Quote from Forum Archives on March 15, 2003, 7:40 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I'd like to pass along a weekend edition for you today, based on a
message from the Quiet Walk Devotional series. Today's message is
about developing our faith. I find this message relevant; personally,
I'm continually developing my own faith and sharing what I believe with
others, so that they, too, may ponder similar thoughts and develop their
own faith.

My prayer is that each of us develops a growing, personal faith in the
God of the Bible and places our personal trust in His Son, Jesus Christ,
as our personal hope for eternal salvation.

I believe that some of us don't really think all that much about our faith
until faced with a crisis. Others of us live by faith from day to day, but
when our faith is tested, we're able to see both the existence of our faith
and also areas in which our faith wavers.

I don't believe that God is threatened in the least when we have wavering
moments of faith, but I believe it is a terrible thing to deny a basic
faith in the One who created and sustains all things.

Please consider this message and marvel at the things that God is doing.

Right now, many people are concerned about rumors and threats of war and
conflict. I don't particularly enjoy the idea of war, but I have hope in
one thing: regardless of what men do to one another, God has a plan and a
purpose for all things, good and bad alike. God uses the bad events of
life to bring about His purpose. Because of the sinful nature of men,
violence, suffering, and death are a part of life. Even so, God will often
bring about beautiful wonders of love, grace, and mercy, even in the midst
of events that most of us would view as very tragic.

So I pray for God's hand in the events of this world. I pray for peace
wherever possible, healing where there's conflict, and God's hand of mercy,
even in the middle of violence and judgment. Perhaps there is yet hope
in a confused and often lost world.

I pray for God's guiding light within the souls of each of us. Amen.

Brian

AD| Shop for Spring Time Bargains
l.salemweb.net/CBDDevo/
____________________________

Q U I E T W A L K D E V O T I O N A L
by Walk Thru the Bible

March 15

Mark 4
As Jesus expands His public ministry, He teaches extensively
using parables.

INSIGHT
Faith does not come to us full-blown. It must be cultivated and
nurtured. Jesus cultivates the faith of His disciples. After an
extensive time of teaching, Jesus goes out into the Sea of
Galilee with the Twelve, knowing that a storm will come. He calms
the storm and then asks, rhetorically, "How is it that you have
no faith?" (Mark 4:40).
His disciples marvel and their faith grows. We, too, must go
through times of testing to become strong.

PRAYER
Offer your praise to the God who loves you and who seeks your
love in return:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). You who are mighty have done great
things for me, and holy is Your name.

And Your mercy is on those who fear You from generation to
generation (based on Luke 1:49-50).

Pause for personal praise and thanksgiving.
As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this
confession: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is
common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be
tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will
also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1
Corinthians 10:13).

As you consider the mercy of God, confess any sins which the Holy
Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of
the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it;
but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:16-17).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
the leading of the Lord in your walk with Him,
Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith in
Christ, your activities for the day.

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).

Quiet Walk is published by Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, Inc.
in Atlanta, GA. If you would like to see other resources from
Walk Thru the Bible, such daily devotionals, devotional Bibles,
devotional books, videos and live, in-church seminars, please
click here:
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.17.10802.1.293748

Additional devotionals are available from Crosswalk.com:
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.17.10802.2.293748

For Copyright Terms visit
link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.17.10802.3.293748

FREE Christian Book
l.salemweb.net/swnoffer0203/UMQW

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online
webhosting.yahoo.com