Fearless Faith: Believing God's Miracles

Think about what’s going on in your life right now. What troubles are surfacing? What difficulties are you faced with? As you think about these things, fill in the blank with your own word or phrase:

God is BIGGER than _________________________________________!

            Do you believe it? Do you believe that God is bigger than anything you are up against? Well, if you have even the slightest doubt, I believe our lesson on God's miracles will help you to see just how big our God is, and what He is capable of doing in each of our lives.

            At the conclusion of his famous gospel, the Apostle John said, "These are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God"... (John 20:31). John makes it clear: the miracles show us God. They reveal His power, His authority, and His majesty. They also show us just how BIG He is. With that before us, let’s observe two biblical miracles—one Old Testament miracle, and one New Testament miracle.

              Miracle #1: God stopping time (Joshua 10:1-14)!

              It seems this miracle is often lost in our recollection of God wonders. But that doesn’t make it least important or less significant. In fact, God making time stand still for a whole day is truly one of the greatest wonders He ever performed. Why? Well, simply because it shows us our God in His full range of strength and authority. 

              As I reflected upon this miracle this morning, I asked God to speak to my heart. I wrote what He said in my journal: “My Darling, I hold ALL power in My hands—power to release My people from bondage, power over the enemy, power to change a doubtful heart, power to transform a hardened heart, power to change circumstances. I am the POWERFUL ONE. And I love My people so much, I will fight for them. You do not need to worry, fret, lose hope, or wonder what tomorrow holds. I am there. And just like I made time stand still for one whole day, I can surely handle the difficulties or uncertainties you are facing.” Hearing these words sent my spirit into orbit. How about you?

              Miracle #2: Jesus walking on the water (Mark 6:45-51)!

              On this particular night, the disciples were up against some huge obstacles: darkness, a fierce storm, and fear. Some of the disciples were life-long fishermen. And the Sea of Galilee, known for its unexpected and violent storms, was the place they spent long days and nights working. They were used to sailing on this lake and, no doubt, had encountered many storms. Somehow though, I wonder if this one, on this night, was especially horrible—more ferocious than previous storms. John’s rendering of this story states: “A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough” (John 6:18). Then they saw Him - Jesus walking on the water! The disciples then welcomed Him into their boat and He calmed the storm. This story surely shows us the unlimited power of God.

              I'm wondering why it's difficult to believe that God can do anything, or turn any situation around in our lives as well. Why do we doubt His miracles? Why do we struggle believing this majestic character of God? Perhaps it's because we focus on the giants before us, instead of the BIG God we serve. I would like to encourage you to go back and ponder these two miracles and then fill in the blank again, but this time with greater certainty:

God is BIGGER than __________________________________________!  

Follow me for the next several weeks as we learn more about God's character and why we should believe. 

Fearless Faith: Believing God's Character

Everything has a starting point. God started with nothing before creating the world. Moses started with the message God gave to him at the burning bush (Exodus 3:7-9) before entering Pharaoh’s palace. The early church apostles began with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) before launching the church. And Paul started with the vision of Jesus (Acts 9:3-6) before spreading the gospel. Whatever road you and I are on also began somewhere with a starting point.

            For the believer to do greater things for God and to bring glory to the One who purchased their salvation, I believe it starts with our topic today. We must believe His character! However, before we can advance further, we need to observe the difference between knowing and believing. Sometimes as I talk to my husband, it seems he is not paying attention. I’ve been known to ask, “Are you listening to me?” He will then say “yes” while he proceeds to repeat what I just said. I then say, “Just because you heard me doesn’t mean you listened.” Do you see the difference?
 
           The same is true about knowing versus believing. Let me try and put it in simple terms. Knowing is head knowledge, believing is heart knowledge. Just knowing something does not change us. But believing engages our hearts. When our heart is engaged with belief, everything changes for us: our actions take on new life, our focus is redirected, and our own desires take a back seat. I remember the day my heart was awakened with belief. I grew up going to church and I heard the Bible stories time and again. Still, I wasn’t enjoying freedom in Christ. Then one day I heard the truth in a way that truly penetrated my heart. At that moment, my heart became alive with the truth. And that was the moment everything changed. I was never the same again.

