Posts Tagged ‘confidence in god’

Spiritual Training 06 March 2013

Posted: March 6, 2013 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Romans, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags: , , , , ,
0

Under Gods Command
Future Glory

Romans 8:22-23 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits, of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

24-25 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

It is natural for children to trust their parents, even though parents sometimes fail to keep their promises, Our heavenly Father, however, never makes promises he won’t keep. Nevertheless, his plan may take more time than we expect. What are we waiting for? New bodies, a new heaven and new earth, rest and rewards, our eternal family and home, the absence of sin and suffering, and being face to face with Jesus! Rather than acting like impatient children as we wait for God’s will to unfold, we should place our confidence in God’s goodness and wisdom.

In Romans, Paul presents the idea that salvation is past, present, and future. It is past because we were saved the moment we believed in Jesus Christ as Savior (3:21-26; 5:1-11; 6:1-11, 22,23); our new life (eternal life)) begins at that moment. And it is present because we are being saved; this is the process of sanctification. But at the same time, we have not fully received all the benefits and blessings of salvation that will be ours when Christ’s new Kingdom is completely established. That’s our future salvation.

Lets Bring it Home: While we can be confident of our salvation, we still look ahead with hope and trust toward that complete change of body and personality that lies beyond this life, when we will be like Christ (1 John 3:2).

Spiritual Training 21 June 2012

Posted: June 21, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
Tags: , , , , ,
1

Under Gods Command
Gideon defeats the Midianites

Judges 7:02 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands.  In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.  But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men.  Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there.  If I say, this one shall go with you, he shall go, but if I say this one shall not go with you, he shall not go.  So Gideon took the men down to the water.  There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths.  All the rest got down on their knees to drink.  The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.  Let all the other men go, each to his own place. 

Self-sufficiency is a handicap when it causes us to believe we can do what needs to be done in our own strength.  To prevent this attitude among Gideon’s soldiers, God reduced their number from 32,000 to 300.  With an army this vastly outnumbered there could be no doubt that victory was from God.  The men could not take the credit.

Lets bring it home:  Like Gideon, we must recognize the danger of fighting in our own strength.  We can be confident of victory against life’s challenges and temptations only if we put our confidence in God and not ourselves.