Living life with steps of faith

Does it become easier to perform miracles by the Holy Spirit the more miracles God performs through you? Which takes more faith, telling someone they are healed by the power of God the first time or watching your prayers/commands for healing be fulfilled by the Holy Spirit over and over again? Is it faith that brings the healing the first time? Or is it taking a leap of faith? After seeing God perform miracle after miracle, is your faith greater because you know when you ask, you will receive? Does the measure of doubt relate to the measure of faith? So often, I think we consider faith to be the conquering of our doubts, whereas now I wonder if faith is not only the doubting hope, but more the confident hope knowing that a miracle is not only possible, but that a miracle will happen. Today I was reading through the first few chapters of Acts when I came across the story of the healing of the 40-year old crippled man by the power of the Holy Spirit through Peter and John. What struck ...

How often do we celebrate our salvation? Really, just think about it... (hear the passion in my voice). We have been saved... redeemed... set free from the prison of sin, death, and destruction... We have been given a new life... freedom... a saving relationship with the one and only true and absolutely amazing God! And what do we do? Do we take it for granted? Do we sit still and quietly observe that He is a God of peace... and division? Do we honor Christmas and Easter with our traditional actions? Or, do we have a party and party like we know how to party? Just imagine for one moment, the best party you've ever hosted or been a guest at during your life. Imagine, what it would be like if we as believers had parties like that, with that energy, that level of excitement, that mood of celebration and enjoyment, and we met together and celebrated our salvation! Wouldn't that be great!!! What if we took this one step forward and transferred this idea of a party into real...

I am just one day in God's lifetime. One moment in the history of moments. Psalm 09:4 reads For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. I am not even a day, but rather a fraction of a day. Possibly, at most a tenth of a day, with my having already lived only a fourth of that or a fortieth of the entirety. And that 1/40th of a day's space that I occupy I share with countless others. Each of us wandering in our shared moment, not recognizing that we each are like a grain of sand, one of a countless many. Yet, even though I account for nothing, I am more valuable to God than a sparrow and every hair on my head is numbered. I may be nothing, but I am somebody to God and am an instrumental skin cell to the functioning of the entire body. A cell -- that is all I am -- but I still remain significant, because God knows me and knew me as He knit me together in my mother's womb. As a cell, I am fearfully and wonderfully made....

Today, I've had some strange thoughts. I know that I usually prefer to use this blog to note deep thoughts, but tonight I thought I would just share some brief thoughts I had today. If you would like to use them for an illustration that could lead to some deep thought provoking conversation -- go for it! 1. I am driving through a flock of birds. I wonder what that looks like? 2. If I had more money I would put the hand-me-down clothes my sister gave me in the dryer. 3. Can I even think of any funny or strange thoughts?

Love is... examples: ... wanting to understand another person. ... caring enough to take the time even when a person is busy. ... 1 Corinthians 13 ... continuous.

Question of the week: What are some possible careers for someone interested in Christian ministry? ex. youth pastor, discipleship coordinator, evangelist.

The Menial Work (a blog entry from two years ago, that never posted. - Oct. 06) I just realized that I have the wrong attitude about housework and daily chores. I see this work as something I must get done in order to go on to more important things. I just realized though that this work sometimes is the "more important thing." If it weren't for my laundry being clean and my room being organized, I wouldn't be able to successfully do the work I was called to do. So in essence, this work is critical to my success in the work that I value greater. Now, time for the attitude switch. The apostle Paul had to have washed his robe. Mary, the mother of Jesus, must have taken time away from raising Jesus to go to the market and care for the bare necessities of life. Now I need to see the laundry and washing dishes as a gift that allows me to do those things for which I am passionate, as well as more importantly to live! -- -Standing in Faith, Kneeling in Trust