Tag: Hope

FAITH

FAITH – WHAT IS IT?

WHAT IS FAITH TO YOU AS A CHRISTIAN IN BRIEF?

What is faith, one may ask? “In Christianity, faith is deep, active trust and reliance on God and Jesus Christ, going beyond mere intellectual belief to a confident commitment that shapes one’s life and actions, rooted in God’s revealed character and promises.”

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, “the evidence of things not seen.”  [Hebrews 11:1].  However, the secret to receiving what we as Christians need is to take a walk of faith.  No action, no results. You must take the walk to effect the change. Jesus knows what you need, but he reminded us in Matthew to do so. This is active trust and reliance on God and Jesus Christ must be rooted deep in your faith journey.

Another way of delving into Faith is that: “It’s not just knowing God is good; it’s living like God is good and trustworthy,” it is like walking “in” God and walking “with” God and trusting in him, “even when circumstances are hard, because you believe His promises are true.” 

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you; for everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.” [Matthew 7:7-8] It takes the effort from you to activate the promise.

When you pray for your need, you activate the process by aligning your prayer to God’s promise with trust, faith and hope in receiving. So your asking must be your deep faith and your reliance rooted in hope.

James the Apostle also cautions Christians that, however, when you do these, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. In fact, don’t be souls with doubt wandering hopelessly to find a miracle, while the Lord has affirmed his promise for you.

When we pray, we “must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” [James 1:6].

Accordingly, let me invite you to look at this from the above statement through another lens as well. If we as Christians fail to believe or trust Jesus, what becomes of us? The simple answer is:  we have no faith, and our hope in receiving what we ask for becomes fruitless. – (unanswered).  Our faith is not deeply rooted in God’s revealed character and promises.”                                                                            

What some of us tend to forget is that Jesus had it all borne on the cross for all his followers. Failing to understand these three principles, (1) trust in him; (2) have faith in him; and (3) hope that it will be received, will make Jesus’ endurance on the cross in vain and hollow in our lives as Christians.   

Let us connect with the book of Hebrews and see what it says in chapter twelve. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sit down at the right hand of the throne of God.” [Hebrews 12:2] 

In essence, the book of Hebrews is encouraging us to have faith by prioritizing Christ in every minute of our lives as Christians and never giving up hope because Christ is the pioneer and finisher of our faith. This tells us that we should rely on and focus on Jesus to bring us into a stronger relationship with him.

With a stronger relationship with the Lord God, the stronger our faith grows from a mustard seed to greater faith. Then we can certainly tell it to the mountain, “Be thou removed from here to there or into the sea, and it shall be done.”  When we focus on Jesus, we have the hope of the joy that is to come because of our faith and trust in him to receive what we envision with our prayer requests. This is deep and self-reliance in our Lord.

Lord Jesus, I thank you for being the Author and Finisher of my faith. I am so grateful for understanding my every trial and temptation I face because you endured the cross for my sake.

Father, thank you for helping me to trust in your power to bring new life in every season, and I thank you for filling me with trust and hope that never dies.   

I know that the resurrection power of Christ is real; the word of God is unstoppable; the Lord our God does not disappoint; the Lord keeps his promises; and so I will keep my FAITH and  HOPE deeper and alive.

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us……   [Romans 5:5] 

This is Faith and Hope Diaries. Share

JESUS IS NOT JUST PART OF THE STORY

Philippians 1:6: God is the “Author and Finisher of our Faith” and he who started will complete the good work He started in believers.

In retrospect this verse is central to the idea that God is actively writing and completing your story. He is not just part of the story—He is the story.
As men and women of God we are prone to make decisions that are often times blundered. God, on the other hand, sees and understands it all. He is the one we can all incline on and trust him. This is not just a partial inclination under a forty-five degrees angle but this is a full inclination on any turn or angle on the circle.

This in short is faith and trust – trusting the Lord fully. I hear people sometimes say things like and “I believed in me” and it worked out for me successfully. This statement is very typical of sportsmen and women as well as celebrity stars from Hollywood. But, No – you’re “dead” wrong. Give the glory to the Lord, because it wasn’t about your wisdom, energy, and power, but it is/was by the Spirit of the Lord.

