How would you measure your faith? Is it small and growing? Is it large, well established and firm? Or is it medium with the ability to go up and down depending upon how it is tested? In Titus, Paul describes his faith as “a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” Titus 1:2 He knew that what he believed in conjunction with what he knew about God had to be based on Christ and his hope was in the promise of Christ- eternal life. Paul knew that he could trust this faith in Christ and the promised eternal life because God said it would be so from the beginning of time and God does not lie. God can not lie as He is truth (John 4:24). Hebrews 6:18 tells us “God did this so that , by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.” Just like Paul and the author of Hebrews, I am greatly encouraged by the hope offered to me through faith in Jesus and assured by the fact that my God is truthful and incapable of lying to me. What about you? Is your faith rooted and grounded in Christ? Are you encouraged by God’s promises in Christ?
Prayer: Father, give me faith that is growing and knowledge of you that is expanding each day. Hold me in the palm of your hand so that I may know you are real and feel the truth of your being within me. Thank you for the hope I have in Christ that you set in motion from the beginning of time knowing that I would be in need of a Savior. Help me to grab hold of that hope today and put it into action towards others. In Jesus, Amen.
Living with hope with God’s promises,
Linda
Have a blessed Sunday worshiping our Lord.
Today I am staggered by the thought that God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to die for my sins to redeem me, save me, to keep me wholly secure for eternity. What about that did I deserve? Nothing. I can never do enough or be good enough to earn this favor from God. I have to accept it as a gift from God. When you think on the grace of God and His mercy to us- it seems beyond comprehension. Psalm 84:11 seeks to explain God’s attitude of grace towards us. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” My walk is definitely not blameless. The only way this fits me is through my faith in the cleansing power of Jesus. My faith in Him gives me the ability to appear before God as blameless in His sight. As I consider God’s grace and mercy towards me, I don’t understand it but I am so grateful. 1 Peter 5:10 “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” I desire to be strong, firm and steadfast in my Christian walk and through God’s grace and mercy Jesus is there to lead me and bring me through this life, the suffering for a little while, into His glory. Thank you Jesus.
Today I was meditating on God’s Mercy. David reminded of my need to confess before God. “I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:5 Solomon wisely warned. “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 
Thankful for His great mercy towards me,
Those thoughts against others, of wrongs done to you, lost opportunities, soured relationships and in general the hard things of life that can make us bitter. It would seem that author of Hebrews is saying it is a choice and is encouraging us to live with an awareness of what bitterness can do to us and to those around us if we allow it to fester and grow. It can deprive us of the grace of God as well as others. It can pollute the atmosphere around us and cause others to be bitter. So today I will consciously choose to be tenderhearted as described in Colossians 3:12 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility , meekness and patience.” I will choose to leave bitterness behind today. Join me in leaving bitterness behind and walk with forgiveness in your heart through the Grace of God trusting Him to erase the hurt and fill it with love.
Linda
ive to do good works in your name. Amen.
Seeking to reflect God’s love to others,
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2
Fearless Living 