I BELIEVE!!!!!!

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

The desperate man cried out in Mark 9:24.....knowing that Jesus said, all things are possible to him that believeth.(Mark 9:23)

This morning's reading from Henry Blackaby's, Experiencing God p.171 had me with the first sentence. 

You can say prayers in your mind but doubt in your heart.

Is it possible to be a "person of prayer" and yet not have faith?

May it never be in my life!

As I align my will with His in prayer, I can wait expectantly to see how God will answer.

Today I am meeting with other prayer warriors at FEC to pray for revival. But....am I preparing for its coming? A reflective life of absolute trust?

I need to look for His hand at every turn. A God wink. A God sighting.

May I not miss His response to my requests..........or I'll miss the joy of praying faith!!

CHOOSE GREATER JOY

All joy comes from the One who first chose us.

As He chooses to bring others from my family into the fold, that exponentially increases my joy.

Such was the case with Andrew. 

Andrew who week before last kept asking his mommy at bedtime, "How can I believe?" For several nights she would share gospel truth and ask questions to check Andrew's understanding. 

But....he said, "I DO BELIEVE!" 

Nothing more was needed as he prayerfully opened his heart to the Lord.

Sunday, January 29, 2017 Andrew Lawrence Liles had his first communion. A new believer sharing the bread and the cup with other believers at Allen Bible Church.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:4)

NO DOUBT!!!

Out, out "doubt" spot! (With apologies to "The Bard")

Don't let "doubt" cover you. Stain you. Touch your heart in any way. 

Doubt can start with a tiny spot? A simple, "Why, God?" question. Then it can spread.

Doubt can be like rot---attempting to erode God's Word which you know is true! 

It must not enter your mind. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

As Geraldine Brooks so eloquently writes of doubt, "Excise it at the first speckling, the first stain, the first stench of decay." (TSC, p. 121)

Never doubt God's goodness in the midst of your ongoing struggle.

Believe---whether it feels like He's there or not. (Mark 9:24)

Even in the midst of pain, God is there.........

.......There is no doubt of that!

LANGUISHING

4/5/13 "Languishing in Leviticus"---pretty much sums up our recent struggles. As part of Allen Bible Church's spring reading plan hubby reads aloud the selected chapter each week night. Reading through Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy together as a church for their "Mobile with Moses" reading plan. Possibly prep for a study of the life of Moses. 

Languishing does seem an appropriate descriptor as the chapters often seem repetitive on blood and other bodily fluids, sacrifices, disease cleansing and rigorous food prep rituals. Those events seem to lack vitality for us in search "help" in our daily walk. But God.....has inspired all scripture so we keep trudging on. 

Languishing as one studies can occur, sometimes without warning---as can languishing in one's belief. But, as Pastor Cole reminded in Sunday's message, if such "belief" languishing starts, "Believe it until you believe it."

Understanding the procedure for the Israelites rituals is not as important to remember as is the truth that a Great Savior has died for all our sins!

As the father in Mark 9:24 called out, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

Don't languish in your belief, cry out to the Lord!