CAN YOUR FAITH BE SEEN?

 

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In II Corinthians 13:5 (NIV), the Apostle Paul says, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in faith.” That tells me faith is something which can be seen. In Matthew 9:36, when four men took their paralytic friend up on a roof top, tore a hole in the roof and lowered him down in front of Jesus, we read, “Jesus saw their faith.” Again, faith is portrayed in the Word of God as something that can be seen. Therefore, how can you show God and the world you are in faith? I submit to you that your faith can be seen in three ways:1) your behavior, 2) your words, and 3) your praise.

Your Behavior

When you are in faith, your behavior will reflect it. James 2:17 says, “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead.” Your faith can be demonstrated by what you do. Are you following God’s instructions? Are you preparing for the time when what you are asking God to do manifests in the natural realm? Are you acting as if it’s really going to happen?

Your Words

Mark 11:23 says, “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart,but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” II Corinthians 4:13 says, “We believe, and therefore speak.” Whatever you believe, you speak forth. So what are you saying? Are you talking about what is happening, or are you saying what you want to happen? Are you speaking words that indicate you don’t believe, or are you speaking forth the Word of God?

Your Praise

If you are in faith, praise will come forth from your mouth naturally because you are expecting God to perform His Word. If you are not in faith, complaining will be the by-product. If you have faith, you believe what you ask is already done in the spirit realm, and it’s just a matter of time before it manifests in the natural realm. Additionally, you should praise God for what He’s already done. Focusing on past victories will help to fuel your faith for future battles.

Let your behavior, your words, and your praise serve as clear evidence that you are in faith. When you act and speak in ways that contradict what you believe, withhold your praise, and complain instead, know that it is an indication to God and man that you do not believe. Show your faith off as you speak, act, and praise the Lord with abandon.

If you are believing God for something in your own life, how will people look at you and know that you have faith? Leave a comment below.

 

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BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR ABILITY TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE

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I long to hear the voice of God. Jesus said my sheep know my voice, and the voice of a stranger they will not follow (John 10:27). But I must be transparent here. Sometimes I fear that I will not hear God’s voice. If I don’t hear His voice, I’m afraid I will end up in a mess. Because of this concern, I have a hard time entering into the Sabbath Rest that God has promised in the fourth chapter of Hebrews to those who believe.

God Is a Great Communicator

I began to ponder on this issue. If God is the King of the universe, able to do exceeding abundantly above what I ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), then can’t He communicate to me clearly in a way that I can understand what He wants me to do? If he can use a donkey to speak to Balaam (Numbers 22:21-31), can’t He speak to me so that I can hear Him? How can I do what He wants if I’m not sure I heard what He said? If He knows me inside and out, knows my down sittings and my uprisings, my thoughts afar off, what’s on my tongue before I say it (Psalm 139:2-4), doesn’t He also know when I understand and when I don’t? Doesn’t He know when I will “get it” and when I won’t? Isn’t He the best communicator in the universe? Then why should I not expect Him to communicate to me in a way that I can understand? I want to carry out His will. I want to do exactly what He says. I am looking for a Word from Him. If that is the case, shouldn’t I believe that the Almighty God can give me instructions, I can do what He says and have confidence that I am carrying out His agenda?

I can see why I would not hear Him if I am one of those people who is not even seeking His will. If I am trying to do my own thing, not even looking for a Word from God, and don’t even care what He thinks, surely when He is trying to communicate to me, it’s very likely that I will miss God. But I really am having a problem believing that He will not communicate to me clearly when I am intently aware of God, listen for His voice, and have my ear to His chest to hear His heartbeat.

Don’t Draw the Wrong Conclusions

Have you ever thought you heard God, moved out, and things didn’t turn out as you expected? At that point, you probably thought because you experienced negative consequences, you didn’t hear God. But when Jesus told the disciples to go to the other side of the lake in Matthew 14:22-33, they heard the Savior right. However, when they got to the middle of the lake, they got caught in a storm. I’m sure at that time, they thought, “We must not have heard Him right.” They may have said, “Maybe we should have waited a couple of hours. Maybe He meant tomorrow, not today.” But right in the midst of the storm, Jesus came to them walking on the water. During that time Peter walked on the water. After they got in the boat, the winds stopped. When it was over, the disciples said, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). Therefore, the whole thing was a set up by Jesus to get them to experience Him in a new way and to confirm to them who He really was. That day, they got the revelation that He was the Messiah.

