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Stand Firm in Your Faith

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“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”
Isaiah 7:9 NIV

What you stand firm in is where you place your identity. For Christians we can tell ourselves that our identity is rooted in Christ, but do we act that way? We need to remember that our actions speak louder than our words. What have you done lately to show that you are standing firm in your faith? Sometimes it’s not a “ready for battle attitude”, but instead it’s more of “circling back around to the truth.” After you feel like you’ve exhausted all other options, so now it’s time to pray. After you allowed anxiety and worry to consume you, you remind yourself of God’s love.

Reminding ourselves:

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  2 Corinthians 4:8-10

We are human and sometimes we want to try to make ourselves happy or try to fix things ourselves. Standing firm is not in our own power, but in the power God gives us. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. The Holy Spirit is our super power! He is where our supernatural strength comes from. He is where our perseverance comes from… But only if we activate our power through Him.

If you are wondering whether you’ve been standing firm in your faith or in something else, I encourage you to ask yourself what is it that most people see when they look at you? Are you living as such that people can see Jesus in you, or are worldly worries and idols take over your heart?

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me

Psalm 51:10-12

This is my prayer for you today, friends.

Stephanie Miller

 

Photo Credit: image created via wordswag

Like a Little Child

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 “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 
Luke 18:17 NIV

It is while wearing two of my hats, military wife and mom, that I speak to you today. As some of you have experienced, military life requires going where the Army says to go at any given time. Even if we are happy, content, and rooted where we live, we must go, and uprooting always causes my mind to spin with ‘why’ questions that have no answers. Therefore, when there are unknowns coming up, I like to line up plan A, B, C, D, and then D2, D3, and D4 because of my human need to be in control.  Reality though, will inevitably involve something I didn’t even think of (such as buying a house in Colorado just to find out that our orders were changed to Georgia). I think though, that this military lifestyle is a lesson in how to surrender to God. I must remember that God is bigger than the Army (and if He is sending me to Georgia then there must be important kingdom work for me to do there).

My kids on the other hand, don’t need to worry because they trust and depend on me. As I schedule movers, declutter, change dentists, and transfer school records, they have the freedom to play outside, run, pretend, and imagine without knowing all the answers because it is their job to be curious and enjoy life. My kids don’t need to plan and schedule because they know that I will take care of them.

I need to remember that for me, as a child of God, there are plans in motion that I can’t even see and a future that I can’t even imagine. God has me in his hands. I can trust and depend on Him and (this is the hardest part) surrender my ‘why’ questions, my worrying, and plans A, B, C, D, and even D2, D3, and D4 to Him because He is in control, not me. Hebrews 11:1 NIV says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Similarly, 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This means that God doesn’t even want me to try to handle it myself, for if I have faith, and admit that I can only succeed with God, then his glory is shown. Luke 18:17 NIV says “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” We are required to surrender our worries, and then enjoy the freedom of not knowing all the answers! (and then go play with our kids)

Your sister in Christ,

Erin Tabor

                                                                                  

The King and I

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“Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” 
Esther 4:14, NIV

Queen Esther and her elder cousin Mordecai could have despaired when Xerxes, King of Persia, issued the decree to annihilate the Jews. Instead they recognized that God had placed them in their positions for a purpose and sought his direction.

Esther considered the lives of her kinsmen more important than her own and appeared before the king without a summons. Because she stepped out boldly in the face of uncertainty, God gave her favor in the eyes of the king. Xerxes extended his golden scepter for her to approach his throne and granted her request—one that resulted in the salvation of God’s people.

What has God asked you to do? Do you hesitate because of an uncertain outcome? God’s favor was yours at his call. The outcome is his. Seek his direction and step out boldly. Know your King has called you for such a time as this and experience his favor. It’s always worth the risk. Trust him.

Blessings,

Starr