“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” ~Apostle Paul
There are many things we work for, and we deserve to be paid for it. Getting paid for what we …
Tag Archives: Faith
Are we living in quiet desperation?
I am resolved to do something out of the ordinary. I commit to living a super-ordinary life in Jesus. I …
How should we ask God?
Jesus wants us to ask the Father. We should not be shy. In fact, boldness helps. If what we ask …
What happens if we rebel, reject, grieve or blaspheme the Holy Spirit?
Scriptures show that the Holy Spirit will bestow or withdraw blessing according to whether he is pleased by the situation …
“May he vindicate the afflicted of the people, save the children of the needy and crush the oppressor.” ~King David
Special praise goes to Jesus for vindicating the penitent and the needy who have no human champions. All God’s ways …
“Since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us …” ~Author of Hebrews
God has been talking to me a long time. I can go back. Dr. Pirtle spoke the word of God …
“I am one of those who would rather sink with faith than swim without it.” ~Stanley Baldwin
God is talking to us. Just like Jesus did with Peter when Jesus was walking on the water in the …
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of the Messiah.” ~Apostle Paul
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 And He said …
“In it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith.” ~Apostle Paul
Why this is important: There are some things to be embarrassed by. There are some things to be proud of. …
“Then what becomes of our boasting?” ~Apostle Paul
Being “religious” carries some weight with God, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not a bit. Not even a little. Being Jewish or …
What makes a real difference?
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Master [Lord], …
Will our faith get choked out?
And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in …
“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed.” ~Author of Hebrews
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for …
What impresses Jesus?
Jesus challenges us to understand certain realities. The wise person doesn’t argue with him. The wise person has insight. Here …
“Do not be anxious!” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges us to not worry. God is God, in complete control and in a good mood. God will take care …
Why worry? Why are we so anxious about the least little things?
The list of things I can worry about is long. Give me a whole day and it grows enormously. My …
How should we pray? Are there any secrets to know?
Why it matters: There are times that I seem to know what I am doing. There are other times I …
Does our faith impress Jesus?
Does our faith impress Jesus? Jesus challenges us to have a bold kind of faith. This woman came to Jesus …
Can we round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit?
What is it that challenges bring to me? What does all the trouble mean? I get to shout praise. Trouble …
Is school out?
There comes a point where we know enough to move forward. We need “to ship” the product and move on. …
Should we just stand in line and take our turn?
Jesus had been pretty busy. He took a trip to a new area thinking he could get away for a …
Why did Jesus have so little honor in his hometown and on the streets he played in as a child?
Jesus was working for God. One of many of gifts of Jesus was being a prophet. Jesus goes home to …
Why do we doubt Jesus?
Peter started it. Peter is bold. Is Peter showing off for the others? Perhaps. Peter plows ahead though. Then … …
Are we the ones who are going ‘to get’ what Jesus is saying?
It is sad that Jesus knows that not matter how He communicates the message, some of us aren’t going to …
Will Jesus heal us?
Jesus challenges us. Jesus wants us to believe. When we do, Jesus is loving, kind and faithful. Jesus wants to …
Can fear turn into faith? Is there fear in love?
I have many things I am afraid of. God is God and Jesus is working with me to iron those …
Is our faith in Jesus only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone?
Jesus challenges us to go beyond fads and initial enthusiasm in our commitment to Him and God’s way. Our initial …
Does God give us more to do than He has power to enable us to accomplish?
Faith is speaking to me. Faith tells me that no matter what lies ahead, God is already there. God doesn’t …
Is everything possible with God?
Imagine being a young woman. You are a virgin. An angel shows up and lets you know you are going …
Do we have a clear conscience when it comes to our faith?
The mystery of faith is a term that occurs in 1 Timothy 3:9. “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted …
Can we be saved by our good works?
Where does faith come from? Faith is not something we conjure up on our own, nor is it something we …
Is there a plan B with God?
As we seek to mature in the Master [Lord], one of the big three things to focus on is trusting …
Do we have radical faith in Jesus?
There is much to be said about faith. So … we start with God. God is the object of our …
Is God faithful even when we are faithless?
Without faithfulness to God there can be no discipleship life. Following Jesus is based first on faith that God is, …
Should we really take Jesus seriously?
Why this is important: The religious scholars and the average Jewish person of Jesus time on earth thought they took …
Is Jesus going to accuse us before God?
