Before I start with today’s message I wanted to share my first day with you ladies. My prayer has been that I will be able to be a light in this dark world and that others will see Jesus in me. They will see that I’m different somehow and that difference will be God. I also pray that I will be able to help people and that they will want what I have, they will want to become a light in this dark world. Please pray that prayer for me and yourselves. I really think that it will help you! ;) My first day was AWESOME! Trying to get them all organized and everything, but the first idea I mentioned was just so awesome to both of my "bosses"! lol! So keep praying that I can keep helping their company grow and become a postive attribute! :)
I have talked about faith and trusting God in probably every post I've posted thus far, but it's so important! God keeps putting amazing scripture on my heart to share with you to get your mind thinking. He wants to know if you're living by faith. If you're trusting what he tells you to do even if it doesn't make sense to you at the time.
Yesterday as I was looking up scripture for the post, I came across Hebrews 11. I only read the first verse and knew that I needed to go and read the rest later because it was awesome. I read it all today and it seriously put some things into perspective for me. It also tied into what my 'Daily Bread' devotion was about this morning, so I am going to share them with you.
My 'Daily Bread' devotion was about trusting God even when you don't understand what he's doing. It was about the story of Gideon and his battle against the Midianites. His army started off with 22,000 men and ended up with only 300. God kept telling Gideon to cut back on his army because they wouldn't all be able to take over Midianites. I can guarantee you that Gideon was like "Umm Lord, what are you thinking? The more soldiers I have the better chance I have of winning this battle." But not once did he question God about what he was doing. He trusted him. He did as he was instructed to do even though he was a little scared of what was going to happen. I want to live like that! Fully trusting God and not questioning any of the plans he has for me or what he is doing in my life. I’m not sure if that day will ever come, but I’m striving to get there! Lol!
I went on to read Hebrews 11 and it talked about the story of Gideon, Abraham, Moses, Noah and so many more that lived by faith. They trusted what God told them and didn’t question him. They believed God when he said that he was going to bless them and although they did not receive all of those rewards/blessings here on earth, they TRUSTED that it would be waiting on them in Heaven.
Hebrews 11 is a long chapter, so I am just going to share bits and pieces of it with you and I hope that you all go and check it out yourselves. It’s awesome!
Hebrews 11:1-3 “Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. It was by faith that our forebears were approved. Through faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God; everything we now see was fashioned from that which is INVISIBLE.”
It’s hard believing in something/someone that you can’t see and that’s why it’s called living by faith. Trusting and believing in things we can’t see. That takes courage ladies. God knows that and he rewards those of us that believe in him without seeing.
Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith no one can please God because the one coming to God must believe He exists, and He rewards those who come seeking.”
An insert in my bible:
‘Faith begins as hope and indeed is unseen; so many doubt that it is real. What follows is the proof that faith is a reality that can be trusted.’
OMG!! When I read that I literally said WOW out loud! If you don’t believe in God you can’t please him! Why would the non-believers want to please someone that they don’t believe in anyway? He rewards those who come seeking! OMG!!! You come seeking when you trust and believe that he is real! You’re seeking an understanding of him and his ways. That was so powerful!!!
Hebrews: 11: 13-16 “All these I have mentioned died in faith without receiving the full promises, although they saw the fulfillment as though from a distance. These people accepted and confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on this earth because people who speak like this make it plain that they are still seeking a homeland. If this was only a bit of nostalgia for a time and place they left behind, then certainly they might have turned around and returned. But such saints as these look forward to a far better place, a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God because He has prepared a heavenly city for them.”
They didn’t get all of their rewards here and they died not having all of God’s full promises. The difference between these amazing people and so many of us is that they trusted God’s plan for them. The trusted that there is a Heavenly place where they will get their rewards. They didn’t have a desire to turn back to the things of this world and give up on God. They trusted him! They had faith that he was real and that he was going to keep all of his many promises. I feel like so many of us stop trusting God because of those “unanswered prayers” or because our life is so hard that if there really was a God why would he allow us to go through what we’re going through. I’ve heard all of those excuses before when people tell me why they don’t believe or why they stopped believing. Please know that God is REAL! He is realer than anything here on this earth, but so is the devil people. If you stop looking at all the negativity of your life you will start to see the beauty in it. God wants what’s best for us, but the devil wants us to question God’s plan, he wants us to question if God is real and he wants us to stray further and further away from God. Don’t let God sending his Angels into battle for you, be for nothing! Tell the devil that you’ll never stop believing or trusting God and live your life like that. Stop being the person that everyone considers a “negative Nancy”, be that positive light and influence. Change the way people see you from negative to positive. If they already see you in that light then make sure that you continue to grow so you can continue to stay positive. I say this because we are all struggling with it. Every time I open my FB or sometimes even text messages from friends it’s all about the negative. Start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and surround yourself with people that help you see that light! J
Insert in my bible:
'Stories of faith and faithfulness are central to the First Testament. The writer of Hebrews recalls some of the most memorable examples of how people of faith lived their lives. But what is faith? Faith is more than belief; it trust, assurance, and firm conviction. Ironically most of those who lived by faith never fully realized the promises God had made. Like us they journeyed as strangers and exiles, longing for another country. We should remember their patient faith when we face prolonged hardships and allow the trials we face to strengthen our faith rather than destroy it. If we are comfortable here and don’t face suffering for our faith, perhaps we aren’t fully living by faith and looking forward to a future hope.’
I seriously could not have said it better myself!! So powerful and so true! If you’re comfortable here then you aren’t being tested. If you aren’t being tested are you really living for God? Living for God is a battle! It’s not easy and it gets harder and harder the closer we get to God. The devil doesn’t want that. Keep reminding yourself that we are constantly at war. The battle won’t be over until we reach Heavens Gates and then we will be at war for someone else’s life.
A song that I LOVE “Sun and Moon” Phil Wickham http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl_3WHW1Tco
Raynisia Nagel
A Woman After God’s Own Heart
Faith are the things hoped for but are not seen. Ladies when you receive the great news your pregnant. Are you hoping for a healthy child, all ten toes, and fingers. If so who are you putting your faith in -God that it he will bring it to pass? It is impossible to please him without faith. So take your eyes off of what you are going through and start petitioning the father on someone elses behalf. And because you took your eyes off of yourself usually God will show you he is a big God he is able to do it all. Take care of you and the ones we care about. Rejoice in the Lord I will say it again rejoice let your meekness be evident to all that the Lord is near. Ladies stand still and know and KNOW HE IS REAL. He wants to fight your battles so when you get to tired of swinging for yourself....just stand...Faith a wonderful and beautiful word. I trust you Lord, there is none like you. My prayer is that you would keep protecting Raynisia, let no harm, hurt, or danger come near her. Guard her with love, joy, and peace. In Jesus name Amen.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post this morning Raynisia, thank you for that. On my work email I have in my signature "have faith as small as a mustard seed and you can mov mountains". That is so true, I even carry a mustard seed in my wallet where my liscense is so that everytime I see that tiny tiny seed I'm reminded all I need is that tiny bit of faith and God will move mountains! That small saying in my email signature has struck many of conversations when people have replied (yes business colleges in and out of my office) "wow, I needed that today, thank you for having that in your signature". So it's wonderful powerful words....live by them!
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