Bread Crumbs – Devotions for Life

 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

the conviction of things not seen.

 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God,

so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

Hebrews 11:1 and 3

There is never a reason to remain downcast, for everything may be brought to God “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving” (Phil. 4:6). “Put your hope in God” (Ps. 43:5). There is never a time when we cannot hope in God.  Our hope will not be in vain, and in the Lord’s own timing help will come.  Our work is to lay our petitions before the Lord, and in childlike simplicity to pour out our hearts before Him.  “For I will yet praise him” (Ps. 43:5). More prayer, more exercising of our faith, and more patient waiting leads to blessings, abundant blessings.

George Mueller

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 

that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 

1 John 5:14

What if my heart is cold and I feel that I lack faith? John says, “Here is the remedy, ask and pray. He will hear you.”   Your best course of action is to rely on God and pray “Lord, give me faith.”

Luther, Martin; Galvin, James C. (2009-05-19). Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional (p. 38). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Keeping Faith

Whenever God reveals something, He expects us to believe Him and adjust our lives accordingly. What does this mean?

It means we trust Him implicitly for all of our needs because He says He will provide (Phil. 4:19).

It means we approach crises with the assurance that God will bring good from them (Rom. 8:28).

It means that, despite what happens in our lives, we will never doubt God’s love because He has told us that He loves us with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3).

At times we try to justify our lack of faith! We know what God has promised, but we doubt that He will make a practical difference in our life.

Blackaby, Richard (2006-12-01). Experiencing God Day By Day (p. 39). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Faith is letting God reign within us

Are we prepared for what sanctification will cost? It will cost an intense narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our interests in God. Sanctification means intense concentration on God’s point of view. It means every power of body, soul and spirit chained and kept for God’s purpose only. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the disposition that ruled Him will rule us. Are we prepared for what that will cost? It will cost everything that is not of God in us.

Jesus has prayed that we might be one with Him as He is one with the Father. The one and only characteristic of the Holy Spirit in a man is a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, and freedom from everything that is unlike Him.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest : Selections for the Year (Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 1993).