[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] FW: [CWWC] Encouragement For Today.

Wed Mar 3 02:08:14 UTC 2021

From: committed-walk-with-Christ at groups.io
[mailto:committed-walk-with-Christ at groups.io] On Behalf Of Connie Mohney via
groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, March 2, 2021 10:11 AM
To: committed-walk-with-Christ at groups.io
Subject: [CWWC] Encouragement For Today.

Alicia Bruxvoort

March 2, 2021

If God Said It, He’ll Do It
ALICIA BRUXVOORT
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNl
LmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHBzOi8vcHJvdmVyYnMzMS5vcmcvcmVhZC9kZXZvdGlvbnMvb3VyLXdyaXRl
cnMvYWxpY2lhLWJydXh2b29ydF9fOyEhUEgwdlpva3A4d3dRTnchaTY2eU05QnJlZlJrdkgwbjZl
VmtablZHX29Kc0xJMDZYSHg1ZlBadENtdUE3M0x6Qkw4cEdRNFNJTTNOY0szRDFGRjJ0S1NfOWck
/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386B079dc28b> 

Lee en español
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNl
LmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHBzOi8vcHJvdmVyYnMzMS5vcmcvZXMvbGVlL2Rldm9jaW9uYWxlcy9fXzsh
IVBIMHZab2twOHd3UU53IWk2NnlNOUJyZWZSa3ZIMG42ZVZrWm5WR19vSnNMSTA2WEh4NWZQWnRD
bXVBNzNMekJMOHBHUTRTSU0zTmNLM0QxRkVveUZUQkZBJA/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386B6de4
33b2> 

“But Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust grew
ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it
happened.” Romans 4:20
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmlibGVn
YXRld2F5LmNvbS9wYXNzYWdlLz9zZWFyY2g9Um9tYW5zJTIwNDoyMCZ2ZXJzaW9uPU5JViZzcmM9
dG9vbHM/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386Bfa5e5259>  (TLB)

I was heading to the kitchen for my pre-dawn cup of coffee when his words
cut though my half-awake haze: “Hi, Mommy! Thanks for taking me to the park
today.”

As rain pattered on the roof and thunder rumbled low somewhere in the
distance, I questioned if I’d heard his words correctly.

Two feet shy of the coffee pot, I turned to face him. The first streaks of
sunrise had yet to paint the sky, but my preschooler was sitting at the
front door with his little blue backpack and an expectant smile.

I stared in groggy bewilderment as he unzipped the backpack and pulled out a
box of crackers and a couple of juice boxes. “I’m all ready to go,” he
announced. “I’ve even packed our snacks.”

It was then I remembered the conversation we’d shared the night before. My
son hadn’t been ready to trade the fun of play for the necessity of sleep.
“My feet aren’t even tired!” he’d complained as he’d jiggled his legs
beneath the blankets. “And my hands still want to play baseball with Daddy!”
He’d wiggled his fingers in the air and punctuated his declaration with an
exasperated sigh.

Planting a kiss on his head, I’d murmured a gentle promise to help him
surrender to sleep: “Get some rest now. Tomorrow, I’m taking you to the
park.”

My son’s legs had slowed. His fingers had stilled. And soon the din of his
moonlight grievances was swallowed by the sound of subtle snoring.

In the light of my bedtime pledge, my little boy’s greeting suddenly made
sense. My son had simply taken me at my word. The sight of darkness beyond
the window hadn’t discouraged him. The sound of the raindrops on the roof
hadn’t dissuaded him.

He hadn’t checked the forecast or consulted the clock. He hadn’t asked for
an agenda or probed my intentions. He’d simply aligned his plans with my
promise.

As I stood there in the kitchen, I felt a somber pang of conviction. For
years, I’d been asking God to grow me into a woman of faith. I didn’t want
to merely trust the Lord for my salvation. I wanted to trust Him with my
steps on earth, too. I’d read books on faith and established habits of
faith. I’d talked about faith and prayed about faith. But as I peered at my
preschooler and his little blue backpack, I realized I’d been making faith
too complicated.

Faith isn’t a feeling or a philosophy.
Faith isn’t a principle or a prescription.
Faith is taking God at His word.

In Romans 4, the Apostle Paul uses the story of Abraham to teach us about
faith that pleases God. Though Abraham was old and his wife was barren,
Abraham believed God’s pledge to make him the father of many nations.
(Romans 4:18
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmlibGVn
YXRld2F5LmNvbS9wYXNzYWdlLz9zZWFyY2g9Um9tYW5zJTIwNDoxOCZ2ZXJzaW9uPU5JViZzcmM9
dG9vbHM/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386Cf53d245b> ) According to Romans 4:20
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmlibGVn
YXRld2F5LmNvbS9wYXNzYWdlLz9zZWFyY2g9Um9tYW5zJTIwNDoyMCZ2ZXJzaW9uPU5JViZzcmM9
dG9vbHM/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386Dfa5e5259> , “Abraham never doubted. He
believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God
for this blessing even before it happened.”

