Faith................................

Good evening blog friends I pray all is well with my sister's and brother's in Christ may we keep those lifted up whom may not be doing so well in this season of life.
Today's reading of the word was : Hebrews ch. 11-12 I was blessed as I began my study sometimes in today's world we sometimes get caught up in the news and the trappings of this world and if we are not careful we can lose sight and faith especially if we are waiting to see something then I was reminded in verse 1 "NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN." AND THEN JUST HOW EACH ADDITIONAL scripture reminds(for me encourages) us of men and women of the bible whom had that faith, faith that cannot be seen.... God's word calls us to "Walk by Faith and not by Sight" verse 6 was and is a fav of mine "BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, FOR HE WHOM COMES TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS , AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK AFTER HIM" IT REMINDED ME to be diligently seeking after the King of Kings no matter what my circumstances are or how bleek life may seem at that time we must walk by faith not by sight and that without that faith anything I do is in vain and not pleasing to my Lord that was convicting for me .
We now come to chapter 12 verse 2 "LOOKING UNTO JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, praise you Jesus that you endured that for such a filthy rag as myself I am so blessed .

Then as we go down to verse 11 it is speaking of Chastening and how it is not joyful yet painful however it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those trained by it praise God I have gone through alot of chastening over the last year or so and it has been Very painful yet I am so very grateful because it brings me closer to my Father making me more in His image and not my own thank goodness for that. I was blessed that these chapters were today as I continued to read chapter 12 verse 14 and 15 ended up ministering the most to my heart today as I felt tossed to and fro by a very dark and rejecting family who spoke very unkind things of my husband and I and our faith in God alone. " Pursue peace with ALL people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this may become defiled; 14-15
Today as I was being mocked and pursecuted for His name sake and our beliefs I wanted in my flesh for a brief moment curse at them and say HOW CAN YOU SAY THESE THINGS?? when just then I remembered today's passage to pursue peace with all people not some all even those whom are mocking me as hard as it was and it was HARD but I remembered the second half of the word "WITHOUT WHICH NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD" I knew then had I responded in the flesh I would have allowed Satan to win and fuel the very fire of the ones being so awful and they would not have seen nor heard the Lord in me so I pursued PEACE and I know that in that I store my treasures in heaven which to me is what matters. So I encourage you to walk and live by faith as hard as our daily lives get and as the attacks of the enemy grow stronger and in numbers may we remember to be diligent in seeking after God and believing that if He is for us who then can be against us??? Amen

Father thank you that you endured the cross for our lives and thank you Lord for being the rewarder of those whom diligently seek after you may we each seek after you wholeheartedly each and everyday no matter what life has to throw at us. Lord when we are persecuted help us to remember that you endured the greatest persecution of all.... the weight of every man's sin upon that cross and may we realize that the persecution in other countries is greater than even what we experience may we count it all joy and continue to seek your face Lord we praise you in Jesus name Amen
until next time,
cindy