The glory belongs to him and him alone. When we seek to glorify ourselves we are putting ourselves above God. This is where we sin, because we tend to worship ourselves. But No, the glory belongs to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 10:31 states: – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”. Glorify the Most High God and he will always be in your story.

As Christians our life and perception should not be self-centered. We must not allow our hearts to be contaminated by pride with foolishness, narrow wisdom, spontaneous presumption, imperfect emotions and self aggrandizement. We should trust the Lord always with all our hearts and avoid foolish talk.
In trusting, the Lord with all our hearts, the Lord who is all-knowing, all-powerful, loving, and has good plans will guide, and establish us in every way. In this way, we also have invited him into our story.

If in doubt pray and remind the Lord of his promise in the Book of Joel chapter two. God is always doing something very crucial in the quiet seasons and in the times where the heat is on. He will renew your strength, he will mend you, he will replenish and restore you fully, not just to survive, but to restore you completely with all that the cankerworm have eaten. Joel 2:25“ And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm and the caterpillar and the palmer worm, My great army which I sent among you.” This is the Lord’s promise. Trust the word, pray, have faith and hope and he will make it happen.

You may feel right now like you’re going nowhere and at a standstill, but in his time, he will help you soar like the eagle. You should continue to walk in his presence. Do not take your eyes of him at any moment. Let the ensuing verse below reminds you of the temptation that may take your eyes from the Lord promise. In all the toil and frustration –stand firm. “Proverbs 14:12 reminds us of this: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

No matter how thorny the road may be, the Lord is in your story, and he will bring you to the level of his glory, so don’t back down and make some short bends.
Keep the FAITH and HOPE alive, he is in your story.

This is Faith and Hope Diaries. Share

HOW DO YOU ALLOW THE WORD OF GOD LIVES IN YOU?     

HOW DO YOU ALLOW THE WORD OF GOD LIVES IN YOU?

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” COLOSSIANS 3:16

God doesn’t want his Word to temporarily visit your heart but he wants the Word to reside there to be fruitful. So when the Word lives in you, it will influence your belief, your attitude, and your practical theology and ethical decision makings. The Word becomes your compass, your collaborator, your language, your strength, and your song.

I would strongly encourage associating with mature Christians and seeking wise counsel for mutual growth and accountability. Don’t you stay idle and lonely but also associate with Christian fellowships and align yourself with mature professed Christians – not those professing one thing while living another, and learn their foot prints and take heed. Try it with all your heart and you will not be disappointed in your Christian life. “Do not be deceived bad, company corrupts good character.” 1 CORINTHIANS 15:33

The Word is the Lord. He wants to dwell inside of your house. Your house must be accommodating forever. He doesn’t want to come in and off he goes out through the backdoor. Uphold him and glorify him. Let Colossians 3:16 from the beginning of this write-up be part and parcel of your spiritual life.

Let the teachings of God’s Word impact your life, including your words, actions, and relationships. This means trying to be tender, kind, and humble, and living your life in a way that is pleasing to God. It is all about applying the Word and obeying.

“They profess to know God, but through their works they deny him, being detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work”. TITUS 1:16. Here in this verse Titus is trying to bring to light the hypocrisy of people who are professed Christians but their actions and lifestyle utterly contradict the ethos of their faith. It will be morally corrupt in the presence of the Lord, and in essence, those people will be denying the Lord through their behavior. 

And obviously this is not what you want to position yourself in the Christian faith. This is a complete deficiency of moral behavior hence such corrupted character averts them from being useful in the way that honors God. So let your true relationship with God be revealed not by your words, but by your behavior and godly action.

Pray to the Lord God to make the Word your constant companion to honor him. Meditate on the Word, memorize it, and allow it to soak your spirit. The richness of the Word produces wisdom. Ask the Lord to seal every part of your life with wisdom and truth with divine direction in every area of your entire life. The book of James fulfils Gods’ promise of asking for wisdom. 