Follow me for the next several weeks as we learn more about God's character and why we should believe.

Fearless Faith: Believing God

In her Bible study Believing God, Beth Moore said, “The Bride of Christ in our generation is nearly paralyzed by unbelief.”¹ I couldn’t agree more! I’ve been a Christian since I was nine, graduated college with a degree in Bible, and have been writing and teaching Bible studies for twenty plus years. Yet as I approach this week’s topic, I am asking myself, “Do I truly believe?” Of course, I have always believed in God. I do love God. And I know Jesus as my Savior. But, have I believed God? Like you, I will need to confront my “unbelief” in order to fully believe.

            If we could pick a key verse within the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, it would probably be verse 6. You may want to read it again several times because what we believe about God is fundamental to our faith. In fact, faith and belief go hand-in-hand. The heroes in Hebrews 11 would not be listed in this chapter if they didn’t believe God.

            In referencing Genesis 1:1 which states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” Warren Wiersbe says: “No scientist or historian can improve upon, “In the beginning…” This simple sentence refutes the atheist, who says there is no God; the agnostic, who claims we cannot know God; the polytheist who worships many gods; the pantheist, who says “all nature is God”; the materialist, who claim that matter is eternal and not created; and the fatalist, who teaches that there is no divine plan behind creation and history.” The scientist may claim that ‘matter just came into being,’ that life ‘happened,’ and that all complex forms of life ‘gradually evolved’ from lower forms, but he cannot prove his claim.”² Hence, you and I need to believe that God is the Creator. There is no room for doubt. And here’s another important truth: He blesses those who believe this fully.

             Here are three vital things we must know and believe about God...

            1. God is God!

            2. God is seated on the throne!

            3. God has spoken!

            According to many passages, there is no doubt that God is God and He alone is worthy of our praise, our worship. He is above all things. Therefore, He should be the one exulted above all things in our lives. Thus, our lips should praise His Name (Hebrews 13:15). Our knees should bow to His sovereignty (Philippians 2:10). Our hearts should be opened to His ways (Psalm 25:4). Our words should bring glory to His Name and encourage others (1 Timothy 4:12). Our actions should always seek to make Him proud (1 Corinthians 10:31). And we should live every day in a state of worship (Romans 12:1).

            For more on this topic, look for our new Bible study FEARLESS FAITH: DOING GREAT THINGS FOR GOD coming out this fall…

Fearless Faith: A Shield of Faith

You and I know that we live in a world dominated by sin. We may not be present in those “corrupt” circles, but we read the newspaper, watch the news, and hear about horrible atrocities in our world via the Internet. Jesus also told us that Satan is the “prince of this world” (John 12:31). We would probably agree that the 21st century is far more depraved than previous centuries combined.

 

            Therefore, it’s hard to imagine that at another time, centuries ago, the world could be so evil-filled that God wanted to do away with man. But it’s true! All the way back in Genesis, the Bible tells us of such a day. In fact, our text identifies Noah as the only one who was found righteous, blameless. Noah is certainly an example of how you and I can stay on God’s pathway even if all those around us are veering off. And because Noah stayed faithful to God, He would choose to save him—protect him—from the impending wrath. His family too!

 

                As the writer of Hebrews began to jot down names of Biblical patriarchs who exemplified a life of faith, God wouldn’t let him overlook Noah. Hebrews 11:7 says, “It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood.” The ark was a mammoth structure and it took him 120 years to build. Day after day, year after year, while the land was dry and the people walked in rebellion to their God, Noah trusted God. It was inconceivable that such monstrous water could ever fill up the land. I imagine that the people laughed and mocked him. His family may have doubted too. Yet our text clearly points out that “by his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Hebrews 11:7). Hence, not only did Noah’s faith bring God’s favor upon him as he was found righteous, but it also served as a shield to protect him from death.

