Celebrate Faith

Over the past couple of weeks you may have heard me rant and rave about it being too early for Christmas. I mean come on! Decorations in the shops in October??? People dressing up their gardens and houses in early November?? Christmas carols on the radio already? As much as I love Christmas I was thinking it was all coming that bit too early this year.

Then I stopped muttering and started thinking. Hmmmm....why not start celebrating early? In fact, why not have that Christmas joy and anticipation all year??

And as a Christian, shouldn't that really be my default demeanour and MO every month of the year....not just in December?

I have read 1 and 2 Peter lately and have once again been reminded of how much I have to celebrate, thanks to God's great love and grace. 1 Peter 1 reminds us that our faith is 'of greater worth than gold.' (v 7) Considering how much gold (and plastic) will be burned this Christmas season it is astounding to think about our faith being worth more than that. It is priceless....invaluable. It is an extravagant gift from God, bought at an unimaginable price.....the gift of Jesus (God with us) to live here on earth, die for our salvation and be resurrected, showing us that death and sin have been defeated....and guaranteeing us LIFE! Now that is something to celebrate!

Two more little thoughts from that same chapter.....
'Salvation of your souls' is the goal of our faith (v 9). Again...celebrate-worthy! Without faith we cannot please God and we cannot be saved. And salvation can only be ours because Jesus came....lived....died...rose again. So as we head into this year's festive season, let's get excited about more than gift giving and receiving, time with family and holidays. Let's ask God to help us connect our faith with this celebration of His goodness to us in a deeper way. And let the joy and peace of this season refresh our faith.

Finally, v 21 reminds us that faith and hope are inseparable. HOPE...I so love that word and what it means. It is a "confident expectation." Hope is a firm assurance that God is who He says He is and will do all He has promised to do. And His promises are for our blessing......eternal life, the presence of His Spirit, a faithful friend in Jesus, love, provision, protection, salvation and so many more precious gifts (to be enjoyed year round!) As we get ever-closer to December 25th, let's live with both a growing, deepening faith and an unshakeable, exciting hope that we have been given the greatest gift of all- time...Jesus!


So today, November 29th might not be the traditional Christmas Day. But as I play my carols CD and dust off the tree and decorations and continue to on-line shop for Christmas presents, I am determined to consider this special season and the first Christmas in a new way and let it refresh my faith, build my hope and fuel my thanks to God.

God is.....

I Peter 1:21 says -
...and so your faith and hope are in God.
Yes...that's right, they are. But who is this God??
Type that 2 word phrase "God is" into a blueletterbible search and it occurs in 161 verses.
Here's just some of them.... to paint you a picture of this amazing God..... who is my hope:

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil? God is near us whenever we pray to him God is a merciful God God is God; he is the faithfulGod, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, For God is the King of all the earth Surely God is my help God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever For the Lord God is a sun and shield God is full of compassion. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. God is with you. God is a righteous judge God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries God is truthful God is faithful God is the builder of everything. God is a consuming fire God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. God is love

Friday Friends and Faves #4

Today's Friday Fs & Fs installment comes to you from 3 lovely ladies....Linda, Joyce and Taryn.

In the Friend's section you'll hear from L as she shares some good stuff she's been reading (from J) lately. If you've ever worried....and let's face it, that's all of us....you'll be encouraged by what both ladies have to say.

And in the Faves section, my sister T has sent thru a link to some things she has been listening to lately that have been a blessing to her. Perhaps they will be to you too.

FRIENDS:

Excerpt from an email and it's pink coz that's L's favourite colour!

I mentioned to you the other day about the Joyce Meyer book 'Power Thoughts' that I am reading.  I have just read a page that I thought was so awesome that if you are wanting an idea for a blog, you can use this.  I will type it verbatim from Joyce Meyer.

