A Godly America? by Gary Rose

I am disgusted with politics. After listening to the senate hearings for far too long, I have come to believe that it was nothing more than a battle of good verses evil. More than that, I believe that our next election will be the same.

How we vote in the next election will determine our future as a country for quite some time! Do we want to be weakened and become more ungodly as a nation? Then vote Democrat. Or, do we want more of Donald Trump’s America? Then vote Republican.

Your country, your choice.

How can I say this? Well, think about it! Donald Trump has put an emphasis on godliness. He himself is far from perfect, but I believe he is trying to make this nation one that reflects Godly principles.

It begins with each and every person, but, I wonder… will we listen to God.

Consider this passage from the Bible...

Matthew 17 (World English Bible)

 ¹ After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.  ² He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.  ³ Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. 
  ⁴  Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 
  ⁵  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” 

And also…

Matthew 7 (WEB)

 ²⁴  “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.   ²⁵  The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.   ²⁶ Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.   ²⁷  The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Will we as a nation listen to those people running for political office who advocate a more spiritual America, or will we listen to the voice of those who want godlessness.

Our country needs to be put back together again and only God can do that.

Listen to Jesus, your country your choice!!!

Bible Reading October 3, 4 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading October 3, 4

World English Bible

Oct. 3

Psalms 128-130

Psa 128:1 Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.

Psa 128:2 For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you.

Psa 128:3 Your wife will be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of your house; your children like olive plants, around your table.

Psa 128:4 Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears Yahweh.

Psa 128:5 May Yahweh bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

Psa 128:6 Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.

Psa 129:1 Many times they have afflicted me from my youth up. Let Israel now say,

Psa 129:2 many times they have afflicted me from my youth up, yet they have not prevailed against me.

Psa 129:3 The plowers plowed on my back. They made their furrows long.

Psa 129:4 Yahweh is righteous. He has cut apart the cords of the wicked.

Psa 129:5 Let them be disappointed and turned backward, all those who hate Zion.

Psa 129:6 Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up;

Psa 129:7 with which the reaper doesn't fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his bosom.

Psa 129:8 Neither do those who go by say, "The blessing of Yahweh be on you. We bless you in the name of Yahweh."

Psa 130:1 Out of the depths I have cried to you, Yahweh.

Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions.

Psa 130:3 If you, Yah, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?

Psa 130:4 But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared.

Psa 130:5 I wait for Yahweh. My soul waits. I hope in his word.

Psa 130:6 My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; more than watchmen for the morning.

Psa 130:7 Israel, hope in Yahweh, for with Yahweh there is loving kindness. With him is abundant redemption.

Psa 130:8 He will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Oct. 4

Psalms 131-134

Psa 131:1 Yahweh, my heart isn't haughty, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.

Psa 131:2 Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Psa 131:3 Israel, hope in Yahweh, from this time forth and forevermore.

Psa 132:1 Yahweh, remember David and all his affliction,

Psa 132:2 how he swore to Yahweh, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

Psa 132:3 "Surely I will not come into the structure of my house, nor go up into my bed;

Psa 132:4 I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids;

Psa 132:5 until I find out a place for Yahweh, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

Psa 132:6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We found it in the field of Jaar:

Psa 132:7 "We will go into his dwelling place. We will worship at his footstool.

Psa 132:8 Arise, Yahweh, into your resting place; you, and the ark of your strength.

Psa 132:9 Let your priest be clothed with righteousness. Let your saints shout for joy!"

Psa 132:10 For your servant David's sake, don't turn away the face of your anointed one.

Psa 132:11 Yahweh has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: "I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.

Psa 132:12 If your children will keep my covenant, my testimony that I will teach them, their children also will sit on your throne forevermore."

Psa 132:13 For Yahweh has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation.

Psa 132:14 "This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it.

Psa 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread.

Psa 132:16 Her priests I will also clothe with salvation. Her saints will shout aloud for joy.

Psa 132:17 There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

Psa 132:18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will be resplendent."

Psa 133:1 See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!

Psa 133:2 It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron's beard; that came down on the edge of his robes;

Psa 133:3 like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion: for there Yahweh gives the blessing, even life forevermore.

