Daily Devotional: Lacking Faith

Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

– 1 Thessalonians 3:10 (NIV)

And in this, I functionally declare that it is sometimes hard to come to people, God's people in church, and see their faces, knowing how foolish I am and have been.  Often, I cower from within, possibly a symptom of a childhood shyness that should have fallen away long ago.  It is my hope that people do think of me, even so, praying that they see me again, with the intense hope that my faith be multiplied due to their diligence and love.

God almighty be thanked, for he brought Jesus low so that we might ascend the heights.  These "heights" are metaphorical only, as the heart of God is neither in the sky nor out in the expanse of space.  God exists in the hearts of men, so that we may expound upon his grace, and illuminate the dark spots of our world.  It is for us to share, so that we supply what is lacking in one another, that we may be made whole in our faith.

Even today, I wished failure upon myself, seeing my meager struggle as an obstacle, and not a blessing. So easy to forget, in times of distress, that God will supply all that I need.  So easy to fall prey to false pity, goaded by foolish pride, crying foul to all around you for your plight.  But the bed is made by you, and you must lie in it.  Accept your struggles as part of life and the result of what has happened in the world as it is, for we are all connected.  Yes, it is true: what you do will affect others, whether adversely or for gain.

I follow you, dear Jesus, for you saved me from myself.  I look to you in my time of trouble and need. so that I might not despair.  

God bless.

We May Fail, but God Does Not!

Psalm 73:25-26


A psalm of Asaph.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.(NIV)


Other than self, we have nothing but God to rely upon. We alone are responsible for what we do here, on Earth, so no one else can be held accountable once we have been saved by declaring Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

In this verse, we read that though our flesh and heart may fail, we must look to God to strengthen our hearts. Truly we are weak beings, given to lapses in judgement and other moral failings that lead to sin. We must be prayerful and attempt to lead better lives for our own sake. In this way God is glorified, for we serve Him first.

We do these things even as we don't know the outcome, for we have faith in what God will do in the future.

I Hurt, I Pray, I Cry...

I hurt, I pray, I cry for the day
That I don’t have to anymore. It’s the only way to envision happiness.
And happiness is shackled, a fool lost in chains
While I do battle, worried and worn, torn and stained
My scars are hidden, still, you’ll know the day
You’ve seen the tragedy of the hurt I refuse to display.

I hurt, I pray, I cry for the day
That I don’t have to anymore. It’s the only way to envision happiness.
And happiness is a sucker, a chump that got beat up
Too many times, that’s why I’m watching their moves, turning the heat up
So I can avoid the pain, I don’t need the prospect of therapy
No longer a youth, long in tooth, walking the path to a better me.

I hurt, I pray, I cry for the day
That I don’t have to anymore. It’s the only way to envision happiness.
I am grasping light, figuratively holding the method of liberation
Peeking at it through my fingers, amazed at the illumination
I would hand it to you, freely, if you only would look my direction
But maybe it’s too much to see, at once when you’re looking at your reflection.

Sins of Man

"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." (Genesis 6:5-6).

Sin is an inherent characteristic of man. We are born into it and will die with, as well. Yet, God promises us salvation if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The Bible says that we will be forgiven if we confess our sins unto him and are truly of a repentant heart. The Lord knows we are not perfect beings, and instead of destroying us he has offered to grant us a way into his graces. This chance is available to anyone who believes that Christ died for the sins of man.

I see how wicked we are as people, and it grieves me, too. It is terrible that we get caught up in the world and all its foul ways, seeming to conform to what is in front of us. We are all guilty of this, for it is easy to become lost in what the world considers acceptable. We want to confront the Lord on our own terms and make excuses for what we do, simply because everyone else is doing it. This is a disastrous error and if left unchecked one could be lost in his own recidivism.

The darkness is growing. We need warriors to combat what is happening out there, in the world. We need great leaders to stand up for what is right. I use my words to reach people but words are never enough. Action must be presented to make the words meaningful. I urge everyone to look within themselves and test the heart, so that God may show you the way towards your salvation and turn you away from the path of destruction.

Love y’all.

God, Father, forgive us for our sins. We ask that you continue to build within us a gracious and humble heart, so that we may follow you. Let us also lead our families by example. May we be slow to anger and quick to love, showing that our blessings are not taken for granted. Thank you for being God all by yourself. You don’t need any help. If we weren’t created, you would still be just as awesome.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.