Gift of Faith

Have you heard the statement that you need to develop your own faith? Are you working on developing it? How is that coming for you? Have you made any progress? Would you like your faith to be stronger but not seeing an increase?

We talk a lot about faith as Christians. We may say that we just need to have faith. Or we say we have faith. Or we may say we put our faith in God. We use a lot of these sayings when we don’t know what else to do.

Have you thanked God for your faith? That may seem to be a silly question. However, it is not. You see, our faith is a gift from God. His Spirit blesses us with faith. As I have mentioned in other messages, faith is not merely belief. James 2:9 states even demons believe. No, faith and belief are not equal. Hebrews 11:1 states that our faith is confidence in our hope. Our hope is in the glory of God (Romans 5:2).

Are you seeing the linkage in Scripture, in the components of our Christian walk, and in knowing God’s Word? It continues in today’s passage. Our faith is a gift that helps us put together the other pieces and grows stronger as we do. It is also a gift that God increases as we desire to know him better and long to have a stronger faith.

We cannot simply build our faith like we build muscle. Yet, it becomes stronger as we exercise it. How do we exercise it? Through prayer and trust in God. It becomes stronger as we ask God to increase our faith and as we trust him to pull us through whatever situation we find ourselves in. Our faith is a gift. It is a gift that God will increase as we know him better and put more trust in him.

I pray we all ask God to increase our faith. I pray we put more trust in his promises. I pray each one of us will seek to know God better and connect the dots of a mature Christian. Seek to know God better. Ask God to increase your faith. Put your full trust in God. Connect the dots. Love as God loves.

1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

Know the Truth

Are you seeking to gain knowledge? Do you seek to know the truth? Or do you listen to every false rumor being thrown out for consumption? Do you seek to have an anchor or are you willingly tossed about on the seas?

There are many in this world who would lead us astray. With today’s technology, rumors and false information travel at the speed of light. A false message can be posted in any city of the world and be read by tens or hundreds of thousands within a few minutes or hours.

But we can know the truth. We can see through the falsities. One way to do that is to slow down, think, and do a little research. Another way is to rely on the Spirit of God to guide us. We have been given His Spirit to be our guide in all situations.

Relying on the Holy Spirit is counterintuitive for our world. We are blasted with messages that refute the work of the Holy Spirit, even calling it superstition. We hear those messages in our schools, workplaces, grocery stores, community gatherings, and even in our families.

We may hear such messages in our churches. Before we believe those messages, we need to look at today’s passage. The Apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth they do not lack any spiritual gift. He specifically calls out knowledge. Not just any knowledge, but the knowledge of God and the testimony about Jesus.

The more we rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to us, the better we are able to hear his voice. We gain additional insight to the knowledge of God by praying for the Spirit to reveal the meaning of God’s Word before we read it. Knowledge of God contributes to us acquiring the wisdom of God.

I pray we all ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of God’s Word to us. I pray we seek to know more about God. I pray each one of us will grow in knowledge and wisdom. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you. Be diligent in identifying falsities. Be aware of the messages you are inundated with. Seek the truth. Know the truth. Follow the truth.

1 Corinthians 1:5-7 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

Godly Wisdom

How do you define wisdom? Do you believe wisdom is an accumulation of knowledge? Does wisdom include the ability to comprehend complex issues or problems? Do you seek to be wise? Do you consider yourself wise?

Wisdom is something we seldom talk about today. We often talk about education, knowledge, or training, but not wisdom. To have wisdom is to be wise. Being wise includes possessing judgment, discernment, and discretion. Notice that knowledge is not part of the definition.

I view wisdom as the ability to take what you know and determine the best solution for an issue or problem you must deal with. Wisdom is more about your ability to work through a problem than it is about acquiring knowledge. That is not to say knowledge is not important. We need knowledge to feed into our wisdom process.

The Apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth that he and his companions bring a message of wisdom. However, it is not of worldly wisdom but the wisdom of God. What is the difference? Wisdom of this world can be used to determine the best way to tackle a situation at work, construction of a house, or when to perform car maintenance.

The wisdom of God reveals to us eternal implications. We review the evidence of God’s actions in creation, his plan as revealed in prophecy and fulfillment, and deciding to trust his promises. Wisdom that comes from God does not always make sense according to worldly wisdom. Of course, God’s wisdom is far higher than any worldly wisdom.

I pray we all pursue Godly wisdom. I pray we acquire knowledge by reading and studying God’s Word. I pray each one of us ask God to grant us wisdom that leads to eternal life. Seek to know God’s Word. Seek God’s wisdom. Apply God’s wisdom to your life.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

Firm Foundation

What is the foundation of your life? Do you know what your foundational beliefs are? Do you trust in anything or are you wondering through life aimlessly? Have you considered there is One who has laid a foundation and is the foundation for an abundant life?

