Month: August 2023

At some point you will have to put your faith to work (Jas 2:17). There is only so much praying we can do before God will kick the ball back to us and expect us to stand firm on His Word. When it comes to prayer God doesn’t want us to worry about anything we encounter in our life. He wants us to send Him our prayers and then let His peace guard our hearts and minds (Php 4:6-7). God doesn’t say pray and keep praying. God says to pray and give it to Him and sometimes the answer God gives us is not the answer we are expecting or what we are wanting. We can’t mistake prayers for wishes. Meaning we pray once and then everything works itself out. This isn’t faith. If we are believing in healing, then at some point we will need to act like we are healed. God’s will ask us to put our faith to work.

When Naaman asked Elisha to heal him of his leprosy, Elisha told Naaman to go down to the river and wash himself seven times. This was a simple instruction but Naaman did not like what he was told and Naaman was offended (2 Kgs 5:10-11). There are times God will give us instructions that we don’t like. When we pray for a financial blessing, God may ask us to give when that’s the last thing we want to do. But this is how we put our faith into action and when we put our faith into action God will be pleased (Heb 11:6).

There are also times where we pray and God’s answer might just scare us because the instruction seem impossible. When the angel of the Lord called Gideon a mighty warrior and told Gideon to save Israel from Midian, Gideon was overwhelmed (Jdg 6:12-15). Like Gideon, we sometimes fail to understand when God gives us instructions, He is now in the driver’s seat and we are along for the ride. This will require us to trust in God because we are used to being in full control of our own lives and letting go of control is never an easy thing to do. God may ask us to relocate, change careers, let go of loved ones or continue to persevere so God can lay down His foundation for His full blessing can materialize.

So how do we put our faith to work? What God revealed to me is to start with the small things. When it’s winter and I start getting the sniffles, I remind myself that no sickness is allowed in my house (Psa 91:10) and I rarely get anything more than the sniffles. A few years ago I was training for an Ironman Triathlon, I’d have calf issues partly due because I would miss most of my training runs because no one likes running. When it came time for the longer runs, I couldn’t let my calves stop me so I would just repeat to myself “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phi 4:13) and I would get through my runs. My training discipline didn’t get any better so come race day my body was in for a world of pain. Thankfully, my discipline in practicing my faith far exceeded my training discipline and I crossed the finish line with a respectable time. God might have been annoyed from my constant repetition of repeating Philipians 4:13 for the last three hours but I’m sure He was pleased at the same time. God is good.

James 2:17 NKJV Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Kings 5:10-11 NIV Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.

Hebrews 11:6 NIV And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Judges 6:12-15 NIV  When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”  “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

Psalm 91:10 NKJV No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

Philipians 4:13 NKJV  I can do all things through ^[a]Christ who strengthens me.

We all have big dreams on how we want our lives to play out and rarely do they ever go according to our plan. This is no difference when it comes to following plans that God gives us. If we look at the parable in Mark 4:28, Jesus describes a process of growing a seed. First the blade, then the ear and finally the full corn. Each stage requires a process all of its own. The initial blade will require finding the proper seed, preparing the soil and keeping the planted seed watered. Once we get an ear, tending to the plants surrounding is a key. Weeds will then try to rob the plant of water and nutrients. Pests will come to feed on the plant and try to steal from the plant before the plant reaches its full maturity. Once seed has produced a full corn we can now feast on our hard work. There is true wisdom in this short parable.

To get to the blade, we will need proper planning and preparation which sets the foundation of our future harvest. We feel true excitement when God reveals His plan for us and unfortunately God doesn’t give us the step-by-step guide on how His plan will play out. This is where we as followers of Christ need to seek God’s wisdom to find the path God put in place for us. If God’s plan is to start a new career you have to seek God to see how you start this new career path. Do you need to go back to school? If so, what school do you go to? If God put in your heart to start your own business, what business do you start and when and where do you start it? These questions can become overbearing and doubt may start to appear but you just have to hang on and trust God’s plan will lead to prosperity (Jer 29:11).

When we get to the ear, we are at the halfway point. We are now seeing our hard work start to manifest and this is where we need to protect ourselves from outside forces that will try to rob and steal our blessing. People can start trying to discourage you. Distractions can start pulling you away from achieving your plans. Know that all plans that come from God will be attacked by the enemy (John 10:10). The thief will send a full on blitz to try to steal, kill and destroy what God has planned for you. It will get hard and you may feel like quitting. But we have to trust and know that God’s plan will lead to a much better situation than we are currently in. The greater the struggle the greater reward.

When it is time to feast on our harvest, we may need to understand the full lifecycle of a plant. When plant has reached its full maturity, the plant is now able to produce seeds which can then lead to a bigger harvest. God wants us to live an abundant life when we live in Christ. If we were to waste away that first plant and not continue the reseeding process we miss God’s true blessing of living an abundant life. One blessing will lead to another blessing. The enemy will recognize your potential and realize you will be a threat so expect to be in a dog fight for every step.

When we are tested, doubt may come over us. But we have to trust God’s faithfulness and know that God’s plan will not change regardless of the obstacles and His plan will be fulfilled (Num 23:19). There is a reason why God puts us through a process. Most cases, we aren’t ready for the harvest out the gate. If you hear some of the most successful people in the world they will tell you the best lessons they learned were from their failures. When I left home for college I knew God’s plan for me was to have a successful career in IT. Of course I was excited because I knew that would eventually lead to a high paying career. I also knew this wasn’t going to happen overnight. First, I had to find a path to complete my Bachelor’s Degree which is it’s own story. Then I had to sharpen my skill set through years of experience and then I had to find the company that would allow me to grow and appreciate my skill set. There were a ton of distractions on top of the doubt when my lack of studying would catch up to me. It would have been easy to quit when things got tough but I knew God had a purpose for my life. I had several conversations with the man in the mirror and I just kept on fighting for what God had for me and eventually I got to my first harvest in my career. I didn’t get it right away but eventually I understood that God wasn’t done with my harvest. This understanding was revealed to me after I starting getting into the Word of God and meditating on God. God knows the desires of our hearts and its only when we dedicate ourselves to God that His plans will be revealed to us (Psalm 37:3-4). God is good.

