Expecting

John the Baptist announced Jesus' coming. 

But, Jesus' public ministry had not started yet. 

No disciples.

No sermons.

No miracles.

Jesus had not done anything... yet.

John knew what Jesus was going to do. He knew the promises and he believed them.

Are you waiting for God to work in your life?

Trust His word.

Trust His promises.

Trust that He causes all things to work together for the good of hose who love Him and are called according to His purposes.  Even if you haven't seen it happen... yet.

To Further The Faith

How is your faith in Christ? Is it strong? Is it growing? Do you seek to share it with those around you?

If you have faith in Christ, you should want it to be growing. You should be doing things to cause it to grow. You should be reading His Word. You should be meditating on it. You should be praying. You should be loving others. You should be serving Christ.

A faith like that should love in such a way that you want to see others grow closer to God. Are you in fellowship with other believers? Are you in close relationship with others that they know of your faith and how it guides you through life? Are you close enough to others that you know their struggles and do you desire to see them get through them? Do you care enough of others that you know of their hopes and dreams? Are you praying for them? What are you doing to help them accomplish them?

This takes vulnerability. This takes being open and close to fellow believers. To further the faith of God's chosen ones,you must have faith and you must know God's chosen ones.

Pray that God would use you to help grow the faith of those that you know.

Who has heard of your faith?

since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
Colossians 1:4

Paul is praying for the Colossians because he has hears of their faith. As I read this and examine my heart, I have to ask myself, would Paul be praying for me?  Certainly the people who know me at my church know of my faith. And there's the people who know me from other family activities (that take place at other churches) know of my faith.  But does my neighbor know of my faith?  Does the brother or sister who lives down the street and goes to some church other than mine (and I probably don't even know it) know of my faith?  What of my love for all the saints? My love for most of the saints? My love for even SOME of the saints?  If I find that my love is not known and my faith is not well enough known, I must ask myself what is my faith really in?

Paul talks of the word of truth, the gospel, and how it is bearing fruit and increasing.  I have heard the word of truth and I study it daily. I pray that it may truly be bearing fruit in my life and increasing. I pray too that for you, dear reader, it may also be bearing fruit and increasing.  Is it? Let me know in the comments and will rejoice with you and be praying for you!

Tomorrow: Colossians 1:10-14

Running away from snakes

As I continue through Exodus, a couple things about chapter 4 caught my attention. For now, I want to focus on the first thing. The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” The Lord said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. (Exodus 4:2-3 NET). God has called Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. Moses wants a sign so that the people will believe him. God gives him a sign. Moses responds and then runs away. God surely had gotten Moses' attention by turning the staff into a snake. Wasn't Moses right to run away in fear? Aren't snakes scary? But Moses was running from the direct result of what God him to do. Should he really have run away? Or should his faith told him to stay?

Are you working on a "new you" in this new year? Has God laid on your heart changes He wants you to make in your life? Are you seeing results already? Do they make you afraid? If God has called you to make changes and you are seeing the results of those changes, fear not! God knows what He wants to do with your life. It is good. You can trust Him. Fear not! Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence. (Psalm 139:16 NET)

I am reading through (and blogging as led) Exodus following the Good Morning Girls.