Therefore, we must not conclude that we did not hear the Lord correctly when we obediently follow God’s instructions and get negative results. On the contrary, we must believe that if we are really listening, God is big and bad enough to communicate His wishes in a way we can understand. Whatever ensues, whether negative or positive, we must believe that is the plan of God for our lives. He will work everything together for our good according to Romans 8:28.

Have Confidence!

The bottom line is this: If you are not interested in what God has to say, you can be certain you will not hear His voice, and there will be painful times when you will end up outside of His will. However, Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct thy path.”  That means if we trust Him, ask for His input and refuse to try to figure out what to do on our own, He will indeed guide us. That is a promise. Believe it. Therefore, if you are looking for direction from God and want His will for your life, take heart! Have confidence! He will speak to you in a way you can clearly understand so that you can carry out His instructions, fulfill your destiny and accomplish the good plan He has for your life.

Please share  your experience about hearing from God by leaving a comment below.

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

Would you like to receive your FREE e-chapbook entitled, Your Faith Has Made You Whole: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual Transformation, by Tracey L. Moore? Go to www.traceylmoore.com and subscribe to the email list.

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FEAR NOT! GOD’S WORD IS PACKED WITH PROMISES FOR YOU!

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We all feel fear sometimes, but don’t you hate feeling fearful? I know I do. I get so frustrated with myself. I know that God is powerful. I know that He is faithful, so why do I feel the anxiety at times? If I trust Him like I say that I do, if I have confidence in Him, then I want the emotion of fear to be subdued. But I guess if we feel the fear, but don’t let it control us, and we move forward and do what God says to do anyway, He is still pleased when we trust Him enough to do what He says to do in spite of our fears.

Whenever I begin to feel fear, I turn to one of my favorite Bible verses, Isaiah 41:10. In this scripture God says, “Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” This “fear not” is so precious to me when I am facing alarming and overwhelming situations. This verse is particularly comforting because God includes several promises intended to dispel fear:

1)      God is with you.  When we forget that God is with us, the enemy has an open door to rush in like a flood with the spirit of fear. Sometimes we may not feel God’s presence. But He has said in Hebrews 10:13, He will never leave or forsake us. Therefore, I don’t care how you feel. God is with you, and He is watching over His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).

2)      He’s your God. God wants to remind you that He is in covenant with you. That means that He has taken a solemn oath that He will not break His promise to you, EVER. He loves you dearly, and He wants you to know that because He’s YOUR God, you can depend on Him. He will not let you down.

3)      He will strengthen you. Sometimes life just wears us out. When your strength is gone and you feel as if you can’t go one step further, God will strengthen you. He says the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now quickens your mortal body (Romans 8:11). He will renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31).

4)      He will help you. When you call on Him, He will answer you and show you great and mighty things (Jeremiah 33:3).  He has promised to assist you when you call on Him. He will rescue you because you are His child and He loves you.

5)      He will uphold you. No matter what it looks like, you are not going under. When you pass through the water, He promises He will be with you and the rivers will not overflow you (Isaiah 43:2). He will keep your head above the waters of your circumstances when you are in too deep.

God tells us to “fear not” so many times in the Word. I haven’t counted the number of occasions myself, but I hear that there are 365 “fear nots”, one for every day of the year. So when you feel fear, don’t beat yourself up.  God knows that He will ask you to do things that will look completely ominous. That is why He said, “Fear not.”  Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and following God’s instructions, trusting and obeying, until you see the results He promised in His Word.

When you felt fear, but moved forward anyway, what happened? Please share your testimony by leaving a comment below.

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

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DON’T COMPLAIN WHEN GOD IS ANSWERING YOUR PRAYER

 

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In Numbers 11, when the Israelites told the Lord they wanted meat because they were tired of eating the manna He had sent from heaven, God was livid. He then sent quail for them to eat and told them that they would eat it until it came out of their nostrils. Some of them even complained about the quail. The Lord couldn’t take anymore of their ungratefulness and struck the complainers with a deadly plague. I guess that’s what complaining will get you.

Time to Repent

The other day I caught myself sounding like the Israelites in the wilderness. I am battling acid reflux disease, also known as GERDS. I am trying to facilitate my healing with prayer, “Word therapy,” diet and nutrition. Right now, according to my naturopathic doctor, all I am supposed to eat is fruits, vegetables, and meats. Period. No carbs and no grains. I had stuck diligently to that diet for several months, but had not experienced the results I wanted. I asked myself, why am I depriving myself? So recently, I ate some things that I most certainly was not supposed to eat, and I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed what I ate.  However, I suffered the consequences. I began to complain to God, “I am tired of not being able to eat what I want.” I heard Him whisper to me, “You sound like the Israelites to Me.” That moment, I had to repent. I knew what He meant: I was ungrateful. I had food to eat. There are many people who don’t have that luxury and are starving. Yet, I was complaining about having to eat healthy food. Crazy, isn’t it?

