How Difficult Is It For You?

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

~Mark 12:41-44, KJV

It's when we are in the financial struggles that we least want to tithe and give money to the Lord. When we are living high on the hog it's not difficult to throw a little bit His way. Once again you can see that the Lord cares about the meaning and what's in your heart more than the amount of something. You can do a good act in life but why you are doing it is important and how much it takes for you to perform that act is what's important to the Lord. When it's harder to give that's when the Lord wants you to give most then He can bestow even greater blessings upon you.

Wisdom and Understanding

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

~Proverbs 9:10, KJV

Who doesn't want to be wise and have understanding? I certainly do. It's interesting to note that the Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the BEGINNING of wisdom - we can't have true wisdom without first having the fear of the Lord. Having knowledge of the holy is having understanding, being able to understand and comprehend things. So how many of those out in the world do we listen to and seek guidance from that don't have wisdom or understand because they have no knowledge of the holy or fear of the Lord? Be careful who you seek assistance from on how to live your life. Make sure they have the basics down first.

Story of Faith

Alexis Goring has hosted the recent story of my husband's and my life on her blog! It is a story of faith and will hopefully encourage those who read it.
Please go here to read:  http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com/2016/02/words-of-faith-standing-on-gods-promises.html


To find out more about my husband or me please visit our author website here:
http://www.wordsbytwo.com

He Will Do What He Has Promised

"God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?"

~Numbers 23:19

 I feel that so often we hold God up to standards conceived by us as men. Standards that we perceive to be good based on what we know has humans. As if we forget that God is not a human. As if we forget that His standards and abilities are measured by a different quotient as He is not a man. He created us, why would we think He is bound by our rules? It's hard for our minds to comprehend something that is all powerful but that's what He is. 

If He promises us something we can have faith that He will bring it to pass because He is all powerful. He doesn't lie and if He said He will do something for you that means He will do it. He will never accidentally fail to provide what He said He will provide. He is able to do all things and He has and will continue to fulfill all His promises.

Suffer For Doing Well

"For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

~1 Peter 2:20-24, KJV

If you suffer patiently for something that you didn't do worthily than it contains no glory. However, when you do well and suffer patiently for that then there is glory in it with the Father. So when we are in those moments where we are being persecuted and we say, "But I didn't do anything wrong," then we are supposed to be patient. Suffer those trials patiently. When you do something good and it makes someone else feel guilty that they didn't and they turn on you for it, be patient with them.

Easier said than done but we are all works in progress. Christ died on the cross for our sins when He did nothing wrong. Do we expect not to suffer as Christians when we are trying to be Christ-like?

Works and Righteousness

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,"

~Romans 4:4-6, KJV

It's amazing how many varying forms of "Christianity" depend on their good works to save them when the Bible clearly states good works is a reward of debt. God is a God of love and grace. You can't work your way into heaven and you can never be "good enough" to undue your wrongs. If you add anything unto salvation other than the cross you are taking away from the work of Christ.

I believe His work on calvary the ONLY thing I need for my salvation. Do I try to do good deeds? Yes, I love the Lord and believe that the rules he sets up are for us to have a better life. I try to be good and righteous and to not sin, but those good deeds won't get me into heaven. His blood is the only thing that can justify me and allow me to walk through the pearly gates.

Do Good To Them That Hate You

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He taketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

~Matthew 5:44-45, KJV

This is an extremely difficult verse to follow. Bless those that curse you? But it lets God take vengeance on them and you can step out of the way. Do good to them that hate you? That's quite difficult but then you are blameless. Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute? You never know what the power of prayer can do!

Sometimes doing what the Bible said can be difficult but it's always worth it because what matters is what comes after this life.

Power, Love, and a Sound Mind

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

~2 Timothy 1:7, KJV

Don't be afraid. We have power and love through Christ. Even when the world is in turmoil or things seem bad do not be afraid. The spirit of fear for your circumstances is from the devil, not the Lord. The Lord will not forsake you and He has you in his hand. Be of a sound mind and know that you have the power of the Lord on your side!

Fornication

"Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, the ye should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:"

~Thessalonians 4:1-5, KJV

This is for anyone that wonders if the Bible actually does talk about fornication or sex outside of marriage. It clearly does talk about it and it states that ye should abstain, or that you should not do it. It's not a cultural thing either as some people say that it is, it is a commandment given by the Lord in the new testament. It's not outdated and it's not a suggestion.

The Lord does not want you to have sex outside of marriage - why? Because it's healthier for you emotionally (and physically). Sex doesn't make love as the world suggests today, love makes sex. Going from person to person falling in love and having sex is just going to tear you up and leave a part of you with each individual until there is nothing less. You can't go around giving up pieces of your soul and expect not to be affected.

Tribulation

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
~John 16:33, KJV

This verse is really encouraging during times of struggle when everything seems to be going wrong. This hits home for me because a few months ago my husband and I lost our jobs and I have this verse on a plaque in my house. It was a good reminder that we didn't need to fear the world because God would take us where He wanted us and the world couldn't stop it.

We were never promised that in life we wouldn't have trouble, this verse is actually saying the opposite, it is saying that we will have tribulation. Yet we shouldn't walk around in fear or depression but we should be of good cheer because we are in God's hands and God has overcome the world. Since we lost our jobs God has moved us to where He wants us to be and our lives are so much better. We are so happy and are where we want to be. We had okay lives before by now every day feels like an adventure and a blessing.

God is awesome!

He Hears You

"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask an thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."

~1 John 5:14-15, KJV

How wonderful it is for us that we can know that He hears us. You are never alone.

That's the sort of confidence that gives me comfort, to know that the God of the universe hears my prayers. That He hears what I ask of Him. That if what I'm asking is within His will I know that I have that which I asked for. What a wonderful comfort. 

Just Ask

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that sketch receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom is his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

~Matthew 7:7-11, KJV

I wonder how much we don't have as Christian at times just because we don't ask the Lord. I can't begin to remember all the times that I struggled with something day by day to find a simple prayer could make each day so much easier and the burden lighter. 

It's not always easy to remember but it's so easy to ask the Father. Sometimes I need a gentle reminder from my husband that I should just pray about it and when I do it is better. Yeah, life can still be difficult but prayer helps put it in perspective and sometimes the Father just says, "Yes" and who can beat that? Sometimes it's a different answer then you are expecting or wanting but it's always better when God is in your life and the situation and you invite Him there. 

Do you really want or need something? Are you struggling to obtain something? Ask the Lord. 

Faith Standing in the Power of God

"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

-1 Corinthians 2:4-5, KJV

So many people, not just today but for ages, try to entice people into believing their religion. They try to act as if they have more knowledge and special revalations in their denominations than in others. And people are tricked into believing in the religions without even realizing that they are believing in the men and what they say and not in God. They also end up believing in the men's wisdom and their own wisdom instead of God and what He can do.