Week 83: Faith Fertilizer

                                 Faith Fertilizer

                                                            Have faith in God. Mark 11:22

• Challenges. . .

• Troubles…

• Trials. . .

                

 Manure stinks! But, for our plants to grow and thrive—we have to bear the smell. And, in order for our faith to grow, we need stinky circumstances.

                                       

                                      Problems are Faith Fertilizer! 

In the middle of trouble, no one wants to hear—problems grow faith. Knowing this doesn’t make our problems any easier to go through. But if we think about it, it’s during these hard times that we focus more on the One who can bring about a change. This is when we find out about the stability of our faith, as it’s challenged to step higher. There’s no sense thinking if we had enough faith we wouldn’t have any problems. In John 16:33, Jesus said we will have tribulation.    

I haven’t met anyone with a problem free life. Can you imagine how arrogantly prideful some of us would be if we had a problem free life? It wouldn’t take too long before we would start taking things for granted, and becoming judgmental to those going through difficulties. We would probably think we can do fine without God.

Fertilizer is good for plants, but if given too much—they die. I’m so glad that God knows the exact amount of “fertilizer” that we can handle. It says in II Corinthians 10:13 (AMP)  we can trust God not to allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to endure.

Seeing our problems as faith fertilizer gives us a different outlook on the notorious question: Why me?

            

       

© 2015        

                                     See You Next Week on Paulette Talks Faith          

Week 82: Close the Screen Door!

                           

                                Close the Screen Door!

                  Beloved, do not put your faith in every spirit… I John 4:1 (AMP)

• Mosquitoes biting. . .

• Flies humming. . .

• Squirrels nesting. . .   

          If you don’t close the screen door, anything could fly or walk in. Once it gets inside—well, you might have a hard time getting rid of it.

                                             Shut that Screen Door!

 It would be great to have a screen door protecting our thoughts. True, we cannot always control our thinking, but the screen is a figurative symbol to remind us to identify what’s trying to get into our heads at the forefront. It’s a way for us to stop and think about what we’re thinking about. In other words:

                 

                   It might be crawling around on the screen, but

                  you don’t have to open the door, and let it fly in.

         

An unguarded mind is fertile ground for the devil to plant his evil ideas. Once his ideas take root, they can develop into strongholds. Once that happens, we now have a full-grown situation.

God said to cast down every imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. (II Corinthians 10:3-5)  We have to use our faith and follow God’s instructions on how to get loose from this evil grip. We have to fight to get our thoughts back in line with God’s Word. The best way to do that is to actively counteract wrong thinking with what God says. We wouldn’t ignore unwanted  insects and animals in our house, the same is true with these festering thoughts. Things will only get worse if something isn’t done about it.

          That’s why I’m select-minded, not open-minded. I’m learning to select what I will open my mind to. On the other hand, we should not be so close-minded that new and different ideas can’t get in. However, if those new and different ideas are contrary to the Word of God—

                              Close that Screen Door!

    © 2015                      

                                       See You Next Week on Paulette Talks Faith          

Week 81: Traveling Under Concealed Orders

                    Traveling Under Concealed Orders

                                              faith without works, is dead…James 2:20

• Hidden???

• Covered???

• Unknown???

        I titled my first book, Traveling Under Concealed Orders: A School Almost Left Behind. I did this as a result of God sending me to work at a school to do an assignment for Him. My mission was unclear at first. But as time rolled on, God revealed my purpose there: To bring prayer into that school. When the time came for me to retire, I had no idea where God was sending me next.

Once again. . .

                            I was Traveling Under Concealed Orders!  

Now that many years have passed, I still don’t fully know, as I’m writing this blog, what my new orders are. They are concealed. However I do know—I’m on an assignment. I think this new assignment has something to do with prayer, and of course faith, since new orders are generally contingent upon previous ones. 

There is no such thing as an insignificant day with all the work we have in front of us to do. We can’t let distractions stop us. That’s just a trick of the enemy to keep us from doing what we should be doing.

 My advice to those of us who are traveling under concealed orders: Spend time with God before we start each day. Ask Him: What do You want me to do for You today? We might not know God’s personal plan for us, but He does. Therefore, we have to put our faith in His guidance. We have to become sensitive to His instructions, and do them.

 Live each day submissive to God. That’s the best way we can tell:

                  

    We Are Completing Our God Given Orders!   

                   

© 2015                           See You Next Week on Paulette Talks Faith