So You Believe

Here we are just a week past Resurrection Day. Have you stopped to think what the apostle and the other followers of Jesus did during that week?

Jesus appeared to them in the evening of the day of His resurrection. They were behind locks doors. They were all there except for Thomas. When the others told Thomas they had seen the Lord he was more than skeptical; he doubted the entire story.

“So they told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But Thomas said, ‘First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won’t believe unless I do this!’

26 A week later the disciples were together again. This time, Thomas was with them. Jesus came in while the doors were still locked and stood in the middle of the group. He greeted his disciples 27 and said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and look at my hands! Put your hand into my side. Stop doubting and have faith!’

28 Thomas replied, ‘You are my Lord and my God!’

29 Jesus said, ‘Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed!’” John 20:25-29 CEV

Just a week later, that’s where we are in today’s timeline. I want the world to know that although I haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh – I believe!

John went on to write these words as he closed out this chapter.

“Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.” John 20:30-31 CEV

I have faith in Jesus and He has given me true life. Eternal life.

The saving grace of Jesus wasn’t limited to just those disciples. It is a grace that extends through the ages.

“He is forever able to save the people he leads to God, because he always lives to speak to God for them.” Hebrews 7:25 CEV

All of these things were written so we believe!

A few years back Phil Wickham penned the words to this song, I Believe.

I believe there is one salvation
One doorway that leads to life
One redemption, one confession
I believe in the name of Jesus Christ, hey

I believe in the crucifixion
By His blood, I have been set free
I believe in the resurrection
Hallelujah, His life is death’s defeat

All praise to God the Father
All praise to Christ the Son
All praise to the Holy Spirit
Our God has overcome
The King who was and is and evermore will be
In Jesus mighty name, I believe

I believe, I believe…”

I hope those are the words of your heart. I believe, I believe!

Living Water

Years ago, we lived in the panhandle of Idaho. We had one particular summer that was very dry. The catch ponds were drying up and the springs were only a trickle.

One afternoon the dogs put us on alert and when we looked out our windows, this is what we saw. A cow moose and her twins had wandered into our yard in search of water. Our sprinklers were running, and they provided the much-needed water. After they drank their fill, they rested in the shade of the tall pines. At first, she was very cautious, looking about after every sip and then as her calves rested quietly, she found rest herself.

Are you thirsty for God? Thirsty enough to “search” outside your comfort zone? To be willing to leave the familiar way of doing things and to find the answers you need in God’s word?

God asked Abraham to leave his family and his homeland. Ruth left all and followed after Naomi to a new land where God blessed her with a husband and a child that put her in the line of descendants of Christ. Peter left his fishing nets to follow Christ. Paul gave up his prestige as a Pharisee to seek Jesus and His word.

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:1-2

When we seek God, we will find Him and we will find that He gives us so much more than we ever dreamed possible.

“Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will let you find me.” This message is from the LORD.” Jeremiah 29:12-13

Jesus ministered to a multitude at the temple during the Festival of Tents. The religious leaders were so bothered by His teaching that they sent the temple police to arrest Him.

” On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! 38  Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.” 39 Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone that had faith in him. The Spirit had not yet been given to anyone, since Jesus had not yet been given his full glory.” John 7:37-39 CEV

God has been misrepresented for years. Everything from “God’s going to get you for that” or that He will send lightning bolts from heaven, you better watch out.

God is loving, kind and gracious and when we seek Him we will find that to be true. He put all of our punishment and judgement on Jesus so that we could have a wonderful relationship with Him.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.” II Corinthians 5:17-19.

Someone needs to know today that God isn’t mad at you!

He loves you and if you seek Him, you will find Him waiting with arms of love open wide. Seek for Him like that momma moose sought out the life-giving water – you will find all you need in Him.

Doing the Ordinary

I’m still relishing in the experience of our Easter Sonrise Service.

Over 50 of our neighbors and friends arrived before 6 a.m. We sat in camp chairs facing the eastern sky. Most of us were wearing jackets, yes, jackets were needed in the early morning air of the Arizona desert. Coffee cups in hand and hearts filled with love.

We had prayer, several times, sang songs (make a joyful noise) accompanied by recorded music and amplified by a blue tooth speaker. We recited the Lord’s prayer, read the account of Resurrection morning from Matthew and we saw the sun crest the ridge welcoming the day. Resurrection Day!

