Faith is…

Faith is humility.

Faith is submitting our intellect to the unknown and allowing the unseen to change us.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Faith is courage.

Faith is trusting God’s promises over the word curses and condemnations of men.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8)

Faith is joyful.

Faith gives joy to those who by the world’s standards have nothing to rejoice for.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

Faith is enduring.

Faith has outlived every man to ever walk the earth.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13)

Faith is healing.

Faith restores the broken and heals the sick.

And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19)

Faith is trust.

Faith is trusting the One who has always been faithful to simply continue being who He is and will always be.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Faith is seeing.

Faith allows us to see the invisible and find God in everyday life.

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

Faith gives us eyes to see and ears to hear.

Let faith arise!

What I’m Looking For

“I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”

Most people are familiar with the U2 song, but what was Bono looking for? If you read more of the lyrics you’ll realize that he professes his belief in Christ in the song, but even with his faith, he still hasn’t found what he’s looking for.

CS Lewis wrote, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

Another Christian that hasn’t found what he’s looking for.  I can relate to these men because though I have found God, I have a different longing inside of me now—a hunger for more of God.

I think we all have a desire in ourselves for more of God on this fallen planet.  We have a hope, but we wish that this hope would become a reality.  There is much darkness in the world and I wish that there was more healing.  I wish there was more victory over sin.  I wish there were more Christians walking around rejoicing rather than defeated. I wish there was more heaven on earth.  I have a vision of a better tomorrow.  It’s become a part of me.  It’s more than a vision—it’s a hope.

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, but I do not plan to stop looking anytime soon.

Come Lord Jesus, come!  Release heaven on earth!

The Key to His Heart

After years of serving Jesus, praying and writing my mom (Cindy Powell) has published her first book!  It is called “The Key to His Heart” and the title pretty much sums it up.  This book was a great blessing for me to read and I’m sure it will be to many others as well.

Book Description:

“That they may be one.” Could this be the deepest cry of God’s heart? From the beginning, could this be the dream he’s had in mind? That his bride will be one? In this candid, devotional exploration of Jesus’ own prayer in John 17, you’ll be challenged and touched by a fresh glimpse of the yearning in God’s heart for his long awaited bride. Like John “the disciple Jesus loved,” come and lean your head on Jesus’ chest to hear the heartbeat of heaven in a way you never have before. Although each chapter and section builds upon the previous one–leading toward the ultimate climax of all history–each chapter can also be enjoyed individually, as it stands on its own. Written with refreshing transparency and simplicity, you’ll share the joys and struggles of one woman’s quest to truly know the deep places of God’s heart. Wherever you are on your own journey, you’ll discover more about who you are, whose you are–and how Jesus would have you respond. So come and lean into the heart of the One you were created to know. Along the way, your spirit will be stirred and your heart awakened, as you gain a greater revelation of the love and longing of our glorious Bridegroom King!

Here’s a review I wrote for it:

As we grow closer to the Lord our desires change and we start to want what He wants.  This book is not written by selfish ambition at all, but instead written to guide us into the heart of Jesus and what He wants from us personally and corporately.  It helped me understand more of the paradox of being so small in God’s eternal plan, but yet so important, loved and favored in His eyes at the same time.  As the author shared her personal stories of experiences and revelations with Jesus I gained a desire in my heart to seek the Lord in a more personal way than ever before. Recommended for those who will not settle for mere religion in their Christian walk but are after a true interactive divine relationship. This book brought me closer to the heart of God and I pray it will do the same for you.

The book is available in paper back ($9.95) and Kindle version (only $2.99).  Here are links to both versions to find out more info or purchase:

• Paperback copy on Amazon  ($9.95)– click here.
• Kindle version ($2.99 or free to “borrow” for Amazon Prime members)–click here. 

You can also check out my mom’s blog called Simple Faith @ http://cindypowell.org

Believing is Seeing

I asked the Lord, “How can I know you more God?”

To which He replied, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see Me.”

I asked, “How do I get a pure heart Lord? Is this something I must do or something you do for me?”

To which He replied, “From the washing of water by the word.”

The word of God is what purifies us.  If we believe the word and allow it to change us we are sanctified in spirit and truth.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

We do not see to believe, we believe to see!

(Matt 5:8, Eph 5:26, 1 Cor 6:11, John 20:29)

Rise Up!

Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light!

Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Our Christian faith is about a lot more than just a ticket into heaven when we die.  It’s about a relationship with Christ, and a relationship where we can say we know Him as our friend.

Jesus offers us a joy that cannot be taken by anything in this world.  It cannot be stolen by any hardship but instead gives us strength to endure the trials of life.

This joy lasts forever, it is everlasting.  Do not miss out on your joy!

You have not because you ask not.

Ask and it will be given to you.

Call upon the Lord and receive everlasting joy!

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

 

(Eph 5:14, Neh 8:10, John 15:15, John 17:3, James 4:2, 4:8, Matt 7:7)

A New Hope

My soul still remembers
And sinks within me.
This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.

-Lamentations 3:20-25

 

I am so thankful that the Lord has brought me into a new season—a season of hope and joy!  But it did not come easy.  It came after a long hard lesson of humility—a 9 month long lesson of humility.  I moved with my wife to Georgia from California back in January with big plans.  It didn’t take long to realize that these big plans weren’t the real plan at all.  The real plan was of God to teach us humility.  The real plan was to become broken beyond the point of fixing myself and to be driven to the point of giving up on my own efforts of self-betterment.  The real plan was to be taught that my only joy in life can come from Jesus.

