In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”  Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Romans 4:18-22

I was on my way to lunch and as I approached my car, I read my license plate’s frame: “No worries – God’s got it covered!”. I started laughing at myself, thinking of the irony of the statement as I searched my heart that day. I was having one of those days – the devil was on to me, attacking from every front, trying to destroy my testimony, trying to limit my vision to only what I could see at the moment.

Then I read about Abraham and his faith. He did not regard his old body and Sarah’s dead womb. He knew that “God had got it covered”. Looking at the obstacles ahead of him and his limited resources, he chose to trust God, obey and wait on Him. Because of his faith, he has become, as God promised, the “father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:5)

“He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them.” Romans 4:11

This passage of Scripture stirs my heart up! That is because Abraham’s life was marked by mistakes, sins, and failures – just like mine. But because of his faith – and his faith alone – he inherited the promise and was found righteous before God.

Abraham inherited the promise, not because of his good works, his good days or bad days, but because of his solemn trust in God and His Word. That completely changes the paradigm of righteousness – my righteousness is not based on how I behave, on the bad days I have, but based on the faith that I placed in Jesus as my Savior and Lord, wherefore I inherited God’s righteousness and His promises.

My righteousness is not based on how I behave, on the bad days I have, but based on the faith that I placed in Jesus as my Savior and Lord, wherefore I inherited God’s righteousness and His promises.
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And so, on days when my not-so-perfect heart attitude causes me to think I may lose God’s promise, Abraham reminds me that nothing can ever move God’s love and acceptance. It is on those days that I teach my heart to cling to the promise Abraham received and that I inherited in Christ Jesus: the promise that, no matter what happens, God’s plans and promises for my life will be fulfilled.

All I have to do is to trust and obey. One step at a time… Through the rough patches… When people and circumstances threaten to bring the worse in me…  It is in those situations that I must remind my heart that the challenges presented are used to conform me to His image, while He works on the rough edges, teaches me to love unconditionally, forgive always.

On days like that, I remember that worry and fear are simply a waste of time because God’s promises do not change. Sometimes I may not see where He is leading, but I know His plan is perfect and will unfold in His perfect time. Abraham saw his body get older, Sarah’s menopause come, and kept on believing. He kept his eyes on his (unseen) promise.

Sometimes I may not see where He is leading, but I know His plan is perfect and will unfold in His perfect time
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 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1

What is the prize that lies before you? Your Promise Land? Something you have been eagerly waiting for?

Do not lose heart, my friend. The One who promises must deliver! Just tell your heart to believe.

As for me, I went back to my car that day and looked at my license plate with less cynical eyes. For I was reminded that when life is full of uncertainties and circumstances deny a glimpse into the Promise, I can trust that Calvary is still the sacred ground where fears and doubts melt away, and where all God’s promises to me were already fulfilled.

Thank you, Jesus, for purchasing, not only my forgiveness, but also the right to confidently believe!

When life is full of uncertainties and circumstances deny a glimpse into the Promise, trust that Calvary is still the sacred ground where fears and doubts melt away, and all God's promises to us were fulfilled.
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The post God MUST deliver IF He Promised appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Those were the words I heard concerning a friend a while back. Although I said I’d pray and of course I did, I have to admit when I heard the diagnosis I automatically had a grim outlook on the outcome.

Right off the bat I let my knowledge of human know-how override the know-how of God.

Why would I do that? I absolutely believe that God can do the impossible. So why do I sometimes put so much weight on man’s perspective instead of God’s power?

Probably for the same reasons we don’t witness the miracles here in the U.S. that some see while working in third world countries.

You’ve heard that ignorance is bliss? In this case of faith, ignorance can bless.

A few weeks ago I came across a story in the Bible that explains this misplaced faith. This same reference in Scripture is one that has always disturbed me until recently. The account of this story is given in three of the four Gospels Mark 9:14-50, Luke 9:23-45, and Matthew 17: 14-20. Today we’re going to look at from Matthew’s point of view.

“When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him.  ‘Lord, have mercy on my son,’ he said. ‘He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.  I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.’ ‘You unbelieving 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.’ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’
He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, 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’” (Matthew 17:14-20).

