FAITH CARD

You cannot live by faith without someone seeing it!

Hebrews 11:1-2, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

If your faith be hidden, what good is it? It would be like a candle that is lit but put in a room full of light; not much. If you claim salvation, but never share your faith with someone else, what good is it? If you are truly on your way to Heaven, you won’t have to tell anyone. There will be enough difference in your life that everyone will know.

Remember in school when you got a report card? What if you had a faith card that gave you a grade on how well you were displaying your Christianity? What if someone graded you on your witnessing, your language, your appearance, your church attendance? Friend, those things aren’t the main thing but they are important when it comes to our walk with the Lord!

TRUST IN THE LORD

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. -Emerson

Proverbs 14:26, In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

As we walk with the Lord, we learn to trust Him more with the things we didn’t think we could trust Him with before. Friend, you can trust Him with your soul- Psalm 25:1, Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. You can trust Him with your sincere troubles- Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. You can trust Him with the scary unknown- Joshua 1:5, There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

What have you been holding back form the Lord? You can trust Him with that too!

TRUST

“In God We Trust” is more than our Nation’s motto!

Psalm 25:2, O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

“In God We Trust” became the United States national motto in 1956. That was about 100 years after James Pollock said in a letter dated November 20, 1861,

“Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.”

Some of this nation’s representatives hit the nail on the head when they voted to have the National Mint engrave “In God We Trust” on our currency. It identifies who our financial blessings come from. Oh, how much more should we, as the Church, let “In God We Trust” be more than a motto! It should be our mission to live by!

TRUST HIM

t is not in life's chances but in its choices that happiness comes to the heart of the individual.-Long

For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Psalm 33:21

            Faithfully abiding in the Saviour’s care is what brings about joy in our hearts. For we know that whatever comes our way—has passed by Him. He has entrusted us with this situation. He has entrusted us to bring honor and glory to His name in it and through it.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:2-4

ONLY TRUST HIM

“Never doubt in the night what God gave you in the light.” — Author Unknown

There are so many lessons that we learn in the dark times of our life. The thing I believe we learn the most is to trust in the Lord. When a friend or family member takes their last breath. When we lose our job. When we get a bad report from the doctor. When everything we touch seems to be falling apart. It is times like these that we either learn to trust the Lord more or we tuck tail and run.

Each one of us have moments of weakness but is there a continual streak of yellow running down our backs? Elijah thought he was the only one left that was serving the Lord, Peter denied the Lord, and Thomas doubted. But each one of these men didn't stay with that mindset. They overcame and conquered their weaknesses.

Today let’s take what the Lord has taught us in the valley to fight the battles of this life, day by day. 1 Chronicles 19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

YOU SAY YOU TRUST, BUT DO YOU?

Don't try to hold God's hand; let Him hold yours.  Let Him do the holding, and you the trusting. -Webb-Peploe

Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

            I am troubled in the way some “Christians” claim to trust in the Lord but deny the Word of God. They say they love the Lord on Facebook, Instagram, and many other forms of social media but to actually darken the door of a church, good luck. So, can someone tell me how someone can “trust in the Lord” but not attend church without a real reason. Health, work, or maybe even traveling occasionally will hinder a person. But to flat out not go because they say they don’t have to go is just contrary to the Word! Can someone tell me how they can justify their unfaithfulness without leaning to their own understanding? Can anyone explain to me how they are acknowledging Him if they don't love His people? And finally, can someone help me understand how the same person can expect God to direct their paths when they don't follow His Word?

There are a lot of people who say they trust in the Lord but in all actuality, they don’t trust Him at all! Are YOU one of those people?

TRUST HIM

            You may trust the Lord too little, but you can never trust Him too much. -Anonymous

Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

            Let me remind you it is better to have a plan in place before something happens so you can take action instead of making a total mess in a reaction. Yes, you can be prepared in EVERY situation, even in something you thought would never happen to you. How? You, trust in the Lord! Trust Him on the mountain tops and down in the valleys. Trust Him when you have a bonus in your check or when you don’t have a check at all. Trust Him when death knocks at your door and when new life is given. Trust Him in all thine ways!

