Sunday, August 10, 2014

Doubt vs. Faith

Jean Oathout begins our thoughts on 
doubts and faith today, with some questions that should get us considering 
how the one tends to take down the other.

When troubling thoughts come, 
are we going to realize them as from the evil one?

Will we remember to recall the words of faith that we've received, and will we take action to come against the doubts bombarding us?


Knowing that our faith is being tested on what we're trying to accomplish, will we take the effort to build our hopes up enough to keep on with what the Lord has directed us to do?


You'll find that the Lord brings a word of encouragement 

soon after the doubting thoughts come. 

I experienced this recently. I'd read the posts o
Discernment vs. Criticism Part 1 and Discernment vs. Criticism Part 2 to my friends at our writers meeting, when doubting thoughts came
to me that I'd failed to do a good job, and that I'd have to make many changes! 

I failed to speak out about what I was thinking to the group, and just accepted the thoughts as "true."


Thankfully, the Lord moved on someone there before 
I left, to
give encouraging words, which renewed my faith that I'd done right, and the approval the Lord had told me in my journaling time was the real truth.

What is something to not believe? 


   1. Negative thoughts and words

   2. When what we've heard makes us discouraged
   3. When we doubt what God's told us

These cause us to focus on the problem, which takes our 

mind off what God can do.
  
Take depressive thoughts captive and realize they are lies,
and were meant to destroy your faith. Don't spend any 
time being in allegiance with them! Don't make them 
your own.

Many negative thoughts originated in our younger 
years,
and need to be broken from their hold on us. 

Someone said that we should read three chapters in Palms out loud daily for a week, if they have such a hold on us, to help break the doubting thoughts that we have to deal with. 

This helps us to combat the depressive thoughts. What we 

say has a great effect on what we believe!

Say this:
 I break all allegiance with lies I've believed, 
and give the hurt of them all to Jesus.

"The Truth will set you free!" John 8:32


When times of serious illness 
come, depression can hit pretty hard. Our thoughts may not be on positive things, unless we make an effort to read, think, say, and hear what God has to say.

Meditate on God's Word. Believe it! Confess your needs to Him. 
He is not surprised, and is pleased in your honesty. He is not 
moved by your need, but is moved by your faith!

Let’s pray:

   "Dear Lord, help me 
choose my words wisely, for tomorrow I may have to eat 
them. 

   Help me speak life 
into those around me 
today-to be a source of encouragement 
rather than discouragement, of hope rather than hurt, and of love rather than pain.

   In Jesus’ Name, Amen."
Sharon Jaynes     www.girlfriendsingod.com

   “How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
   I have fled to my Refuge and breathed out my woe;
   How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
   Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul." --   
    C
ushing

                     
Today’s Bible verses:  

       Eph. 6:16, 17 (NIV)"In addition to all this, take 
       up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish 
       all the flaming arrows of the evil one."  

       Matt. 21:21 (KJV) "Jesus answered and said unto 

       them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and
        doubt not..." 


Today’s quote: 

~ Rev. Phillip McClelland - "When we struggle with God 
with our own doubts, God uses the struggle for His good 
purposes. Our doubts cannot overcome God, but those same 
doubts do not overcome us either. Through the struggle, God remakes us, gives to us a deeper understanding, a stronger 
trust in Him.
   When you struggle with God, He is holding on to you. If 
you ever think God has left you, just remember it is then,
during the struggle, that God is holding you tight and pressing you close to His heart." 
www.philipmcclelland.wordpress.com.

Some thoughts today: 

~ Continuing faith is built over time. Take Gideon for example: He had his faith built to where he believed God for the impossible. You can do the same. Get your directions from God, put your feet to the ground, and run with it!

- Jesus habitually prayed and fasted at times to be ready 
to take
care of any need. Seems as though He'd like us to do the same. 
We can have influence on those around us when they find they 
can relate to us.
    

10th- evening’s post:  To God Be the Glory 
Heather Ricks

12th- Tuesday's post:  #109  Emotional Dependency 

C. Peter Wagner

14th- Thursday's post:  #110  Physical Dependency

C. Peter Wagner

16th- Saturday's post:  My Cooking Will Be Grand! 

Debbie McEwen


A popular post:  

What Faithful, Committed Intercession Brings  
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seriousness of faithful, committed intercessions, 
and what they bring.Charles G. Finneyone of the 
most effective evangelists of the last century, met 
Daniel Nash early in his ministry."






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