Abraham’s tale reminds us that faith isn’t an abstract theology, but an
active response. Faith may not always change the way we feel about God, but
it should consistently change the way we walk with Him. Like Abraham, when
we take God at His word, we align our steps with the promises He has spoken
rather than the probabilities we can see.

Even if faith seems simple, it’s not always easy. However, when my trust
begins to waver, I remember a little boy with a little blue backpack, and I
pray for courage to imitate his childlike faith. Because if he can trust the
promise of an imperfect parent, then you and I can trust the word of our
perfect Father.

Dear Father, thank You for always doing what You say You’ll do. Please show
me where I’ve made faith too complicated, and reveal the ways I’m living
like Your Word isn’t true. Help me to align my faith with Your faithfulness.
I want to trade my doubts for praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY: 1 Thessalonians 5:24
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmlibGVn
YXRld2F5LmNvbS9wYXNzYWdlLz9zZWFyY2g9MSUyMFRoZXNzYWxvbmlhbnMlMjA1OjI0JnZlcnNp
b249TklWJnNyYz10b29scw/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386Eddac90e1> , “The One Who
called you is faithful and will do what He promised.” (NLV)

RELATED RESOURCES: Easter reminds us that when we think God is not working,
He may be doing some of His best work. When Jesus died, it seemed that all
hope was lost, that death had won. But the story doesn’t end at the grave.
We can have hope because we know the Easter story ends with Jesus alive and
victorious. We’ve handpicked products to point you to the hope we have in
Jesus’ resurrection. Shop our Easter Collection today
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNl
LmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnAzMWJvb2tzdG9yZS5jb20vY29sbGVjdGlvbnMvZWFzdGVy
LWNvbGxlY3Rpb25fXzshIVBIMHZab2twOHd3UU53IWk2NnlNOUJyZWZSa3ZIMG42ZVZrWm5WR19v
SnNMSTA2WEh4NWZQWnRDbXVBNzNMekJMOHBHUTRTSU0zTmNLM0QxRkd5bXhBdnFRJA/5ef52419b
5e7be14804f1386B480e91e8> !

<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNl
LmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnAzMWJvb2tzdG9yZS5jb20vY29sbGVjdGlvbnMvZWFzdGVy
LWNvbGxlY3Rpb25fXzshIVBIMHZab2twOHd3UU53IWk2NnlNOUJyZWZSa3ZIMG42ZVZrWm5WR19v
SnNMSTA2WEh4NWZQWnRDbXVBNzNMekJMOHBHUTRTSU0zTmNLM0QxRkd5bXhBdnFRJA/5ef52419b
5e7be14804f1386C480e91e8> width

CONNECT: Join Alicia on her blog today
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNl
LmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHA6Ly9hbGljaWFicnV4dm9vcnQubmV0X187ISFQSDB2Wm9rcDh3d1FOdyFp
NjZ5TTlCcmVmUmt2SDBuNmVWa1puVkdfb0pzTEkwNlhIeDVmUFp0Q211QTczTHpCTDhwR1E0U0lN
M05jSzNEMUZIRzZtcnhXdyQ/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386B0a693c82>  for more
encouragement and for a free printable to help you pray God’s promises as
you walk in faith.

REFLECT AND RESPOND: Prayerfully consider some of the promises God has
spoken to you in Scripture or through His Spirit. Thank Him in advance for
keeping His promises, and consider how you can respond to His Word with a
step of faith.

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNl
LmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHBzOi8vcHJvdmVyYnMzMS5vcmcvcmVhZC9kZXZvdGlvbnMvZnVsbC1wb3N0
LzIwMjEvMDMvMDIvaWYtZ29kLXNhaWQtaXQtaGVsbC1kby1pdCpkaXNxdXNfdGhyZWFkX187SXch
IVBIMHZab2twOHd3UU53IWk2NnlNOUJyZWZSa3ZIMG42ZVZrWm5WR19vSnNMSTA2WEh4NWZQWnRD
bXVBNzNMekJMOHBHUTRTSU0zTmNLM0QxRkdTbG5wdUVRJA/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386B6d13
581d> .

Proverbs 31 Ministries
PO Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23085068.15525/aHR0cHM6Ly91cmxkZWZlbnNl
LmNvbS92My9fX2h0dHA6Ly93d3cuUHJvdmVyYnMzMS5vcmdfXzshIVBIMHZab2twOHd3UU53IWk2
NnlNOUJyZWZSa3ZIMG42ZVZrWm5WR19vSnNMSTA2WEh4NWZQWnRDbXVBNzNMekJMOHBHUTRTSU0z
TmNLM0QxRkhUVXNnVEFRJA/5ef52419b5e7be14804f1386Bb96a809c> 

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