            Noah’s story certainly shows us an important feature of our faith: that it acts as a shield. Satan is our enemy and he is always throwing spears, arrows, and fiery darts at us as well. He is a good shot, too, and never misses his target. He aims directly at our most precious organs: the heart and the mind. Those darts are in the form of lies, hateful thoughts, doubts, temptation, deception, etc. I believe that each of us has at one time or another felt the invasion of Satan’s sharp daggers and the devastating repercussions—the damage they have wreaked upon us. But God tells us specifically how you and I can extinguish those darts—even the fiery ones: by taking up the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).

            To understand how we can do this, we need to go back to the original subject of today’s lesson: Noah. We learn that he trusted God. He believed what God said and he obeyed, even if it was an unbelievable request. Let me remind you what Genesis 6:9 said about Noah: “[He] was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” We learned in our previous lesson two ways to pass God’s tests: 1) Trust Him in each circumstance, and 2) Obey Him at all costs. If we could sum up these two things in one phrase, we might say that we need to walk with God. Just like Noah did.

Fearless Faith: The Testing of Faith

Our topic comes from Genesis 22:1-14, the story where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son on the altar. You may want to read this passage of Scripture before proceeding.



 



            If we could choose one of our forefathers who embodied a life of faith it would certainly be Abraham. He stood heads taller than all others when it came to faith. While there were several requests made of Abraham, none pulls at my heart more than this request. I’m sure every parent would agree. Abraham waited a long time to have a son. The promise of an heir came years before Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah. I remember seeing the smile on my husband’s face at the birth of both our children. Actually, I couldn’t see it on his lips because he was wearing a surgical mask, but I could see the gleam in his eyes. I knew he was proud. I knew he would love this child no matter what. Imagine Abraham entering the tent after his son was born. Picture him taking Isaac, his long-awaited son, in his arms. I wonder if he whispered in his baby’s ear, “My child, I love you. I will do whatever it takes to protect you. I will never let you down.”

            Then one day, a powerful voice came to Abraham with a request. Not just any request, I might add. He was instructed to take his son and offer him as a sacrifice on the altar. In no uncertain terms, Abraham was told to kill his son. Imagine if that had been you. How would you respond? We learn immediately that this was a test. Really God! Why would you give Abraham a son and then take him away?

            While this story took place centuries ago, God still works in similar ways in our lives as well. The Bible is clear that we too are sometimes tested: “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow” (James 1:3 NLT). Hence, the testing of our faith grows us. And maturity is what all believers should strive for. So we might ask ourselves, “How can I pass God’s tests?” Here are two specific ways:

            To pass God’s test, we need to…

            1. Trust Him in each circumstance!

            Abraham surely trusted God. He knew God had a purpose in the request and, even if he didn’t understand what it was or he didn’t like it, He trusted God. He walked up that mountain with his young son by his side believing that God had a purpose in all of it. 

            I would say that many of us have a hard time with trust. Perhaps it’s because we have been hurt, misled, lied to, rejected, or taken advantage of. And these things have probably happened by people we at one time trusted. But what we need to remember is that Jesus is not just another person in our life. He is God, and we can trust Him fully. We read in Hebrews 13:5 that “[He] will never forsake [us].” Specifically, He will never let us down.

            Therefore, let me ask you: Are you trusting God right now in the midst of your situation? Have you surrendered everything over to Him? Do you trust that God has a purpose? Or are you worrying, are you griping, or are you filled with distress?

            To pass God’s test, we need to…   

            2. Obey Him at all costs!

            I must tell you that following this command is crucial to passing God’s tests. So, let’s think about this for a minute. When we are facing difficulties or trials, we often act in our humanness and respond emotionally. It is during these times, we are most apt to not follow God’s rule. But Abraham clearly shows us that obeying God in all situations is possible. I doubt that any other circumstance in his life quite compared to this one. Imagine how easy it would have been for him to just disregard it and not obey. Certainly he could have believed that he had the right to do as he wanted. Thank goodness he didn’t though. And out of his complete obedience, God blessed him.         

            In conclusion, passing God’s tests not only reaps earthly benefits, but certainly profits us glorious eternal awards. How will you respond to your situation today? Will you trust God? Will you obey Him?

