Profound Faith

   The universe continues to expand.  We have not seen and may never see the outer reaches of God’s universe.  Scientists continue to revise their estimates of the number stars and planets that may exist; they simply don’t know.  Some have begun to concede that such expansion and preciseness in the expanding universe may point to an intelligent design.  Christians have known that for years.

   Even on our own planet there are things that remain unknown despite technological and scientific advances.  There are areas of the oceans where the bottom has never been seen; the actual depth isn’t known.  Each time new technology allows exploration at greater depths never before seen life forms are discovered.  Animal and plant life in environments once thought to be uninhabitable.  Our knowledge continues to grow but remains incomplete.

   Faith, like the universe, continues to expand in those who seek a deeper, life-changing relationship with God.  The depths of the oceans are nothing compared to the depth of faith that one can achieve.  Such faith does not usually just occur; it comes to those who seek it.  Those who continually strive to learn more of God, to love Him more deeply and serve Him more faithfully will find that there is no limit to faith.  Just as the love of God is limitless, faith also knows no bounds.  Faith can only be limited by choosing not to give oneself completely to God.  Once we make the choice that God is all we need and all we seek, faith becomes a life-long journey that never ends; an unfathomable source of God’s grace and love.

Father, I seek faith as deep as the seas.

As limitless as the universe You created.

Give me that faith and take all else I have.

Let me continue to grow in unending faith.

Amen

In His Service

   It’s incredible to me that the God who created all things, brought the universe and everything in it into being, wants me to serve Him.  There is nothing that He needs and certainly nothing I can give that would increase His glory or splendor.  I am a mere creature in a world awash in sin; a sinner born of sinners.

   Yet He calls me to serve Him.  My service can’t benefit Him in any way so it must be for my sake that He calls me and is pleased when I answer.  My life is enriched and blessed by devotion to God and His will for me.  There is no other path to heaven except by God’s grace, love and forgiveness.

   I have nothing to offer Him except myself; my will and my desire to serve Him.  I am reminded that the smallest of gifts can become miraculous in the hands of the Lord.  A few loaves and fishes fed thousands when Jesus blessed them and distributed them.  I pray that whatever small contribution I may be able to make may be magnified by His glory and serve to increase His kingdom on earth.

   Even the temptations and urging of Satan are in some ways a blessing to those who serve the Lord.  Those who have rejected God and refused His love already belong to the evil one.  It is only those who strive to serve Him that the devil needs to tempt; if he can turn one from God he has achieved a victory for evil.

   God calls me for His purpose.  Though I may not fully know His will for me it has been known to Him since the beginning of time.  He created me and knew me from all time; I was born for a reason.  It is my calling to relinquish my earthly wishes and desires and strive to serve the purpose for which I was born.  I am neither a capable nor qualified servant, but God has used the unqualified and made them capable throughout history.  He will do the same with me if I will allow.

Lord, You created me for a reason.

My life has purpose.

Give me the wisdom to discern my purpose

And the faith to follow wherever it may lead.

Amen

Tiny Seeds

   I do not enjoy yard work.  I never have and probably never will.  Pulling weeds, cutting, edging, raking; I want none of that.  Of course, that doesn’t stop these things from needing to be done.  The mowing and edging I have done by others.  Weeding the flower beds is left to me.  I enjoy having the flowers so I must weed whether I like it or not.

   Even though I do not look forward to getting down on my knees and pulling weeds from the flower beds I’ve found a benefit of doing so.  There is very little to occupy my mind in this choir and I find it easy to contemplate my Lord while taking care of the plants of His creation.

   When I consider the beauty of what God has given us in this world, flowers rank pretty high in my estimation.  I am amazed that a tiny seed planted in good soil can produce such beautiful flowering plants.  Our food supply also depends on the fact that the smallest of seeds can become large food bearing plants such as corn or wheat.  An apple would not exist without the little seed that became the tree.

   Faith is much the same.  A tiny seed of faith can grow into a faith that will see me through any trial or distress.  A faith that will lead me home to my God.  The seed, however, must be planted in good soil and cared for if it is to grow.  The soil of our soul is enriched through our desire to serve God.  Prayer is the fertilizer that nourishes the seed of faith planted there.  The word of God, prayerfully read and considered, provides the rain needed for our faith to grow.  Jesus Christ is the life-giving sunshine.

   I still don’t enjoy yard work, but I love the opportunity to consider and contemplate my Lord and God in the effort.  The quiet and solitude brings me closer to Him.

