoughts and words to be my thoughts and words, this prayer plaque literally fell out of a nearby pine tree!  Face down, complete with pine sap, only 3 squirrels jumping & running were present.

Lord Jesus, release Your faith to us, so that we don’t hold back in trusting You for everything.

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Reinhold Niebuhr is known to have been the author as early as 1934 (Wikipedia).

A Bow In Your Hands

“…He makes His bow and makes it ready.” Psalm 7:12 (NKJV)

I am a bow in Your hands, Lord

Draw me, lest I rot

Do not overdraw me, Lord. I shall break

Overdraw me, Lord, and who cares if I break?

Nikos Kazantzakis, quoted from The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning

Every time I read this poem it brings tears to my eyes. How many of us pledge our undying devotion to God, then get scared, and then surrender to Him all over again?

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Power in the Name of Jesus

As we sang this song, God spoke through a prophet:

  • You have to believe it!
  • Stand on it!
  • Act like it!
  • You’re My representatives.  The enemy can be defeated if you stand on it.

Praise God, thank You Father for giving us hope and strength.  Yes, our faith waivers, but we are strong and mighty in faith knowing that You Who promised good works is faithful to complete them (Eph 2:10, Phil 1:6). In Jesus’ Name.

Romans 1:16 (NKJV), “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Luke 10:19, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

man raising his right arm
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Thank you Samer Daboul for the awesome picture!

1 Corinthians 2:5 (KJV), “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

“Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matt 26:64

“For Now”

God answers in my spirit.

  • tend a garden
  • recover from….?
  • work here
  • now you rest

“Reset” He told a friend, take a few days and unplug, listen to Him. Waiting on the Lord isn’t passive, it’s believing and trusting with all your heart.  Leaning not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Standing against the enemy with your shield of faith (Eph 6), refusing to back down from your belief in Jesus.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV), “But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”

Psalm 25:3, “Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.”

Psalm 27:14, “Wait on the Lord; 
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

Jesus talking:

Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Power to Overcome

1 John 5:5, “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.”

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer I have overcome the world,” says Jesus in John 16:33 (KJV).

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13. 

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Board Shorts

We scoured the internet for board shorts to wear at the Dead Sea part of our church’s 2006, Israel tour.  My roommate and I finally received them by mail in no time to spare before departing.  When we arrived at the Dead Sea?  There was a little shop that sold many items you might need including … board shorts.  We had to laugh.

How wide, how deep, is His love for me.  God’s arm isn’t too short, He is able to provide you what you need, and He knows more about it than you do.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV), “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Eph 3:20, “Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,”

Promises

Luke 20:38, “For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.”  Luke 21:18-19, “But there shall not an hair of your head perish.  In your patience possess you your souls.”                                                                                                              John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”                John 14:14-15, “If you shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.  If you love Me, keep My commandments.                                                                                                     John 15:5, “I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.                           John 15:11, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”                                                                                            John 15:15, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you.”                                                                                                  Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”                                                                                                                         Mark 4:11, “And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.”

1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Psalm 1:3, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.”

Psalm 5:12, “For You, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour will thou compass him as with a shield.”

Psalm 16:11, “You wilt shew me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Psalm 23:5-6, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Psalm 36: 7-8, “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.  They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Your house; and You shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.”

Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do Your will, O my God: yea, Your law is within my heart.”

Psalm 91:1, “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

Psalm 91:14, “Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.”

Psalm 104:33, “ I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”

Psalm 107:9, “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

Psalm 139:14-15, “I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Your works; and that my soul knows right well.  My substance was not hid from You, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.”

 Jeremiah 29:10-11, “For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Believe

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith,” Luke 17:5

Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say unto you, that what things you so desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.”

“The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then said He to Thomas, Reach hither your finger, and behold My hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing.  And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God.  Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 20:26-29.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me, John 14:1.

“[convict them] Of sin, because they believe not on Me,” John 16:9.

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Believe you this?” John 11:25-26; vs. 40: “Jesus said unto her, Said I not unto you, that, if you would believe, you should see the glory of God?”