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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. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Monday, July 11, 2022
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Jesus Curses the Fig Tree [2] Bible Verse:Matthew 21:20-22 (ESV) "When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” " Message:
We discussed the fig tree last week, but we ran out of space and could not discuss one of the most hopeful promises in the Bible: “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive.”
Well, we left something off, didn't we? “If you have faith.” Faith is the key issue in Christian life, for it is by faith that we are saved. And one might narrow faith down to this question: Do we believe that God brought his only Son, Jesus of Nazareth, back to life after he was crucified?
Stained glass panel in the transept of St. John’s Anglican Church, Ashfield, New South Wales (NSW). This scene depicts Nathanael under a fig tree
Nathanael under a fig tree.
It is an accepted historical fact that Jesus existed and was crucified. Several reliable non-Christian sources record the event and none dispute it. There is no account of what became of the body, however, except in the Bible.
But what if there were? It wouldn’t matter. If Jesus had been executed last month and there were videos of him walking around three days after he died, it would not make one bit of difference. Those whom God has not chosen for salvation would not have ears to hear it. They would simply say it was faked.
Remember the Parable of the Sower. (Matthew 13:1-23) Belief in Christ is a matter of faith, not of evidence. And it is the strength of our faith that determines the power of the Holy Spirit within us. When the apostles asked why they were unable to heal the epileptic boy, Christ tells them:
“Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Romans 8, Nothing can separate you from His love
We can grow in faith. That is the meaning of the repeated references to a mustard seed. Once the seed is planted, if our mind stays open, God will nourish it and it will grow, every day. Our love of Christ is a living spirit that can grow and prosper in us. But it takes time.
We must not fret about our salvation, if we are pulled away from time to time. Our faith is never perfect. Satan is powerful on earth; he is seductive, persistent, and brilliant at persuasion. Christ will be with us, even when we stumble and have doubts. Paul himself said, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15)
But although stumbling in faith will not condemn us, it is not recommended! There is, John warns us, “sin that leads to death.” (1 John 5:15-17) Christ himself tells us that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Mark 3:29)
There has been a lot of speculation and difference of opinion on exactly what Christ and John meant. But why tamper with our salvation, once we understand the monumental importance of the gift we have received? If we love Christ, we want to get closer to Him. We change our lives to conform to God.
Meditation : Prayer : As I travel through the rest of my day, may the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit I may abound in hope......Amen |
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