FAITH

FAITH     “WORTH CONSIDERING”    6/5/19   (Across my desk today from Joel.   I like most of what he sends out as we need to grow in our faith.   So the stuff from his ministry is very positive though sometimes leaving out needed parts.  A little cotter pin can let a tire leave the cart.  And it must be fixed or the cart is useless.  All else can be in perfect condition.

Today’s Scripture
“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree…”  (Psalm 92:12, NKJV)

Nothing Can Hold You Back
Have you ever seen a palm tree in the midst of a great storm? Unlike most other trees, the palm tree is able to bend so it will not break. A certain kind of palm can bend over until the top is almost touching the ground, but when the wind finally stops, it bounces right back up. What’s interesting is that while that palm tree is bent over under the pressure of the damaging winds, it’s being pushed and stretched, strengthening the root system and giving it new opportunities for growth.

The reason God said we’d flourish like a palm tree is because He knew there would be difficult times. He knew things would come against us to try to steal our joy and victory. God said, “You’re going to be like a palm tree because after the storms of life blow, you’re going to be stronger, healthier, wiser, better off, and ready for new growth.” God never brings you out the same. He makes the enemy pay for bringing the times of darkness and trouble. What’s meant for your harm He’s going to use to your advantage. It’s not going to break you; it’s going to strengthen you. You’re not only going to still be standing; you’re going to be standing stronger.

A Prayer for Today
“Father in heaven, thank You for making me strong in You. I trust that You are working in my life, even in the midst of the storms. I know You will bring me out stronger, wiser and better off than ever before in Jesus’ name. Amen

My Thoughts:
Good teaching on palm trees and life can be full of the winds of change.   But the palm tree is also dependent on the soil nutrients,  water,  sun and politicization.    The coconut can float in salt water for years and not germinate until there is enough fresh water available.  Sometimes as Christians we float for years in some church structure prior to being able to germinate and produce life by finding some fresh water.  Sometimes there is not the nutrients in the soil to make a good coconut.  So you need to be sure you are being saturated with the vitamins, minerals and trace elements to grow according to your design factor.  Also need to have that fresh water of the Word of God flowing all the time.  Faith (our spiritual food) comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  It is so easy to get off the narrow way when we are Biblically illiterate. 

When checking out the Bible,  it is best to start in the Gospel of John,  the 4th book in the New Testament.   John writes as an old man with an exceptional overview of the life of Christ Jesus.  So you can really get some faithful and easy to understand teachings from John as he recorded what Jesus was teaching.   In John three scriptures I like are John 12:24-26,   John 8.  &  John 17:20-26,   In John 8 there is 3 times that Jesus tells the religious leaders that He is the ” I AM” GOD   who gave Moses the 10 commandments,  see if you can find them.  Also remember that if a word is in italics like  “he”  it means that it is not in the Original Greek Translation.

After digesting and assimilating John the go to Romans.  The Book of Romans was Paul’s effort to help the Jews and Gentiles find God’s salvation and has some very profound teachings on how to grow in Christ Jesus.   Like the Coconut, it must be planted with the point down.   Paul helps us to find our flesh point and to head it towards being buried point down in baptism.

Next I would suggest the Book of Acts as the history of the foundations of the Church of Christ Jesus.   There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and all who LOVE and OBEY HIM are members.   Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org….   Thanks for your prayers,  feeling much better today.