Father, You are in all things.

We need only look and You are there.

Your glory shines throughout Your creation.

Amen

Understanding

   “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up my childish ways.” (1 Cor 13: 11)

   Faith and spiritual understanding must progress just as any learning must.  As a child we are told bible stories.  Short, easily understood versions of biblical events.  If we are to better understand our faith and develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God we must move past the basics and get into the deeper meanings and understanding of God’s word.  The bible is not just a book to be read, it is a way of life to be lived.  There is a depth to scripture that we miss if we fail to seek meaning rather than just knowing the words on the page.

   On the cross Jesus said, “My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?” (Matt 27: 46).  Some see only the pain of abandonment perhaps because of our sins which Christ took upon Himself.  But that statement is also the first line of Psalm 22, which clearly speaks of the Messiah, His rejection and eventual glory.  The priests, Pharisees and religious leaders present at the crucifixion were well-versed in the Psalms; they would have immediately recognized the reference and it’s meaning with respect to Jesus.

   Never quit learning, never quit reading scripture.  In quiet prayer seek the depth of God’s word.  You will be amazed at the spiritual growth to be gained.

Lord, help me better understand Your word.

Lead me deeper into their meaning.

May my knowledge and faith grow.

May I come to know and love You more and more.

Amen

   “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.”  (1 Cor 13: 12)

He Loves Me

“you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  (Gen 3: 19)

Who am I that God should love me?  I am a sinful man; a man who does what I should not and fails to do what I should.  Like Adam, I am dust and to dust I shall return.

And yet God does love me.  Regardless of my faults and my failings He loves me.  When I sin and ask forgiveness, He forgives me.  He loves me so much that He sent Jesus Christ to die for me.  I could never pay the price for my sins so the Son of God paid it for me.  On the cross He purchased my salvation.

What does He ask in return?  He asks that I love Him.  I can never love as He loves but He wants my love, flawed though it may be.  He wants me to be His son, He wants me to be adopted into His family, grafted into the vine of Jesus Christ.  He knows that I can never be the man I should be, that I will stumble and fall, but still He loves me and finds joy in my efforts to love and obey Him.

There is no love to compare with His love; a love that can never weaken or fade.  What can I do for Him in return?  I can give Him myself.  Not just part of me but all; not just on Sunday but every day.  I can die to self and live for Christ.  I can love Him to the best of my ability and pray for the faith that will help me love Him more.

He loves me.  What a caring, merciful, loving God is my God.  I am greatly blessed.

Lord Your love for me is unending.

Through all my faults it endures.

My heart is overwhelmed

With praise and thanksgiving.

Amen

His Will

   “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38)

   Our Blessed Mother’s response to the angel Gabriel is the response each of us should live by.  Mary freely chose to subject herself to possible accusations of adultery.  She accepted the long arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in her ninth month of pregnancy.  She gave birth in a stable and laid her newborn in a manger.  She lived as a refugee in Egypt to protect her newborn son, our Savior.  She endured the pain of seeing her son brutally beaten and nailed to a cross to die.  In all of this she remained the servant of the Lord; she accepted God’s will in all things.

Each of us must, at some point decide if we will be the servant of the Lord.  We have a choice, just as Mary did, to refuse His calling and His will in our life.  If we have the faith and courage to accept His will our lives will be changed just as Mary’s was.

   The history of Christianity is filled with examples of those who chose to become the Lord’s servants.  Those who forfeited their own will to accept the will of God.  Some have suffered persecution and martyrdom for their decision.  Some have been the spark that lit the flame of faith in thousands or even millions of people.  We have no way of knowing what God has in store for us should we say yes to Him, but we can be confident of the heavenly home He has prepared for those who love Him.

   The choice is ours.  God will not force us to choose Him and no one can make the decision for us.  Of all the choices we will make in our life this is the most personal and the most important.

Lord, I choose You.

Let me be a servant to You will.

Amen

   “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24: 15)

The Pains of Hell

   Many would like to believe that hell doesn’t exist.  They don’t want to recognize that there is a price for sin and the misuse of their free will.  Some would argue that hell can’t exist because a merciful God would never condemn someone to hell.

   To believe in good demands a belief in evil.  To believe in the joys of heaven demands a belief in the pains of hell.  Otherwise there is no point to Christianity.  If there is no hell Jesus was a liar and as such could not be the Messiah.  He spoke often of the punishment of hell in His ministry.  If it were not so He would not have said it.