I had always wondered why the disciples couldn’t call out this demon. One chapter earlier, in Matthew 10, Jesus had given power to the disciples to heal and exorcise demons and they were doing a fine job at it up until this moment. Did they suddenly lose the faith they had?

Not exactly.

During this time in this culture it was a belief among the Jewish exorcists that one must know the name of the demon if one was to call it out of a person. This demon-possessed boy in the story was mute. No one had ever heard the demon’s name. The disciples knowing this let doubt creep in where their faith had been.

They let their human knowledge override their Jesus given gift.

And maybe we do the same.

We may unequivocally believe God can do the impossible yet waver in the face of man’s scientific data. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s part of the devil’s deception to use man’s knowledge against the One who gave it. @christy_mobley
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This is why the father of the demon-possessed boy came to Jesus and cried out, “I do believe; help me with my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

And friends, we are to do the same, by putting our pride aside and humbly coming to the feet of Jesus saying, I believe Lord, please help me overcome my doubt. In Jesus’s name, amen.

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The post Where Did My Faith Go? {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Yesterday morning during my quiet time, I came across a story about him that gave me pause. Mueller was aboard a ship, crossing the Atlantic for an important meeting in Quebec. A dense fog had descended, making it impossible for the vessel to swiftly navigate the waters. The captain had announced that the journey would be delayed due to the weather conditions.

Mueller was not happy about the news. He immediately went up to the bridge and told the captain it was imperative that he arrive in Quebec that Thursday. The captain responded, “that is impossible!” Mueller, however, did not waver. “Very well,” he said. “If you cannot take me, God will. For I have never missed one single engagement in 57 years. Let’s go down to the chart room and pray.” The captain calmly replied, as if talking to a lunatic: “Sir, do you not realize how dense this fog is?” Mueller’s response was resolute. “My eyes are not on the dense fog, Captain, but on the living God, who controls all circumstances of my life.” He knelt down and prayed the simplest prayer the captain had ever heard. After he finished, the captain started praying, but he felt Mueller’s hand on his shoulder. Mueller asked him to stop. The captain looked at him, in dismay. “First of all, sir, you don’t believe God will answer,” he said. “Second, I believe he already has. Get up, Captain, and you will see that the fog is gone.”

And it was. The dense fog had completely disappeared. And Mueller was able to arrive in Quebec in time for his appointment.

This true story challenged my heart. I sat there, looking at my small book of devotionals, thinking about the simplicity of Mueller’s childlike faith. You see, I believe in the God of the impossible. I do. I believe he can heal the worst of diseases and restore broken lives. I’ve seen it and experienced it. But when new dark shadows fall upon my life and I find myself calling upon the God of the impossible, I must confess that I don’t always pray with that same type of confidence. The confidence that sees before the eyes can see. The confidence that believes in spite of what the circumstances display. Should I face the same situation as Mueller’s, I don’t know that I would get up with the firm conviction that I would find clear skies right away. Next day, maybe … God willing?!?

I believe this is a common challenge for the believer. We are taught that, without faith, it is impossible to please God. Indeed, we can’t expect to obtain God’s favor if our hearts waver back and forth between trusting and doubting when we pray. I believe that we cannot truly experience God and the supernatural without the type of faith that believes beyond what our eyes can see.

George Mueller’s story challenged me to believe in God as my children believe in me. When they are afraid and run to me, their muscles relax as my arms wrap around them. They know I won’t let them go. They know the worst that comes against them has to pass through Mom first. And I am bigger. And in their minds, wiser. Stronger. All they have to say is “Mom, I need you.” And they truly rest in the assurance that I hear and will answer their plea.

Patricia Holbrook is a Christian author and national conference speaker. Her first book “Twelve Inches: Bridging the Gap Between What You Know About God and How You Feel” is now on Kindle, and paperback at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon and other retailers. Visit her blog to read her devotionals at www.soaringwithhim.com or email her at pholbrook@soaringwithhim.com – To read more about the book and order a copy, click HERE

The post The Power of Simple Prayer – Atlanta Journal Constitution Column appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.