Being thankful is God’s will. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Walking in the center of God’s will is like being in the eye of a hurricane. No chaos. No despair. No anxiety. Clear direction. Led by the Holy Spirit. 

Let’s go back to living from faith to faith. Now faith is present faith. Faith in the moment is based on Who God is. As we affirm His word to our hearts, we enter into it and are encapsulated in its truth. 

We face an impossible circumstance. Our heart rate goes up. Our mind starts to careen. Then His word that is hidden in our hearts rises and it centers us on  the Lord. 

Thankfulness comes to wrap around our lives to secure us. “Thank You Lord that You are in control. No weapon formed against me will prosper. You are my Strength and my Song. You are my Deliverer.”

As I started to memorize Romans 1:21 my mind went back to other verses about futility. It says, “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Here is Strong’s definition of useless. Fruitless, empty, futile, hollow, unreal, unproductive, lacking substance, ineffectual, void of results, and worthless. I want my life to count.

God has prescribed His way for us throughout Scripture. Samuel 12:21 says, “Do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.”

That brings me to John 15:5. It says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Doing any one thing in our own strength is futile. It all starts with thoughts.

Each moment of our lives we are to live by faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Verse 6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Our faith is increased as we hear God’s word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Faith affirmations build our faith and make it strong and resilient. 

Here is a faith affirmation from Romans 6:11. When tempted we can affirm “I am dead to sin but alive to God.” When fearful we can affirm, “You will never leave me nor forsake me…” Hebrews 13:5. Here is one of my stabilizers. 2 Timothy 2:13. “You are faithful. You cannot deny Yourself.”

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

As Romans 1:17 said, we go from faith to faith. Our trials try or test our faith. Before we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we were ruled by sin. We didn’t know anything different. We didn’t have to think about it ~ sin was our nature.

Ephesians 2:4 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy…” According to Psalm 103:10 mercy is not getting what we deserve. It says, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.” Why? Jesus took our place. He bore our sins.

Faith is present tense ~ moment by moment faith.

2 Corinthians 4:13 says, “And since we  have the same spirit of faith, according to what  is written, I believed therefore I spoke, we also believe and therefore speak.” What is the gospel? 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures.”

We were not there at Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Yet we believe the account according to God’s word. Faith is believing in what we did not see, because God’s word is the truth.

I love Psalm 119:89-90. It says, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations…” Titus 1:2 chimes in with, “In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.” He gives us His faith so that we can believe without seeing.

STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEYAUGUST 21 2024, WRITTEN BY MARILYN ADAMS

Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.COLOSSIANS 1:11

The apostle Paul wrote out his prayer for the folks in the church in Colossae. There were false teachers who were watering down the doctrines of Christianity. Rather than being influenced by these false teachers he wanted the believers to increase and prosper in their walk with the Lord.I often use verse 11 when I pray for people who are struggling during their hard trials. The Lord is all powerful, all knowing, and always present. Paul wanted the folks there to stand strong in their faith, and not be derailed through the false teachings.We are all called to endure. I like to think about the caterpillar who spins a cocoon or chrysalis. In that protective place the caterpillar “melts”. From that liquid God creates a moth or butterfly. When the butterfly first emerges, its body is swollen with fluid, its wings are small, and it is connected to the cocoon only by a tiny thread. The butterfly will only find its strength through a struggle.It must stretch out its wings over and over in order to distribute the fluid evenly, and then dry the wings. Only through much perseverance, will it then be ready to do what God has created it to do. It flies off and freely flits from one flower to another. It joyfully drinks in the fruit of its endurance, the nectar that will sustain it for the journey. Father, there have been times when my trials were like a dark night of my soul. There were no answers. Yet you called me to persevere. You gave me your strength so I could continue the journey you have charted for me. I am so grateful for your glorious might that sustains me moment by moment. Throughout this day: Prayerfully watch this time-lapse video of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. Let it inspire you to pray for yourself or someone you know who is in need of God’s strengthening power for endurance and patience at this time.Share on FacebookSubscribe to Daily Devotionals, receive prayer or share your thoughts with us!

In Romans 1:16 Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” In the next verse he explained a key principle. It says, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith…” 

Paul finished the verse by quoting an Old Testament verse from Habakkuk 2:4. It says, “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; for the just shall live by his faith.” All through the Old Testament and the New, salvation is the same ~ it requires faith. 

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 1 Peter 1:8 says, “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” Faith is rooted in One who is Trustworthy. 

When the Holy Spirit spoke this into my heart, I rehearsed what I knew about virtue from Scripture. 2 Peter 1:5 says to add it to our faith. In Philippians 4:8 Paul encouraged his readers to add it to their meditations.

Strong’s definition is: intrinsic value, moral excellency, and goodness. The virtue of contentment is void of self-importance and a me-first attitude. It is yielding our rights. It is the foundation of rest through acceptance of our circumstances, and a deep inner trust that God is indeed in control of all things. 

Paul said that he had to learn contentment. Philippians 4:11. The Lord used Paul’s trials as His tools of instruction. Verse 12. He had times where he abounded, was abased, full, hungry, and suffered need. In each of those his confidence was verse 13. It says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Do you walk in the virtue of contentment?

Paul found his joy in the Lord, and from his fellowship with other believers. Listen to his words in Philippians 4:1. It says, “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.”

In verse 4 he encouraged them to “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Verse 6 helps us see a trap that we can easily fall into. It says, “Be anxious for nothing…” What is the antidote? The verse goes on, “…but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

How often do we include thanksgiving when we are asking the Lord to help us in a situation that is making us feel anxious? Entertaining anxious thoughts, blocks His two irrevocable gifts of joy and peace. 

Verse 7 says that when we include thanksgiving with our petitions, “…the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard our hearts and minds…”

After memorizing Philippians 1, I began to work on chapter 4. Keeping in mind that Paul wrote that letter from prison helped me process the phrases I was repeating over and over. The Presence of the Lord in his situation gave life to his words.

Are you content in your present trial? Our trials have built in lessons. Romans 5:3 Amplified says, “Moreover (let us also be full of joy now!) let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.”

In Philippians 4:11 Paul wrote, “…I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” The Greek word in both verses means satisfied. Does your relationship with the Lord satisfy you? Psalm 107:9 says, “For He satisfies the longing soul…”