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Feelings and faith
by Janie Buck
Topic: Prayers
Date: 01.23.2008
Oh! Father,there has been a lot of emphasis put of living by faith and not by our feelings. I know that is absolutely true. But you are love and when you are filling my heart I am filled with love, and your other qualities of joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness and goodness and self-control. I need your life controlling mine in every area. I yield myself to you and ask you to please fill me with the Holy Spirit. Then I can love you with all my heart and others as myself.

I confess that I have not love you or my neighbor as I should. I can't love you or people in my own strength. Forgive me for "do-it-myself" Christianity. Please fill my heart with the Holy Spirit and all the fruit of His indwelling presence. Then I will enjoy fellowship with you and bless others by my life.
Where do I find hope
by Janie Buck
Topic: Hope
Date: 01.24.2008
Everyone has troubles and needs hope for a good outcome to problems. James opens his letter with encouragement for us. He wrote, "is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So, let it grow, and don't try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete" (James 1:2-4) This is Living Bible paraphrase, so if you need help read the whole letter written by the Lord's brother. It is very practical for everyday problems, and gives encouragement for our trials and troubles.

"What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we pray for is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead." (The Living Bible) Faith and hope are two nearly identical phrases saying nearly the same thing.

So, give your patience a chance to grow and face you problems with courage for the Lord is near and hears your prayers.
The Greatest Thing
by Janie Buck
Topic: Hope
Date: 01.24.2008
There are three things that last forever: faith, hope and love. The greatest of the three is love. We can not live without love. If a man and woman didn't fall in love there would be no families. But we do "fall in love," get married and have children. Lasting love between a couple needs help from the Source of love.The source is God.

One of the greatest revelations in the Bible is "God is love." Think about it! God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son that we might be saved from the penalty of our sins! Just knowing this is only the beginning of experiencing the love of God. The one requirement of us is that we believe that Father God love us and that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins. To express our faith we pray and thank God for the greatest gift ever given - eternal life - that we receive when we ask Jesus to forgive our sins and come into our heart.

That is the beginning our knowing Father God. We get to know Him more and more as we "feed" on His words. And His word is the Bible. Reading, studying and memorizing it is like eating three times a day. If we don't eat we will die. Spiritually the same is true. We take into our mind the Word of God by reading, studying and meditating on the Word. Then our spiritual life and faith will grow stronger.
Encouragement and Hope
by Janie Buck
Topic: Hope
Date: 01.25.2008
If we only listen to TV news reports and read the news papers we loose hope of anything ever helping our country and the mess the whole world is in. We must read the Book God wrote so we can be free from fear, worry and anxiety. God is the God of hope who brought again our Lord Jesus from the dead, and He will raise our mortal bodies on that "great getting-up morning." If in this life only we have hope we are most miserable. The sure future of true believers is certain. We will be with the Lord forever.

In the meantime we have hope "through the blood of His cross." This certain hope gives us courage to keep on keeping on in our daily life. Our "hope of glory" is in the indwelling Spirit of Christ which is the guarantee to each believer of future glory. And He is here personally with each of us, encouraging, strengthening, guiding, and protecting us every moment of the day and night.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Turn to Him at every opportunity. The only thing that makes us feel separated from Him is unconfessed sin. He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins when we ask. Always ask Him to be in control of your life after you have confessed your sin. On our own we will always fail.
Earnest Prayer
by Janie Buck
Date: 01.25.2008
In Jonah the sailors prayed. Jonah must have told them the storm was sent by God because of his disobedience. He must have told them more about the Lord for they ask forgiveness for having to throw Jonah overboard. Then they offered sacrifices to God and made vows. The Lord accepted then and stopped the storm suddenly. There was no mistake about their faith then!

Is there a "storm" in your life? Not wind and raging seas but children, husband or wife relationships, work or anything troubling you? Then do as the sailors did - pray. Sometimes situations are so overwhelming we can only cry "HELP."

Remember our "Momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not see are eternal."

Keep the Lord Jesus front and center in you mind and trust Him to work out your problems. You don't fold your hands and do nothing, You pray without stopping in confidence that He is with you and knows all about your troubles. He will not be shocked at your confession of sins. He forgives and washes you clean inside.
Feelings and faith
by Janie Buck
Topic: Faith
Date: 01.29.2008
If we live by our feelings we will be like a yoyo - up when life is going well and down when any little thing upsets us. Jesus told us "Do worry---," and listed the basic necessities of life: food and drink, clothes to wear, because our "heavenly Father knows that you need al these things." And He added that the unbelievers seek all these things, and we should "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt. 6:31-33).

The question we all need answered is how do I live by faith and not my feelings. Paul gave that answer: "Be anxious for nothing , but in everything let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." So pray about anything and everything. Then leave "it" in our Lord's hands. He will accomplish whatever you are concerned about.

When our children were teens, we like most parents, had a lot to worry about. That was when we really learned to trust the Lord. Our kids grew up into wonderful adults and we learned through them to put the lesson of worry where it belongs. In God Almighty who is our Father hands.
Giving and receiving
by Janie Buck
Date: 01.29.2008
A wonderful thing that God has built into life is that when we give to the needs of others He gives to us. Paul wrote to the the Phillppian church that he had received their gift and was well supplied. And what they sent was a "fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God." This is an insight into how the Lord looks upon our gifts to Him via the ministry of missionaries.

And Paul adds that "my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." When we give the Lord keeps giving to us so we will have enough and be able to help others who teach and preach the Word.

Remember Jesus' story of the rich man who tore down his barns and built bigger ones to hold his wealth? He called him a fool. Choose to be "rich" toward God and let His approval be your highest goal.

Ultimately we are made righteous by faith the the death of Jesus Christ for our sins. We don't earn heaven. It is a gift received by faith in the death of Jesus for our sin.
Don't forget to give thanks
by Janie Buck
Topic: Journal
Date: 01.29.2008
Do you record the Lord's answers to your prayers in a journal? It is a good practice because we tend to forget and think good things just happened. So we forget to thank Him! I admit that I am guilty, so I am "preaching" to myself. And since most of us are alike, I want to encourage you.

Scripture tells us not to forget to thank the Lord for answering our prayers. It is an important part of our prayer life.

One way to help our "rememberer" is to keep a journal. When I read over some of my old ones I can see how He has led me and my family. And another benefit is that I have learned that "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

Don't give up when hard things come alone. Lean upon the Lord. He will never fail you or forsake you.


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