Hold Fast

Hold Fast

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. – Heb. 10:23

Hopelessness carries a sense of death to possibilities of a better tomorrow. It is unexpected and accompanied by grief and sorrow because of unmet expectations. Only in and through the Lord can we hold fast to our confessions of hope, without wavering. Continuing to expect joyfully may make us weary. Disappointments bring doubt and hesitation and can hinder us from fully hoping again.

Our hope is being victorious in the Lord, not in hoping for this or that. Hope is a verb; it demands an object. When our hope is in the Lord, hopelessness cannot remain. Hope is not a power we rely on. The one we place our hope in can bring forth what is above and beyond what we hope for …as we rest in Him. We hold fast with a sense of holding firm, securing, or tightening our confession of faith. Truly, He holds us in the palm of His hand.

Circumstances of life may make us feel there is little reason for continuing to hope, but the One who made the promise is faithful and will not let us down. Temporary afflictions cannot hinder the permanent increase of the glory of God, from glory to glory! 

What Do You Call Yourself?

What Do You Call Yourself?

  …in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; –  Rom. 4:17.

God called Abraham a father of many nations when, because of his age and the age of his wife, they thought it was impossible to have children. Similarly, God calls us, as children of God, a royal priesthood, chosen, redeemed, and much more. Our walk of faith is to walk into who God says we are, from faith to faith.

When we walk in opposition to who God says we are, we must speak and call forth His truth in one accord. When condemnation comes, let’s not receive any other label. God’s call is greater than any failing. God calls us forgiven. We do not declare: my name is___: I’m an alcoholic, I’m abused, I’m wounded, I’m defeated. We declare: my name is so and so, I’m a new creation, loved, accepted and victorious.

When our natural behaviors do not equal our spiritual potential, recalling what He calls us to be and do, in His name, helps us to stand in patience and endurance. Even When it’s difficult to stand, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. When we call forth who God says we …then, and only then, we can do what He says we can do and be, from glory to glory! 

The Power of Christ

The Power of Christ

And he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.- 2 Cor. 12:9

Learning to yield to God’s ability, and not our own ability, takes time. When the Lord guides our steps into something new, a sense of being inadequate can come upon us attempting to stop us. We experience His power in and through us as we step out with faith in His power.

We hear of an opening for an employment position we have been waiting for but are afraid of rejection because of our lack of qualifications. A door opens for a new relationship, but we feel insecure about the future. As the Lord strengthens us in the power of His might, He continues to bring opportunities our way to take us to a place of confidence in Him. It is so we know that even when we are unable, God is able. 

Our heart wills do His will and our desire to follow Him overtakes our inability to do so in our own strength. The power of Christ enables us to obey, one step at a time. When we come to the end of ourselves, He begins. When we stop, He starts. God is able and unchangeable. His power rests upon us, from glory to glory! 

Do Not Take Offense!

Do Not Take Offense!

Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! – Mt. 18:7

The Greek word for offense is “skandalon,” defined as a trap stick, a snare. Our adversary places offenses as traps in front of us. Instead of reacting to it, we should move away from it as quickly as possible before we get trapped. Like unforgiveness, they hurt us more than they hurt the other person.

We acknowledge the potential snare and refuse to take the bait by walking in love and truth. It doesn’t mean we ignore what they say or do, but we address it, so the stumbling block is removed. We seek communication by asking questions for clarification to the person when possible and seek the Lord for His help in moving past the trap.

The most difficult offense to perceive is the one we have already taken. In that case, the enemy may bring denial, so it’s not handled. We also must watch for becoming offended when someone is with us or coming into agreement with another person’s offense. Our path contains stumbling blocks, but they can only stop us if we don’t handle them with the authority and power we have in Christ, from glory to glory! 

No Shame

No Shame

For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME. – Rom. 10:11

We will not be ashamed of our hope, faith, or confidence in God. God’s ways will be done. Whether we are going through a barren season, a dry season, or a challenging season; we can stand believing. Our walk of faith in the Lord will never be in vain. Our faith will not bring us shame, humiliation, or embarrassment. 

We believe Jesus is alive and working in all situations. We might not understand how, but we trust Him with the outcome. God is in control and trusting Him means to be at peace with not knowing what He is doing. Our adversary battles us so we can give up and fail, but God works on the exact opposite. He leads us to share the gospel, shine forth His glory, be stronger in Him, as winners in His name. 

Delays and battles do not diminish our fire for the things of the Kingdom; they fuel it… with passion and determination. We exhort, encourage, and edify one another, standing in a spirit of love. God appoints and anoints you for such a time as this. Instead of disappointments, let’s expect divine appointments,  from glory to glory!

Pursue Peace

Pursue Peace

 “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation …” – 2 Cor. 5:18

Our ministry of reconciliation calls us to pursue peace. When confronted with disagreements that turn into arguments, we reveal our character. Do we react the way Jesus would? Does His light still shine through? How do we walk the talk amid a heated conversation? 

Even though it’s difficult to separate the person from the problem, it’s necessary when confronting conflict. Above all, we place Jesus in the forefront, always. As we focus on Him, we can focus on the person. During an argument, the person must remain more important to us than the topic discussed. We can attack the problem, go through the pros and cons, and analyze a subject without attacking the person. The person matters more than the issue at hand.

In Christ, we can agree to disagree through the love we have for one another. We can lay aside our differences when we care about pursuing peace more than we care about being right. As we walk in our ministry of reconciliation, we walk in the love of God, and trust what only He can do. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal and teach the truth. Let us pursue peace, from glory to glory!