   Those who say that a merciful God would not condemn anyone to hell are correct.  It is not God who condemns, but the sinner who chooses hell.  God, in His mercy, offers a lifetime of opportunities to know the joys of heaven.  It is the sinner, by the misuse of free will and sin, who fails to accept God’s offer.  By refusing the offer of salvation the sinner condemns themself to hell.

   I wrote recently that I believe heaven may differ in some ways for each of us.  God knows what brings us the most happiness and joy and this is what we will know in heaven.  Perhaps hell is the same in that respect.  One’s personal hell may be, at least in part, the result of what they fear or hate most.

   To me, the greatest pain of hell would be separation from God for all eternity.  The realization that I had, through my own fault, rejected Him for the supposed pleasures of sin would only add to the pain of hell.

   I have been blessed in so many ways.  God has given me love, mercy and forgiveness.  He has given me a path to eternal happiness.  He has also blessed me with the fear of hell separated from Him.  For all these reasons I choose to live my life for Him.  Though I will at times fail, I will never give up.  I will return to Him in sorrow and repentance for my sins, confident of His endless mercy.

Lord save me from the pains of hell.

Give me the strength to live only for You.

May Your Holy Spirit be my guide,

Leading me home to You.

Amen

The First Stone

   “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8: 7)

   Many are quick to grab a stone to throw at one who has committed a sin or done wrong.  Some are so easily offended that they are willing to condemn anyone who simply disagrees with them.  It seems respect, compassion and mercy are in very short supply.

   The message of the gospel is not one of condemnation and judgement, but of love, forgiveness and mercy.  Even the Pharisees who brought the adulterous woman to Jesus recognized this, “But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.  Jesus looked up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’  She said, ‘No one, Lord.’  And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.’” (John 8: 8 -11).

   Jesus taught that we are all sinners and have no right to judge another.  His message was one of forgiveness and repentance.  He asked for a change of heart in those who were sinners.  He forgave the sinner and healed hearts rather than condemn.

   When we stand before God we will be called to account for the judgement of others that we have made.  “For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” (Matt 7: 2)

Lord we are so quick to judge.

We condemn others but ignore our own sins.

Fill us with Your love and mercy.

Teach us to always forgive rather than judge.

Amen

Prayer

   People pray for many things.  Some pray for the treasures of heaven, some for the treasures of this world.  Some pray for both.  Some pray once a week, some every day, some live their life as prayer.

   Prayer is powerful.  When we pray Satan cringes and withdraws.  He can’t overcome honest dialogue and communion with God.  In all our trials and temptations, prayer is the weapon that will overcome the evil one.

   Satan would have us pray for those things he knows God will not give; things that would harm us.  He will then try to convince us that God doesn’t love us since He didn’t give us what we asked.

   Some have given up on God because they believe their prayers weren’t heard or answered.  God hears all prayer; however, the answer He gives might not be the one you think you want.  If your fifteen-year old daughter asks to drive the car the right answer might be “not yet”.  If your son who is diabetic asks for an ice cream sundae with whipped cream “no” is the right answer.  God is the perfect parent, He will not give us what we ask if we ask for things that would harm us.  To do so would not be an act of love but an uncaring act perhaps causing great injury.

   Pray always, offer each moment of the day to God and ask that His will be done.  We can never go wrong when we simply ask for Him to guide our lives and let His will reign in our hearts.  These prayers He will grant and give us many blessings as well.

Father we ask for so many things.

Much of what we ask is not what we need.

Fill us with the Holy Spirit and Your will.

Guide us in all things.

Amen

Deep Faith

   I think faith can be compared with learning to swim in the ocean.  At first even wading at the edge of the sea can be scary.  As we become more comfortable we may venture out to knee deep or even waist deep water.  Once we learn to swim we lose at least some of our fear of deeper water, confident in our ability to stay afloat even when we can’t touch the bottom.  An accomplished swimmer may even feel at ease swimming from a ship far out at sea where the depth of the water isn’t even known.

   Faith is similar in that our knowledge and confidence in our faith needs to develop and grow if we are to deepen our faith.  Just going to church on Sunday is comparable to wading in the shallows.  It’s very good, but we must be willing to take greater risks if our faith is to grow in depth.  As our faith deepens we may feel called to participate in one of the various ministries of the church; deepening our faith by sharing it with others.

   Our faith can grow as much as we are willing to allow.  God will provide all the strength we need in our efforts.   As our faith grows and develops, we may be the ones who are thrilled to dive from the boat into unfathomable waters, confident that our Lord is with us and will protect us in all things.

