faith

The Believer’s Proof of Plenty

April 8, 2019 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

Today I am working off of a very simple but very powerful truth. That whatever it is that I lack, God can supply it. Or to turn it around, whatever it is that you lack, God can supply it.

Lately, for whatever reason, God keeps bringing me back to the basic idea of faith and belief in Him and His sovereignty. And for us to really “get” the idea that God really can supply all of our needs and that He really does love us so much that He is standing, waiting to provide what we need if we would only ask, we need our faith increased.

Our faith needs to be proven and it needs to be exercised and stretched, like a muscle. And for that to happen we need to be in a position where we don’t have all the answers and we don’t have the resources that we need. Because once we realize that we don’t have what we need and we can’t manufacturer it or get it anywhere else but God, then we can rely on Him and watch as He miraculously provides above and beyond all that we could ask or imagine.

And then the process needs to be repeated and in that process, our faith in and dependence on God will increase.

There are many ways that this can happen. For some of us who are very stubborn, we will only realize this truth when we have made almost every mistake that there is to make. Call it a crisis point or coming to the end of ourselves, but that is what it takes for some of us. And it is only when we’ve realized how wrong we have been and how far we have strayed and how fruitless our actions have been can we then turn to a holy God and repent and ask Him to turn our lives around for good.

For others, it is a more gradual process of realization as the Holy Spirit draws and the individual begins to listen and prove what God is saying. Thankfully, the end result is the same. No matter how we come or when we come, as long as we fully commit our hearts and lives to God and continue to depend on Him for everything, God will use us and bless many through us.

So my question today, for all of us, is this: what do we lack? Whether it be something obvious and incessant or something subtle and hidden from the view of most. And once we have realized that need, are we completely dependent on our precious Savior to meet it, waiting for His provision, or are we looking somewhere else?

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: dependence, faith, provision

What We Leave Behind

December 17, 2018 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

Will we be remembered? What will we be remembered for? Once our lives are over and our time here is completed, what will be our legacy for those who come after?

I am hopeful that I will be remembered as someone who truly loved the Lord and tried to encourage others to do the same. I want my legacy to be that of someone who pointed the way to Jesus Christ as a teacher of the Word and as a brother in the family of God.

My inspiration in this comes from the apostle Peter. Listen to these profound words:

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 2 Peter 1:12-15 (NIV)

Peter was nearing the end of his life and what was foremost on his mind was the discipleship and the teaching of those whom he felt responsible for in the faith. Notice how he states he thinks it is right to remind them to continuously work out their calling and their election (go back to verses 10 and 11 to see this) not only while he remains in this life but also after he departs.

His letters and writings would be there for all to see and anytime someone read one they would be encouraged in their faith and challenged to put aside evil and cling to good. Even now, nearly two-thousand years later, we can still reference the writings and teachings of the apostle Peter and through the power of the Holy Spirit, be transformed into the further likeness of Jesus Christ.

What a legacy! What a thing to leave behind! What a thing to aspire to! That our words and our teaching would continually enrich and bless the lives of others, long after we are gone- that is something we should be working towards and the goal for every mature Christian.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: 2 Peter, faith, teaching

How Wonderful, How Marvelous

December 3, 2018 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

It is my hope that the following is as uplifting and encouraging to you as it is to me. No matter what we face or how dire our circumstances may seem these present times do not define us and they cannot defeat us.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

Praise and thanksgiving to God is a natural result of realizing all that he has done for us. Because he loves us he has mercifully granted us new a new birth into everlasting life and a present, living hope that does not fade. That hope is so powerful and strong that no evil or darkness can ever snuff it out. It is a hope based on the power and promise of God himself!

into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:4-5 (NIV)

We have not yet attained all that God has planned for us. But we do have an inheritance that is waiting for us in heaven and it is an inheritance that is assured. Our faith in God allows him to shield us with his power and to be completely safe in him until such time as our final salvation is revealed.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)

Our journey through this life is not easy. We reside in the territory of our enemy and he is doing everything he can to shake us, disrupt us, discourage us and nullify our joy and our testimony. Though we are saved and our souls are safe for eternity we must still face dangers and grief while we reside here. But even these things have a reason and will be used to the ultimate glory of God as they prove and refine our faith in him. Hold fast for the fruit that we produce here will bring great joy in eternity!

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV)

Our salvation has a completion date and an endpoint. But, it has already begun and is even now working in us. And although we have not yet seen our savior face to face we love him and believe in him. This faith allows God to channel blessings and joy into our lives and allows us to be conduits of his love and mercy to others.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: 1 Peter, faith, joy, mercy, salvation

Small Steps Big Rewards

November 26, 2018 by Matthew Gaither 4 Comments

Who likes rewards? I know I do! It’s satisfying to receive a reward, especially after having worked towards a goal or purpose and then accomplishing it.