Psa 134:1 Look! Praise Yahweh, all you servants of Yahweh, who stand by night in Yahweh's house!

Psa 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary. Praise Yahweh!

Psa 134:3 May Yahweh bless you from Zion; even he who made heaven and earth.

Oct. 3

2 Corinthians 13

2Co 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. "At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

2Co 13:2 I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare;

2Co 13:3 seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you.

2Co 13:4 For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you.

2Co 13:5 Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don't you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified.

2Co 13:6 But I hope that you will know that we aren't disqualified.

2Co 13:7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we are as reprobate.

2Co 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

2Co 13:9 For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. And this we also pray for, even your perfecting.

2Co 13:10 For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down.

2Co 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

2Co 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

2Co 13:13 All the saints greet you.

2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

Oct. 4

Galatians 1

Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),

Gal 1:2 and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia:

Gal 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,

Gal 1:4 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father--

Gal 1:5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gal 1:6 I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different "good news";

Gal 1:7 and there isn't another "good news." Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.

Gal 1:8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any "good news" other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.

Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any "good news" other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn't be a servant of Christ.

Gal 1:11 But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.

Gal 1:12 For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:13 For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it.

Gal 1:14 I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Gal 1:15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace,

Gal 1:16 to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn't immediately confer with flesh and blood,

Gal 1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.

Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

Gal 1:19 But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord's brother.

Gal 1:20 Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I'm not lying.

Gal 1:21 Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

Gal 1:22 I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,

Gal 1:23 but they only heard: "He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy."

Gal 1:24 And they glorified God in me.

SECOND JOHN by Paul Southern

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Southern/Paul/1901/john2.html

SECOND JOHN

1. THE TITLE
The book gets its name from the fact that it is the second of three epistles by John.

2. THE WRITER
A few ancient scholars maintained that II John was written by "John the presbyter," a contemporary of John the apostle. The argument is based on verse 1 where the writer assumes the title of "elder" or "presbyter." However, this fact does not prove that John the apostle did not write the epistle, for "elder" is a title by which Peter also designates himself (1 Pet 5:1). John used the title because he was an elder in a congregation, or because he was one advanced in year.

3. THE ONE ADDRESSED
There is also a difference of opinion concerning the one addressed. Some think that "the elect lady" is a symbolical expression used by John to refer to a nation, a church or to the church in general. Many scholars believe that "the elect lady" was a Christian woman. References to her children imply that she was a mother, and because no mention is made of her husband, it is thought that she was a widow.

4. TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING
II John was probably written from Ephesus about A.D. 90, shortly after the first epistle.

5. PURPOSE AND CONTENTS
The evident purpose of the letter was to warn the addressee against error and false teachers. The letter shows the warm affection that true gospel preachers have toward those whom they serve. One writer says: "Of the thirteen verses in this epistle, eight are in substance found in the former letter." Characteristic words are love, truth, commandment and walking.


6. EXERCISES FOR STUDENT ACTIVITY


1. Completion
1. The word love occurs__________ times in II John.
2. The word truth occurs__________ times in II John.
3. The word commandment occurs __________ times in II John.
4. The word walking occurs __________ times in II John.
5. The author of II John refers to himself as "The ____________________."
6. The addressee of II John is called "the elect __________."
7. II John was probably written from the city of __________.
8. Children of "the elect lady" were walking in __________.
9. John admonished the elect lady "that we __________ one another."
10. Walking after God's commandments is John's definition of __________.


2. True-False
1. II John was probably written before I John T F
2. The presbyter John is the same as John the apostle T F
3. II John is addressed to a particular nation T F
4. II John was probably written from the Isle of Patmos T F
5. II John warns against false teachers T F
6. "The elect lady" probably was a widow T F
7. "The elect lady" probably lived in Rome T F
8. II John contains no material found in I John T F
9. Few deceivers had entered the world T F
10. John wrote six New Testament books T F
11. II John mentions "the elect lady's" husband T F
12. John hoped to visit "the elect lady" T F


3. Topics for further study
1. List the characteristics of true discipleship given in the epistle.
2. What Gnostic heresy is referred to in verse 7?
3. Does verse 8 suggest degrees of eternal happiness?
4. Harmonize verses 10 and 11 with I Tim 5:10 and Heb 13:2.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

A case of the blahs? by Jim McGuiggan

https://web.archive.org/web/20160426084531/http://jimmcguiggan.com/nonbelievers2.asp?id=14

A case of the blahs?