I see far too many people wondering through life aimlessly. They have no anchor. They have no rudder. They have no foundation. Or if they have a foundation, they often stray from it not fully trusting it. Those who do not stand fully on the foundation of Christ live a precarious life.

The Apostle Paul tells the members of the church in Ephesus that they were foreigners and strangers. They were wondering through life aimlessly. They worshiped foreign gods, who were no gods at all. They lived lives of ignorance, based on faulty beliefs, and sin.

They accepted the gospel. They became part of the kingdom of God. They were enlightened and accepted the teaching of the apostles. Their lives stood on the foundation of the apostles who were built around Jesus Christ. Jesus is the chief cornerstone. He is the One from whom all the teachings of the apostles were based on.

Make no mistake about it. With Jesus as the cornerstone, the apostles laid a firm foundation. From that foundation, many missionaries were sent to tell people about Jesus. It continues today through missionaries, pastors, teachers, and theologians.

We all have the option of an abundant life with a firm foundation. Each one of us can choose to follow Jesus. If you do not know where to start, start by going to a church, talking with the pastor, and read the Bible. As you grow in knowledge, there are many wonderful resources available to you.

I pray we all build our lives on the foundation of Jesus and the Apostles. I pray we choose an abundant life. I pray each one of us will read, listen, and discuss the gospel message. Build your life on a firm foundation. Have an anchor for the storms of life. Have a rudder to guide your life. Read the Bible. Attend a church. Talk to your pastor. Participate in a Bible study.

Ephesians 2:19-20 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

God Speaks

Have you ever wished you knew what God was thinking or what he was planning? Does it seem as though you are meandering through life without a clue? Would you like to know if you are following God’s path for you?

Despite what we are often told, we can know what God wants us to do in this life, at least in part. However, to know this we must submit to him and seek him out. It is only difficult for us to do so because we do not want to give up our own desires.

God has a plan for each one of us. We do not know what his plan is. We cannot know what his plan is fully. But we can know what the next step is. Sometimes, we may even know the next two or three steps. How, you may ask. Our spirit must be in tune with His Spirit.

To be in tune with God’s Spirit is simple but challenging. We must give ourselves fully to him. We must be willing to follow his guidance and direction. We often hear people testify they hit rock bottom and only then were they able to hear God speaking to them. Make no mistake about it, there are no burning bushes or loud booming voices. Instead, it is the small, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to our spirit. We may even mistakenly refer to it as intuition.

God still speaks to his people today. He does so quietly. He speaks more often than we might think. His voice is quiet, maybe only a mere whisper. To hear him, we must first submit to him and then listen attentively for him to speak.

I pray we all submit to God and his plan. I pray we listen attentively for God to speak to us. I pray each one of us will ask God to help us put our spirit in tune with His Spirit. Submit to God. Know he has a plan for you. Seek to know God. Listen for God to speak. Be willing to follow God’s guidance and direction.

1 Corinthians 2:10b-11 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Hope Without Question

What are your hopes? Do you hope in this life for things that you are not sure will happen? Would you like to hope for something with certainty? Do you know you can?

We hear people hope for any number of things. They may hope to find a good mate. They may hope to buy a house. They may hope for a better job. They may hope their children do well.

Those of us who hope in the Lord have a hope of certainty. Our hope is one filled with confidence. Our hope can never be taken from us as long as we continue to trust in Jesus. And why shouldn’t we trust in Him?

Paul tells the Roman church that we can never be separated from the love of God. What a wonderful thing! Knowing that God always loves us, and his love cannot be taken away boosts our hope with confidence.

Knowing that we are conquerors through Jesus Christ bolsters our hope. Because of what Christ did for us, we have conquered death, just as He has. We can rest assured the future for us is not only bright but will be an eternity in God’s presence.

It is a comforting thought knowing that nothing in all creation can ever separate us from God’s love for us. He has proven his love for us through the gift given by Jesus Christ.

I pray we all stand firm in our hope. I pray we grasp that God’s love for us is unending. I pray each one of us see ourselves as conquerors in Jesus Christ. Hope with confidence. Know that God loves you. Hope in the Lord. Know your future is bright. Look toward eternity with God.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Purity Through Hope

What does purity mean to you? Does it mean there are no faults? Is it one hundred percent composed of one component without defect? Are there gradations of purity? Do you view yourself as being pure?

We may remember commercials advertising pure cane sugar. We might look at a bottle of water to see if it’s pure spring water. Diamonds are rated by both size and the purity of the stone. But people who are pure are a rare find.

Why is it so hard to find someone who is pure? Perhaps it is we are not putting our hope in Jesus Christ. We see in today’s passage that when we put our hope in Him, we are purified. In other words, the more we hope in Him, the more we put our faith in Him, the more we learn about Him, the more we choose to follow His example and teachings, the purer we become.