The right reward can help us to stay motivated and to keep on working even over long and difficult periods where it seems like we are making little progress. It is natural to want quick results but when we don’t see them it is tempting to get disheartened and to give up. That is where the promises in God’s word can help us.

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 NKJV)

The book of Hebrews has a lot to say about faith. And Hebrews 11:6 begins by letting us know that we must come to God in faith. As we strive to do God’s work we must do it through our faith in Him and His power. We can be sustained in our efforts only by placing our faith and trust in our Heavenly Father who is always there for us.

Notice also the last part of Hebrews 11:6. Not only must we have faith to please God but we must also trust that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. And what is diligence?

diligence: constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken, careful and persistent work or effort, steadfast application

Diligence is not giving up. Diligence is keeping on, little by little, day by day. Diligence stays the course even when times are tough and nothing seems to be going right.

I find it encouraging that God will reward my consistent and persistent efforts. Sometimes I feel like I might be close to the end of my rope physically and mentally and all I have left is my desire not to give up. And instead of being discouraged by my weakness and lack God wants me to understand that he is sufficient at all times if I will just continue to rely on Him.

The Lord says to us “don’t give up, I have what you need. Keep coming to me with your weakness and failings and I will be your strength and your success”. He wants us to stick close to Him, even when we can’t understand what’s happening or where we might be going.

What He doesn’t want us to do is to give in to our discouragement. It’s very tempting to run and hide or even to get mad at God and stop talking to Him when things aren’t going well. But if we remain diligent then God tells us that we will be rewarded.

And what are the rewards that God offers us? Ultimately, being with him in a place called heaven, which will be beyond anything that we can imagine. But here on this earth He offers us peace in the midst of trials, grace that is greater than any of our failings and His steadfast love that is strong enough to see us through. God’s presence is real and powerful and true fellowship with Him is one of the sweetest things that we can experience in this life. All of this He offers to us.

Will we remain diligent and faithful and experience all that God has for us? I pray that we would.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: diligence, faith, Hebrewss 11:6

Why Taking Care Of God’s Business Is Good For Us

November 5, 2018 by Matthew Gaither 2 Comments

Putting the Lord’s business in front of our own is a real challenge. We live in a fallen world and we are fallen creatures of flesh. Our physical senses limit us to perceiving only temporary things and the completely natural thing to do is to react to the circumstances and environment around us and try to take care of our needs first and foremost.

But this is not God’s way. If we profess to be His children then He asks us to seek to do His work first.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

Because God is good, His instruction also comes with a promise. If we seek His kingdom and His righteousness first then everything else that we need will be provided for us. In other words, our God will never leave us stranded or without help. As we work for Him and carry out His business He will be working right alongside us for our benefit and His glory. This is a great blessing in and of itself.

But there’s more!

What God has been teaching me lately is that if I will put Him first and do the work that He has asked me to do then while I am doing it, I won’t fall into sin and temptation and am much less prone to human error. Put another way, doing God’s will is the perfect defense against sinning against Him. It sounds obvious when you really think about it but is still an amazing truth to discover.

When I am doing my own thing and not being especially attentive to the Lord I make a lot of mistakes and tend to exercise poor judgement. When I am listening for the Lord and putting His work first then I perform at a level that is higher than “me”. And that is completely awesome to the point that afterwards I will sometimes look around and go “what just happened? Did I do that?”

And the answer is no, God did it. I was just the man who was willing and ready to be used.

God will do the same for you also. If you are willing to believe on Him, walk with Him in Spirit and truth and then put His kingdom and His righteousness first God will perform miracles through you. You will do things that will leave you joyful and amazed as His Spirit flows through you. And through it all, God will be glorified and you will see just how good our God can be.

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: faith, Matthew 6:33, Spirit

The Hope We Know

October 29, 2018 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

What hope have we? What is it that lies at the very core of our being that allows us to continue on, day after day, believing in the promises of God and the future completion of our salvation? How can we be sure of our final destination and the eventual perfection of God’s work in us?

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

God’s word continually amazes me and Hebrews 11 is, to me, one of the most encouraging and amazing chapters in the Bible. It has been called the faith “Hall of Fame” as in it we are given the names and deeds of many ordinary men and women who exercised their faith in God and were richly blessed unto salvation because of it.

If you are facing strong difficulties in your life and if you doubt that things will ever get better than I encourage you to spend some time with Hebrews 11. It is such an inspirational look at what God can do in the lives of people who are willing to step out and believe in the power and promises of God. But what really caught me eye as I studied Hebrews 11 again was the strong theme of hope that is carried throughout.