   Even an accomplished swimmer realizes there is always the risk of drowning.  Faith, in some ways, encourages us to drown; to willingly die to self and give all to God, confident in His love and mercy.

Increase my faith I pray.

Make it as deep as the oceans,

As high as the mountains.

Let me die to self and live for You.

Amen

   “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  (Gal 2: 20)

Hidden Treasure

   “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matt 13: 44)

   The field I think of when I read these words is the field of self.  My life is the field in which I need to find the treasure of God’s kingdom.  His kingdom resides within each of us.  He is there even in those who do not recognize it and would argue that it doesn’t exist.  The treasure is sometimes hidden by the weeds of sin, hiding it from us.

   What is the price of this treasure?  Is it even possible to purchase it?  A man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Even though he had followed the commandments Jesus told him there was one more thing he must do, “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Luke 18: 22).

   The treasure available to us by following Christ is beyond value while the trivial pursuits of this world are of no value at all in the big picture.  The big house, the new car, the cash in the bank are all perhaps things we can strive to achieve, but once they become the focus of our life we have transferred our allegiance from the one true God to the gods of this world.  Devotion to these false gods is what we must be willing to give up if we are to find the hidden treasure.

   What would I give to know the joy of finding the treasure of God’s kingdom?  What earthly desires am I willing to forego in order to become a part of His kingdom; to follow His way?  Unless I am willing to give it all, I am not worthy to belong to the family of God.

Father, I want to live for you,

To be part of Your kingdom.

The false gods of this world pull me away.

Give me the strength to reject all but You.

Amen

A Personal Heaven

   “To him who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone which no one knows except him who receives it.” (Rev 2: 17)

   We talk of heaven, what we expect and want it to be.  Of course we know virtually nothing of heaven in this life.  We hope for and expect joy and happiness.  But I believe heavenly joy and happiness will be totally different than any we may know in this fallen world.

   My thought of heaven is an experience just as unique as I am; one intended just for me.  I believe yours will be a bit different, tailored specifically for you based on what God knows will bring you the most joy and happiness.  Joy and happiness such as we have never known before.

   We are unique individuals.  God formed us and gave each of us an eternal soul.  A soul that can only be filled by God, perhaps differently for each of us.  We can’t fill our soul without God’s help.  If we allow, He will fill it with the blessings that He has in store for each of us.  Blessings that I believe may be as individual as we are.  I think it is our responsibility to simply step back and let God do what He desires; let Him fill us with every blessing He has planned for each of us.

   Will heaven be the same for each of us?  I don’t know, but I truly believe that each of us will have a bit different experience in heaven.  We, as the conquerors of this world, will be given the white stone with a name known only to us and God.

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor 2: 9)

Lord, I know nothing of heaven.

But I trust in the promise of eternal happiness.

Lead me to the blessed place You have prepared for me.

Amen

Which Way Am I To Go?

   “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14: 26).

   I’ve asked the Lord many times what He wants of me.  What His plans are for me; what path am I to follow?  How am I to know if He doesn’t tell me?  What are the signs I should look for to ensure that I am on the right path?

   Through prayer I’ve begun to understand that the way I am to know is within me already.  The Holy Spirit has been given to me that I may know His direction.  If I’m not hearing Him or seeing the signs, perhaps I’m not listening and watching as closely as I should.  Too many times I think the cares of this world intrude into the lessons and directions of the Spirit, clouding the guidance that is there for me.

   In the quiet solitude of my soul the Spirit of the Lord is there, waiting to help me see the path I should walk.  The Holy Spirit will teach me and help me better understand the ways of God if I will only allow it.  However, I must first put myself into His hands and seek the guidance of the Spirit.  I must follow His way rather than choosing my own path simply hoping it is the right one.

   It’s not easy to put oneself aside and rely on another yet that is what I must do if I am to follow the Lord.  I can’t allow earthly concerns and desires to interfere with the guidance of the Lord and His word.  I am no more than an exile in a dangerous land, unable to find my way.  Only by giving myself to God and listening to the Holy Spirit can I hope to find my way home.

   If I submit myself entirely to the will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit I will be led on the path chosen for me.  If my only desire is to do His will and follow His plan for me He will show me the way home.

Father, I give myself to Your will.

Never let earthly concerns cloud my choices.

Send Your Spirit to guide me in all things.

Lead me from exile to my heavenly home.