Fearless Faith: Faith is the Essence

As it turns out, our faith is at the very core of who we are in Christ. The New King James Version translates Hebrews 11:1 as: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Some scholars say that this word “substance” actually means substantial matter, the real nature of a thing which underlies and supports its outward form or properties.¹

            I hope you realize that your faith—the faith you put in Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior—is at the very core of who you are. It is this faith that secures your eternal life with Him. This should also clearly show us that our identity belongs with Jesus. Therefore, everything we do should stem from the heart of who we are.

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is what sets Christianity and our faith apart from all other religions. The Newsboys sing about this truth in their song God’s Not Dead: “My God’s not dead, He’s surely alive. He’s living on the inside, roaring like a lion.”² Let me say that the more activated our faith becomes, the more the Holy Spirit will roar like a lion inside us.

 

I may not be convicted of an earthly crime and sentenced to jail, but before God, I am just as guilty as anyone else of one major offense: sin. In referencing the holiness of God, Habakkuk 1:13 says, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil.” But of course, God made a way to be able to look upon us. At the moment we put our faith in His Son—in His mercy and grace—He removed the penalty of our sin. We became His righteousness. Pondering what this means for me, here’s the picture in my mind: He took a dirty ragged slave and transformed her into a beautiful princess dressed in the most elegant gown she has ever worn. A true Cinderella story! Can you visualize this?

 

No doubt, Paul’s writings indicate what was at the very center of his life (Phil 1:12-18). Everything he did was to bring glory to God. He looked at every aspect of his life—whether good or bad, whether chains or free—as a way for Jesus Christ to reign. He clearly shows us that no matter what, God would use all these things for the furtherance of the Gospel. I believe that what Paul learned about his faith is what governed the way he chose to live: relentlessly abandoned to Christ. Some words that would describe relentless would be: determined, undaunted, unwavering, faithful, fixed.

 

Oh my, imagine how different our lives would be if you and I would choose to live with such resolution. Imagine the work God would choose to do in and through us for the furtherance of His kingdom if He was truly at the heart of all that we did.

 

Fearless Faith: Explaining Faith

I’ve never been to France, but I know the Eiffel Tower exists. I have never stepped foot in China, but I know the Great Wall exists. How do I know? Because I’ve seen pictures of both of these wonders and I’ve talked to others who have seen them—eyewitnesses. Recently, I went to Italy for the first time. Before leaving home, I knew I wanted to see the Coliseum. In fact, I was positive I would walk through these ancient ruins because I had seen pictures and I had read information about this site. So, how can we know for certain that God exists even though we cannot see Him? Well my friend, Scripture explains this phenomenon. It may boil down to faith, but the Bible tells us where that faith comes from. Let’s look at these things together.

Our faith comes from…

             1. Nature! (Romans 1:20)

            We don’t need to stand on the highest peak of a mountain or sit on a cliff overlooking the majestic ocean to see God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power, or His divine nature. No! All we have to do is walk to the window in our house and look outside. So here’s an assignment. Step outside for a moment. Look around. Observe nature: the ground, the grass, the trees, and the sky. What do you see about God? What is God revealing to you?

Our faith comes from…                       

            2. The Word of God! (Romans 10:17)

            This truth is visualized in Acts 16:11-14 when the Apostle Paul preached the gospel in Philippi and Lydia responded to the message. This is where her faith came from. It’s not enough just to hear the message—we need to respond to it and accept it as our own.

                Somewhere along the way, God sent a messenger to you. Perhaps it was a Sunday school teacher, a parent, a friend, a pastor, or a neighbor. Or it could have been the Holy Spirit Himself. I first heard the gospel many years ago at a church outing. I may not remember what we did on that outing, but I remember going forward to receive Christ. For both my kids, I was the messenger God sent. What a thrill it was for me to be there when Betsy and Matt received Christ as their Lord and Savior. Our text clearly shows us that our faith comes from responding to the message brought to us. That is the beginning. But God doesn’t want our faith to lay dormant. It’s important we allow Him to develop that faith in us. In the weeks ahead, we will explore our faith in greater detail, while we ask God to give us an exuberant faith.

