You may have heard this before, and if you haven’t, it is something worth thinking about. “Faith is the currency of heaven.” Wait, you might say, you can’t buy things with faith, but as Jesus said to the blind men in Matthew 9:29, ” According to your faith let it be to you.” Or to the woman who touched Jesus’ robe believing it would heal her in Luke 8:48 Jesus said, “your faith has made you well.” On many other occasions in the bible, Jesus tells people they are healed because of their faith. They obviously didn’t pay for the healing like purchasing a product, but the value of the faith is what Jesus said mattered.

Jesus also criticizes others on occasion saying, “you of little faith” in several passages where those involved needed Jesus to rescue them, like Peter walking on the water. So the size of the faith affects the outcome. Maybe this is partly what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 6:20 in saying, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

It is an interesting way to look at faith.

Dear Lord, we know that you want us to have faith, hope and trust in you to guide, protect, and also do great things with us. Help us remember that if faith is a currency, our account is only limited by ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Click Here – to Receive These Messages Every Morning In Your Email Box

Paul tells us in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Great we think, “Faith is confidence in something we want, but don’t see how it can happen.” That doesn’t help us if we don’t know, “How do we get faith?”

In Paul’s letter to the Romans 10:17, He answer’s that question, writing, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

Do you want faith? Read God’s word and hear it preached.

Dear Lord, You lead us to the answers in the Bible. Help us overcome our resistance to read and hear your word preached, so that we might have the faith in what we hope for. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Click Here – to Receive These Messages Every Morning In Your Email Box

Our doctors tell us to exercise in order to improve and maintain our physical condition, which is a good practice. In the same way we need to work on our spiritual fitness to build our knowledge and understanding of scripture, faith in God’s support, and strength to resist temptation.

Paul writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:8, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” NLT

What I find interesting about this passage is that it addresses how working on being a better Christian is not just about salvation and life after earthly death, it is also about a better life here on earth, reinforcing the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, ” But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” NIV

Dear Lord, help us build our Christian muscles and endurance so that we may experience and the joy of life following you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Click Here – to Receive These Messages Every Morning In Your Email Box

Do you ever notice that people who are true professionals and outstanding performers in their field embrace difficult challenges? Professional athletes enjoy a very difficult workout or practice, scientists and academics enjoy challenging and technical problems to solve, musicians enjoy the hours of work to master a piece of music. The opposite I am sure you have also seen, the people who are always trying to cut corners, cheat, and avoid facing up to the challenge.

In many ways, this is like James describes in James 1:2-4, where he writes, “Dear brothers, 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.” TLB

To master our lives as Christians we need to face our difficulties and temptations the way Jesus taught us to with faith, prayer, and confidence; knowing God is right there with us and these tests are helping us master our Christian lives.

Dear Lord, it is hard to be happy during the difficulties and temptations we face, but help us remember to use the things you teach us, faith, prayer, and confidence in your love for us, to face our difficulties. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Click Here – to Receive These Messages Every Morning In Your Email Box

There is a power in what we say. It is like putting our signature on a contract. We can have a contract in front of us to purchase a car, or sell our house, or purchase a business, and that document many have been drafted in great detail with every contingency considered, but until we sign it, it has no power.

I think in some ways our beliefs are like this. We can think about what we believe, and know all the related scriptures, but when we say it out loud, we are putting the power in our belief.

Jesus tells the disciples in Matthew 17:20, “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

When we say negative things like, “I can’t figure this out,” or “I always get this wrong,” “I am a terrible test taker,” “I am bad at math,” “I am always late,” we are putting power into these beliefs, and keeping ourselves in those holes.

Paul says in Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” If we believe this, we should say things like, “Lord willing, I will get an A,” or “I will get accepted to that school,” “I will make the sale,” “my friend will accept my offer to come to church with me on Sunday.”

Saying what we believe, out loud, strengthens our faith and shows our commitment, which is one reason we say the creed every Sunday. “I believe in God the Father Almighty…..”

Dear Lord, our power comes from you. Help us believe that we can do all things through you, and say so with our words. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Click Here – to Receive These Messages Every Morning In Your Email Box