Amen

Send Me

   “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’  Then I said, ‘Here am I!  Send me.’” (Is 6: 8)

   Isaiah offered himself as God’s spoke-person.  He accepted the calling of the Lord.  God has known each of us from the beginning of time.  We were created for a purpose.  We are not just flesh and blood, we are exactly what God intended us to be before the world began.  We are spirit as well and our spirit seeks the Lord. 

   When I consider that God has a mission for me in this world I am both pleased and afraid.  Pleased because I know my God loves me and wants me to do good in His name.  I am afraid because I also know how imperfect I am.  The words of the tax collector in the temple come to mind, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!”  (Luke 18: 13).  Like the tax collector I must recognize my sinfulness and plead for God’s mercy.  I can’t answer His call unless I realize that I am not worthy. I need His mercy and forgiveness.

   “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3: 1).  I am a child of God because of God’s love and mercy.  I am not and could never be worthy of this blessing, but it is mine because He loves me.  As His child I must answer when He calls.  Like Isaiah I must respond, “Here I am Lord, send me.”

Lord, You call each of us to do Your will.

Give us the faith and strength to answer.

Your will, not mine, be done.

Amen

The Path

   I often wonder if I am truly on the path God has chosen for me.  I believe that I am following His will yet there is still uncertainty.  I read of those whose calling has been crystal clear, the word of God showing them the way.  I wish I was one of them at times, but I’m not.  I don’t hear the loud, clear call.  I hear Him best in solitude and silence, in His quiet whisper.

   In a prayer many years ago the Trappist monk, Thomas Merton said, “the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.”  This thought speaks to me in my struggle to know God’s will.  I believe I am following His path but how can I be sure?  There is no question in my mind that I want to follow God’s will.  I try to follow what I believe is His path for me.  Yet Satan puts questions into my mind.  Am I really on the right path; how am I to know for sure?

  In the same prayer, Merton says, “But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you.”  This gives me comfort.  If I try my best to do God’s will in my life, I too believe He will be pleased with my efforts.  Though I may not know for certain that I am on the path chosen, I am confident that God loves my desire to be on that path and will guide in the way I should go.

  The prayer of Thomas Merton  is one of my favorite prayers.  It gives me hope and faith that God will lead me on the right path though I may never be certain where it will lead.   The prayer closes with the the following:

Therefore I will trust in you always

though I may seem to be lost

and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear,

for you are ever with me

and you will never leave me

to face my perils alone.

Amen

A New Day

   Each morning I try to remember to say a short prayer before getting out of bed.  Just a simple thanks for the rest given me during the night and the hope that I can follow His will throughout the new day.

   This morning it struck me that it truly is a new day.  A day that has never existed before and will never come again.  I can use the day with a purpose or just drift through as if it doesn’t matter.  Sadly I sometimes think I am so confident that there will always be another day that I don’t realize the importance of the one I am living at this moment.

   We often say things that indicate we believe we have unlimited time available to us.  We talk as if we control our future though we have no future beyond what God gives us.  We make plans for the years to come when we can’t even be sure of the next second.

   Those of us who are older might remember Tennessee Ernie Ford’s television show.  Each week he closed the show with the comment that he would be back next week “if the good Lord is willing and the creek don’t rise.”  We should certainly plan for our future.  But our plans must include the knowledge that they may or may not come to be.  Our plans should be tempered with the thought that everything is subject to God’s will for it is only through His will that we have a future to plan.

   With each new day God gives us the chance to move on from the past and begin anew.  That chance is ours to use or to ignore.  May we take the opportunity offered and live each day in God’s will.

Father, I thank You for this new day.

I thank You for the many blessings You have given me.

May I live this day and every day according to Your will.

Amen

The Promise of Christ

   “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33)

   These words spoken to the apostles shortly before the arrest of Jesus were to put them at peace and give them hope in the coming tribulations.  Though Jesus would no longer be with them in this world, He promised them that He would be with them always.  He would send the Holy Spirit to guide and support them.

   We, like the apostles, are exiles in a world that doesn’t seem to want us.  This is nothing new, it’s been going on since the beginning of Christianity and will continue until Jesus returns in glory.  We must have faith in the promises He made; we must recognize and take hope in the fact that He has conquered the world.

   The apostles took strength from Jesus’ words and promises and spread the gospel throughout the world.  Their success has led to the fact that Christianity has survived and thrived for over two thousand years.  That same strength remains today in those who live the word of Christ; those who are willing to take up their cross and follow Him through trials and tribulations.