Our faith comes from…

            3. The Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)

 





At one time, the disciples had Jesus walking among them. They witnessed some spectacular things, they heard His voice, and they looked into His eyes. They saw how He loved. But as wonderful as that was, the greater gift was when God came down from heaven and chose to live inside them. Since the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the Holy Spirit has descended upon every heart that has bowed at the cross and received the free gift of salvation.
 

I would say believers are wealthy, wouldn’t you? According to our text in 1 Corinthians 2, God has given us wisdom that many rulers don’t even possess (verse 8), God has revealed His secrets to us (verses 9-10), and God gives us understanding (verses 14-15). And here’s the best part: “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). Therefore, we look at the world out of different lenses than unbelievers. We can know what is on God’s mind. That’s why we can see the truth and others cannot. Answering the call to follow Jesus seems absurd to the world because Jesus tells us what a true follower is: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

         You see, my friend, our faith comes from the Holy Spirit. He is the one who helps us understand what God is thinking and what He is asking us to do. He shows us the deep things of God. He reveals to us the inner parts of God’s heart. I think that’s amazing, don’t you?

            Please invite your friends to join me on this journey as we examine our faith and how we can have an fearless faith.

 

 

 

New Journey / New Adventure

I haven't blogged in awhile, but thought that now is a perfect time to reconnect with it. In Genesis 12, God instructs Abram to leave his country and go to the land He would show him. Abram obeyed and went. This was a long and tiresome journey, but God was faithful to His beloved one. Well, God has put us on a journey too. God began setting things up a couple years ago when Lou left his job at GM and took a job with a solar energy company. At the time, it seemed like a good decision. But as time went forward, the company hit hard times and, in Sept. 2013, Lou lost his job. So since Lou would be looking for a new job, we decided that now would be a good time to move south to the Carolina's - a dream we have had for many years. So began the tedious job of sending out resumes.

 

In our search for a new job, we both seemed to fall in love with the Greenville, SC area. We don't know anyone from there, but it seemed God was drawing us to this town. We had never been there, but the pictures were beautiful, we learned it was a booming town with lots of jobs, it is close to the mountains and only 4 hours to our beach condo. Lou was still searching across the Carolina's, but both our hearts were focused on Greenville.

 

 

In October we also put our Michigan house up for sale, trusting God every step of the way. I thought it would sell immediately, but God had other plans. As Lou continued his search for a job, he talked to a lady that he had once worked with at GM. She now works for Fannie Mae in DC. She wanted Lou to come work for her. From the beginning, Lou told her we were not interested in moving permanently to DC. She said, "That's okay, everyone here commutes." After a series of interviews, Lou was offered a job and he accepted. He began work at the beginning of December 2013. We are making the commute work by taking turns visiting each other. And he will eventually be able to work sometimes from our house in Greenville.

 

 

Let me tell you how I've seen God work through all this. Because Lou accepted a job at Fannie Mae, we were able to move where we wanted; hence, Greenville. Because our house didn't sell immediately, we had an opportunity to visit the Greenville area several times and pick out the best place to relocate. We had looked for houses, but nothing seemed to fit our needs, so we found a perfect subdivision and a perfect floor plan. We will build for the first time. Our house finally sold in the dead of winter, and we are now moving along with the plans for our new house. We should move in by August. My daughter is also moving down to go to nursing school, and the restaurant she is currently serving at is building a new store in Greenville - the first one. My mom is also moving in with us.

 

I'm excited to take this journey with God and our family. God has promised me that this move is of Him (and everything points to that) and that it will the best thing for our whole family. Like Abraham, I don't know what's next or exactly why God is calling us there, but He is always faithful, and no doubt, His perfect plans will be accomplished.

 





 

Here's two verses that jump out right now:

 

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT).

"My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine...my ways are higher than your ways" (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT).

 

Let me encourage you my friends to trust Him with your circumstances today. You may not understand, but just give your heart completely to Him and He will do something beautiful in your life.