FIERCE
FAITH
BREAD
32 And
what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson,
Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered
justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the
flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to
strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their
dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so
that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging,
while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were
sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in
sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- 38 the world was not worthy of
them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the
ground. 39 These
were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been
promised. 40 God
had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be
made perfect. Hebrews 11:32-40 (NIV)
1 Now
faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were
commended for. Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV)
18 I
consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory
that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons
of God to be revealed. 20 For
the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the
will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its
bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole
creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the
present time. 23 Not
only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our
bodies. 24 For in
this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for
what he already has? 25 But if
we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:18-25 (NIV)
6 Abram
believed the Lord, and he credited
it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6
(NIV)
16 Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to
defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the
blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will
rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king,
that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV)
29 Mary
was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might
be. 30 But
the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and
give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be
called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his
father David, 33 and he
will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked
the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be
born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child
in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with
God.” 38 “I am
the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then
the angel left her. Luke 1:29-38 (NIV)
BUTTER
“I cannot understand Him, but I
can trust Him. And so today, when everything physical and
emotional in me is completely drained, and there is not a single note of praise
in my heart, I choose to praise Him anyway. Not for what He does,
but for Who He is. When I cannot praise Him out of joy, I will praise Him
out of obedience. And I am learning that when I praise Him out of
obedience from the depths of the pit, it is always more meaningful than when I
praise Him out of an overflow of my heart from the heights of the
mountain. And because I know His nature, and I know that even when I
don’t feel it, He is still a kind, loving, good God, then I know that soon, He
will fill my heart with joy once again. And the praise will flow easily
from the depths of my heart.” Laura Black
“But there’s a decision that I find God is asking us to make: whether
we are going to choose to interpret our circumstances based on what we hold to
be true about God, or whether we’re going to judge what we hold to be true
about God based on our circumstances. People ask how we’re doing, and I like to
say: ‘We have a faithful God.’ Every promise he’s kept, every need he’s met.” Laura
Story
“When faith has the
upper hand in my heart I am satisfied with Christ and His promises. This is what Jesus meant when He said, ‘He
who believed in Me shall never thirst’ (John 6:35). When my thirst for joy and meaning and
passion are satisfied by the presence and promises of Christ, the power of sin
is broken. We do not yield to the offer
of sandwich meat when we can smell steak sizzling on the grill. The fight of faith against lust is the fight
to stay satisfied with God.” John Piper
“God
incarnate is the end of fear. The heart
that realizes that He is in the midst…..will be quiet in the midst of alarm.” F.B.
Meyer
“There
is no place for faith if we expect God to fulfill immediately what He
promises.” John Calvin
“Hudson
Taylor was an object lesson in quietness.
He drew from the bank of heaven every farthing of his daily income – ‘My
peace I give unto you.’ Whatever did not
agitate the Saviour or ruffle His spirit, was not to agitate him. The serenity of the Lord Jesus concerning any
matter, and at its most critical moment, was his ideal and practical
possession. He knew nothing of rush or
hurry, or quivering nerves or vexation of spirit. He knew that there is a peace passing all
understanding and that he could not do without it…Christ his reason for peace,
his power for calm. Dwelling in Christ,
he drew upon His very being and resources, in the midst of and concerning the
matters in question. And this he did by
an attitude of faith as simple as it was continuous.” Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor
“Never
dread any consequence resulting from absolute obedience to His command. Never fear the rough waters ahead, which
through their proud contempt impede your progress. God is greater than the roar of raging water
and the mighty waves of the sea. ‘The
Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever’
(Psalm 29:10). A storm is simply the hem
of His robe, the sign of His coming, and the evidence of His presence. Dare to trust Him! Dare to follow Him! Then discover that the forces that blocked
your progress and threatened your life become at His command the very materials
He uses to build your street of freedom.” F. B.
Meyer
HEART
SAVOR
- · God delights for His children to have a fierce faith in Him. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
- · I can trust God with my life.
- · His desire is not for us to be wringing our hands or anxiously fret. He has our best interest at heart. He is in total control. All things allowed in a believer’s life work for their good and His glory never one surpassing the other. Never dread consequences from absolute obedience to Him.