   His strength and hope is available to each of us.  The promises Jesus made to His apostles He makes to us as well.  While there is no promise of an easy road in our pilgrimage there is the promise of eternal happiness when we reach our true home in heaven.

   “and behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”  (Matt: 28: 20)

Jesus, we are pilgrims on our way to You.

We know the path may be hard.

We accept the crosses we must bear.

Strengthen us in our journey and lead us home to You.

Amen

Temptations

   We all experience temptations in various ways.  They can be painful and difficult to resist.  Satan knows his job well.  He knows the temptations that are the most effective against us.  I am certain that he knows the lures I have the most difficulty resisting.  He knows you and your weaknesses as well.

   We would like to never be enticed by Satan.  Somehow we believe that if we aren’t tempted it means we’ve beaten him and he has given up.  We think to ourselves that we have overcome the devil and are safe from his efforts.  This is a very dangerous thought and one that the evil one wants us to believe.

   Thinking that we have overcome Satan is prideful; it is assuming a strength we do not have. Once we’ve convinced ourselves that Satan no longer has power over us with his temptations we let our guard down.  The arrogance and pride in this concept demonstrate the lie within it.  If we are no longer tempted he has won; we are his.

   In our temptations, there should be a sense of sorrow, and even shame.  Even when we resist the temptations we sometimes think that the fact we were tempted at all makes us evil.  In reality, we feel the painful effects of temptation because Satan has not won; he is still trying.

   The pain and discomfort of temptations is a good thing because it makes us realize Satan has not won.  Jesus is in our heart giving us the strength to resist him while at the same time blessing us with the discomfort and even pain of the temptations.  In this way He is assuring us that we are His; He will always strengthen us with His love and mercy.  We were never promised an easy path, only His strength to walk the one we’ve been given.

Jesus, I am sorely tempted by the evil one.

He pulls on me trying to take me from you.

His temptations cause hurt, You provide healing.

You assure me that I still belong to You.

Amen

Practicing Faith

   “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell;” (Matt 7: 26 – 27)

   The greatest athletes quickly lose their abilities if they don’t practice and use their skills.  A musician will never be great without practice and continually playing their instrument.  A doctor may have extensive knowledge of anatomy but will never be a great surgeon unless they perform surgeries, honing their skills.  Faith is very much the same.  If it isn’t used it will wither and die.  Without the nourishment of continued practice and use faith will not increase.

   I’ve often wondered why some have great faith and others do not.  People like St. Therese of Lisieux, St. John of the Cross, Pope St. John Paul II come to mind.  The Rev. Billy Graham had a faith that touched millions of people during his life.  Why were they the ones chosen to have great faith when others are not?

   I suspect the reason is within us as much as with God.  Those who have great faith are those who have given themselves to the service of God, putting their faith to work to help others find Him.  I believe that the more we offer ourselves to God and the more we put our faith to work, the greater our faith will be.  “For to him who has will more be given;” (Mark 4: 25).  By living our faith in service to Him more faith will be given us.  However, the opposite is also true, “and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4: 25).  If our faith is not practiced and used it will weaken and even die.

   Faith requires attention if it is to grow and develop.  Putting our faith in action in our lives will help us become more faithful.  We won’t become more faithful by prayer alone; we must use our faith in the service of our Lord.

Father, I pray for an ever-deepening faith.

Help me to gain such faith by offering it in service to You.

Amen

Faith

   “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5: 34)

   “And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.  And he marveled because of their unbelief. (Mark 6: 5 – 6)

   Faith is a gift from God; a necessary gift if we are to enjoy the benefits of His love and caring for us.  The scriptures above provide two scenarios concerning faith.  The woman who had suffered from hemorrhages was instantly healed because of her faith (see Mark 5: 25 – 34).  Yet Jesus could do no mighty works in His home town because of their lack of faith (See Mark chapter 6).

  Throughout the gospels the faith of those who came to Jesus had bearing on the healings and miracles that He performed.  Many were unable to accept Jesus and His miracles because of their lack of faith.

   I believe the same is true today.  Many reject faith because they prayed for something and didn’t receive the answer they wanted.  Many who profess faith wonder if God hears their prayers for the same reason.  God hears all prayers, He ignores no one.  If we are not getting answers to our prayers, perhaps we are asking for the wrong thing and God is saying “No.”  Or maybe, just maybe, our faith in God isn’t strong enough.

Father, at times our faith is weak, strengthen it.

We sometimes don’t trust as we should, help us trust.

Give us an everlasting faith in You.

Amen

   “For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt 17: 20 – 21)