"Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
-Hebrews 11:1
Faith is personal. Let me give you an example... when we first were married my husband and I had nothing! We were poor and needy and living on love... well then came a little product of that love... a sweet baby oh how thrilled we were... until... 24 weeks I had complications and couldn't work... flat on my back for 11 weeks, no paycheck, not able to take care of my home or husband... I was a wreck! Then at 35 weeks baby comes early.. we are in the NICU, he wasn't nursing as he should, and all I wanted to do was scream!!
LORD WHY?! He Needs me... I can't even take care of my own baby! Lord, what is happening?
Then I remembered a conversation I had with my mom and the prayer I had prayed since the moment I knew we were pregnant. "Lord, all I want is to be able to stay at home and raise my babies....."
Oh friends! be careful what you ask for!! God was coming through... in those weeks lying on the couch, he was teaching both myself and my husband to PRAY, RELY ON GODS PROVISION, and TO HAVE FAITH!
I became a stay at home mom... and you know what... we have done without some things... and it has been wonderful!
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"
-1 Peter 1:7
It starts small, the speck of a seed barely noticed and buried deep inside as we search the scriptures for its truths and gaining truths by those the Lord has given us as Pastors and leaders. We can’t give another our faith we can’t take away anyone’s faith, but we can inspire others by how we live out ours! No matter where you are on your personal journey we can always gain more faith.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE... SOMEONE IS WATCHING US! We can be the reason that someone turns to, or runs from the Lord!!!
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ... So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. "
-Romans 10:14 & 17
The more we "prove our faith" the more we dive into God's word, the more we hear his preaching and teaching, the more we will grow. And you guys... proving is not fun, that means trials, and heartache and suffering and things that we won't understand at first... but God through his faithfulness and mercy will walk with us EVERY STEP!
"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. …" -Matthew 13:31-32 KJV
Last thing I'll leave you with is that even when we arent faithful, GOD IS!
No matter the circumstance, trial, longing... He is faithful.
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True..." -Revelation 19:11
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