Thought For The Day 11/28/12

My ABC’s of Faith

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http://www.clker.com/clipart-4603.html

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There are two types of men, those who are afraid to lose God, and those who are afraid that they might find Him…

Blaise Pascal

Philosopher and Scientist

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/apologetics/faith/why-believe-in-god/

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I was picking up some toys around the house after my grandson had gone and I was marveling at how quickly he is growing and learning and becoming his very own person, complete with opinions, likes and a ton of a”chutzpah” that will serve him well as he grows. I sometimes wish I had a crystal ball so I could view the entirety of his life because I know that he will one day change the world. But for now we must begin with the basics as we teach and prepare him for the life he will live. We must start with our ABC’s. And it was this thought that inspired my post for today where I share my personal ABC’s of Faith with you. Sometimes it is the simplest thing that means the most to us as we travel along life’s pathways!

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A = ASK

For God’s Help!

We are all human and as such, we sin and fall short of the way we should behave as Christians. The problem is that so many people do not accept that there are times in our lives when we can not do everything ourselves. The thing is, we don’t need to. We are never alone and all we need to do is to ask God for His guidance and His help with those problems that are weighing us down. And while it may not be easy because often those doubts sometimes cause us to lose faith in ourselves, His trust in us, His love for us and His desire that we attain that which is good for us, should serve to help us believe that He can and will help us if we but ASK! Matthew 7:7-11 (NKJV) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

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B = BELIEVE

In The Almighty!

Believing that God exists is not always easy. In fact, 20% of the world’s population do not believe, which might just make us wonder what kind of God would allow so many to doubt? There are no easy answers to this except to say that many devout leaders in Christianity once doubted His existence. But inexplicably, once the moment that the realization of His truth washes over you and you move from transition to transcendence, it is indeed like a light bulb turning on in your heart. The realization is different for everyone. For me, the moment I knew was a gentle nudge while for others, believing happens only when they have taken a giant leap of faith. But in my heart I know that He is, was and always will be, and I find my proof for His existence in understanding that I exist as does the universe and therefore He must, as well! Yes, BELIEVE! Isaiah 43:10-11 (NIV), ” “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.

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C = CONFESS

Your Sins!

Confession is a means of unburdening our hearts for the behaviors and actions that we instinctively know are wrong. And although many believe the way to truly atone is by selecting a priest or other member of the clergy to act as an intermediary, most Protestant denominations, of which I belong, believe that God hears every earnest confession made, whether it is done alone or in the presence of another. The thing is that confession alone is not the price we must pay to receive forgiveness. Fortunately for man, if they have accepted Christ into their hearts, all is forgiven already. Jesus Christ paid the price for us by his substitutionary death on our behalf! But the importance of confession lies in that it provides proof that we have assumed responsibility for the sin we have committed and that we view our sin the same way that God does! Which is why the as the old saying proclaims, to CONFESS really is good for the soul! 1 John 1:9 (ESV), “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

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Perhaps the day will come to continue with D, E and F but for now, those first three letters really sum up my approach to faith and how I apply it in the way I live. And sometimes we can examine things to death before we realize that often it is the simplest of approaches that are not just the easiest to understand but also hold the most truth!

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For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

1 Timothy 2:5 ESV

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Please remember the millions of our brothers and sisters as well as furry companions today who are suffering from the effects of Superstorm Sandy. Give as much as you can, as often as you can to the following organizations or groups.

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The American Red Cross