BE STRENGTHENED IN FAITH

Acts 16:5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith, and grew larger every day.

This is one of those verses I tend to gloss over without realising, but it jumped out of the page so I took a closer look.

Would you agree that most churches would say they would like their church to grow in number  because it would mean more people were being saved? I asked myself then, is there a connection between the church being strengthened in their faith and their number increasing daily because that seems to be the implication. And if that is the case then we each have a responsibility to be encouraging each other to be growing in faith in our wonderful God so that others are attracted to Him. 

True bible believing faith attracts people because it is such a positive, uplifting, hope raising thing. It's not weak and puny or negative or 'religious'.  It grabs a hold on a promise of God, takes it with both hands and wont let go until it manifests no matter how long it takes. Faith is tenacious and it pleases God so that has to be a top priority for all of us!  (Hebrews 11:6)

Hebrews 11:1 tells us we can't have faith without hope so we need to build people's hopes up too. When people have something to hope for then there is something to attach their faith to, and believe God for. Faith is the substance of things hoped for!  It's not a wishful thinking, 'I hope to win a million pounds by tomorrow night', no it's a hope based on scripture, backed by Almighty God and received by faith.

So whatever church you go to, wherever that is in the world, let's build each other up to be strengthened in our faith and then believe God to increase us daily.  And that, church, is something to grab a hold of BY FAITH and get our hopes up!😊

Can I ask, what are you believing God for just now? Start hoping again, reapply your faith to it again, strengthen your faith again. God is backing it.

Let's get some faith pumping through our veins! Why? Because He's going to do it through you and me.....

Ephesians 3:20 Our God is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to His Name!

BUT WITH GOD

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."

When we look at circumstances and situations we can be tempted to look at them from the human point of view and we think it's impossible for them to change; people wont change, these circumstances have been this way too long, it seems hopeless.

BUT WITH GOD everything is possible.  I love some of the 'buts' in the bible and I think this has to be one my favourites. What 'impossible' situations do you have in your life right now?  Can I encourage you to get your faith out, shake the dust off it, and start to exercise it by saying,

"With God all things are possible. With God my situation is being turned around, whether it happens in a day or many days. With God my health is being restored. With God my finances are being made to be more than enough. With God my relationships are being restored and made whole. With God the promises He has made me will come to pass as I seek Him for the next step. With God I can do exploits for Him. With God I shall become all He wants me to be. With God I shall be a blessing to others. With God I shall walk in His peace, joy and victory. 

Are you with God in your thinking? Or are you looking at everything 'humanly speaking'? Can I encourage each one of us to get with God today and stay with Him no matter what it looks like or feels like. 

God's thoughts are higher than ours so let's start climbing the ladder of faith in an All Powerful God  and go up higher with Him and find out what 'impossible' things He wants to do for us, in us and through us.  I think He wants to amaze us if we'll start believing and expecting the 'impossible'. 

Enjoy being 'with God' today. 😊