Generous Faith

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am i a cheerful giver, can God be trusted, couple devotions, does it matter if I'm fearful, family devotions, family time, fear, God's faithfulness, God's provision, great start for the week, how can i live by faith, how to conquer fear, how to give generously, how to live by faith, living by faith, living free, one true God, religion, simple Bible story, the faithfulness of God, the widow and Elijah

In I Kings 17, we see an amazingly true story about a widow and a prophet.

Verses 1-7 tell us there is a famine in the land… and then the story really gets good.

Elijah is commanded by the Lord to go to a specific widow for provisions. When Elijah finds her and asks for help, she explains she only has a little flour and a little oil left. Her plans were to finish the food with her son and die.

I find it so interesting that Elijah’s response to her was, “Don’t be afraid…” and then, he proceeds to give her instructions. He even tells her what the results of her obedience will be.

Did she go home to a room full of flour and oil? No. In fact, verse 16 tells us, “The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the LORD He had spoken through Elijah.” Same flour jar. Same jug of oil. Faith conquering fear at every single meal.

She had to have faith to obey before the miracle happened.

So, what does all this mean?

For me, it’s a great reminder that fear causes me not to give, but faith causes generosity.

What do I mean?

Elijah told her to feed him first. She didn’t feed her son and then see the flour and oil miraculously replenish. She had to give first.

I think that’s why Elijah responded to her excuses by saying, “Don’t be afraid.”

He knew that fear would cause her to hang on to that flour and oil, but faith would cause her to obey.

That’s the human response whether it’s a roller coaster, money, or food in a famine.

Fear causes a tight grip. Faith results in generosity.

When I am believing God for provision… truly leaving it all in His hands… I am a cheerful giver.

When I am fearful of the future, I have a very tight grip on the checkbook. It doesn’t matter if the balance is $8, or $8,000, the result is the same.

When I am fearful, I actually have a tight grip on everything… my family, my friends, my finances, and even my dog. I get on everyone’s nerves… including myself.

Living in faith is just better for everyone!

So, let’s live by the widow’s example. Let’s replace the fear of the future with faith in our God. Faith in the one, true and living God of the universe who has control over flour, oil, finances and everything else under the sun.

Let’s choose to live in the generosity of faith.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*image copied from e-bay

The Magic Key

As I was reading this morning, I came across I Kings 3:3. It says, “Solomon loved the LORD by walking in in the statutes of his father David, but he also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.”

This was such a relief to me. Knowing that Solomon loved God, walked in the ways of God, was blessed mightily by God, but still had hang-ups.

I often find myself trying to be so perfectionistic in my daily walk with Christ, that I lose the joy of it. I’m so busy trying to find the “magic key” to unlock a certain blessing, I lose the remembrance of His love, His mercy and His grace.

I Kings reminds me that Solomon wasn’t perfect, but he still received the blessing of God over His life. He was “walking the walk”, but still wasn’t without sin.

At times, I assume that a blessing, a promise from God’s Word, will happen in a certain time frame. When it doesn’t, I question everything. I question how I pray, how I’m studying the Word, my actions, my family’s actions, my church, etc., etc. etc. Trying to find some elusive “magic key” that must be the reason why God’s timeline doesn’t match mine.

Instead of trusting, praising, and enjoying the journey, I find myself adding a certain phrase I read in a book to my prayers, claiming a new verse, holding myself to a stricter standard to unlock this special blessing.

Are there times where I need to change something in my life? Remove a sin? Forgive a brother? Absolutely! Most of the time though… it’s a matter of trust.

It’s a matter of waiting.

It’s a matter of “not my will, but Yours be done.”

God still blessed Solomon, even with his imperfections, because it was time to bless Solomon.

God will bless me, even with my imperfections, when it is time to bless me.

Not because I am good enough, but because He is good. He never changes. His promises endure and He always keeps His promises.

What if the blessing I’m so focused on isn’t the end result, but the journey instead?

What if the blessing is the lesson that comes with the journey?

What if the blessing is the waiting?

What if there is no “magic key”?

What if my relationship with God looks completely different than that best-selling author?

What if the “magic key” is just about me pressing in as close as possible to my loving God as He douses me with His love?

What if it really is all about Him and not about me?

What if?

Instead of trying to find the “magic key” of blessing, I’m choosing to enjoy the journey. Walk in the statutes I know to be true? Yes. Love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength? Yes. Read every new book hoping to find the clue to God’s favor? No. Done with that.

Instead, I’m choosing to trust and leave whatever “magic key” there is in the hands of the God of the universe who knows just when to unlock the door of promise and when to keep me in the waiting room.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

 

No Longer an Ostrich

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all things through Christ, breath of God, denial, denying reality, encouragement for the weary, encouraging words to get you going, head in the sand, how do i stop denial, how to stop denail, living free, living in continual victory, relying on God, relying on God's strength, stopping denial, the armor of God

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Armor of God. You know, in Ephesians 6, where God reminds us this life is an all-out war, all of the time. I avoid dwelling on that too often and it leads to more issues than if I just admit the war and deal with it. I’m like an ostrich in the sand instead of a soldier ready for war.

Ephesians 6:10-11 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Yep. There it is in black and white, but I often act like an ostrich with my butt up in the air and my head in the sand instead of putting on the armor God has provided.

Peace time is much easier and that’s where I want to believe I am.

In peace time, I don’t I don’t have to wear armor. In peace time, I don’t have to live prepared. In peace time, I don’t have to think about a war.

What I’m learning though is that living like an ostrich is suffocating. I’m not designed to breathe in sand. I’m not designed to live in denial. I’m designed to fly and breathe the air in deeply. I’m really designed to soar like an eagle, not hide like an ostrich.

Isaiah 40:29-31 says, “He [God] gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

So, how do I switch from living like an ostrich to flying like an eagle?

Eph. 6:10 says that it’s about being strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might. It’s not about my strength. It’s about His.

When I have my head in the sand, I’m focusing on the darkness surrounding me, praying no one notices me, thinking the enemy won’t think I’m worth the trouble…not being able to breathe.

When I am depending on God’s strength, He renews my energy and makes me soar…armor and all. All denial gets me is sand in my face, but depending on God’s strength gets me the pure breath of the Spirit of God.

Job 32:8 says, “But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.”

When I am breathing in the breath of God, I have understanding of the war I’m in, the subtle nuances that would otherwise go unnoticed of the battle around me.

When I have my head in the sand, I don’t understand anything because I can’t see clearly, or breathe deeply.

The breath of God equals understanding.

Head in the sand equals denial and, dare I say… stupidity.

The choice is mine (and yours) …

Head in the sand, or head up breathing in all God has for me today?

I’m ready to get my head up, breathe in the breath of God once again and receive the strength that not only gets me to the front lines, but wins the war.

http://www.seekinghearts.org

 

 

 

*image by Pixabay