I’m not making an “argument” against unbelief so much as making an observation. Harry Emerson Fosdick quotes a brilliant physics professor of some years ago by the name of Tyndal, an atheist. Tyndal said he noticed that atheism seemed more compelling to him when he was feeling depressed than it did when he was feeling buoyant and optimistic. That doesn’t in the least surprise me because I notice that I’m more inclined to be critical of the ways of God when I’m experiencing a case of the blahs than when I feel on top of things.

Our rational capacity is one of the marvellous things about us and only a fool despises it but it’s astonishing to see how many other things about us that can interfere with our reasoning capacity. A famous London preacher called Joseph Parker said that when his wife died, he who had never had a moment’s doubt in all his life became like an atheist almost overnight. And wasn’t it Martin Luther who confessed “sometimes I believe and sometimes I disbelieve”? In the middle of a bad dose of “the blues” 2+2 still equal four and apples still drop down from trees rather than fly up from them but while we can’t walk away from mathematical or empirical realities they’re not the dominant things in life.

A blistering headache, a very sick child or an honourable but unpayable debt can drive out of us any desire to consciously worship God. Confusion, lack of energy, deep personal loss or the week in week out sameness of life can hobble a non-believer and keep him or her from thinking clearly. The atheist Blackham, I think, spoke for a host of people when he said that he thought the strongest argument against unbelief was “the pointlessness” of it all. He said, “It’s too bad to be true.” He insisted, of course, that whatever the truth is it is and if we must face “unyielding despair” (the early Bertrand Russell’s phrase) then so be it. This is right and proper. Just the same I can’t help thinking that as believers and non-believers we think and say silly things not because we’ve rigorously thought them through but because we feel disappointment or think things should be better than they are. And so, weary more than convinced we turn to things that are very doubtful to say the least and passionately reject what should have been given a fairer and a prolonged hearing.

Feelings of impotence and rage and pity can all combine to rule God out of existence but maybe…just maybe they are the very things that should make us look up. Maybe these very feelings are as they should be in a world bent out of shape by what the Hebrew-Christian scriptures call “sin”. Maybe God is pleased when we feel such things, things such as rage against injustice and oppression, against the poverty and pain of countless millions. Each of us can make a difference to someone but our impotence rises up and jeers at us when we think of the vast numbers of our fellow humans and maybe it’s then, especially, that we should talk to God about it all and to listen to him as well.

You might remember the song from the stage musical Pickwick called If I Ruled the World. In it Samuel Pickwick (the Dickens character) is mistaken for a political candidate and the crowd wants to know what kind of world they’d have if he was elected. It’s a great song (usually connected with Harry Secombe but popularised too by Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder) that expresses what every sensitive soul would like to see but knows he or she can never bring about. In that world, sings Pickwick, every day would be the first day of spring and every heart would have a new song to sing about the joy each new morning would bring. Every man would be as free as a bird, every voice would have a right to be heard, people would dream wonderful dreams, everyone would know his neighbour was his friend and there’d be happiness that no one could end.

How could we not want such a world if we had a grain of humanity in us? And a vast number of us—believers and non-believers alike—do want such a world and we want it not just for ourselves or the West or for many of us or even most of us but for all of us. If we think noble things of God we’ll know that he too wants a world like that for us all. And the good news is—the good news centred in the glorified Jesus Christ who stands as the representative of the human family—that God not only wants it but is able to bring it about and is even now moving to that breathtaking completion. The Christian Story is that the resurrected and glorified Jesus is the standing proof of it.

Even to disheartened non-believers the living Jesus would say, “Take heart, I have overcome the world.”

Trust yourself to him and his agenda and let your sad heart find peace and hope.

Birds Of A Feather Flock Together by Alfred Shannon Jr.

https://biblicalproof.wordpress.com/2011/05/page/3/

Birds Of A Feather Flock Together

It is said, that it’s hard to find what we are not searching for. A drunk attends bars, and liquor stores to supply their desire for liquor. Fornicators attend wild parties, and night clubs to fulfill their lustful desires. The question is: What are we looking for? Better still, what are we finding? If we are seeking eternal life, we will be searching the pages of the Word of God, and attending the services of the Lord. Birds of a feather flock together, and so do the saints of God.