We serve a risen Savior! Risen, indeed.

That first day of the week morning, a thousand plus years ago, was a morning of grief and fear. The things that needed to be done pushed the followers of Christ out of their comfort zones. They had to leave the safety of their homes. They had to enter a community that wanted them dead.

At the break of day, the women went to the tomb to prepare Jesus body for his final burial. What had happened a few days earlier was just a temporary wrapping of the body until they could come back and complete the work. They came with heavy hearts. Their Teacher, their friend was dead.

After hearing the reports of the women that the tomb was open and Jesus was missing, Peter and John ran from the house to the tomb. Jesus was in fact missing.

The others left but Mary stayed, still trying to figure out what happened. The angels appeared to her and said, “He is risen”. Mary saw who she thought was the gardener. Just an ordinary encounter. And then…she heard the Savior call her by name.

The ordinary became extraordinary!

Two disciples were leaving Jerusalem and heading to their home in Emmaus. As they walked along the road, talking about the events of the week before, Jesus joined them on their walk. Just an ordinary walk. He asked what they were talking about, and they explained fully what had happened.

The disciples reached their destination and invited Jesus to stay with them and have something to eat. But when Jesus blessed the bread and broke it…

The ordinary became extraordinary.

“The disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and on the evening of that same Sunday they locked themselves in a room. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He greeted them” John 20:19 CEV

It was an ordinary evening. The disciples were worried; they locked themselves behind closed doors and SUDDENLY Jesus appeared to them. When fear comes, Jesus comes too! He comes to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary!

One final ordinary event, a fishing trip. Peter and the rest went fishing several days later. They fished all night and caught nothing.

“Jesus shouted, “Friends, have you caught anything?” “No!” they answered.  So he told them, “Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish.” They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat.” John 21:5-6 CEV

They caught 153 fish – they counted.

Extraordinary!

 Jesus did many other things. If they were all written in books, I don’t suppose there would be room enough in the whole world for all the books.” John 21:25 CEV

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully.” John 10:10 CEV

Jesus will do the same for us. He will take our grief, our fears, our failures – the ordinary circumstances of our lives and turn them into something extraordinary. We just need to trust Him!

Broken Bread

Very shortly Dave and I will be leaving for “Sonrise” Service. It’s going to be a beautiful crisp morning as we join with friends to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

But that first morning wasn’t a time of celebration for the apostles and Jesus’ followers. It was a time of mourning, a time to say a proper good-bye, a time of preparing His body for a proper burial.

How startling and frightening it was for Mary and the other women to arrive at the tomb and find it empty!

They ran back to the place where they were all gathered and told Peter, John and the others that Jesus was gone and the angels said He was alive. Peter and John ran to the tomb and found it empty. They went back to the others and reported that it was as the women had said. (John 20, Matthew 28)

It was in the garden where Mary saw Jesus and knew the Lord was alive, He spoke to her. He called her by name.

Next to see Jesus were two disciples walking on the road. (Luke 24) They were talking about everything that had happened in Jerusalem – the trial, the beating, and the crucifixion. Jesus joined them on the road and asked what they were talking about. They thought He was the only one in Jerusalem who didn’t know what had happened. When they got to their destination, they invited Jesus to eat with them, still they didn’t recognize Him but when Jesus took the bread and blessed it, they knew! Instantly, Jesus was gone from their midst.

“Joining them at the supper table, Jesus took some bread and gave thanks. Then he broke some off and gave it to them31 Just then the men were allowed to recognize him. But when they saw who he was, he disappeared. 32 They said to each other, ‘When he talked to us on the road, it felt like a fire burning in us. How exciting it was when he explained to us the true meaning of the Scriptures!’”Luke 24:20-32 ERV

The two ran back, seven miles to Jerusalem, to tell the others what had happened. They were behind locked doors because they feared the soldiers would come for them. It was the evening of that same day and Jesus appeared in their midst.

The breaking of the bread and blessing it was something they had probably seen Jesus do many times. It was familiar to them and they recognized this gesture.

“While the two men were saying these things to the other followers, Jesus himself came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’

37 This surprised the followers. They were afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But Jesus said, ‘Why are you troubled? Why do you doubt what you see? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me. Touch me. You can see that I have a living body; a ghost does not have a body like this.’” Luke 24:36-39 ERV

Maybe some of you are troubled today, wondering if God has forgotten you. He hasn’t! God takes the ordinary things in life and makes them extraordinary. He gladly reveals Himself and His power to us in personal ways.