TRUST HIM, HE WEAVES THE BEST LIVES

            My life is but the weaving between my God and me; I only choose the colors, He weaveth steadily. Sometimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride, forget he sees the upper, and I the underside. -Anonymous

Psalm 103:1, Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

            As we travel through this life, remember God has desires for us and the choices we make either confirms His desires or they are totally contrary to them. Either we can yield to the Spirit’s leading in our life of salvation, to sanctification, and places to serve or we can rebel against it, settling for a life without the blessings of God.  

No matter what tapestry God is weaving in your life, trust Him on the mountain tops and in the deepest of valleys. As we do, He will weave into our lives His Spirit in such a way that as we close out the last chapter in our life, we will leave behind a beautiful Christ honoring life pointing others to Jesus!

WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING IN?

             You may trust the Lord too little, but you can never trust Him too much. –Anonymous

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:2

            Some people trust in their riches to give them peace of mind always coming up empty. Some trust in their own wisdom only to find out they don’t always have the right answer. Some trust in their own strength failing to press their way through life’s obstacles. Those who put their trust in the Lord are those who make a difference in the world for God’s glory!

            What and or who are you trusting? Are you really making a difference according to the Word of God? But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6

AT THE END OF THE DAY- TRUST THE LORD

You may trust the Lord too little, but you can never trust Him too much. –Anonymous

For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. Psalm 84:11-12

            Many times when we make a decision in life we begin to second guess that decision. It brings about doubt in our abilities, worry, fret, and most of all we question, did we obey the Lord. It causes loss of sleep, anxiety, health problems, and if not dealt with could cause a mental break down.

            Here are some questions to help cope with second guessing your decisions: Did you go to the Lord before you made the decision? Did you wait on His answer? Did He give you clear direction? Did you make the decision seasoned with grace if it involved others? If anyone was involved, did everyone leave understanding why the decision was made?

            When you are all in knots about the decision you made you’re not doing the business God has called you to. Guess what, Satan loves that! At end of the day that you have trusted God at the beginning, trust Him even more for another day is coming!

JUST TRUST THE LORD!

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 1 Kings 19:4

Many times right after some of the sweetest victories in our life God will allow some discouragement enter in. This is exactly what happened to Elijah. He had just defeated 450 of Baal’s prophets and then old Jezebel sent a messenger telling him she was going to kill him. Instead of Elijah calling upon God the same way he did against the prophets of Baal— he ran! A couple of days later we find him under a juniper tree ready to die. How can a man of God be so on fire one day and discouraged, hiding under a tree the next?

He listened to evil influences. He got his eyes off God. He ended up discouraged, despondent, and destitute. There was a cure for Elijah just like there is a cure for you—Just trust the Lord!

WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR SOMETHING!

Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God's will. -Collier

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1

 When David cried out to the Lord he didn’t do as we do to the Lord today. He didn’t relentlessly pester the Lord, day after day. He didn’t question the Lord’s motives or His actions. David, patiently, waited on the Lord.

            It would do you and me a great service to follow David’s lead in waiting. What do we need to wait on after we pray? Well, Pastor, wait on the Lord to give you the flock He wants you to have. Mom, wait on the Lord to give you the desires of your heart. Dad, wait on the Lord to give you the promotion you have worked so hard for. Single lady, wait on the Lord to give you the man of your dreams. Single man, wait on the Lord to give you the Proverbs 31 woman. High School student, wait on the Lord to open the next door of your life. College student, wait on the Lord to give you the career God wants you to have.

Waiting is hard, being out of the will of God is harder!

FEAR NOT!

The angel of the Lord told Mary, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”

The angel of the Lord told Joseph, “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

The angel of the Lord told the Shepherds, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

In a life of uncertainties, God says, Fear Not! Don’t fear those that would discourage you from serving the Lord. Don’t fear when God sends a trial your way. Don’t fear when you don’t know the how, when, or where God is going to move in your favor. Just trust the Lord when He doesn’t make sense. That’s what Mary did! That’s what Joseph did! That’s what the Shepherds did! That’s what you should do! Trust and obey!

JUST TRUST GOD!

If we trust God we will toil for God!

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: Matthew 1:24

Joseph had just been told his betrothed wife was with child. He hadn’t had any intimate relations with her so he knew the child was not his. I can only imagine how he felt; fear, disbelief, anger, helpless, hopeless, shattered dreams, etc. But in just two Words all of that started to drift away. “Fear not”, was the beginning of a message Joseph need to hear. After he heard the message, Joseph did what the angel of the Lord told him.

