Can You Believe?

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

www.Bibletourwithjoline.com
www.bibletourwithjoline.blogspot.com

Follow your Heart & believe in yourself” is common advice but the Bible tells us that the heart cannot be trusted "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). We hear it so often that we assume that it is sound biblical advice but the Word of God urges us to believe otherwise (He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, Proverb 28:26 and “And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me" (Jeremiah 16:12). Following the heart can work to rob us of God's grace and send us blindly down the road that leads to spiritual death.

Believe in oneself is the beginning of disaster. It is dangerous to lean on our own LIMITED ability and it is even more so to be away (OUTSIDE HIS WILL)from God. The Bible calls us to believe in the Omnipotence of God, but can we believe the Bible promises? If you are a believer in Christ, God has everything working for you, and sometimes life challenges may tempt us to believe otherwise but just when we think it is over then “wow” you are lifted up and taken higher. God is faithful and just because we can’t see Him does not change the fact that He is working for us, ordering our steps and making ways to lead us to the next step that will take us to our destination. The Bible gives us countless examples of people who believe in God, and not once was either one of them deceived. Many have tried to separate God's people from Him in many different ways possible but they never succeed because He says, "I will be with him in trouble" (Psalm 9:9, And He was. Men have left their country to follow God (Abraham for example). Some were thrown in the fire (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego). Others were thrown to the lions (Daniel) but God has brought them out successfully through it all. "Our anchor holds." Glory!

Can you believe?
God is the same yesterday, today and forever (For I the Lord, I change not, Malachi 3:6). Every believer has the right to claim this promise and live with confidence that God will keep His Word as He always does. (Salvation through Christ carries a lot of weight and privileges. My friend, hang in there with the assurance that whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you have done, God sees you and cares for you. He is able and willing to pull you through whether fulfilled today or in the next few years, there is nothing but success and victory waiting for those who place their trust in the Lord. When the challenges come, as they often do, and you see absolutely no way out, think miracle, think God’s Omnipotence, think God’s promises, and think God's victory. He has a good track record, you can trust Him. He will not leave you. He loves you so much that He can’t help but saving you. Put your trust in Him. You can and you should believe in God's ability to save both in times of great blessing and adversity. Your future is secured. He doesn’t make mistakes. He is working it out, just wait and you will see His glory.

You can believe that God’s Plan for your Life (is a good one) in the midst of adversity.

Praise the Lord!

Time to Get Committed

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

www.bibletourwithjoline.com
www.bibletourwithjoline.blogspot.com
www.bibletouravecjoline.blogspot.com

When Paul stated, "I have been crucified with Christ" I believe that he was referring to his conversion. (His change of life). He was teaching the Romans that knowing that their sins die with Christ on the cross should bring change and that they shouldn't be slave of sins anymore (Rom. 6:6. As Christians, we cannot continue to live in the ways of sin (Rom. 6:1-2). We must live a life that the Lord and His will have dictated. Therefore, the next step is to be raised to live with Christ. The Christian life is lived through the power of God; if you are relying on your own ability you are setting yourself for failure. You will not be what God designing you to become without Christ. You must rely on the resurrection power of Jesus Christ working in and through you, which enables you to be a successful Christian.

"It is no longer I who live" How long have you been with Christ? Can your family friends see a positive change in you? Surely you can appreciate the kind of commitment Paul had made to live for the Lord. You must understand that if you want to live as Paul lived, you have to surrender all of you to the Lordship of Christ. It is a win-win situation, meaning that you are still free to make choices but you now make the right choices and continuously resist temptation; However, you will only be able to accomplish that by making the (obvious but very difficult choice) to obey the gospel to allow Christ to live in you. And the only way to accomplish it is by allowing God's Word to dwell in you. You must know the Word for it to dwell in you. Friend, I cannot stress this enough: You must read your Bible. You must know (intimately) the Lord you claim to love. You have to be totally committed to Him. What relationship you know that ever succeeded without complete commitment? A committed life to Christ will not come by accident. You must pursue it. You must purposefully decide to live it, with all the highs and lows that come with the relationship, but unlike other relationships, at the end you will be with Christ eternally in heaven. The outcome is revealed in scripture. What a wonderful future to look forward to!

It's time to get committed. It's time to choose Christ by words and deeds. This is the one relationship worth giving yourself to entirely. Why is it easier for you to dedicate yourself to family and friends and all of those who tell one lie after another lie and yet when it comes to Christ you tend to drag your feet? Your family life should be a representation of your relationship with Christ. Decide to be crucified and bring all of Satan' strongholds along with all your burdens/baggage to the cross. Let the light of the Word of God and the glorious resurrection power of Christ shine on you. Get committed and begin experiencing a life you never thought possible.

Praise the Lord!