Welcome Him to your table and break bread with the risen Savior!

It’s A Good Friday

This morning’s thought is going to be a bit different.

I know there are some of you who read my postings and you wouldn’t call yourself a religious person or even a Christian. I want to talk to you for a minute.

Years ago, I was leading a weight loss group, and it was attended by people from many different walks, some were church people and some weren’t. At the end of each class I would close in prayer. This one particular night I had a woman say to me in front of everyone, “I’ve never heard anyone pray like you do; you talk to God just like he’s your friend.” I smiled and said, “He is.”

This is Easter weekend and amidst the baskets and bunnies, the lilies and the eggs you will find an empty cross and an empty tomb. This is the place where my friend died. He wasn’t religious either. He came to replace religious tradition with personal relationship.

John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, saw Jesus walking up the road and he made this comment to those around him “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

Jesus came all those years ago to be our sacrifice, a lamb, pure and spotless as was required by Jewish tradition for a sin offering. He came to take away our sins and not just the sins of those who have already believed on Him and received Him as Savior but the sins of the WHOLE world.

“Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too.” I John 2:2 ERV

God knows more about our sin than we do. We have probably forgotten a lot of the ones that happened a long time ago, but God made sure that they were all covered by one sacrifice.

 Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world. He did not send him to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 ERV

Believe on Him? Believe that He is the perfect payment for sin. Jesus doesn’t want us condemned. He wants us to live free of guilt, worry, desperation and fear. He wants us to know we are forgiven.

If you haven’t received God’s free gift, the forgiveness of your sins, and His promise to make you an adopted child in the family of God then I encourage you to do that today.

It doesn’t require a lot of fanfare or bells and whistles, just simply a believing heart, accepting God’s gift of mercy and grace. God loves you unconditionally – He knows all about you, He’s always there for you and He’s reaching out to you now.

Come to Him and say, “Father God, you gave your only Son to die for my sins so that I can have a life and relationship with you. I believe that Jesus died for me and I accept His sacrifice as payment for my sin. I receive Your precious gift of eternal life and I thank you for it. In Jesus Name.”

If you prayed that prayer I encourage you to tell someone about this wonderful gift you have received and I encourage you to get to know Your Father.

He desires to be your Savior and your best friend!

They Didn’t Understand

Do you remember our review of God’s promises from the other day? If not, may I suggest that you go back and review the review.

I say this because it’s important that we understand the message of hope and power that we have been given by Jesus, our Lord. In the verses we look at today, Jesus plainly tells the disciples about his death, burial and resurrection – but they didn’t understand.

17 Jesus was going to Jerusalem. His twelve followers were with him. While they were walking, he gathered the followers together and spoke to them privately. He said to them, 18 “We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the leading priests and the teachers of the law, and they will say he must die. 19 They will hand him over to the foreigners, who will laugh at him and beat him with whips, and then they will kill him on a cross. But on the third day after his death, he will be raised to life again.” Matthew 20:17-19 ERV

It really couldn’t have been much plainer than that.

Handed over, beaten, killed on a cross, three days after death he will be raised to life again.

Jesus was preparing his disciples for what was coming very soon, really only a matter of days away. But they didn’t understand.

He went on to tell them at the last supper “Jesus said, ‘Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me.” John 14:1 ERV

“I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going back to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. 29 I have told you this now, before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe.” John 14:27-29 ERV

Why do I say they didn’t understand?

“The women were very afraid. They bowed down with their faces to the ground. The men said to them, “Why are you looking for a living person here? This is a place for dead people. 6 Jesus is not here. He has risen from death. Do you remember what he said in Galilee? He said the Son of Man must be handed over to the control of sinful men, be killed on a cross, and rise from death on the third day.” Then the women remembered what Jesus had said.” Luke 24:5-8 ERV

“But the apostles did not believe what they said. It sounded like nonsense. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb to see. He looked in, but he saw only the cloth that Jesus’ body had been wrapped in. It was just lying there. Peter went away to be alone, wondering what had happened” Luke 24:11-12 ERV

They didn’t understand.

Now, I am not faulting the disciples because we are just as guilty as they are in not understanding God’s instructions and His promises. When He tells us not to worry about anything, ANYTHING, but to pray about everything then why do we worry?

