Living by Faith!

I am spending an awesome day with God, fasting and praying, enjoying the beautiful world that God has created.  This is a beautiful place, even though it is raining, the sun does come out from time to time to shine diamonds of water sparkling from the plants.  Beautiful!

2 Cor. 4:17-18 have eternal eyesight that gets better as you grow older and let the earthly eyesight diminish.  Keep our eyes focused on God and His will.  The unseen, spiritual world is more real and eternal than the physical world.  We need to get our focus off our earthly circumstances and know that those things are temporary and of no consequence.  It is how we respond to these things that make the difference in our eternal eyesight and our character.  We wrestle not with flesh and blood but against darkness… (Eph. 6:12).  Eph. chapters 2 & 3.   v. 12-13 do not lose heart, keep the faith. v. 17 grounded in love.  v. 19 to know God.  To know Him is to spend time with Him.  We need to devote ourselves to knowing Him and then go out and operate in what He has asked us to do.  Just like Jesus, to go about the Father’s business.  Then v. 20 He can do for and allow what we ask or think in our lives.  Eph. 1:9 He has made known to us the mysteries of His will, what are we going to do about it?  v. 18 that the eyes of our understanding being enlightened and the only way is to be in His word.  So that Eph 4:14-15 we can speak the truth in Love. v. 21 if we hear from Him the truth will be in us, we have to spend time in His presence, not just coming to Him with a need or wish list, but hearing from Him, that means we have to be quiet!

Eph. 4:28 the devil has stole from us long enough!  We need to take back what he has stolen – what we have worked for, he has stolen from us a lot: $$, time, people, things – just like Jesus, we have to go out and do the kingdom work and take it back and even advance the kingdom.  V. 26 be angry at the works of the devil and what he has done, but sin not.  Don’t resort to violence or getting sidetracked into social work or whatever.  When Jesus was on the earth, far more was done and seen by Him than what was written (John 21:25).  Jesus, as He was growing up, lived in a time of violence and turmoil. Rome was a ruthless master, Jesus saw many things around Him that was unjust, but He didn’t step in and try to change the culture through social work.  He knew that the people needed to be changed from the inside out, that is why He made disciples of the people who had a heart for what He was doing.  We too must do the same – go out and make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20) and signs and wonders will follow (Mark 16:17-18).

Eph. 5:1-2 we must be His imitators and walk in love, we must be like Him vs. 9, 19-20.  God calls us to die to self and to give up everything (every idol) we think is important to us.  Matt. 12:21, 22-31 – seek His kingdom first!  Matt. 19:29 – we left most of our things behind; we have gone through great trial, but God will keep His promises to us and will multiply what we have so we can do the work He has called us to!

John 7:37 – be thirsty for Jesus, just like our physical body needs water, we get disoriented without it, we need to ‘drink’ in the words of Jesus so we don’t get misled and disoriented.  His word is the Living Water.  The deeper you get into the word, the more it comes alive.  The more you experience the Word, going out in faith and doing the kingdom work, the more it comes alive!

1 Sam. 16:7 – many look to outward appearances (the homeless/outcast) and keep them out from receiving the love of Christ.  We need to be like Jesus and look at the heart, the inner lives (by their fruit you will know them) and welcome them.  Yes, just like us, they are in process!  We must come beside them, love them through their change.  If we are to be ambassadors of God’s love, we need to prove it.  I found a cool article on facebook: 

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service....only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food....NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.......Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It's something you live by and share with others.
From Westcoast Fiya

If nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:39) then who are we to judge those whom we shall love or not?  If we are to be like Jesus, we are to love unconditionally – not the sin, but the person and welcome them in.  The lost will believe that God is Love by how we treat them!  God loves us not for what we do, but for who we are inside – shouldn’t we do the same?

1 Cor. 15:58 – we have to be steadfast and continue in the path God has set for us and that our labor is not in fain.  Through obedience to Him no matter the circumstances, we will win the victory on earth as it is in heaven!  Matt. 17:21-22 – we have mountains to move, so we must pray and fast.  Matt. 16:19 – we have been given the keys to heaven.  V18 and hell cannot come against it.  Matt. 18:18-20 we come in agreement that these mountains be removed and that we be given a free path to do Your will Jesus!

My prayer for today:  You are doing great things in us and through us and that we are trying to live by faith.  We lay our problems at Your feet and Your word says you will lay them waste to bring Yourself Glory.  You will not forsake Your chosen, nor bring them to shame.  You always uphold Your word and Your people would not be a people who borrow or beg.  We will not be moved, but by God alone.  We will continue to fight for Your chosen people, no matter what comes against us, even when the enemy surrounds us.  We will overcome in the Name of Jesus!  You have given us all dominion and authority to take back what the enemy has stolen.  We have and continue to die to self and give up our idols and we continue to be steadfast and stay in the path You have chosen for us.  We have mountains to move, so we fast and pray now.  You promise to heal all and restore all and will prosper us to bring Glory to Your Name!