Notice verse 1 above. Faith is confidence in what we hope for. Our hope flourishes and thrives because of the confidence given through our faith. And our faith is given to us as a gift from God but must be exercised and worked at by us. There’s a transaction that takes place with God as the starting point and God’s promises and blessings as the outcome. And in between lies us and our decision to believe and to act or not.

Has our hope dimmed? Is it barely visible and flickering in the darkness of our circumstances? Then I would ask how much we have invested in increasing and exercising our faith. A faith strengthened leads to a hope that is lively. The hope we know is directly proportional to the faith we build.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:8-10 (NIV)

In these three verses we see a similarity between Abraham’s story and what he was called to do and the story of every person who has ever lived. Our true home lies with God in paradise. This world is like a foreign country to us and yet we are still called by faith to go and to do the work that God has given us. And our eternal souls and spirits, for a time, must live in these imperfect and quickly failing tents of flesh. But we do so with other heirs of the same promise, our brothers and sisters in the family of God. And we do it because we love the Lord and because we are looking forward to that heavenly city of perfection, the one that Jesus is preparing for us.

My hope to see that place and my savior is strong. I am well assured that what God has promised he is working on even now, unto completion. How fares your hope? What is it that you are looking forward to? And are you looking with eyes of faith or of flesh?

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: faith, Hebrews 11, hope

Hope And Blessings In The Darkness

July 16, 2018 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

We all find ourselves in dark places from time to time. Places where answers are hard to find and the future seems uncertain. In those times our world seems to shake around us and the foundations we have laid for ourselves no longer seem capable or strong enough to last. What we thought we knew no longer applies and we find ourselves perplexed and dismayed.

Everyone searches for hope in the darkness but few seem to find it. Why is that? Could it be that we often look in the wrong place for hope? Could it be that we are ignorant of the source of true hope?

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (NASB)

As a child of God, our hope should be in God and God alone. He is the only one with the power and the authority to speak calm into our turmoil and light into our darkness. But even in this there is a proper time and a proper order that God alone knows.

When we find ourselves in a place of need, desperately searching for an answer, our first response should be to cry out to God. But what if God does not answer right away? What if God does not answer in the way that we think He should?

Then we are blessed to be able to exercise our faith. Faith is the assurance of that which we hope for and it is our conviction that even though we can’t see our way out we know that God can! With just a word God created the world and everything in it. When God speaks, all creation must take heed. God’s word still has the power to completely change our lives and to perform miracles in places without hope.

God’s will is to take us home to be with Him in perfect fellowship for all eternity. But we often forget that only He knows the path that will lead us home. Sometimes the darkness is allowed to persist and the uncertainty lingers. And the more uncomfortable our situation the faster we want out and the more we struggle against it.

Sometimes we must be led through the darkness in order to increase our faith and so that we may be a guide for others who are following behind us. Our dark periods are not just for us alone and have far reaching spiritual ramifications that we will never fully understand until we see Jesus face to face.

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NASB)

We must learn to use our eyes of faith and see beyond that which is temporary to that which is eternal. Whatever we are going through now and whatever situation we find ourselves in on this earth will change. Good or bad, it will pass away and it will not persist. In the light of eternity, it is momentary. But even these moments, as confusing and uncertain as they often seen, can be used by the Lord God of all to produce in us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond all comparison.

Trust in God, even in the darkness. Don’t forget your hope and remember to look forward to the day when all is revealed and your reward is received. It will be worth it all.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: faith, hope, uncertainty

The Faith Response

May 21, 2018 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

First described by American physiologist Walter Bradford Cannon, the fight-or-flight response is an organism’s response to a perceived threat, attack or harmful situation. When faced with such a threat, the body produces adrenaline and other chemicals that help it move and think more rapidly as well as helping it make the determination to stay and put up a fight or to flee to safety.

The fight-or-flight response occurs almost instantaneously and the underlying physiological processes that take place while it is under way are amazing to behold from a scientific point of view. The way that God designed our bodies to react and adapt points to his creative and perfect design for mankind that must now live in a fallen and imperfect world due to sin’s influence.

Fight-or-flight may be a physical response but there is another, more important spiritual response that must also be present in the life of the believer in times of trouble. That response is the faith response and it is the greatest weapon that we have to fight against the enemy and against the effects of sin in our world and in our lives.

The Bible tells us in Romans chapter 8 that we have been set free from the power of sin and death and that is an awesome truth that should be pondered daily by every believer. But as long as we live and walk in this world we will experience the effects of sin be they pain, tiredness, sickness, heartache, sorrow, temptation (and the list goes on) and how we respond in those times will determine our life’s course and our success or failure as children of God.

We can either respond in the normal, human way (in the flesh) or we can respond in faith and by trusting in God’s power and God’s provision to overcome (in the Spirit) every obstacle. “Take it to the Lord” should be an everyday, all-day event for we who are redeemed. And not just for problems but also for praises and in response to every good thing that God allows us to experience. The more we practice responding in faith to our circumstances the more God can work in and through us and the greater our impact for good will be on those in our circle of influence.