And this is what JAMES 1:5, says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him”. This is the promise from God.

Invite the Lord to take root in every part of you. Pray that you may be known as someone whose life is deeply rooted and guided by the Scripture with Faith and Hope. Don’t be weakling in your Faith and don’t give up Hope. The Lord is always waiting to hear your request to take care of it, but you must take a step of FAITH and HOPE.  

BE AWARE OF THE TIMES WE LIVE IN

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16. What is the Time Now? Do you know what time of the day it is?

 BE AWARE OF THE TIMES WE LIVE IN- THE DAYS ARE EVIL 

 Do you know what time it is at the geographical position you are in now? Where are you? What did you just say, and what did you just do in the last 12 hours? What are your longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates now? What have you done today and what are you doing now? What is next? Are you prepared to meet Christ right now at wherever your Geographical position is?  It is never too late to make a U-turn. So do it now.

Even though we are God’s holy children, we also need to be aware of what time it is in our world. “The evil one still exercises his control over the hearts of many people. God wants us to “redeem the time,” making the most of every opportunity we have to touch the lives of others with his grace and to resist the temptation and overcome the opposition of the evil one.”

The days we live in are evil. The state of affairs are being played before us like a movie and this is why this subsequent  verse from James is advising God’s people to take heed unless they fall. James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. 

 Ephesians 6:10-11 also emphasize: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil”. 

1 Peter 5:9: “Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world”. We have to know what’s right and what’s wrong as professed Christians. 

We’ve got to be careful and be shrewd, we’ve got to be able to discern, we’ve got to be able to listen to the Holy Spirit in us, we’ve got to be able to ascertain the moments of times, we’ve got to be able to know clearly who we identify ourselves with, we’ve got to be able to know who we follow and we’ve got to know who we listen to. Seems too much of “we’ve got to”? Nope. You have to build an intimate relationship with the Lord and your eyes will begin to open to see all around you.

How? It’s simple. Read the Bible, pray along with it every day and listen to the voice of the Lord. The Bible and prayer are the communication tools as well as your armor for an intimate relationship with the Lord. Press on, even if it’s difficult to understand some verses. The Holy Spirit in you will guide you through the Scriptures with times. As professed Christians we must be very vigilant, shrewd and discerning to the facts and the truth presented by Scriptures. 

Again, we are living in a TIME that has been clearly stated by the Holy Bible.  If we are conscious about all of these surroundings, we should not be caught flat footed as God’s children by the evil one. Let our Spiritual compass be the Lord and he will guide us to navigate through the times we are living in.

He will open our eyes to see the temptations the devil sets up before us each day. Fully conscious of such devices, we will be ready to fight it off before it finds a root in us. Simply, we should not allow the devil to attack us before we act. Be wise and be not unwise about the realities of the times we are living in. 

Child of God be discerning. READ THE BIBLE and don’t close it up. Don’t display it on your bookshelf. This is the Gospel, our FAITH and our HOPE.

UNCONTROLLABLE INDISCIPLINE OF HUMAN

SELF CONTROL – A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: There is a wise saying by an old man that says, “If a Christian marries a child of the devil, he is going to have a lot of trouble with his father-in-law.” Seems like humor but that’s the truth. It is a proven fact over the years, but several times in this age, young people have overlooked and doubted the saying. The problem is no patience and lack of self control.

SAMSON LIKE – ATTITUDE – INDISCIPLINE IS WEAKLING: Hence many years later many contemplate over their actions and realize that “the pain of discipline weighs ounces, while the pain of regret weighs loads of tons” regrettably. Such indiscipline often leads to inaction and bad choices in life in the areas of education, career, and relationships. Other times it may affect the health of individuals. The emphasis here is the lack of patience and uncontrollable indiscipline. Proverbs 13:18: “Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame”.