When He says trust in the Lord with all our heart, why do we doubt and wonder? When He tells us He never lies, His word is always true why don’t we hold fast to the promises He has made?

We have the example of the disciples not understanding what God was saying to them to learn from. God is faithful to His word. His promises never fail!

When the Lord began to teach me this, I made Numbers 23:19 my favorite verse in all of Scripture.

“God is not a man; he will not lie. God is not a human being; his decisions will not change. If he says he will do something, then he will do it. If he makes a promise, then he will do what he promised.” Numbers 23:19 ERV

What God says is always true! We need to be confident of that and not be afraid.

There’s A Lot I Don’t Know

If you have been reading these morning posts for very long you know that I sometimes have a different outlook from those around me. I was sitting here this morning and I realized that I don’t know who the teams are in the final four. I don’t know the winners of last year’s World Series or the Super Bowl.

I don’t understand the rules of soccer or ice hockey. I’m not up on the latest fashions or trends on Wall Street. I don’t know how to make exotic dishes or how to create a stain glass project. I know nothing about golf.

My goodness there is a lot I don’t know!

However, I do know the Creator of the universe. I know the One who sees the sparrows fall and He knows how many hairs I have on my head. I know the One who gave strength to Samson, gave intellect to Adam so he could name all the plants and animals, I know the architect who gave Noah the plans for the ark.

I know the One who gave Solomon his wisdom and the One who took Elijah home to heaven in a chariot. I know the One who cleansed lepers, raised the dead, healed the sick, provided food for the multitudes and the One who turned water into wine.

I don’t need to book an appointment or achieve to a certain status to talk with the One who is CEO of the universe. I call Him daddy and I can run boldly to Him and He never refuses to see me.

I know the Good Shepherd and He knows me by name. He causes me to lie down in green pastures and He leads me through the valley of the shadow of death.

I know the One who loved me enough to leave heaven, take on the form of man, lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death and then rose triumphantly just for me. He made me new!

And I know that I as much as I know Him now, I want to know Him more.

“I want to belong to him. In Christ I am right with God, but my being right does not come from following the law. It comes from God through faith. God uses my faith in Christ to make me right with him. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him from death. I want to share in his sufferings and be like him even in his death.” Philippians 3:9-10 ERV

I know I can introduce you to Him if you don’t already know Him. His arms are open wide to all who would come to Him!

” Everything and everyone that the Father has given me will come to me, and I won’t turn any of them away. 38 I didn’t come from heaven to do what I want! I came to do what the Father wants me to do. He sent me, 39 and he wants to make certain that none of the ones he has given me will be lost. Instead, he wants me to raise them to life on the last day.” John 6:37-39 CEV

Some may think that I’m not very well informed, but I can tell you with certainty that I KNOW the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and that is more than enough!

“…nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” II Timothy 1:12 KJV

Our Substitute

Yesterday I took our thoughts from Jesus’ teaching in John 10. He refers to Himself as the shepherd and that He came to give us abundant life in contrast to the thief who is working to steal, kill and destroy.

Jesus goes on further in that chapter to say this, ” “I am the shepherd who cares for the sheep. I know my sheep just as the Father knows me. And my sheep know me just as I know the Father. I give my life for these sheep.” John 10:14-15 ERV

Jesus willingly laid down His life for us!

Yes, He loved us that much. He willingly gave up His life to give us life. When he was dragged before Pilate, He kept quiet and offered no testimony in His defense. If He had, the power of His word would have acquitted Him. What a powerful love!! He became our substitute.

Substitute: Putting a person or thing in the place of another.

“The fact is, it was our suffering he took on himself; he bore our pain. But we thought that God was punishing him, that God was beating him for something he did. 5 But he was being punished for what we did. He was crushed because of our guilt. He took the punishment we deserved, and this brought us peace. We were healed because of his pain. 6 We had all wandered away like sheep. We had gone our own way. And yet the LORD put all our guilt on him.

7 He was treated badly, but he never protested. He said nothing, like a lamb being led away to be killed. He was like a sheep that makes no sound as its wool is being cut off. He never opened his mouth to defend himself. 8 He was taken away by force and judged unfairly. The people of his time did not even notice that he was killed. [b] But he was put to death [c] for the sins of his [d] people. 9 He had done no wrong to anyone. He had never even told a lie. But he was buried among the wicked. His tomb was with the rich.

