Prayer + Faith = Trust

I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “Prayer is the key, but faith unlocks the door.”  This expression sums up the meaning of being a Christian who trusts God.

Walking by faith is more than waking up in the morning and saying, “I am going to rely upon God for everything today.”  These words are nice, but have little depth unless a person has prepared themselves mentally and spiritually for the next few hours of challenges. 

Prayer coupled with faith is the two ingredients that produce a mind-set of total trust in God.  I don’t believe it just happens.  We have to plan, in advance, how to sustain our relationship with godliness. 

Being tempted to stray from biblical teachings, leaving ourselves open to Satan’s trickery is reality in a nutshell.  Look at the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  They were beguiled by the devil (the serpent) to sin.

We are familiar with prayer, but what is faith and how do I attain it?  The Bible says that faith comes by reading God’s Word—the Holy Bible.  It empowers the reader to stand fast in the face of opposition, calamity, and whatever a new day brings.

How does reading the Bible produce power?  I don’t know it just does when an individual dedicates time and effort in reading it.  It is sharper than any two-edged sword.  We can speak its truth in boldness and watch things happen on our behalf.  Peace comes when we leave it with God—His will be done concerning the matter.

(Hebrews 11:1), “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

(2 Corinthians 5:7), “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

The Bible was written by holy men of old that were breathed upon by God to pen infallible words of inspired truth.  God is omnipotent and His Word never fails.  We can trust what it says and stake our reputation and life on its accuracy.  It is God’s will and testament to all Believers.

(Matthew 21:22), “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

I was raised by Christian parents that believed in prayer.  It was a common practice in our household.  They walked by faith every day and taught me the value of serving God and trusting Him in all things. 

Mom told me a story of the time I was being punished for being naughty when I was a lad.  I pleaded with her to pray for the pain that I was feeling on my bottom side.  “Pray Mamma pray!” I exclaimed as the tears rolled down my cheeks.

I knew the power of prayer, because I had experienced, first hand, answers to prayers numerous times when Mom or Dad would lay hands on me and pray for healing.  I had faith in my heart that if Mom would pray, the pain would go away.  She was so touched by my request that she ceased the spanking, thus, another prayer answered.

Prayer coupled with faith works.  I trust the Lord for the details of my life.  He is the complete source of my strength.  There is nothing in this world, except taxes and death that you can count on.  Other things like pride and vanity fail.  They are smoke and mirrors, while material gain produces only momentary satisfaction, nothing lasting.

Prayer plus faith equals trust in Jesus Christ, which completes a person both emotionally and spiritually.  This phenomenon, the object of a person’s perception, allows the senses or mind to recognize Deity.  This observable fact enables them to freely drink from the springs of living water that God provides to those that believe and faint not. 

Their confidence, or trust, is enhanced each time answers avail themselves.  God will do what He said He will do in the Bible for those that believe on the name of Jesus.  This belief system is called, walking by faith, which pleases God.

(Hebrews 11:6), 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 re-warder of those who diligently seek Him.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), “Rejoice always,” Vs.17 “pray without ceasing,” Vs.18 “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Rummaging Through Yesterday's Memories

I don’t make a practice of living in the past where heartache was the norm, because I am now a born-again Christian.  Rummaging through yesterday’s lustful, unwelcomed memories is nothing to dwell upon, whereas, Godly experiences help us face today’s challenges when reflecting upon the positive.

God gave me a wonderful computer on my birthday—my brain at birth.  It can recall things as far back as my youth, no doubt, equal to an elephant’s memory. 

I did research on elephants and the studies that were made regarding their recall capabilities.  It was interesting reading.  To say a person has the memory of an elephant is certainly a compliment, not a criticism.

Because of the marvelous capacity of our gray matter, memories can be pure or they can be tainted if allowed to wander.  When negative thoughts from my past begin to creep into my thinking, I immediately reject them by exclaiming, “I’m outta here!”  In doing so, this is my way of resisting the devil as the Bible says we can do. 

(James 4:7), “Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Nothing good can come from dwelling upon past memories if those memories are wistful thoughts of the bad and ugly nature of one’s former, sinful life.  Let’s face it, Satan has the monopoly on glitz and glitter in this world, but he fails to inform the user-of-filth of the end result that sin leads to—a life of uncertainty, without hope. 

The unrest and worrisome lifestyle of a non-Christian far exceed what the mind can imagine in the beginning of indulgent living.  The consequences are less than satisfying not only health wise, but most significantly the waning health of the spiritual entity of a person. 

Standing before the Lord on judgment day, giving an account for deeds done, is a sobering thought.  Rummaging through yesterday’s memories of times that the Holy Spirit called their name, but rejecting the call will haunt them for eternity.  I shudder to think how terrifying it would be to hear the words from God… “Depart from Me; I never knew you.”

After jotting down my thoughts today, I questioned, “Where is the hope in this writing?”  The only hope of eternal life in heaven is Jesus Christ.  He is the one and only way to God Almighty.  There is no other name, whereby, sin can be forgiven.

(Isaiah 64:6), “But we are all like an unclean thing and all our righteousness are like filthy rags…”

Jesus changes our thought process when we ask God to forgive our sins and we invite the Lord into our heart.  Good memories begin at the moment of salvation when we become children of God.  The old nature ceases when Jesus becomes Lord of our life.

(2 Corinthians 5:17), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Rummaging through yesterday’s memories is put on hold when we yield our mind to the things of God.  We need not end up like Lot’s wife when she turned and looked back toward Sodom and Gomorrah, cities of the plain where sinful living had become an abomination to God (Genesis 19). 

I believe that when she turned to view the city of Sodom, her memories encompassed the sinful surroundings that she had become accustomed to.  She ignored the words from the angle of God… “Do not look back.”  She was immediately turned to a pillar of salt.

It is just as important for you and me to not look back at past sins and dwell upon their impurities.  Keeping our eyes and mind upon wholesome things prevent us from rummaging through yesterday’s memories of the old sin nature.

(Philippians 4:8), “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd