I have this posted in my office and want to share it. It helps me keep my priorities straight! (I am not sure where I got it, or who wrote/said it.)
"There is only one relationship that matters and that is your personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. Let every thing else go, but maintain that at ALL costs and God will fulfill His purpose through your life.
One individual may be of priceless value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life."
Monday, June 27, 2016
Saturday, June 25, 2016
The "Hall of Faith"
Hebrews chapter 11 is most commonly known as the "Hall of Faith". In this chapter God reveals to us a number of those whom have had extraordinary faith in Him from the beginning. But the chapter in in Hebrews is not all inclusive! There are so many more who are on the list in my mind of "faithful".
Currently I am reading about Hannah and her faith, in the book of 1st Samuel. She was barren and so very badly wanted a baby. She went to the Lord God and poured out her heart. When she entered His presence in prayer, she was "deeply distressed" but when she finished praying her face was "no longer sad". To me, this is evidence of her faith!
1st Samuel 1:20 reads, "In due time, Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, 'I have asked for him from the Lord'". (ESV) There you have it. Now we know that she asked, had faith and named him accordingly.
When we go before the Lord in prayer, do we have that faith? Do we walk away from our prayer-time with a "new countenance" that reflects our faith that we know God heard us? Or, do we have to see results that meet our expectations before we have a new attitude? As I mature in the Lord, I find that I more commonly have a changed attitude pretty quickly. I have seen His faithfulness over and over again in my life and He has taught me that He ALWAYS hears me.
Now, is the answer always yes? Well, NO! But even when a no comes, I trust Him to have my best interest in mind. I usually don't know what is best for me, I just know what I want. And here again, I have learned over the years that usually what I want isn't best for me!
So Hannah received a yes. But in her prayer for a child, she also promised God that she would give the child back to God to serve Him all the days of the child's life. WOW! Is this faith or just an empty promise to get what she wanted? We see in verses 1:27-28 that Hannah remembers her vow to God and gave Samuel to the Lord. More faith! Do we bargain with God? If so, do we hold up our end? God cannot be mocked or fooled. He knows long before we make a deal with Him whether or not we will be faithful to it. This is why I tend not to make promises to God. I just don't think that I am dependable enough to keep them. I generally tell Him that whatever He chooses is good with me, because I am good with that. He has NEVER chosen badly for me.
Hannah knew this truth already, it seems. She trusted Him to hear her, to answer her and she trusted Him with the outcome. What an awesome example of faith!
God blessed her with a baby but her selfless vow couldn't have been easy to live with every day. I suspect that there were days that she longed to have her son at home with her, to teach him and watch him grow. Sometimes this may be the case with us. We ask for something in prayer, God answers our prayer and then we find that our flesh still isn't content. Maybe it didn't turn out like we had hoped, or it did at first, but it got harder with time; that situation or relationship. Does this mean that God really didn't answer our prayer after all? Nope. Most likely He did and we are right were we belong; growing, learning and gaining faith. Its in these times we need to be patient and steadfast in prayer. God will encourage us and confirm that we are right were we need to be. God blessed Hannah for her obedience by giving her more children. And God blesses us for ours as well.
Take heart, be strong and learn from Hannah's example!
Currently I am reading about Hannah and her faith, in the book of 1st Samuel. She was barren and so very badly wanted a baby. She went to the Lord God and poured out her heart. When she entered His presence in prayer, she was "deeply distressed" but when she finished praying her face was "no longer sad". To me, this is evidence of her faith!
1st Samuel 1:20 reads, "In due time, Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, 'I have asked for him from the Lord'". (ESV) There you have it. Now we know that she asked, had faith and named him accordingly.
When we go before the Lord in prayer, do we have that faith? Do we walk away from our prayer-time with a "new countenance" that reflects our faith that we know God heard us? Or, do we have to see results that meet our expectations before we have a new attitude? As I mature in the Lord, I find that I more commonly have a changed attitude pretty quickly. I have seen His faithfulness over and over again in my life and He has taught me that He ALWAYS hears me.
Now, is the answer always yes? Well, NO! But even when a no comes, I trust Him to have my best interest in mind. I usually don't know what is best for me, I just know what I want. And here again, I have learned over the years that usually what I want isn't best for me!
So Hannah received a yes. But in her prayer for a child, she also promised God that she would give the child back to God to serve Him all the days of the child's life. WOW! Is this faith or just an empty promise to get what she wanted? We see in verses 1:27-28 that Hannah remembers her vow to God and gave Samuel to the Lord. More faith! Do we bargain with God? If so, do we hold up our end? God cannot be mocked or fooled. He knows long before we make a deal with Him whether or not we will be faithful to it. This is why I tend not to make promises to God. I just don't think that I am dependable enough to keep them. I generally tell Him that whatever He chooses is good with me, because I am good with that. He has NEVER chosen badly for me.
Hannah knew this truth already, it seems. She trusted Him to hear her, to answer her and she trusted Him with the outcome. What an awesome example of faith!
God blessed her with a baby but her selfless vow couldn't have been easy to live with every day. I suspect that there were days that she longed to have her son at home with her, to teach him and watch him grow. Sometimes this may be the case with us. We ask for something in prayer, God answers our prayer and then we find that our flesh still isn't content. Maybe it didn't turn out like we had hoped, or it did at first, but it got harder with time; that situation or relationship. Does this mean that God really didn't answer our prayer after all? Nope. Most likely He did and we are right were we belong; growing, learning and gaining faith. Its in these times we need to be patient and steadfast in prayer. God will encourage us and confirm that we are right were we need to be. God blessed Hannah for her obedience by giving her more children. And God blesses us for ours as well.
Take heart, be strong and learn from Hannah's example!
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