It’s Working for Our Good

Romans 8:28 says that all things are working together for our good. Even this illness, although God didn’t send it (but He allowed it) can work to my advantage. The way I see it, He is using this GERDS situation to train me to eat properly so that He can answer my prayer of having a good quality of life in my golden years. When I was complaining, He said to me, “I am trying to give you what you asked for. Do you want a long, healthy life or not?” I want a long, healthy life. How about you?

Sometimes we pray for things, and then when God starts orchestrating things in our lives so we can get what we want, we complain about it. We need to be in a thanksgiving mode. God is good, He loves us, and He is always trying to position us to receive showers of blessings. Therefore, whatever is going on, it’s all good.

So the next time you feel like complaining about your situation, how about looking for how that thing can work to your advantage? Ask God for what you want versus complaining about what you have. Praise Him for what He’s done and what He will do, and that will fuel your faith. Whatever you do, please don’t complain.

What have you complained about lately that could be a part of God’s answer to your prayer? Leave a comment below.

 

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

Would you like to receive your FREE e-chapbook entitled, Your Faith Has Made You Whole: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual Transformation, by Tracey L. Moore? Go to www.traceylmoore.com and subscribe to the email list.

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Take a trip down a spiritually poetic trail, and dare to become your best for Christ.

 

WHAT DOES TRUSTING GOD REALLY MEAN?

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What does it really mean to trust God? Trusting God means you confidently rely on Him. If you are not relying on Him, then you can’t call it trust. Trust requires that you have certain expectations, and if they aren’t met, your outcome will not be favorable. Reliance on another means that  if the person does not come through, you will have a difficult situation on your hands. Therefore, when you say you “trust God,” you are communicating that you are relying on Him in the following ways:

1) You trust that God is for you and not against you. God is not out to get you. He is not sitting up in heaven ready to pounce on you when you slip up and do something wrong. He loves you, He is on your side, and is always willing to help you, even if the choices you made caused you to end up in the mess in which you find yourself.

2) You trust God to keep His Word. God has made numerous promises to you in His Word. Jesus stated that “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). He says, “I say the word, and will perform it” (Ezekiel 12:25) God is faithful. He will do whatever He said He will do. He is the same yesterday today and forever (Hebrews 13:8)

3) You trust in God’s ability and power to do what needs to be done. God is omnipotent. He is able to do exceedingly abundant above what we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). His power is limitless. NOTHING is impossible with God (Luke 1:37)

What does it mean when you don’t trust God? When you fail to trust Him, you are saying a mouthful:

1) You insinuate that His character is flawed.

2) You communicate to Him that He is a liar.

3) You might as well say He doesn’t even exist.

4) You ungratefully discount all the things He has done for you up until this point.

Is this what you want to communicate to the King of the Universe? Your Daddy? Your Abba Father? Time to cry out, “Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!” It’s time to recognize the faithfulness of God and to start trusting Him with abandon.

Beloved, God wants you to cast your care. He says He cares for you (I Peter 5:7). That means He has affection for you, but it also means He is your caretaker. He looks after you.  He paid the ultimate price of His Son for you.

Casting your care is simply another way of saying, “I trust God to take care of [fill in the blank].” Are you casting your care on Him? Do you trust God, or not? How do you know that you are trusting God? You will have peace and joy in spite of what is going on around you. When that happens, you have truly entered into His rest. The only way you will ever enter into His rest is to trust God. Period. Without trust, you are in for a miserable existence.

So let’s pray and ask God to empower us through the Holy Spirit to fully trust Him. You will be able to say in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The Lord God will help me, therefore, I will not be confounded. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint and I know that I will not be ashamed” (Isaiah 50:7). Your heavenly Father can be trusted to be exactly Who He says He is. He will not let you down.

What do you need to entrust to God today? Express your confidence in the Father by leaving a comment below.

 

I’d love your help spreading the word about my book, Oasis for My Soul: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual and Personal Growth. Click here to find out ways you can help.

Would you like to receive your FREE e-chapbook entitled, Your Faith Has Made You Whole: Poems and Inspirational Writings for Spiritual Transformation, by Tracey L. Moore? Go to www.traceylmoore.com and subscribe to the email list.

Find me on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/TraceyLMoore2012

Follow me on Twitter:  @TraceyLMoore1

Take a trip down a spiritually poetic trail, and dare to become your best for Christ.