That’s a bit scary, isn’t it? Our actions, attitudes, and language are an outward display of our hope in Jesus. You see, putting our hope in Jesus is not merely wishing on a shooting star. It is an active hope that continues to pursue being like Him. Our hope is combined with our knowledge, faith, and trust in Him. Therefore, as our hope becomes stronger, we are purified to be more like Him.

I pray we all choose to put our hope in Jesus. I pray we choose to strengthen our faith and hope. I pray each one of us desire to be purified and become more like our Savior. Hope in Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus. Learn more about Him. Choose to follow Him. Become pure as He is pure.

1 John 3:2-3 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hopein him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Born for a Purpose

Have you ever thought someone was born for a specific purpose? Have you been told you were born for a specific purpose? Do you envy people who have a talent you wish you had? Do you wish you had a grand purpose for your life?

We have all seen someone whom we believe was born to do what they are doing. It may be an especially talented sports star. It may be a leader in the company we work for. It may be our favorite author. It may be a pastor in the church.

Maybe you have been told you were born to do something specific. As a child, I loved baseball and played it as much as I could. I had one aunt who used to say I was born with a ball and glove in my hands. Though I never played in the upper levels, I continue to love the game.

God does knit us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). He grants us specific talents for a purpose. He has created each one of us to carry out a portion of his plan. Each person is a piece of the puzzle that completes God’s picture.

Jesus was also born to a specific purpose. He came to teach, preach, and heal. We continue to read His teachings still today. He came to reconcile us with God by being the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He came to give us hope of spending eternity with God. Through His sacrifice we are given salvation. He is worthy of our trust.

I pray we all realize Jesus was born for a purpose. I pray we know our purpose is to serve God. I pray each one of us put our faith in Jesus and hold onto the hope of eternity. Know you were born for a purpose. Understand Jesus’ purpose. Put your faith in Jesus. Hold onto your hope. Trust God has a plan.

1 Peter 1:20-21 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Hope and Promises

Have you been promised something that you never received? Were you disappointed when the promise was broken? Have you made a promise you cannot fulfill? Were you ashamed you could not deliver it?

We often make promises with the full intention of fulfilling them. But sometimes an interruption occurs that prohibits us from fulfilling a promise. Broken promises affect both the one who made the promise and the one to whom the promise was made.

Promises are viewed with nearly the same importance as a contract. In some cases, a promise is equivalent to a contract. I can remember being told as a child to honor your word. In other words, keep your promises. A person gains trust by keeping their promises.

There are promises we can count on. Those promises are made by God. He made promises in the Old Testament that were fulfilled. Some fulfilled as God led the Israelites out of captivity. Others were fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus made promises during His ministry that we can read in the New Testament. Some of those promises are yet to be fulfilled, but we can count on them in the same way the Israelites did with God’s previous promises.

Knowing God has and will fulfill his promises puts confidence in our hope. What is our hope? It is the promise that God will execute justice and we will spend eternity with him. Our hope is not a foolish hope but is based on the promises of God—promises we can count on.

I pray we all hold onto our hope in God. I pray we know that God fulfills his promises. I pray each one of us know God’s promises and they strengthen our hope in him. Know God’s promises. Trust God’s promises. God fulfills his promises. Strengthen your hope. Hold onto your hope.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

God’s Plan for Your Future

What are your plans for your life? Do you have it all mapped out for the next five, ten, twenty, or fifty years? Does your plan include professional goals with regular promotions? Is God included in your plan? Have you sought God’s plan for your life?

We make plans. We make plans for vacations months in advance. We make plans for our education. We make plans for purchasing a home. We make plans to get married. We make plans for a rewarding profession, one that we are interested in.

I have never been one to plan several years in advance, at least not in detail. I am more apt to plan by setting general goals. For example, I refinanced my home as a ten-year loan with the goal to pay it off earlier, if possible. But I never planned out my career, simply believing that if I did a good job, I would be promoted.

When it came to moving into ministry, my original plan was to be a part-time pastor serving small, country churches while continuing my other profession. I saw the lack of pastors, had taken a spiritual gifts survey, and had seen that I had a handful of gifts that would benefit me as a pastor. I was also encouraged by a few key people to go into ministry.

God had bigger plans for my ministry efforts. His planned included me leaving my other profession and going into full-time ministry. Thankfully, both my wife and I were praying, listening, and observing what God was doing in our lives as we went through this transition. The key to all of it was we trusted God had a plan and were willing to follow it.

God has a plan for each one of us. When we are willing to follow his plan, we experience the best of God’s blessings. That does not always include financial gain, but it does include blessings we do not expect. We cannot always see very far down the road. We must trust God and take the next step that he has illuminated for us. It can be a little scary. Yet when we trust God, he removes our fear and grants us peace.

I pray we all seek to follow God’s plan for our lives. I pray we pray, listen, and observe what he is doing in our lives. I pray each one of us puts our hope and trust that God will provide for our future. Seek God’s plan for you. Pray. Listen. Observe. Trust God. Put your hope in him.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”