Faith is the substance of things hoped for

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

God can say so much with so few words. But we love proof. Proof that Jesus is God. He spoke as one having authority, predicted the day and the way He would die. Then He demonstrated His power over death by rising from the dead. The Godhead was demonstrated in God the Father speaking in an audible voice. "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Mathew 3:17 NASB

No other explanation for the empty tomb makes any sense to me. Many have set out to disprove the bible and the ones who gave it an honest investigation were convinced the bible is true. It is my hope, as well as the hope of many other generations past that we would stop fighting Him and accept His invitation to be saved from certain destruction. What's more to have a loving relationship with The Lover of Our Souls.

We may say to ourselves, (I know, I have done this myself), "But I am a pretty good person. I don't kill, steal,etc. I treat others as I would like to be treated".

That's great and God commends us for good behavior like this. But there is an inherent problem with the human race... sin. Adam and Eve handed it down as the only 2 people who had a choice. The rest of us suffer for our parents' sin. They chose to disobey God by believing that He was holding out on them by not allowing them to eat from that one tree, "The knowledge of good and evil".

They traded in a perfect creation with no sin, death, aging, or illness, for a lie. The devil has been using the same method ever since on us. Why change your game plan when it practically works every time?

But those of us who accept God's invitation and invite His Holy Spirit to indwell us have a "Helper". One who offers us a way out. Though it doesn't feel like it sometimes, we really have been given a second chance to meet God's standard of perfection. If we accept a foreign perfection. The one achieved by the life lived on this earth by Jesus Christ. If we put on Christ, then when God looks down from heaven, he doesn't see us as we are but as His Son, in Whom He is well pleased and thus the relationship with our Creator is restored. Some day all creation will also be restored and those of us who have chosen this relationship restoration, will see paradise lost has become paradise restored.

I know because God promises so and He hasn't broken a promise yet, nor will He ever. Please join us friend, won't you?

Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will.

This is one of the things the church as a whole, I feel, is failing at today. Instead of impacting the culture, the church has taken on a "User Friendly" approach and has subsequently ended up resembling the culture. This is largely impart to ignoring the disciplines of abiding in Christ.

Christ is where the power is in this relationship and if we ignore that relationship, we suffer for it.

Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry. We cannot count the times that God has helped us, sometimes without our even being aware. But we are always grateful to be rescued from difficult, painful circumstances.  He may not give us what we want for reasons only He knows as He has the big picture and can see the full ramifications of a decision He makes. However, I have found, He ALWAYS gives us what we need.

Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. This is it. Our marching orders are clear in our consciences and we take a step of faith not able to see our way clear or know the outcome. Only that God promises to take care of the consequences of obedience to His last instruction to us, that is, the one we're wrestling with and even wondering, "are you sure, God? You want me to do what?"

Proverbs 23:18

Posted: 04 Feb 2012 02:10 AM PST

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

When God speaks of being cut off, He means we will not have reason to lose hope as so man others feel who do not have God on their side. Lots of teachers like to talk about us all being loved by God, which is true, however, Jesus said, "whoever is not for me is against me". So we can be enemies of God without even feeling hostile, maybe even attending church. The deciding factor that our Lord said is to "abide in me, and I in you". To abide means to dwell with, stay with, to be of the same mind.

We must put on the mind of Christ, having our minds renewed daily to cleanse us from the carnality and tendency towards wanting to be against God. A fresh filling of the Spirit of God who actually indwells the true believer, is our only hope of doing anything good, because it is God who is doing it through us as we ask Him to. His mercy is fresh every morning.

He is a God of another chance. On our own, when we fail to put on Christ in the morning, we are no different than the unbeliever as many of us have seen in ourselves and others all too often.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Sometimes we read this verse with a pain in our heart from all the ways we mistreat each other. How we know the world should and could be a better place. With Jesus eminent return, we have this promise that will be fulfilled. It could be today . Even so, Come Lord Jesus! Amen.

Galatians 6:9 
English Standard Version (ESV)

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Is it just me? This is so perfectly timed for today. I would love to get some feedback on this and have people share their experiences, good or bad.
How is God using this or any other scripture verse in your life today?

May God richly bless you in all you do.