Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “The fear of not having enough”
Our Bible verse for today: “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Faith and action are often the missing ingredients.”
Yesterday we began considering the role that personal responsibility plays when it comes to us experiencing the fullness of what God wants to accomplish in and through us. God will do His part but we also have to do our part. Very rarely will God force anything on anyone. We have to cooperate with Him. We have to be willing and we have to do our part. We also have to have faith.
God’s miraculous work of providing for us in ways we cannot provide for ourselves, and empowering us to do things we could not do on our own, depends a lot on our willingness to trust in Him, and then we must get busy doing our part as well. This is a faith that recognizes that even though I cannot do this thing, God can and He will if He wants to. Its then up to me to do everything I can within my own power, ability, and resources, trusting that God can and will cover the deficit if it is His will to do so.
If the issue is personal finances and you’re asking God to help you, your part in this may be to attend Dave Ramsey’s “Financial Peace University” and learn better money management habits. If you’re asking God for a better job, your part might be to go back to school at night to learn a new trade or skill. If the problem is an illness and you’re asking God for healing, your role might be to start taking better care of yourself. You can trust that God will do His part, but He’s also looking for our willingness to be a part of solving our own problems.
Also, when the Bible calls us to have faith in God it is actually very realistic. Moses wasn’t expected to believe that getting a couple of million people out of slavery in Egypt and then leading them through a brutal desert to a new land was going to be a walk in the park. It wasn’t going to be. He was just supposed to realize that with God’s help it was doable. Likewise, the disciples weren’t expected to believe that five small loaves and two fish could feed twenty thousand people. The truth was that it was impossible to do such a thing- without God’s help. A mature faith acknowledges the reality of situations as they really are, but also knows that with God nothing is impossible and therefore everything is potentially doable.
The situation you are facing today might be extremely difficult – maybe even impossible in your own power. Don’t deny it and don’t pretend it’s any different than it really is. Just have the faith that with God all things are possible. Do what you can and then trust that in God’s way, in God’s time, and with God’s help, your situation can be dealt with.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 