Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

What exactly is faith anyway? Often today we throw around sayings like "just have faith," "let faith be bigger than your fears," or "just believe and everything will be fine." Is faith some kind of mystical feeling that we can conjure up in huge portions so that it will overcome whatever obstacle is in our path? If that is the case, some may ask why things  do not always turn out fine? Why do I still sometimes experience the icy grip of terror squeeze my heart when the unexpected happens? What exactly is faith and where do I get it??!? The answer is found in a person, not in an elusive feeling. Friday nights were always exciting for me growing up. It was the start of the  weekend, of course, but also because every Friday night my family would drive to a local elementary school in North Arlington, New Jersey, where we would attend Bible Club. For one hour I would sit enthralled singing songs, participating in quizzes, learning Bible verses, and listening to a Bible story.

Everyone wants to love and be loved! That is why Valentine's Day can be such a bittersweet holiday. Each heart secretly hopes that someone who loves them will declare their affection with a greeting card or some kind of gift. Yet often there are many broken hearts for whom the day comes and goes just like any other day with no special surprises.  This week when I received our office newspaper copy of Antique Week, a weekly antique newspaper, I was reminded again of the fascination with the holiday of love. There was an interesting article about a collector who has gathered many vintage Valentine cards over the years. When she was young she so enjoyed crafting her own special notes for friends and family that she started collecting vintage cards. She has filled a box with them and takes them out a few weeks of the year to decorate her home. What a sweet reminder of years of love shared between sweethearts.

To obey or not to obey. Have you ever asked yourself this question when it comes to God's instructions? I mean, some things are "no brainers" like don't steal and don't kill, but what about the hard stuff? During the beginning days of the Christian church, the followers of Jesus Christ were very effective in sharing the story of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. They had been called to share the message first in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. There were many who believed their report, but many others who were not that pleased about the growth of belief. These messengers were given power from God's Spirit Who endowed them with boldness to speak while convicting the hearers of their sin, God's righteousness, and His judgment.

What do you do if you want something? Even the youngest of children knows the answer – you ask for it. From the time each of you could talk, you learned to ask Dad or me for the things you wanted or needed. After hearing your requests and deciding that they were reasonable, we would gladly give you what you wanted. Our heavenly Father is no different. He loves to have us come to Him in prayer and delights in hearing our voices. He has promised to answer us when we call. In Luke 11:1-13 Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. JESUS’ PATTERN: The disciples saw that Jesus had a regular pattern of prayer. His example encouraged them and they asked Him to teach them how to pray. JESUS’ PRAYER: Jesus gave His disciples a sample prayer, known to many as the Lord’s Prayer, to show them how they should approach God. Though it is not necessary to repeat these exact words – and certainly one should never just recite prayers mindlessly – it is important to understand the teaching behind the petition.

Surrender is a term with negative connotations. There are not many people who would willingly give their power or possessions to another, yet this is what God asks His children to do.  In today's verse God urges the Roman Christians to consider His display of mercy as He took their punishment for sin. He encourages them to surrender their bodies willingly to Him as living sacrifices. This, Paul writes, is their "reasonable response" given the enormity of what God has done, but we all know that it can be the hardest thing for us to do.

Do you want the Holy Spirit's power for living? Then commit yourself to the disciplines it requires. When God has control you will find joy.