Jesus is clear about His role. He is the one who saves us from missing God’s goal for our life. …
What happens when we put our faith in our experiences?
Is our faith contingent on how we feel right now? What we are experiencing right now may shake our faith. We …
Why are we so stubborn when it comes to Jesus?
The big picture: In His hometown, the people He grew up with were offended by Jesus. While they knew Him, they …
What do you do when Jesus won’t do what you want Him to?
You come to Jesus. You beg him to personally come and heal your son who is dying. Jesus puts you off. …
Where do we get with courage? What happens when we believe Jesus?
What we know: With faith comes a risk. “What if ….”, we think. What if God doesn’t answer. What if …
Will we stand firm when Jesus challenges us?
You come to Jesus. Your son is sick and is going to die. You ask Jesus to come and heal …
Is it reasonable to ask Jesus what I must do to do the works of God in my life?
‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ A question from the disciples. I look at the question …
Why is God’s goal for us is to do everything in love?
Sometimes I am stunned by the simplicity of how God speaks to us. Through Paul He gave it to us …
Are we ready to have extravagant love?
There is love and then there is extravagant love. My Father loves me extravagantly. I should love the same way. …
How do we encourage our brothers and sisters in Jesus?
I do need to give this more consideration. I ought to be thinking, “How do I spur my friends on …
Was Jesus a feminist?
I can count on Jesus to be just and treat everyone fairly. That is way He is. Jesus is loving …
What is healing? How does Jesus bring it about?
Jesus is wired with the power of God. God’s energy flows through Jesus continuously. So much so, when a sick …
Where will an “eye for eye” get us? What is the way of Jesus?
Jesus loves the word of God. He also knows the legalism can be taken to the extreme. I certainly have …
How are we made right with a Holy God?
It is possible to study the mere letter of Scripture while ignoring coming to its focus, Jesus the Messiah. Can …
Does hope lead to results?
I want more hope in my life. It supercharges my faith. It is the energizer bunny to me. It takes …
Is Jesus impressed with us?
The Roman Centurion was very humble and knew that Jesus could give the command and his servant would be healed. …
Will we listen to Jesus? Will we trust Him?
One day Jesus took a boat ride. A large crowd met him at the seaside when He arrived. One of …
Will we have courage and believe our Master Jesus the Messiah?
With faith comes a risk. “What if ….”, we think. What if God doesn’t answer.What if we look silly. We …
Will I stand firm when Jesus challenges me?
You come to Jesus. Your son is sick and is going to die. You ask Jesus to come and heal …
Why don’t our faithless solutions allow God to shine through?
Jesus challenges us. It had been a long day. It was beginning to get late. His disciples came to him …
Are there any “ifs” among the followers of Jesus? Can anything happen?
Jesus summons us to a new level of belief. There are no “ifs” in His world. The new plan he …
Is it reasonable to ask Jesus what I must do to do the works of God in my life?
‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ A question from the disciples. I look at the question …
“Hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.“ ~Apostle Paul
There are lots of things I can know about God. God created everything. I get that. But how did He …
“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible” ~Author of Hebrews
God challenges me to deal with reality. God IS. God is God. The universe is real. It exists. It comes …
I must beg everyone to fight the good fight of faith. It is such a precious gift. I must guard it. I must cherish it.
I am a slave to Jesus. That sounds awkward these days but that is the truth I must know. I …
“Let us do good to all people” ~Apostle Paul
I am to do good to all people. I must be faithful to God’s goal to love my neighbor. I …
“A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in the Messiah Jesus” ~Apostle Paul
I fall into the trap of thinking that if I just follow the rules, I will be seen as good …
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” ~James
There is much to be said about faith. So … we start with God. God is the object of my …
“Let us leave the elementary teaching about the Messiah and go on to maturity” ~Author of Hebrews
I want to be mature. I don’t want to be a baby. I want to grow up and be an …
“So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” ~Luke
Do people speak highly of me as a disciple? Does it matter? My job is to please God. That should …
“Say the word, and my servant will be healed.” ~Roman Centurion
What does faith look like? How can I know how to grab ahold of it and have more of it …
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” ~Apostle Paul
So what is grace? It is the gift of God that brings joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, and loveliness into our life. I …
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” ~Apostle John
Jesus is the Son of God. I have a witness that Jesus gives me eternal life. That life is found …
“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ~Apostle Paul
I want more hope in my life. It supercharges my faith. It is the energizer bunny to me. It takes …
“How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” ~Apostle Paul
There is much controversy in our culture today surrounding followers of Jesus who own businesses being forced to photograph gay …
“But Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.” ~Apostle Paul
I fall into the trap of thinking that if I just follow the rules, I will be seen as good …
Does hope reassure believers in their faith?