"In years past, soldiers often protected themselves with shields, and in Ephesians 6:16, the Bible speaks of the "shield of faith".  Since shields provided protection, faith must be a way to protect ourselves when the enemy attacks.  However, a shield is only effective when it is raised; it won't help a soldier while it is on the ground or at his side.  He must lift it up and use it to cover himself from attack.  When the devil attacks us with unpleasant circumstances or thoughts that cause us to worry and be afraid, we should immediately lift up the shield of faith.  The way we do that is by deciding right away that we will trust God instead of trying to worry our way to victory.  It is very helpful to say out loud, "I trust God in this situation!"  Say it firmly with conviction.  Jesus talked back to satan by saying, "It is written," and quoting scripture (see Luke 4), and we can do the same.  God's Word is powerful, and it is effective against everything the enemy tries to do in our lives."

(a paragraph later)

"If you're a Christian who goes around burdened or weighed down all the time, something is wrong.  You may have had faith in Christ for salvation, but that doesn't mean you are living by faith.  The most difficult burden we have to carry in life is self.  Managing self, our daily living, feelings, temptations, temperament and inward affairs all can become a heavy burden if we do not place ourselves entirely in God's hands by faith.
Next, we must lay aside the burden of health, reputations, work, home, children and everything else that concerns us.  The Bible tells us that God is faithful (see Thessalonians 5:24); that's one of His major characteristics.  We can count on Him to come through for us, so we should trust Him totally and completely.  When we do, we will be ready for anything that comes our way.
There will always be situations that cause you concern,  but with God's help, you can live above all of them and enjoy life.  Learn to say with your mouth and with sincerity in your heart, "God, I trust You completely; there is no need to worry!"

I particularly liked the first paragraph I typed here, cause that's hit me where I am at the moment (like I mentioned to you the other day - fighting off the devil's try to cause me to worry or doubt) but i enjoyed the rest too, as in the past I have been a worrier, and excused it saying that's just me - I'm just a worrier.  But I don't have to be - I can choose not to worry about circumstances, and cut off worrying thoughts before they get bigger and bigger in my mind.   

Yes Linda! That's great truth....you make the choice. God provides all you need. So choose Him!

FAVES

Another email:

Hey K,

Thought you might like to put this as my contribution to your Friday blogs..... I've been having these stories from some people I know and others I don't as my "sermons".  Easy to listen to on the computer.  

http://sermon.net/familylifeaustralia/sermonid/2470256

Thanks T. If you go to this page you'll see a long list of other sermons from FLA. I am sure you'll find something there worth listening to. And since women are such wonderful multi-taskers, how about listening to one as you surf the net or Facebook or cook dinner or ????

Have a great weekend all....and remember, you're very welcome to make a contribution to future Friday posts.

By Faith....

Hebrews 11.....full of faith stories...what a challenge!


v 1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

By faith....Abel, Abraham, Jacob, Enoch, Noah, Joseph, Moses, Rahab....the list goes on. If you are unfamiliar with the faith stories of these ancestors, read Hebrews 11.

Here's some of my faith stories...
By faith:

• I changed my QTAC form in Yr 12 and followed God's prompting to study in Toowoomba rather than Brisbane...where I discovered Student Life and truly came to know Jesus.
• I applied for a Grad. Dip. in Ed course after realising journalism wasn't what God was calling me to....and launched into a rewarding and life-changing career.
• I investigated the email asking for prayer for the little Christian school run by the mother's serving with Wycliffe Bible translators in Uganda....and spent a year serving God and others in Africa and learning about obedience and what it means to truly rely on God.
• I allowed myself to be introduced by my sister and brother-in-law to the world of internet dating....and found Mr Right.
• I trusted God to heal my husband of 11 months of myocarditis...and He did.
• I hoped that despite our ages, we'd be able to have a baby....and now I get to hold Jacob every day.

Hebrews also tells us that 'without faith it is impossible to please God' (v 6) 
So, the BIG question is: HOW HAVE YOU BEEN BRINGING HIM PLEASURE TODAY?

Please add a comment...or FB or email me.....with one or more of your 'By faith...' stories. Let's be an encouragement to each other today.