Is faith enough?

Dear friend,

This is a very old song I share with you today. A song by "4 Him", one of my favourite Christian bands. It comes from a time I was still young in my walk with God, but the words ring true still today. Here is the link to listen to this song: https://youtu.be/I-OJtMxMT7k called "Where there is Faith". My encouragement to you today: Keep walking!

Scripture Power verse:

Habakkuk 3:17-18New International Version (NIV)

17 Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

What is it to have faith and what do you have faith in? 

Do you believe in yourself and your own abilities? 

A young preacher in America today had a message and as part of it he told how a big famous theologian in America was asked about him on a YouTube video interview the young preacher was watching and the learned man paused for a moment and said: Not qualified! He didn't regard this young preacher to be worthy to preach the Gospel of Christ. Imagine watching a video where people talk about you and what they are saying is not very flattering. The young preacher surprised by not taking offence and said: Sure, I am absolutely not qualified. He was agreeing with the theologian.  BUT who makes us able and qualified to still, despite our shortcomings, live a faith-based life, a life preaching about God, sharing His Word and Truth as He reveals it to us, with others...as this may also be a life of persecution and judgement by this world? Is it even worth it would you say? Would you like to live such a life?

I am so glad to bring you the Good News today that no person on earth is actually qualified to represent the most High King. The Bible says: none is found to be worthy or good...not one. So, if we all fall short of it, then none of us is worthy.

But God. Because He sent His only Son and paid the ultimate price through His blood for each and every human on earth, He is the only One that can make us able, willing and worthy.

I struggle a lot with this life and all it holds for a believer, just like any other person, but my heart is willing and God looks inward to the inner man where no one else can really truly judge. We can judge each others fruits, but we can never truly judge each others hearts. He is the only One that knows each of us as we truly are. 

Do you fake it till you make it or do you trust in Christ with humility, not regarding yourself more than anyone else? If so, and if you are offering yourself and your life up for Him to be used, do not be surprised if you go through fire to be purified and tested. He makes us worthy through hardship and testing and trials if we desire to stand up and be counted for His Kingdom. This has been my experience over and over again throughout my Christian life since the age of 15 and it has never not been like this. You may even find yourself cut off from others for a season, so He can do His good work in you. It is a hard thing to say you want to live for Him. There is a certain price to be paid...a cross to carry and bear. It is not easy. It is the narrow hard uphill type of road. So, if everything is smooth sailing for you, you are probably not on that road. He wants to know if we will choose Him or choose this world and the fame and fortune it offers and to do that He asks us to go through seasons of winter and drought and dry land. He cares for us in these seasons. He doesn't abandon us in these times, but be assured, it is a lonely season. Friends and family and all your connections may just abandon you when they see you being tested this harshly. They will even judge you and your life like Job's friends. Be encouraged though, it is just a season and will pass. God knows just how much you can take. The closer you walk with this world, the blinder spiritually you will be. The closer you walk with God and the more you desire to grow in your faith, the more He will open your spiritual eyes. You will start to see things as they are and not as what the enemy wants you to see and believe. Things that were so important to you in the past, will become less so. You will start to have an eternity mindset, knowing that this world will not last forever and that puts it kind of in its place. 

What do you choose today? I choose Christ. I will always choose Christ. Even if I fail miserably at this life, I will choose Christ. Even if no one wants to know me, even if everyone rejects me over and over and over again because of His Name, I will always choose Christ. I will never choose fame or fortune over Him. I will never be bought or sell my soul for money or worldly success. Does that make me a failure? Not in His eyes. I will not even choose friends or family over Him. I will not choose my own way over Him. Even if none of my dreams come true, I will choose Him. If the fig tree does not bear fruit and the harvest doesn't come. When my vineyards are empty and dry and all I have is Jesus, I will be content. (Habakuk 3)

I believe like this song, in faithfulness. I believe in giving of myself for someone else. Yes, I believe in peace and love even if I never find it in this life. I believe in honesty and trust but I know like this song says it is not enough. For all that I believe may never change the way it is in this world, or in my life or even me, but unless I believe Jesus lives and I'm willing to let Him shine His true light through every part of me, every aspect of my life and being...even the dark places, then I am just an empty hollow shell that makes noise.

Today I offer you this advice: care more about who Jesus says you are than what you care the world, others even friends and family, say you are. Care more about God's will for you, than to please this world. Care more about doing life with Christ than impressing this world with what you do and say. Care first about time with Him than time with others. In the end, you have to spend eternity somewhere. Will, what this world offers you really take you there? So, today spend a little time with Jesus. Even just a couple of minutes with the King is worth more than anything else you do.

May you be blessed enough today to realize that it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of you or says to you or even spreads about you behind your back...even if they do it over and over again. It is better to please God than people. So you have to kind of make peace with the fact that if you truly please God, you will be in "trouble" with people. Can you live with that? If you can't truly say yes to this question, maybe you need to take another hard look at what really matters to you.

Here is the lyrics to the song. I hope you listen to it today and that it inspires you to walk closer to Him. Your beliefs won't change anything...only Jesus has the power to change hearts and minds and lives. Let Him change you today. <3 

4him – Where There Is Faith Lyrics 

I believe in faithfulness
I believe in giving of myself for someone else
I believe in peace and love
I believe in honesty and trust but it's not enough
For all that I believe may never change the way it is
Unless I believe Jesus lives

Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You're not alone in this world
Where there is faith
There is a peace like a child sleeping
Hope everlasting in He who is able to
Bear every burden, to heal every hurt in my heart
It is a wonderful, powerful place
Where there is faith

There's a man across the sea
Never heard the sound of freedom ring
Only in his dreams
There's a lady dressed in black
In a motorcade of Cadillacs
Daddy's not coming back
Our hearts begin to fall
And our stability grows weak
But Jesus meets our needs if only we believe

Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You're not alone in this world
Where there is faith
There is a peace like a child sleeping
Hope everlasting in He who is able to
Bear every burden, to heal every hurt in my heart
It is a wonderful, powerful place
Where there is faith 

Prayer:

Lord, thank you that you know my name and that because You love me, I can know that what Jesus did for us, also was for me. Thank you that all I am is secure in Christ and that I am covered by the Blood of the Lamb. Lord, thank you that I can believe in You and that You have given me the Holy Spirit to be my Teacher and Comforter in this life and thank you that You make me qualified to witness and shine Your light despite my human nature and shortcomings. Thank you so much that Your light shining through me is not dependent on my ability to DO anything or BE anything more than your child, forgiven and made new by what YOU do. 

Lord, help me to believe what You want me to believe about me, my life, my purpose, my position, my work, my relationships, others and your will in all of that. Teach me, guide me and be gracious to me. 

Help me Lord, when I fall short, to also have mercy and grace for the world around me. Help me to live your love harder than ever before. Forgive me if I stray from living your purposes for my life. 

Protect me against those who want to take, steal and destroy what You have given and blessed me with. Protect me against the real enemy and his plans of destruction and give me the discernment to know when he is using people to discourage me and get me off track. Help me to forgive others like you forgive me. 

Help me always to return to You and your path for my life. Help me stay on it and help me to stay focused. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen. 

May this prayer help you stay strong in your faith in Christ. Do not give up and do not lose hope. God is not finished with you yet.