If not for God’s Grace where would we be?  We often refer to the work that we do as “His work”, but that can be so wrong, if it is a fact, that within our doings He is not present.  If I don’t see the hand of the Lord driving the work that’s being done even though it is said to be done in His name; then is it His work.  We are all called to evangelize, but are we all called to teach?

He alone is faithful to keep us from falling. We have given our life to Him, but without His word to us for our going forth in ministry we are just walking in our own strength.  

It is our place to be truthful with one another and also true to God.  So we work out our salvation in fear and trembling as Paul tells us to do, why? – because we can’t fool ourselves, though we may fool others.  We must have and we must rely on the memory of a past word from God to us, calling us to ministry.  He wants us to remember His word and then to trust Him and trust His promises made to us.  And we will often walk in those past evidences, simply by faith.  Why?- because He has spoken, and we must remember that He is faithful.  The evidences that we have of Him in our past will grow our hope for the future. 

The Stories that you may hear me tell over and over again are the stories of God’s past-faithfulness to me.  

My dad told anyone who would listen consistently this one special story that grounded his own faith; and he did it even more so when his mind was failing. This was his grounding; supporting his faith in God and God’s faithfulness to him, not only to him, but to us the hearers as well.  He was well qualified to tell that story.  It was ingrained well within his experience with His Lord.  I too, as I have said: use my own stories of God’s faithfulness to me.  I do this not only to encourage you, but to bolster my faith because of the power contained in these past evidences of not only His Word to me, but of His faithfulness carried out as I would trust in His words.  

And when God is faithful it is often after one of our greatest tests:  maybe you have just gone through one such, and for you it has been far too long a period without results.  But then God proceeds to answer your prayer (one that you have considered to have been prayed way too many times over a long period).  And now, you in amazement ask: “what just happened?”  God has answered, and you wonder why?  What did I do to finally get God to act?  There is no really good question and likely no good answer to such an event at that moment.  Maybe you just passed the test?  

James 1:6  When you ask for something, don’t have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea.  7  A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. (GOD’S WORD)

We might ask ourself.  Am I doubting God?

But what if you are full of faith?  Then maybe the test comes to answer only one thing in the plan of God. Do they love Me, and do they trust Me even if the answer is delayed?  

James 1:12  Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (GOD’S WORD)

It could be that it’s just part of an ongoing test from God. 

1 Timothy 6:20  Timothy, protect what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”–  21  which some have professed and [thereby] have gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you. (NASB2020)

Even a little bit of the wrong knowledge taken seriously can led one astray.  Even the Word of Scripture used out of context by Satan can be dangerous.  The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth if we ask and then trust no matter what. 

When we seek from Him truth will He give us a lie?  He cannot for He is the Truth.  Scripture answers this way:  if a son asks his father for bread, will he give him a stone?  

So here is a passage of Scripture that the Father has given us:

Speaking concerning the olive tree Paul writes:

Romans 11:18  do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, [remember that] it is not you who supports the root, but the root [supports] you.  19  You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.  20  Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;  21  for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.  22  Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. (NASB1995)

You can rest assured that this passage has been twisted.  It’s an important passage, so what does it mean?   Ask the Holy Spirit.  Do your own study of the Scriptures and the commentaries and then read my next post. Then you will know if I got it right?  

Faith is inside, sometimes it’s hidden, but it must arise and come out for the battle.  God spreads His banner over us in the time of need.