At times, this ol’ lad is slow to respond to the gentle nudging of the Lord. I’ll sit here and there listening and then wait a bit longer. Some times intentionally to let things simmer for a bit to provide a deeper or greater understanding and other times because I think ‘who really listens or reads these notes?’ But that isn’t the point either. The point is to respond. It isn’t about me it is about HIM. So in faith, I hope this finds the grace it needs to reach who He intends it to.
The characters that form on the screen are grouped in clusters to form words which ultimately convey thoughts and concepts. In the end, an entry is made in the journal and a point I received from the Lord has been faithfully shared. And this is a good thing.
Lately, I’ve been going through the epistles in the New Testament. Sure I read them each year, but since Easter, I have been spending extra time repeatedly reading through them. I’ve been through each of Paul’s letters at least 3 times along with the book of Acts. These readings are building upon old foundations that were laid down years ago. And now the Lord wants me to share some of this new construction layer He has been building. Remember He builds it line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little (Isaiah 28:10).
A while back I shared some journal entries on faith, what it is and how to operate in it, and build it. But know, there are also ways it can be destroyed because of a lack of faith. Unbelief is a faith killer, read what Jesus told His followers in Matthew 17. It was their unbelief that killed their command or authority (v20). In Hebrews 3, the writer tells us that many of the Israelites that crossed the Red Sea with Moses would not enter the “Promise Land” because of unbelief (v19).
Unbelief was and still is the faith killer. It can offset promises that you were to inherit. It is venom or poison in the field of prosperity. It drains the life from the field of faith and eventually leads to a premature death of things or lack of life. One becomes a zombie without faith. Hope doesn’t burn and love is never unfurled in the flowers of faith. Unbelief is cataclysmic destruction to your spirit life and eventually physical life. Hebrews 11 tells us that Pharaoh followed hard into the Red Sea after Moses and the Israelites. Where they, the Jewish people, crossed over in faith on dry land, Pharaoh and his team met ultimate destruction in their pursuit by drowning in the very waters that had been held back in faith just moments before (v29).
Faith is a substance. It is a lifeline. It is something hoped for that can’t quite be seen. It sits in the dream pocket of your spirit and your mind says, ok, lets believe God for it (Hebrews 11:1)! That begins the growth of the seed. But how does it get there in the first place? It comes from hearing God’s voice in a matter of speaking. You have to hear it into you.
Have you ever read something that jumped off of the page or screen that you were reading? Did you ever go to a service or conference and you were absorbing things left and right? Or did you hear someone say something and it pricked your core? Hearing can be done by more that just through your physical ears. But make no mistake, that is a typical way we build faith. It is the line upon line segment and it becomes imperative that you are building with the proper material.
One way we renew our minds, is by ingesting God’s Word daily. Jesus told us He is the bread of life in John 6 and that we need only to believe in Him (v35). This is how we should partake each day, feeding on His bible. Whether we read, listen, or watch the scriptures, we need some input daily. This is one way how we become battle ready each day.
Another way is by entering His gates with thanksgiving and courts with praise giving thanks to Him and blessing Him (Psalm 100: 4). Both of these provide ways to grow in Him each day. It is taking a new precept and building upon and old precept. It is what the Lord does. But you can’t do any of it without faith.
The acts you and I do need to have a basic belief or faith that it is not done in vain. Because Hebrews tells us that He is a rewarder of those who faithfully seek him (11:8). Through faith we enter His throne room with grace (His) and obtain mercy (His) to use grace once again as we apply our faith back on earth with action (Hebrews 4: 16). All good things come from above (James 1:17).
In this layered approach to life and spiritual life, may you begin to prosper more and more. One step at a time. But with each step use faith in it. Don’t walk in disbelief as it tramples your garden. Be a believer of His works and know that He will finish what he has started (Hebrews 12: 2).
Godspeed, The Journeyman
Ps. Start today, get in and read His word. Many of today’s verses our found in Hebrews and it is a great book of the Bible! Find your faith, activate your faith. Things are upon us in this life where we may be crossing seas and faith (His) will give us the dry land to walk upon. Love you all. Via con Dios!
Psalm 100: 4 KJV “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
John 6: 35 KJV “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst.”
John 14: 27 KJV “Peace I leave with you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Isaiah 28:10 ESV “For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”
Matthew 17: 20 KJV “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, ‘Remove hence to yonder place;’ and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible for unto you.”
Hebrews 3: 19 KJV “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”
Hebrews 4:16 KJV “Let us there fore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 11: 1 ESV “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11: 8 ESV “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.”
Hebrews 11: 10 ESV “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
Hebrews 11: 29 KJV “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.”
Hebrews 12: 2 KJV “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…”
James 1: 27 KJV “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights…”