Mt 7:7,8; Jer 29:13; 1 Cor 15:33; Isa 34:16; 2 Tim 2:15; Acts 17:11; Ps 133:1

James (Part 8) Degrees of Faith By Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1088

James Part 8 Degrees of Faith

James (Part 8) Degrees of Faith       By Ben Fronczek

Our Text: James 2:14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” NIV

Before we continue with this lesson I would also like you to read  Matthew 14:25-31  25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.   27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 

29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

The word translated faith is found translated one way or another some 422 time in the NIV.  In Hebrews 11, the NLT describes faith as “the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”   Simply put it’s what we believe.

And as I thought about the topic of faith this week I came to the realization that we definitely see different degrees of faith in different people throughout scripture.  And because of these different degrees, or levels of faith, we observe different responses from people depending upon how much faith they had, and in whom they had faith in.

Some are described as having ‘no faith’. Signifying a total lack of believe.

Here in this story above, Jesus told Peter he had ‘little faith’ because even though he started out good and began walking on the water, he allowed himself to get distracted from Jesus and he allowed his own fear to get the best of him.  He changed his focus,  and so he began to sink.

 Others are said to have had, ‘great faith,’  like those we read about in Hebrews chapter 11. It’s the kind of faith James talks about here in James 2. It is seen when someone reaches that degree, when an individual believes enough to do something, even if that something is seen as an inconvenience, a danger, or even a sacrifice for the glory of God

And even though many of us may not rank with those listed in Hebrews 11, like Noah, Joseph, Moses and David, James makes this concept of faith practical for each of his readers including us.

As I thought about James teaching here in light of this series of lesson where we have been looking at what James had to write coming from the perspective of how he grew up in the same household as Jesus, I wondered what kind faith, or what degree of faith did James experience in his home as he was growing up.

And the only conclusion I came to was that it must have been a household of faith. Not perfect faith, but one with a lot of faith.  Even before the birth of Jesus I believe that God knew that Mary and Joseph were individuals with a strong belief and faith in Him. God knew the road that lay ahead of these two would not be an easy one, so He chose a couple that would remain strong and faithful and would depend on His guidance.

We see that later when we read that after Jesus was born they heard the word of the Lord and fled Israel to protect their son and from those who sought to do them harm. When they returned we read about Mary and Joseph faithfully making a yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

Over and over Mary and Joseph heard and saw things that strengthened their faith. They saw and heard angels. They heard prophets declare amazing things about their son Jesus. And they even saw Jesus amaze those at the Temple when He was 12 years old.

Do you think that Mary and Joseph believed that God would take care of them? You bet!   Do you think that Mary and Joseph were going around worrying and fretting about this, that, and all kinds of things? I don’t think so.   I think they believed and had faith that God would take care of them. Do you think that this would have any effect on their children’s faith? Of course it did!

Even though Mary and Joseph may have only had a low income household, I believe they were rich when it came to what was really important.

In the first part of James 2, he wrote, 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”   I think James was writing from his own experience, growing up poor, yet rich.

When it come to real faith James cuts right to the point in our section today when he writes, “15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

I can just imagine James saying, “You’ve got people around you in great need and you have the means to help them, but don’t, and you call yourself a believer, a Christians? Come on now!”  He goes on to say that faith like that is a dead faith. Loving God, and loving Jesus also includes loving and treating others like you would want them to treat you.

Words of faith without any kind of action or related deeds, is a dead faith.  James then gives two examples, Abraham and Rahab who because they had faith and believed God enough, did something that could have cost them dearly.  (Abraham his son and Rahab her life for being a traitor to Jericho)

How much faith do you have? There is faith and believing that God is, but James says that even the demons believe that much. I find it interesting that even the demons believe and have more faith in the fact that God is than some of our college professors..

If you believe as the demons do that God exists that’s one degree of faith.             If you believe that the Son of God, Jesus was born to virgin and died for your sins on Calvary, and if you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, that’s another degree of faith.