The faith response is not automatic and is not always easy. We must practice it in the things both large and small and we must learn the futility of responding in our own strength (often times the hard way). Yielding to the Spirit’s power and influence will cause the fruits of the Spirit to be born while pushing ahead in our own strength will never yield the fruits of the Spirit.

Every day and in every situation we have a choice of how we will act and how we will respond. Challenges and trials will come and no matter who or where we are we can either ask the Spirit for help and strength, praise Him for his power and provision or ignore Him and try to do it all on our own. My prayer is that every response we have will be a response from faith and from our love and gratitude to Jesus Christ our Lord.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: faith, provision, Romans 8

Feeding Our Lambs

April 16, 2018 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

We should all be familiar with the story of Jesus asking Peter three times if he truly loved him. Coming on the heels of Peter’s thrice denial of Jesus, this must have been an especially poignant and memorable lesson for him from Jesus. Each time Peter responds, Jesus tells Peter (using slightly different wording each time) to feed his lambs and to take care of his sheep. In effect, Jesus was preparing Peter for his role in leading and being a pastor to the early church and telling Peter that one of the best ways that Peter could show his love to Jesus was to take care of the flock of God and all of those believers who would come behind him.

While this charge was given to Peter specifically it still has relevance to us today and is still critically important, especially inside our own homes. John Trent of Strong Families once asked several hundred churchgoing parents the following questions and their answers reveal some surprising truths.

Do you think it is important to pass down your faith to your children? – Over 90% said yes, it is very important.
Do you think your child will have a strong faith when he or she gets out of college? – Again, over 90% said yes.
Outside of going to church, what are you doing intentionally to introduce and build a growing faith in your child? – Fewer than 30% were doing anything purposefully to grow their children’s faith during the 166 hours a week their children were at home.

Based on these findings it would seem that we acknowledge the importance of introducing our kids to the Lord but often fail to properly care for, enrich and nourish their faith as they grow up in our homes. I don’t think I have to tell you how disastrous this is and that we are missing the most vital of opportunities to feed those lambs who are the closest to us.

A true Christian home has to be more than just a place where church is a twice or thrice weekly event. A true Christian home must have God at the center and as the focus and power-source for that family. Our kids need daily and weekly reminders from us (both verbal and non-verbal) that Jesus is Lord of our lives and that he is loved and adored in our homes. There are many age-appropriate ways to talk to our kids about Jesus and about our faith (and here’s a great resource written from a mother’s point of view – https://thehumbledhomemaker.com/introduce-a-child-to-jesus/ ) but the most important thing is that we are intentional and consistent about doing it.

God has given us the greatest gift of all, his love, and it is up to us to share it and to be a shepherd to those around us who are babes in Christ. The best place to start with this is in our own homes and by doing so we can create a strong foundation of faith that will serve our families well in the years to come. I pray that we would all take very seriously our Lord’s command to feed his sheep and to take care of his flock.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: faith, feed my sheep, John 21

Why Do You Believe?

October 9, 2017 by Matthew Gaither Leave a Comment

A recent sermon I heard was based around the question “Why should I believe in God?”

If you are reading this blog I hope that you have already answered that question; even so it bears repeating. Why do you believe in God?

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15 NKJV)

If we are to be able to give a defense to everyone who asks us, as 1 Peter 3:15 says, then we need to be very sure about our belief. We need to have that answer ready at hand, not as a scripted response but as a heartfelt statement of faith. The world desperately needs men and women who are standing firm on their belief in their savior and are not afraid to verbalize it when called on to do so.

On a personal level, I believe in God because I have experienced His presence and because He has changed me from the inside out. When I was at my lowest I cried out to Him and He came and found me. His touch was not physical but it left an unmistakable impression on my soul and since then my desire has been only to serve and to love Him with my whole heart.

I have a personal relationship with Him. I talk to Him all of the time. I tell Him about my day, confess my fears, worries and mistakes and thank Him for His goodness. I ask Him for His blessing and protection and His will to be done in the lives of many.

I gave my heart to Him and in exchange He has given me hope for the future, peace in the face of trials and love for myself and my fellow man. While I am still far, far from perfect I rejoice in knowing that little by little, He is making me like Him.

That is why I believe. I am passionate about my defense of the gospel and my hope for all believers is that they would be able to give a similar type of answer to the question “Why do you believe?” And beyond that, I am of the opinion that all believers should be passionate about their belief and the God who saved them. Not that we should be bullies or insensitive, because that is not the essence of true love, but that we should be ready to firmly and wisely defend the reasons for our faith.

Filed Under: Daily Tagged With: 1 Peter 3:15, apologetics, belief, faith