This season ended up being some of the hardest times mentally and spiritually of my entire life.  This was not my plan.  I am thankful for all of it though, because now I have a deeper dependence on God and live in greater humility.  I am able to be more thankful for the new grace He grants us every morning.   I am able to walk in closer fellowship with Christ being equally yoked to Him.  I can now truly say the Lord is my portion!

If I had to put one word to this entire season it would be “humbled.”  If I had to choose one scripture it would be Philippians 3:8-9.

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

I asked my wife what her one word and bible verse would be and she said “appreciative” with her verse being Matthew 6:33.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

The Lord has told me my time in the wilderness is over.  It’s time for another new season!  God has called us back to California but this time I go with no “plans,” at least not of my own.  I really don’t know what the Lord has for us there but I know it will be good wherever we end up because He will be with us.

If you’re going through a time of hardship whether it be financially, emotionally, physical, stressful or spiritual please know that you can trust in the Lord.  God is on an eternal time clock and things don’t always make sense to us at the time of our circumstances, but God is faithful!  You can trust Him that He will work out all things for good to those who love Him.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. –Psalm 37:4

The Simple Life

Have you ever wanted life to be more simple? Have you ever wondered why theology has to be so complex?  I think to many people just trying to wrap their heads around the belief of an infinite creator, good and evil, morality, the fall of man, the concept of sin and our need for redemption through the sacrifice of God’s son—who is actually God incarnate as a man who willfully subjected Himself to torture and murder—seems far too complex.  Shouldn’t life be simpler than that?  Don’t we long for simplicity?  The fact is though, that we are not simple.  Life is not simple.  Our minds are so amazingly complex that scientists have barely started to grasp how they work.

So what is the key to a peaceful life?  How do we embrace a simple life in a complex world?  I think the answer is simple faith.  My mom has a blog called Simple Faith and I believe she is on to something.  When we finally get past our desire to understand all and humble ourselves in the fact that we never will understand everything, then things start to get a little more simple.  When we lay down our pride in fighting to always be right, then things start to get a little more simple.  When we give into love instead of hate, then things start to get a little more simple.

There are so many theologians in the world, men who spend years in college to become a doctor of divinity but then what?  They start arguing with other doctors of divinity about whose “theology” is correct.  Is that really what being a disciple of Jesus is about?  I don’t think so.  I personally think staring at a sunset can teach you more about God than a classroom.  Don’t get me wrong—I am not down playing education.  I am in fact a Bible college student myself.   I am just downplaying the seeking of knowledge over love.  That is where we go wrong.  Love God and love people!  Live the simple life.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. -2 Corinthians 11:3

Spiritual Warfare: Unknowingly Fighting for the Wrong Side

In my distress I cried to the LORD and He heard me.  –Psalm 120:1

Sometimes losing a battle can actually bring victory for our spirit because we are fighting for the wrong side.  I was recently involved in a spiritual battle and unknowingly I was fighting against God.  I was battling to understand His ways and I was battling for Him to react in certain ways that I thought He should react… But guess what? God did not respond in the ways that I thought He should.  This angered me and threw me into a battle of my own pride and self-will against God.  I became angry with God and told Him that if He was allowing things to happen this way then He must not even be there.  The problem is I was lying to myself.  My heart knows God in a personal way.  He has walked with me since I was a young boy.  I cannot deny His presence in my life.  But does that mean I know He is there in an intellectual way?  Not exactly.  I couldn’t prove God to you and this was my battle—I had set out to prove God to myself.  I was testing God and telling Him what I thought He should be doing.

The issue is I was going through these terrible uncontrollable mood swings.  I would get thrown into these deep depression spells that seemed to have no trigger.  They started months ago and had become increasingly more consistent to the point that it was happening multiple times a week, for a day or two at a time.  I almost considered going to see a psychologist.    Looking back at how uncontrollable this was I seriously think it may have been demonic influences and dark forces trying to steal my joy in Christ.  The problem I had with defeating this battle is instead of trusting in God’s word to get me through it, I turned it against Him and blamed Him, doubting His word.

At the point of writing this I have not had one of these depression spells in almost a month and I really believe I was cured and delivered by God.  How did it happen?  By giving up.  I gave up on the complex of having to intellectually understand how God works.  I gave up on trying to prove God’s existence to myself.   I was driving and heard a song on the radio that said “What do I stand for? Some nights I don’t know.”  I said to myself, “I don’t know and that’s ok.”  I was referring to knowing intellectually if God exists or not.  Suddenly a wave of peace and calming swept over me.  I felt a load of weight released from my shoulders.  It was the first time I felt the Holy Spirit in quite some time and it came from admitting my own intellectual doubt of God’s existence.

It’s ok to say “I don’t know.”  It’s ok to be honest with yourself and your doubts.  It’s ok to be you.  We believe by faith and not sight.  My heart is much further along in my faith than my intellect and God knows this.  I am finite and He is infinite.  I am not God and neither are you…  It’s ok. He understands this and loves you far more than you will ever understand.  Take a deep breath in and exhale slowly.  Whisper His name for He is near!  Hope lives and His name is Jesus!

I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word. -Psalm 119:147