Mark 4:28 KJV For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

John 10:10 ESV The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Numbers 23:19 NIV God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

Psalm 37:3-4 NIV Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Faith is one of the key principles we are given in the New Covenant. If we go to Hebrews, we have a clear definition of how God defines faith. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). Very simple explanation but one of the most challenging principles to grasp. We are instructed to believe in something we don’t have. Whether it’s healing, finances, car problems or any other problem we encounter in our busy lives. God has a promise for all our needs. Health problems? By His stripes we are healed (Isa 53:5). Finance or car problems? God will provide all your needs (Phi 4:19). We know these scriptures by heart but it’s when we don’t get the blessing right away our faith will be put to the test. When we are tested we just have to draw a line in the sand and hold on to hope. We can never lose hope (Pro 13:2). Hope is the foundation of faith. Faith is the foundation of God’s promises. This process called faith can be exhausting but we must keep it together no matter how hard times get. It took Daniel’s prayer 21 days to be answered because of hindrances in the world (Dan 10:12-14). God hears our prayers the first time we pray and from there we have to persevere no matter how hard things become. The harder it gets the, closer and bigger the blessing you are about to receive. We have to learn to shut our brains off and listen to the Comforter within you. Let’s put on our Jesus playlist and worship the Good Lord and know that God is faithful and will protect us against the evil one (2 Thess 3:3).

Now that we know God’s definition of faith we can go back to the Good Book and get clear instructions on how to obtain faith. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. How do we hear the Word of God? Technology gives us some of the easiest options. There are Jesus podcasts available on all smart phones. Bible teachings we can stream online. We have Gospel channels on TV. We have church services available a few days a week. The most important way to hear the Word of God is to read our bibles on a daily basis. This is how you will build a first hand relationship with your Heavenly Father. All other options are great but they are second hand experiences. They are intermediaries to the Father. Someone can describe an amazing experience in full detail and you can use your imagination to picture that experience and you can even get stirred up inside. But that doesn’t compare to being the person who actually experiences that first hand experience. Don’t deny yourselves those firsthand experiences. You will be amazed when you read your bible. The first time I read when God told Moses he is “I AM WHO I AM” I almost jumped through the roof from excitement (Exo 3:13-14). This was a mic drop moment that totally caught me off guard and got me excited about reading the bible. There are countless mic drop moments that God will reveal to you when you read your bible.

Hearing the Word of God continuously throughout the day will increase our faith and will allow The Comforter to guide us through our tribulations. Let’s read our bibles daily, keep our minds set on God’s Word through music and bible teachings so God may prepare us for the road ahead of us. God is good.

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Isaiah 54:5 NKJV But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Philippians 4:19 KJV But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 13:2 ESV Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Daniel 10:12-14 NIV Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”

2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

Romans 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Exodus 3:13-14 NIV Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God Himself declares Himself a jealous God so make time for Him (Exo 34:14). We all have busy lives and at time we are moving so fast that we forget to breath. Life will never slow down. There will always be things we want or need to get done. At the same time, God has a plan for us (Jer 29:11). Distractions are at every corner we turn. Smart phones aren’t making people smarter. We have all our shows to watch on all the different streaming services. We have demanding careers and businesses to run. We have family, friends and pets to attend to. We have to go to the gym and run our regular errands. Sometimes we just need a little more “me time”. I’m not trying to beat up anyone. I just described a lot of my excuses I’ve had in the past. We have to start using our smart phones to consume as much of Jesus as we can. It’s as easy as creating playlists called “Church” and listening to all the Faith/Grace Jesus podcast available to us so we can drown out the world’s distractions. We have every flavor of the Bible available at our fingertips via App Stores. Give our jealous God the time he deserves. Hear the Good Shepherds voice and follow Him (Jhn 10:27). That is where we will find true peace and true purpose.

When you give God the attention and focus, doors will be open. My blessed career in IT has all come from hearing and following God’s instructions. My first professional job out of college was the lowest paying job out of all my university colleagues. I knew this and this wasn’t fun and I had the urge to seek out a higher paying job. On the other hand, God was telling me to hang on and wait. I waited for 4 years watching as my colleagues were buying brand new shiny cars and other nice toys. I chose to listen to God’s instructions and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the blessings that I continue to reap. It turns out those first 4 years have been the most important years of my professional career. Little did I know that I was being mentored by 3 of the most brilliant engineers I have run into thus far in my career. Iron sharpens iron and boy was I being sharpened (Pro 27:17). The first year I felt like an insect among these giants but God knew I’d be up for the challenge. By the end of the tenure there, I was well sharpened and ready to start climbing up the career ladder. I’m bragging on Jesus now, but by the 6th year from graduating from university I was now the highest paid person among my colleagues and my annual salary has increased every year since for the past 12 years including this year. Looking back now, I would’ve been a fool to leave my first job for a higher paying job when God said to stay put. God is always speaking to us and it’s when we give God the attention and focus that we are able to hear God’s instructions. God is good.

Exodus 34:14 NIV Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

John 10:27 ESV My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Proverbs 27:17 NIV As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.