Hope is amazing but what is it really? In most instances in the New Testament, the word hope is the …
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.” ~Jesus
Where should I put my faith? In God? In Jesus? In the Holy Spirit? Yes! Yes! And Yes! “Do not …
“There is no way to get rid of this kind of demon except by prayer.” ~Jesus
Jesus has to step in to solve a very real problem. That is the way of Jesus. He just doesn’t …
“By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see.” ~Author of Hebrews
God is God. God created the universe and everything we know of. God did it through His word. God just …
Is faith strengthened through testing?
There is much to be said about faith. So … we start with God. God is the object of my …
“Are you serious?” ~Disciples to Jesus
Jesus asks me to do something. It seems outrageous. It seems impossible. Are you serious, I ask? Seriously, you want …
“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.” ~Author of Hebrews
It is time for me to get on with it. I have a race to run. I need to be …
Why are Christians described as believers?
I am a person who believes in God and the work of His Son Jesus. We are a people of …
“For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” ~James
I must believe. I must also act on my believe. I don’t get to say “Jesus has saved me” and …
Is Jesus just and impartial in his dealings with people?
I can count on Jesus to be just and treat me fairly. That is way He is. Jesus is loving …
Is fear an opportunity for faith?
There is a great conundrum around the issue of fear. God says that I should fear Him and that I …
Why do the wicked refuse to listen to God?
In the Gospels, Jesus speaks of those who have “ears to hear” at the end of a difficult saying or …
What is the relationship between obedience and faith in God?
Obedience to the will of God demonstrates the reality of a person’s faith in Jesus the Messiah. I must learn …
What is grace? Why is it important?
So what is grace? It is the gift of God that brings joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, and loveliness into our life. I …
Does hope lead to specific results?
I want more hope in my life. It supercharges my faith. It is the energizer bunny to me. It takes …
“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” ~Apostle Paul
It is possible to study the mere letter of Scripture while ignoring coming to its focus, Jesus the Messiah. Can …
Is Jesus in the healing business?
Here is good news. Jesus heals the sick. Jesus does it all the time. Jesus is in the healing business. …
“Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” ~Jesus
I want to believe. I need to believe. I do believe. Master Jesus, help my unbelief. Jesus is the King …
“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.'” ~Jesus
I must change my mind (aka repent). My nature, along with all of us, is one that is fallen and …
“Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.” ~Apostle Paul
As a disciple of Jesus, I have accepted Truth, not just as a concept, but as a Person. Jesus said, “I …
“Get insurance with God and do a good deed, settle down and stick to your last. Keep company with God, get in on the best.” ~King David
It is a wise thing to “do good”. I know that “good works” won’t save me. Only the redemptive act …
Is Jesus the object of our faith?
Where should I put my faith? In God? In Jesus? In the Holy Spirit? Yes! Yes! And Yes! Jesus challenges …
“If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.” ~Jesus
Faith is not something I conjure up on my own, nor is it something I am born with. Faith is …
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” ~Jesus
Jesus is now at the core issue as He lays out His manifesto (Matthew 5 – 7). God has a …
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of the Messiah.” ~Apostle Paul
I really don’t have an excuse for not having more faith. I have heard Jesus clearly. That is the first …
“You’re not yet taking God seriously!” ~Jesus
How am I doing with my faith and belief in God and Jesus? Am I taking God seriously? Confidence in …
Children of God — How does it happen? What role does the Spirit of God play?
I am so glad that God has adopted me. Jesus has broken the bondage of slavery and given my His …
Fear — Should I be afraid of natural phenomena like tornadoes and hurricanes?
I am constantly on the lookout for tornadoes. I live in tornado alley. I used to live in the northeast …
Law — Is there a conflict between grace and the law?
The purpose of the Law was, basically, to bring us to the Messiah. It is essential to start here. Once …
Jesus Quotes and God Thoughts 