The Holy Spirit calls to me this morning and His subject matter is Faith.
The world is spirally out of control and we are being tempted at every corner. The temptation we face as believers are not just in our flesh that seduces us at every corner. In fact, we may well be victorious over the truly "sinful" things identified as flesh sins, such as adultery or murder, but fail to recognize the temptation toward unbelief due to a wrong perspective or spirit.
The Holy One has been speaking His grief to my heart over the last few months: "When I return will I find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. I hear His anguish and I do not want to fail Him.
Today, I realize He has something important to convey to me and I am bracing for what that may be.
"Everyone is exercising faith in something or someone. The question becomes, in whom or in what have you placed your faith?" With that simple statement of truth and question, the swirling of my stinkin' thinkin' comes to a sudden halt, almost in mid-air. He goes on to say, "You have been full of doubts lately. Doubting me is really putting your faith elsewhere".
Oh how the rebuke stings. Yet, I realize the undeniable truth in what He just spoke to me. The liar, the devil, Satan as he is called, has been making inroads into my mind.
Lately, because of "circumstances" I have been in places of doubt. The lie of evil along with the "evidence" in the natural supporting the temptation toward unbelief is challenging my faith in the Divine power of Righteousness and Holiness to prevail.
The doubts are about internal as well as external issues. "Be Holy because I am Holy", the enemy says "that's not possible." Evil is more powerful than your God", the enemy says, "just look at the world!".
The devil is working relentlessly to have us place our faith in him and his authority. Even and especially as a believer in Christ, he attacks us to destroy the testimony of faith in our God. When we doubt we are actually placing our faith in something other than our God.
The test comes when all the "evidence" in the natural is supporting unbelief in God's Good Sovereignty. Will we stand firm in our faith?
Our testimony is refined in the fires of adversity, when the flames of eminent death to all we trust in, licks at our feet. Will we say, along with Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it and He will rescue us from your hand O King. But even if He does not, we want you to know O King, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:17-18
Will we say, even along with Job, "Though He slay me yet will I hope in Him". Important to note that the end of their "test" became a testimony of the greatness and power of our God.
As we are all feeling the heat of adversity from the days and times in which we live, will we be faithful to the One who calls us to Himself?
And when He comes, will He find faith on the earth? In you? In me?
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear him?
The world is spirally out of control and we are being tempted at every corner. The temptation we face as believers are not just in our flesh that seduces us at every corner. In fact, we may well be victorious over the truly "sinful" things identified as flesh sins, such as adultery or murder, but fail to recognize the temptation toward unbelief due to a wrong perspective or spirit.
The Holy One has been speaking His grief to my heart over the last few months: "When I return will I find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. I hear His anguish and I do not want to fail Him.
Today, I realize He has something important to convey to me and I am bracing for what that may be.
"Everyone is exercising faith in something or someone. The question becomes, in whom or in what have you placed your faith?" With that simple statement of truth and question, the swirling of my stinkin' thinkin' comes to a sudden halt, almost in mid-air. He goes on to say, "You have been full of doubts lately. Doubting me is really putting your faith elsewhere".
Oh how the rebuke stings. Yet, I realize the undeniable truth in what He just spoke to me. The liar, the devil, Satan as he is called, has been making inroads into my mind.
Lately, because of "circumstances" I have been in places of doubt. The lie of evil along with the "evidence" in the natural supporting the temptation toward unbelief is challenging my faith in the Divine power of Righteousness and Holiness to prevail.
The doubts are about internal as well as external issues. "Be Holy because I am Holy", the enemy says "that's not possible." Evil is more powerful than your God", the enemy says, "just look at the world!".
The devil is working relentlessly to have us place our faith in him and his authority. Even and especially as a believer in Christ, he attacks us to destroy the testimony of faith in our God. When we doubt we are actually placing our faith in something other than our God.
The test comes when all the "evidence" in the natural is supporting unbelief in God's Good Sovereignty. Will we stand firm in our faith?
Our testimony is refined in the fires of adversity, when the flames of eminent death to all we trust in, licks at our feet. Will we say, along with Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it and He will rescue us from your hand O King. But even if He does not, we want you to know O King, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:17-18
Will we say, even along with Job, "Though He slay me yet will I hope in Him". Important to note that the end of their "test" became a testimony of the greatness and power of our God.
As we are all feeling the heat of adversity from the days and times in which we live, will we be faithful to the One who calls us to Himself?
And when He comes, will He find faith on the earth? In you? In me?
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear him?
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