Tag Archives: Faith

2014 Day 313 – Francis Chan: Time With God

09 Sunday Nov 2014

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As most of you know, I am a big fan of Francis Chan. He is one of the most real pastors I have ever heard and he seems to have a grasp on the realities of the life of a believer. In this video Francis Chan begins by talking about spending real time with God. He asks the question, “How can you pull off following God in our culture, in our world, without time alone with God?”  The ultimate goal for ourselves, friends, and family is to become “independently dependent on God.” When we learn to love God through the truths found in the Bible, we learn to fully trust in Him and know that this life will not be perfect, but it will be fulfilling by following Him.

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2014 Day 312 – John 8

08 Saturday Nov 2014

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There is no question who Jesus claimed to be. We either believe who Jesus claimed He was, or we do not. In John 8:58 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” Not only did Jesus claim to exist before Abraham, but He also applied God’s Holy name, “I am”, to Himself. There is no doubt about His claims, the only doubt is in a person’s faith and choice to believe in Him.

2014 Day 308 – Matthew 17

04 Tuesday Nov 2014

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As we read in Matthew 17 today, we see Jesus getting a little frustrated at the disciples for their inability to cast out the demon in a young boy. Matthew 17:17-18, 17 “O unbelieving world and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. While Jesus was frustrated at the disciples, he was also frustrated with the lack of faith in the “world and perverse generation” as a whole. The disciples were simply a reflection of the lack of faith in the generation they lived in. Jesus came to restore faith and hope to the people if they simply have faith in Him. A few verses later the disciples ask why they weren’t able to rebuke the demon. Jesus explains in Matthew 17:20, He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Faith is a simple act which is actually difficult to have. But when we release ourselves to have faith in God our Father, His power has the ability to amaze us beyond anything we could have imagined.

2014 Day 303 – Mark 7

30 Thursday Oct 2014

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Mark 7:24-30 tells the story of a woman whose daughter is demon possessed and asks Jesus to drive out the demon. Verses 27-30 confused me: 27 “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” 28 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone. I did some research to find out what Jesus and the woman were talking about. Turns out they were referring to Jesus teaching the children (His disciples) as His first priority and not allowing the pets (those in need) to interrupt. The woman chose to follow His imagery to say that even the pets (allowing herself to be considered an interruption for the sake of her daughter) receive crumbs (miracles) from the main table. Jesus recognized her faith and immediately healed her daughter. It is interesting to me that the woman would humble herself to recognize her need for her daughter as being greater than her pride. This is a great example and perspective for all of us.

2014 Day 300 – Luke 9:1-17

27 Monday Oct 2014

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The feeding of the 5,000 is such an amazing story and an example of how powerful faith can be. We tend to think on a small scale in comparison to what is possible through the creator of the universe. When the disciples brought five loaves and two fish thinking it would not be enough, Jesus took what they had and multiplied it beyond anything they could have imagined. No matter how small we think our gifts are, God has the ability to turn them into something truly immense and miraculous. When we least expect God to act in a big way, He brings His omnipotence into play and blows us away.

2014 Day 297 – Matthew 14

24 Friday Oct 2014

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When we feel all alone in the middle of the storm, we must always remember Jesus is there right beside us. When the disciples were in the middle of a storm on the lake, they thought they were all alone facing the real possibility of death. But even in the middle of that lake Jesus went to be with them. Matthew 14:27, But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage it is I. Don’t be afraid.” Christ’s presence in our lives is always there. We are never alone and we must always recognize the desire to be with us in all circumstances is His.

2014 Day 295 – Matthew 9

22 Wednesday Oct 2014

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God has given us the privilege of being used by Him; not that He needs us, but He chooses to include us in His plan. Part of his plan is to show others the way to Him through us. Matthew 9:37-38 says, 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. There are plenty of people out there that need Christ in their lives and are ready to follow Him if someone would just take the time to show them the way. We must always be prepared for God to show someone the way to a personal relationship to Him through us.

2014 Day 293 – Mark 4

20 Monday Oct 2014

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While, as believers, we ave an good understanding of what God is teaching us, nonbelievers do not. Jesus explains this in Mark 4:11-12, He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ” ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ “ When we talk to people about God we must understand they may not understand what we are talking about. It is through the Holy Spirit that true understanding comes into play. We must always recognize and pray that the Holy Spirit opens their eyes and heart to the truth and have the desire to act on it.

2014 Day 291 – Luke 8

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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We have all hear that Jesus is the light of the world. As believers, we are to be a reflection of that light, not a cover. Luke 8:18 says, No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. Yesterday I read the following quote by Thom Rainer, President and CEO of Lifeway, “Early Christians had to be compelled to keep quiet. Christians today have to be compelled to speak.” We should not be ashamed of what Jesus has done for us and it should not be a chore to share our relationship with others.

2014 Day 290 – Matthew 13

17 Friday Oct 2014

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I love the way Jesus worded Matthew 13:52, He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Jesus is talking about the value of understanding the Old Testament law because it is a real treasure. It points the way to Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus, as our example, always upheld the law’s authority and relevance. But ultimately He came to show us the the way to salvation through His sacrifice. Both the old and the new are important and are not separated. They fulfill the importance of both to the life of a believer and follower of Christ.