SO WHAT ARE THE TAKEAWAYS: As a Christian sometimes painful regret can also serve as a powerful inspiration? Nonetheless, there is nothing too late if you realize your mistakes and return to the Lord with regrets and with deep repentance. He is always ready to receive you in your suffering. Concede your past indiscipline and the resulting regret can inspire you to make disciplined choices in the present circumstances to avoid future suffering and work towards a better life. The Christian has an assurance. You are strong and have strength in the Lord to overcome your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9, states, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

SHOW ME YOUR FRIEND: Remember the saying —“show me your friend and I will show you your character.” You become like those with whom you associate. We have read, heard, or seen that strong and powerful people in positions have fallen through bad association and indiscipline. “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV). Note in Proverbs: Companion of fools shall perish together.

WISDOM TRUTH: Hence from whatever angle you look at it, such acts, and association with lack of self-control are like these old sayings that obviously prove a point: “He who lies down with the dogs will rise up with fleas.” And “as the flour miller leaves some tiny sediment of flour, and on all those whom he brushes against on his way home, so do all our associates leave a deposit of their personalities upon our lives.” Proverbs 25:28: “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control”.

Let us be self-restraint in all our relations. No rush, but be patient, and exercise self-control in choosing. Wait and listen to the voice of the Lord.
The Lord is always ready with his arms open and stretched to welcome you as long as you are back to seek him. Be encouraged, and exercise your FAITH for there is HOPE

LIFE OF FAITH AND WALK OF FAITH

LIFE OF FAITH AND WALK OF FAITH

The two most important things in our Christian theology are:

1. the life of faith  

2. the walk of faith.

These two pillars are significant points in the life of a Christian and if you understand these two points correctly your spiritual growth will be stronger. We have to be conscious of the fact that faith and godliness are not separate but are two sides of the same coin. 

Romans 1:17 states: “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.” [life of faith].

Hebrews 11:6 states: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”. [the walk of faith].

Hence as we all strive for holiness; true godliness must have its root in a living faith in Christ Jesus. Christians must be careful to seek one without the other on the same parallel. You cannot nurture faith and forget holiness. Faith without godliness would be like having a strong foundation for a house, but no walls or roof. It is incomplete because it offers no true shelter for this divine purpose in life. We must have faith, for this is the foundation: We must have holiness of life, and we must have godliness for this is the framework for our faith and hope. We need the superstructure of spiritual life if we need to live and walk in faith.

Here is a question:  What would it mean to you if you build a house and inhabit in it without a roof? What purpose would it serve when the storm comes?  Even so we need the superstructure of spiritual life if we would have comfort in the day of doubt.

Seek a holy life with faith, so that the Lord can build his house in your life otherwise no matter what you do, you may be able to build the house but the house cannot stand in the Spirit. 

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” We have a new life and guidance by the Holy Spirit hence, if we should live our lives in consistent alignment with the Spirit but not by our own desires, but by following Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions we will divinely fulfill the godliness and our faith in Christ. This will require an active, daily commitment to yielding in to the Spirit’s control, to allow Him to guide us toward righteousness, obedience, and love for others. 

Walking by the Spirit is the practical application of a life lived by the Spirit, requiring daily surrender and obedience to the Spirit’s will and guidance. 

In essence, Galatians 5:25 is a call to a dynamic and ongoing relationship with the Holy Spirit, where Christians should actively seek guidance and direction in a constant, self-control manner.  

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit, let us be led in the Spirit, live in Obedience and bear Fruits.”

There’s always hope rooted deep in our faith for us as Christians. This is the Gospel truth for our FAITH and HOPE.

THE CHARACTER OF PEACE

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you…. John 14:27

THE CHARACTER OF PEACE IN THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

As long as peace negotiators have assuaged or have little perception of peace, they will in no way be looked differently in a different way at the peace table and would not comprehend the issue at the table rightly so if in fact Christ is not placed at the center of the negotiation as well. Peacemakers at the opposite end of the table can’t talk peace if there’s a gun at each other party’s  head. The world does not understand this. It takes the Lord to break the impasse.