10 But the LORD was pleased with this humble servant who suffered such pain. [e] Even after giving himself as an offering for sin, he will see his descendants and enjoy a long life. He will succeed in doing what the LORD wanted. 11 After his suffering he will see the light, [f] and he will be satisfied with what he experienced.

The Lord says, ‘My servant, who always does what is right, will make his people right with me; he will take away their sins. 12 For this reason, I will treat him as one of my great people. I will give him the rewards of one who wins in battle, and he will share them with his powerful ones. I will do this because he gave his life for the people. He was considered a criminal, but the truth is, he carried away the sins of many. Now he will stand before me and speak for those who have sinned.” Isaiah 53: 4-12 ERV

The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, died for you! He gave His sinless pure life as a substitute for your sinful life. He took your place! If you haven’t received Him as your Savior, do so today. There’ll be no one else who has or will love you like Jesus.

If you have accepted your wonderful gift of salvation, then praise Him today for all He has done.

The Shepherd at the Gate

Jesus was called the Lamb of God because He came to be the sinless sacrifice, the atonement for our sins. He was meek and humbled Himself to death.

Yet the lamb became the Shepherd. He recognized that we were vulnerable as lambs and promised to be our good shepherd.

“Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out. 4When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. 5The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away. 6Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.

7Jesus said: I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. 9I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:1-10 ERV

In this parable Jesus is trying to make his ministry and purpose easy to understand. Since raising sheep was a common profession in that day, Jesus used something they were familiar with to teach his lesson.

At night the sheep were kept in a gated penned for their protection and early each morning the shepherds would come and lead their sheep out to pasture. The sheep had become accustomed to the shepherd’s voice and so when he called, they would follow. They wouldn’t follow someone who would sneak in and lead them astray.

Jesus was telling them that if they spent time with Him, listening to His word and getting to know Him, that they would follow Him and keep His commandments and He would lead them “in green pastures” (Psalm 23).

He also went on to say that He was the gate of the sheep pen. This was the first line of defense in their protection – He would provide for them and keep them safe. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Psalm 23)

Jesus said His purpose was to give us life and life more abundantly. He also warned that there is a thief that comes to kill, steal and destroy – that’s the devil. Everything that falls in one of those categories – stealing, killing and destroying – doesn’t come from God.

Those things that bring life, abundance and fullness to life comes from God. “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.” James 1:17

Follow the right voice today – He will lead you on the right path and He’ll never leave you or forsake you.

Faithful & True

Have you been going through a real struggle lately? Feeling alone and as if no one understands? You are not alone.

God is faithful! He is always there to help in time of need.

“The Lord’s word is true, and he is faithful in everything he does. He loves goodness and justice. The Lord’s faithful love fills the earth.” Psalm 33:4-5 ERV

God the Father is a God of faith. Jesus Christ walked this earth as a man of faith. The Holy Spirit’s presence fills us so we can be men and women of faith.

God the Father spoke “Light be and there was light”. He didn’t speak hoping it would be. He spoke in faith.

Jesus lived a life of faith while He was here. He pleased the Father.

“So he said to them, ‘You will lift up the Son of Man. Then you will know that I Am. You will know that whatever I do is not by my own authority. You will know that I say only what the Father has taught me29 The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him. So he has not left me alone.’ 30 While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.” John 8:28-30 ERV

The writer of Hebrews tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God; so, if Jesus pleased the Father, it was because he was living by faith.

“But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards everyone who searches for him.” Hebrews 11:6

When we become children of God, we are saved by faith in God’s grace. That faith is in what God has done, not in our own works but in God’s grace, his kindness.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit who indwells us “… is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Faith isn’t something we have to WORK to get, it’s something we have been given freely by God the Father. It’s a fruit of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives and like all fruit it will grow. It starts with a seed and matures.

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3

He has given to each of us “the measure of faith”. It’s not based on our effort, our goodness, our holiness but faith is given to us by God. Even if we feel that we only have small faith, Jesus said it’s enough to move mountains. Once again, God kind of faith isn’t in our abilities to perform but in His power.

When faith is in ourselves; in our works; in our abilities; in our employer then it isn’t faith at all. We put our faith in the Father, the same faith we used when we were born again – it was based on God and his power to save and on the love of Jesus who died and rose again.

When our faith is properly placed in God alone, we will walk by faith, not by sight and we will see mountains move by the power of God.

He is faithful and true!