Friend, fear not! God has made the way of salvation! He has provided the only means of escaping eternal damnation in Hell! He said in Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” If you believe then do something about it! GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH this morning!

JUST TRUST JESUS!

“God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”― Charles Spurgeon

 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Can you imagine what went through Mary’s mind when she heard the angel say, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” No wonder the angel started off his address with, “Fear not”. The emotional roller coaster didn’t start off in slow motion; it was rolling off in high speed in a matter of split seconds! Doubt, fear, shame, hope, joy, expectation, excitement, back to fear, questions, uncertainty, disbelief. She ended up in a state of complete obedience to what the angel had said and God’s Will!

Where are you at in this life? Do you know Him as your Saviour? No… Repent, Confess, Admit, Just Trust Jesus!

BUT, BUT, I DIDN’T WANT THAT…

We don’t always get want we want but we always get the Lord’s best.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

I believe we have all had those times when things didn’t go the way we wanted or we didn’t get what we wanted. Sometimes we scratch our heads wondering what the Lord is doing. Sometimes we try to make something different happen. Sometimes, we question the Lord’s judgment. What we ought to do is trust and obey. Why should we trust and obey?

When we trust and obey we are giving God first place in our life. When we trust and obey we are kneeling to His Lordship over our life. When we trust and obey we are following His example to follow the Heavenly Father. When we trust and obey we are sharing with others the Lord Jesus. When we trust and obey we are showing others the Lord gives His best to us!

I DIDN’T LIKE CONVICTION…

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11

             When I was growing up, Mom and Dad would take a notion every once and a while to tear my hide up. You see, I didn’t like the conviction I felt so I got the chastisement instead. Instead of obeying Mom and Dad, I did what I wanted to and suffered the consequences.

            Dad was about 5’9 and about 4’6 round. When that belt started coming out of his pants it sounded like a 70’s model Ford on an old highway that the cracks had been sealed, thump, thump, thump. When I heard that sound, I knew it was about to get on.

Long before I heard that fearsome noise, I felt a little conviction. Something in me said, “Don’t ride that bike up to Antoine’s house”. But I didn’t listen! I got on my bike and rode on. When I got home Mom was there…and the rest… is painful!

            Child of God, “Conviction is a privilege! It is none other than the voice of the Holy Spirit compelling us to turn from sin and make our hearts right with our Heavenly Father. Conviction means that God is working in us.”—Paul Chappell. Listen to the Spirit so you won’t feel the consequences!

TAKE HIS HAND!

Evangelist D. L. Moody told the story of an interaction he had with his young daughter, Emma. She had been asking for a new muff to keep her hands warm in the winter, and one day her mother brought one home for her. Even though it was cold and snowing, she wanted to go out right away and try it. Moody said, “I went out with her, and I said, ‘Emma, better let me take your hand.’ She wanted to keep her hands in her muff, and so she refused to take my hand. Well, by and by she came to an icy place, her little feet slipped, and down she went.

“When I helped her up she said, ‘Papa, you may give me your little finger.’ ‘No, my daughter, just take my hand.’ ‘No, no, Papa, give me your little finger.’ Well, I gave my finger to her, and for a little way she got along nicely, but pretty soon we came to another icy place, and again she fell. This time she hurt herself a little, and she said, ‘Papa, give me your hand,’ and I gave her my hand, and closed my fingers about her wrist, and held her up so that she could not fall.” (As told by Paul Chappell)

Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. Psalm 31:5

So often we want to live our life our way, when we do we make a mess. Take His hand and trust Him today!

LIARS BEWARE!

A liar is not believed even though he tells the truth. –Cicero

        But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8

I am amazed at the attempts at lying some people go to. They forget a few things; you must cover up a lie more than once, you will always question if others are telling the truth, and the most important… your sin will find you out. You will stand before God and give an account of your life—including all the lies you have told.

Have you attempted to cover up lies? Time to come clean with the Lord and the one you lied to!

WHAT CAN’T BE DONE?

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

We can do anything God wants us to do because He equips us for the task at hand. Don’t you know oh Christian God knew what He was doing when He called Moses to lead a nation, Gideon to lead an army, Peter to preach, and you to the task He has giving you. Don’t give up too soon, have faith, victory is right around the corner and if you quit, you’ll miss it. So be reminded, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9