When You Believe -

I hope the title made you want to go listen to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's song from the Prince of Egypt. Cause that song has been in my head ALL day. It's worth listening to, multiple times! :)


"For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the good news. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts." ~ 1 Thessalonians 2:4


Wow. I think I need to be more aware of the importance and truth in this verse. I'm guilty of never wanting people to be upset with me. Don't get me wrong, I've gotten past the point of speaking only what someone wants to hear...I'm willing to speak truth as well. But then I sit there and wish that I hadn't upset them. If I made a mistake that's one thing, but if I was speaking God's truth I shouldn't fear the results.

*Changing gears*


"Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe." ~ Mark 11:24



I've been studying scripture and reading in my devotional about faith and the power of prayer lately. And it's been on my heart, and the more I've thought about it...the more things in my life, and in the lives of others, have demanded prayer cover show it's true strength.



When I am confronted by a something that requires immediate prayer, I need to pray until I believe God - until with complete sincerity I can thank Him for the answer. If I don't see the "visible" answer immediately, I shouldn't pray for it in such a way that acts and shows that I'm not definitely believing God for it.

That type of prayer will hurt me more than it will help me. For when I am finished praying, won't I find that my faith has been weakened or is gone? The urgency I feel from that kind of prayer seems as though from self or Satan.

I'm not saying it's wrong to mention the matter to God again, I do that far too often to believe that...but I am saying that it's VERY IMPORTANT to pray in a way that shows my faith...not in a way that says, "I'm only doing this because I feel like I should...I don't actually think you're going to answer this...I still haven't seen the answer..."

Never pray in a way that diminishes your faith. Tell God you're waiting, still believing, trusting, praising Him for the answer. There is nothing that puts my heart at rest and solidifies my faith as being sure of the answer to the point of thanking God for the results.

The prayers that empty me of faith deny both God's promises from His word and the "Yes" that He whispers in my heart. It's as though I fear that God will reject me when I ask. But God doesn't reject our hearts. Prayers like these are only the expression of the unrest of our hearts, and unrest implies unbelief that our prayers will be answered.

"Now we who have believed enter that rest" ~Hebrews 4:3

The type of prayer that empties me of faith frequently arises from focusing my thoughts on the difficulty rather than on God's promise. Abraham, "without weakening in faith,...faced the fact that his body was as good as dead,...Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God" ~Romans 4:19-20



"Faith is not a sense, nor sight, nor reason, but simply taking God at His word." ~ Christmas Evans

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety." ~ George Mueller


Ouch. These two quotes, especially the last, hurt when I was reading them recently. Father, my faith is that of a mustard seed, but You said that even that could move mountains. I believe Father, help me with my unbelief....


As I was mulling over in my last blog post, I cannot learn faith in comfortable surroundings. I think God gives me His promises, gives us His promises, in a quiet hour, sealing our covenants with great and gracious words, and then, perhaps, steps back, waiting to see how much we believe.

He then allows the Tempter to come, and the ensuing test seems to contradict all that He has spoken. This is when faith must shine. This is the time to look up through the storm, and among the trembling, frightened sailors declare, "I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me" ~ Acts 27:25


Believe and trust; through stars and suns,
Through life and death, through soul and sense,
His wise, paternal purpose runs;
The darkness of His Providence
Is starlit with Divine intents.