The fact remains that: “The continuous refusal from each other to settle any impasse at Peace treaties has rendered and   reduced peace negotiations to a mere name brand,” because we lack the understanding of the presence   of God — the character of peace in the Fruit of the Spirit. At the end of the day, God is the only PEACE MAKER, not man. It is better to approach peace with God in mind as the negotiator.

To be concise, the character of Peace in the Fruit of the Spirit highlights also in this case that authentic peace is rooted in a foundation of mutual understanding, respect, and the absence of fear or external pressure. People at the table should be quick to listen, be careful in their point of views and how they are presented at the table without anger but with wisdom.

When these conditions are not met with God in mind and  in prayer, attempts at the negotiation table are fruitless, as the core essence of peace cannot be achieved under the shadow of conflict in this case but significantly leaving the Lord God outside of the discussion. 

What the Scripture says:  James 1:19-20 states: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.  

Hebrews 12:14: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord”. 

Romans 12:18: encourages us to make a sincere effort to be peaceful and accommodating to others as far as it depends on you.

Fundamentally, Romans 12:18 confront all peace negotiators in this case to embody a peace-making attitude, even in difficult circumstances, by doing everything within our power to promote harmony as the Scripture says and with faith and hope. 

To all Christians don’t talk Faith without Hope, and don’t walk into negotiation room or table without Faith and Hope in the Lord. This aligns with the principles of the Bible in time of peace negotiation. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” [John 12-27]. This is the Gospel truth of our FAITH and HOPE.

HOPE FOR SALVATION

HOPE FOR SALVATION
Romans 8:24-25- “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
What is Apostle Paul saying? To me, Paul, the Apostle of Jesus emphasizes that, based on our faith in Jesus Christ there’s salvation for “anyone.”
Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever (anyone) shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” There is nothing too complex about this verse but it’s not easy to see the simplicity of it too. Simply put, it is about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The word “anyone” in the verse also refers to people, whoever you are, wherever you live, regardless of your status, or a particular characteristic. In short, this is the universality of the gospel message.
“Believing in Him” means trusting and depending on Christ for salvation. This is an open invitation to all who call on the Lord in repentance with faith and believing with hope. Luke 5:32 confirms that Jesus came to call people who know they are sinners and need to repent, not those who think they are righteous. Salvation is for anyone who’s ready, regardless of what you are and who you are. You have to repent, believe, and activate your faith to receive your salvation.
Here is the deal if you are a non-Christian. You must be conscious of the fact that this hope of salvation is rooted in the belief that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross offers forgiveness and reconciliation with God. IT IS FOR ALL HUMANITY. The deal is cemented and never to be walked back. It is the pathway to an unshakeable hope for salvation. All you have to do is come boldly repent for your evil past or sins and declare that you have ACCEPTED him as your Lord and personal Savior and indeed as the son of God.
The Lord’s promise of salvation provides comfort, strength, and hope in times of difficulties and encourages us as Christians to live an honorable and virtuous life.
If you are not a professed Christian and you are reading this piece, I must say you are not here by chance. The Holy Spirit has brought you this far. Do not turn your back on the Lord.
If on the other hand, you are devoted or a baby Christian, it is a reminder for you to increase your relationship with the Lord, eradicate your unbelief, and stop being focused on your “selfish self.”
I would emphasize that this hope in Christ in the subject under discussion is much bigger than the idea of an everlasting life where believers in Christ will experience timeless life with God in Heaven beholding our Lord God forever.
I will also stress that Christians who are struggling with hopelessness should remember their covenant with Christ. Your faith, trust, confidence, and motivation will increase your hope and break the chain of hopelessness to allow you to glorify the Lord here and eternally.
Your future is brighter than you think. Don’t you ever quit, open your heart to the Lord. Hope with perseverance will yield results for God’s glory. Without hope, we don’t have Christ and without Christ, we don’t have salvation.

DECISION
1. You have the choice to renew your Salvation, and the time is now.
2. You have the choice to accept the Lord as your Lord Jesus your Salvation. The time is now.
Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.”
// RADS//
Share