Sunday, March 29, 2015

Lord Help Me In My Unbelief!

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit-Mark 9
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

It is so easy to claim we believe, but it takes a great deal of courage to admit our unbelief.  Yes, we publicly proclaim our faith in Christ and our belief in God's word as truth.  But for many of us if the truth be known, we are like this boy's father, we believe but we also doubt.  The doubt we feel becomes like a wall obstructing our ability to see God's miracle come to fruition in our lives.

From the most simplest of challenges to the most complicated, we believe but we don't believe with the certainty Christ calls us to have.  Like his most dedicated disciples we fail in our belief because of a lack of deep prayer, the kind of intense prayer that builds our belief to the point of certainty required for His miracles to take place.  God I believe, but help me overcome my unbelief so that your miracles become a permanent reality in my every day walk with you!  Amen!  Just a little advice to go!


Saturday, March 7, 2015

Do You Love Me?

Do you love me?  Have you ever been asked this question?  Has your parent, child, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, or other person asked you this question?  Today's world makes it so easy for people to say I love you, but the sincerity and depth of those three words often lack the intensity and conviction they should carry.

In the scriptures, Jesus asks Peter, do you love me three times?  Yes the same Peter who denied him three times because fear overcame his love.  Christ teaches us that a genuine and sincere love overcomes fear not the opposite.  Peter is now emphatic in his responses to Christ, culminating with his last response, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Peter was certain of his love and commitment to Christ!

Where do you stand?  What would be your response if asked the same question?  Do you love Christ and if the answer is yes, is it obvious by the way you think, speak, and live.  Loving and caring for those around us despite their worthiness of love speaks to the sincerity and commitment of our love for Christ.  Every aspect of our day should center around following Christ and caring for others. Love him the way He loved you, fearlessly and unconditionally.  Just a little advice to go!

Sunday, March 1, 2015

God I Need You Always!

After more than a week of feeling ill an experiencing pain throughout my body, I found myself on my knees asking for God’s healing.  Suddenly my mind went to the constant pain so many experience day after day.  I cried before God and had to pray for his mercy and compassion for the many that are hurting.  Many are hungry, trapped by addiction, disenfranchised from their families, suffering the loss of a loved one, battling a terminal illness, and so much more.  

My illness and the pain I have felt reminds me that God’s word assures us he is our comforter, our healer, our deliverer, our light in the middle of the darkness, our peace, and our everything.  It is in the midst of the pain and the hurt that we often awaken to the realization that we need His presence with us every single minute of the day.  


God I pray you wrap your arms around each of us, holding us tightly, squeezing the pain out of us and embracing us with your love and peace.  Help us to remind each other of the urgent need to have you embrace us each and every moment of the day.  Just a little advice to go!