If you humbly trusted Him enough to actually repent and turn from your sin, and allowed Jesus remove your sin in the waters of Baptism to mend your relationship with God, that’s another degree of faith. In this your belief and faith have moved you to do some things that God asks us to do.

If you humbly choose to regularly talk to Father in prayer and worship Him daily, including worshipping Him with other Christians on the first day of the week, that’s another degree of faith.  But James lets us know it doesn’t stop there. If you have the faith to start ministering to other’s in God’s name in a sacrificial way, that’s another degree. A higher degree of faith is reflected in how we treat others, especially those in need.

But I would dare to say it doesn’t even stop there. A higher degree of faith and belief in God will  be seen in how we conduct our self in other ways,  – How we talk… what we actually say when we do speak. – It will be seen in how willing and ready we are to forgive others. – It should also reflect in how positive and hopeful we are, or if we are negative, critical, and argumentative we will show something else. – It will also reflect in how generous you are at church and outside church. – It will also reflect in how we handle life, whether we are happy, at peace or worried, angry or just plain miserable.

In the Sermon on the Mt, in Matthew 6:25-34 read Jesus instructs His disciples not to worry about their life, what they will eat or drink; not to worry about our body, or what you will wear. Starting in verse 28 He says, “  28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”  (Talking about those who worry about such things.)

Ben are you saying that worrying about things all the time is an indication that I lack faith in God to provide? I didn’t say it, Jesus did.

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink it was because he allowed his surrounding circumstances to get to him, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt.”

I declare to you today that the more you trust God, the more that you believe that He loves you and is watching over you, the more faith you have that He is in control and will work out things for your ultimate good, the more peace you will have in your life and the happier you will be.  But the more you doubt, the more you will worry, and the more unhappy, the more miserable and critical you’re gonna be.

Either you are going to believe in God and how much He loves you, and believe in what He can do, or you not!  The degree of faith you have in God will be reflected in your life. It will reflect in your attitude and actions.

I believe that James is telling us here, ‘May your faith be more than just a bunch of hollow words. Rather let your life and actions reflect a genuine faith and believe in God and His promises.’

Maybe as you consider this today, you are beginning to realize that you, like Peter, are beginning to sink because of a lack of faith.  One thing that Peter did right in this story was he cried out to Jesus for help. If you feel like you are sinking He is the one to turn to for help.

After the Hebrew writer listed all those champions of faith in Hebrews 11, he encourages us all by writing this in the first part of chapter 12, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2]fixing our eyes on Jesus, theauthor and perfecter of faith”

The first thing he tells us to do if we want to become like those great men and women of faith is to lay aside, avoid, or get rid of anything that encumbers, slows us down, or causes us to stumble… especially those sins that so easily entangle us. Maybe you are exposed to certain people, situations that drag you down; avoid them if all possible.  Maybe you are doing something that you know is not right, something you would not do in front of God Himself.  Maybe you are envious of others. Maybe you have a problem with lust. Maybe you are an unforgiving fault finder. Maybe you’re a busybody or gossip. Maybe you are a grumbling whiner. Maybe you don’t treat your husband or wife like you know God wants you to. You know what your sin is.   He said if you want to grow in faith stop it, throw it off.

The second thing he tells us we need to do is to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  The Easy to Read Version say it this way, “we should run the race that is before us and never quit.”

In others words, don’t give up, never, ever give up. Why because Jesus never gave up on us.

Then the 3rd thing he goes on to say is that after we set aside those things that hold us down or tangle us up, and then run full steam ahead, he then tells us if that we want that kind of victorious faith, we need to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” 

He has not only planted the seed of faith in us. He is the Author. He will help it grow and will perfect our faith, that is if we just keep our eyes and lives focused on Him.

Do you remember, that’s when Peter began to sink, when he took his eyes off Jesus. If you want your faith to grow to the point where it pleases God and is obvious to all, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus and trust in His love for us like never before. Let that trust fill your life until it is overflowing.

And I would dare to say that the only way you can do that is to spend some quality time with Him in prayer, in reading His Word, and meditating on who He is and how much He loves and cares for you as you press forward in this life.

And if you do this and grow closer to Him and learn to trust Him more amd more, you will find that peace that surpasses all understanding.

For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566