Faith

Faith! Oh boy, here I go again, talking about faith. That is because it is so important to me.
All that I am, with everything in me, with all I have to offer, I want it to be based on my belief, in faith, and my trust in my Lord Jesus Christ.

The definition of FAITH in the Webster's dictionary:

1 a : devotion to duty or a person : LOYALTY b : the quality of keeping one's promises

2 a : belief and trust in and loyalty to God b : belief in the doctrines of a religion c : firm belief even in the absence of proof d : complete confidence

3 : something that is firmly believed; especially : a system of religious beliefs

I wanted to include the actual definition, sometimes it is good to remind ourselves. 

My faith in Jesus is my foundation of who I am. I want to be known as a "woman of faith". I have often spoken or written about my faith, therefore I need to actively be that person of faith. However, I am human just like you, so I will at times be weaker in my faith. I may have doubt that I will overcome something. Those are the times I rely mostly on my husband to encourage me, and pray for me, and to pray over me in faith. That truly will set me back on the right track. Those are the times I must pick myself back up and move forward in my faith.

We have seen horrible natural disasters lately. The hurricanes, the earthquakes, the wildfires. Many of the people interviewed clearly had faith that they can pick themselves up and press on, they know they will be ok. Then some were distraught, they have no idea what to do or how they can move forward. Those people need our prayers desperately. Prayers of faith that God will meet their needs. That is intercession, when we are praying and believing the best for others. 

I have friends who are going through health crisis. It is my responsibility to stand in faith and intercede for those friends. Some have faith and believe they will be fine, others not so much. But it doesn't make any difference, I pray for them just the same. 

I know for myself, many people pray for my health and believe in faith that God has His best for me. 

And this is why I can be in faith for myself. I draw on the strength of others. The Bible tells us to pray for one another, encourage one another, support one another, and so on. 

Folks this is my point. We do not have to be super strong. We do not have to be perfect. If we find ourselves weak those are the times to reach out to our spouse, loved ones, friends, and ask for them to intercede in faith for you. 

I am honored when someone asks me to pray for them. I consider it a service and duty to God. And a privilege. So along with asking for prayers lets make ourselves available to others to pray for them.

God wants us to be a people of faith. If we want to please God and honor Him, we must walk in faith. 

My prayer for you today is that you can find that faith deep down inside and believe that Jesus Christ has His very best for you. And that you have the faith to pray for others who are struggling.

Hebrews 11:6Amplified Bible (AMP)

6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

Ambassadors For Christ

How many times have we said to ourselves or to others "it doesn't matter what others think, only what God thinks"? Or we say to ourselves "I know where I stand and that is what counts"?
I know I am guilty of that many times. But think about it, is that really how we should think when presenting ourselves to others?
What I am talking about is our reputation. Our reputation as a follower of Christ. We are representing Jesus to the world. We are ambassadors for Christ. Therefore, shouldn't we be concerned about what others think of us? Our primary goal in life should be representing Jesus in the best way possible.
Whether we like it or not, others are watching us to see how we behave in certain situations, how we dress, how we take care of our own bodies.
This was the topic of my devotions this morning, and it really made me think. Do I take pride in my appearance, in my speech, in my actions? I remember when I could still work I always tried to have my uniform clean, without stains, and ironed. I wanted my shoes to be clean and polished. I wanted my appearance to look professional. If I was that concerned about my regular job and how my appearance was, how I conducted myself, then shouldn't I be so much more aware of how I represent who Jesus is in my life.
I am not just talking of outward appearances but also inward. Our attitudes, our willingness to serve, how well do we express the love of Jesus to others, and so on.
Jesus truly cares about our reputation, He cares about how we represent Him and the Kingdom of God. He has trusted us to be His ambassadors. Wow, think about that. He trusts us to be a representative of the Kingdom of God. He trusts us to show others His love, the same way He shows us His love. This is quite a responsibility. It is humbling, and an honor.
Jesus loves us so much that He trusts us to be His ambassador.
Jesus tells us in His Word that if we do not care about our reputation and appearance then we are setting ourselves up for failure and a weakness that could lead us into a trap from the devil.
Wow, how often do we have these "wow" moments?  I have plenty, and this was one of them.
I know how much Jesus loves me and loves you. So much that He gave His life for us. But it didn't stop there. He continues to teach us everyday how to live victoriously, how to live in a manner that brings Him glory. He wants us to succeed, He wants us to have victory.
Being reminded of these things this morning encouraged me to do my best everyday to bring Him glory. To do my best to live in a manner that is worthy of being called His ambassador.
I encourage you faithful readers, Jesus has His best for you also. He wants us all to have the reputation that He is proud of.
We don't have to feel guilty if we mess up because He will help us to get back on the right path and continue being His ambassador. Stay faithful to Him and He will reward you abundantly.

1 Timothy 3:7Amplified Bible (AMP)

7 And he must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside the church, so that he will not be discredited and fall into the devil’s trap.