Many times in life there is something we know we should do, something we feel that God is calling us to do, but we are reluctant to start. We don’t start because we don’t know if we will have the time, the money, the ability, the support, or some other limitation, to make it work.

What we don’t realize, is that God may be waiting for us to move forward, demonstrating our faith in him, and then he will give us that time, money, knowledge, etc, we wanted before we started.

In Joshua 3 the Israelites are just about to cross the Jordan River and enter the “Promised Land” after wandering in the desert for 40 years. The Jordan River at that time was at its high, overflowing it’s banks.

Joshua 3:7,8, “The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.'” verse 13 then says, “As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”

God told them to start, and once they did, he took over. He will do this for us if we act faithfully.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the knowledge that you are always there to support us when we step out in faithful response to your call. Help us have the courage to do so. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

When times are tough, it is difficult to remember how much God loves us.

So remember what Jesus says in Luke 12:6-7, “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

Remembering then what Jesus said, we know God cares about us, so we should follow Paul’s guidance in Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for the care and comfort that you provide, and answering our prayers with your all knowing wisdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Paul writes, a familiar text, in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” The NLT version puts it, “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”

In the context of his letter, Paul is discussing the promise of a new life in heaven after death; That we live with the faith in this promise.

However, I think he may also be stating a fact of life. We live by faith in our daily lives. When we wake, we turn on the water with faith that it will run. We turn the key on our car with faith it will start. We send an email, text, or make a phone call, with faith that it will connect with someone. We get on airplanes and boats, believing in the physics that they employ. We count on “seeing” these things happen because we first believed they would. We all live by faith, whether Christian or not.

As Christians we have additional beliefs that we count on “seeing” just the same. We pray with faith, counting on God’s answer. We attend worship with faith that it will renew our spirit. We make commitments to serve, witness, and contribute with faith that God will provide and protect. Most importantly, we have faith and believe first, that we will have eternal life, and we are counting on “seeing” this when our life on earth is over.

Dear Lord how common it is for people to think “I’ll believe it when I see it,” but they have things backward. Life now and eternal life is actually, “you’ll see it when you believe it.” Give us the strength to believe first so we will see your promises fulfilled. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The more we study the Bible and God’s plan, the more we realize the gaps in our understanding. Jesus tells us however in Mark 4:22, “For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.”

In order to learn and understand, we need to take the time and effort to study. Jesus continues in Mark 4:25, “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for the understanding of your plan that you have given us. Help us continue to listen to your teaching by reading and meditating on your word. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Some Bible verses just tell us things so clearly that it is almost hard to accept what they say.

Proverbs 22:4 is one of these. Saying, “True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”

Wouldn’t we and our world be better off if we pursued these objectives of humility and the fear of the Lord?

Dear Lord, In the Bible, you tell us many times in many ways to submit to you and let you guide our ways, promising that you will lead us in life when we do. Help us humbly follow your direction so that we may live the lives you desire for us, and bring glory to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.