And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry (Luke 15:17-24).
These few verses reflect a beautiful instance of reunion and restoration. However, the preceding verses speak of the terrible situation that brought this young man to this point.
You see, this young man had it made. Maybe he couldn’t see that. Maybe he didn’t want to see that. Whatever the case, he selfishly demanded his share of the inheritance from his father and set out on his own. Joining himself to the wrong people, he spent everything he had in a short time.
Severe famine came upon the land. Broke, busted and starving, he began working to survive- feeding swine. He was so hungry that he would have eaten the husks that the swine left. Recognizing his hopeless situation, he began to think that his father’s servants were doing much better than he was. Deciding to go home, he put together a speech to deliver to his father. This speech was totally unnecessary!
Unknown to him, his father was watching for him- and had been watching the whole time. Seeing his son coming down the road, he ran to him, hugged him and kissed him out of sheer joy to have him back. What about the speech? It was interrupted before it could be finished. The father said, “Put the best robe on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Let’s celebrate my son’s homecoming!”
What does this story have to do with us? It is a true picture of how our Heavenly Father wants to relate to us.
How many times have we left Him because of our own selfish desires? How many times have we figured out that the grass is not greener on the other side? How many times have we decided that life cannot be better than it is when we depend on God to be our Father?
It is interesting to note that we have a tendency to think that we have messed up so badly that God will not want anything to do with us. Out of fear, shame and remorse
We fashion a speech that we hope will get us back into His good graces. It is then that we have the prodigal son’s experience.
We don’t realize it, but God has been waiting for us to come to our senses. He has been watching for us to come back- ready to run in our direction. What about the speech? It is certainly right to repent when we sin. However, God doesn’t just hear the words; God sees the heart. Reunion with our Heavenly Father and restoration to our place at His table requires very few words when our hearts are truly sincere.
So, when we fail God and seem so far away from Him we need to remember the story of the Prodigal Son is also our story. We can prepare the speech. However, we can expect it to be interrupted by our Heavenly Father who simply wants us to come back home.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Philippians 4:6).
Speaking for myself, I am very hesitant to share everything that is bothering me with other people. In my mind I think, “They probably aren’t interested anyway.” I may consider their situation in thinking, “They have enough to deal with without hearing my problems.” Besides, I do not want others to think I am whining. After all, I am too old to whine! Maybe you think along these lines, also.
One thing is sure- we all need someone to share our burdens with. It is also sure that we want to share those burdens with someone who is trustworthy and caring towards us. There is no one better to share our burdens with than our Heavenly Father.
A very old hymn of the church includes the following timeless words:
What a friend we have in Jesus; All our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry; Everything to God in prayer.
Oh, what peace we often forfeit; Oh, what needless pain we bear; All because we do not carry; Everything to God in prayer.
Does God care? I Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.” Actually, we need to look no further than the Cross to know that God cares. Furthermore, He cares about whatever concerns us.
With our hearts we need to listen to the words in Philippians 4:6: “Let your requests be made known to God.” This means we can talk to Him about anything. Also, we can trust Him to not go and tell everyone else what we spoke to Him in private. This is good news for all of us.
The next time we wonder if we should take something to the Lord, we need to remember that He is absolutely our best friend. If it concerns us- it concerns Him.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
Take hamburger and onions and cook until well done. Drain and set aside. Put back on the stove with all the ingredients and let it cook for 15 minutes.
This was one of the first recipes that I had when I started the blog and I thought since summer is coming up it would be good to start with it again. I hope you all enjoy it.
Is Anybody Listening?
Listen to my instructions and be wise. Don’t ignore it. -Proverbs 8:33
Kate had burned the candle at both ends for months. In the middle. On the top. And underneath. With new contracts at stake for her business, she’d carried her usual workload and added countless hours of labor to prepare for the meetings with potential clients.
She’d also volunteered for a variety of things at her church and in the community. They were all good things but they weren’t all God things that He had chosen for her to do.
The day came when her body said I’ve had enough. There’s nothing left. Kate had no choice but to listen this time. The all over weakness and the tremble in her legs left her unable to do anything. The dizziness and weird heartbeat scared her. She’d pushed herself to the complete exhaustion and there were consequences to pay.
Over the next few weeks Kate made some important discoveries: when God nudges our bodies to yell at us we’d better listen. A woman who listens to God’s instructions and doesn’t ignore it is truly wise. When was the last time you pushed your body past the limit. We must remember to slow down and listen to what God says.
From my home to your table, God bless.
In addition to providing delicious recipes on her Faith and Food blog, Tina Rucker is a proud mom to her 18 year old son, happy wife to her husband Joel of six years, and the spearhead of the Five Loaves Food Pantry ministry in her local church, open twice a month.
Tina has worked in the food industry for over 25 years, and has a heart and a passion to serve, feed, and provide for those in need.
Lord, help me to always seek Your heart and never forget where I came from, but to stay prepared for where you are taking me! There’s no one I want to please besides You, oh Lord. Thank you for loving me when I felt like no one ever could or even should. I love You more than I have words to express. You are my Abba, my Daddy God, You are Jehovah Jireh, my provider. (Genesis 22:13)
I am in awe of how good You are and honored to be called Your new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) You loved me so much that You sent Your one and only son so that I can live this life fully and look forward to life eternal! (John 3:16)
How could I ever repay the gift that is given so freely? I simply cannot. Nothing I have to offer compares to You. Your love is limitless, true, pursuing, and ever faithful! I want to take this moment to soak in Your love. “Create a pure heart within me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
Jehovah Nissi, my Refuge, my Banner (Exodus 17:15), strengthen me to the point that no one will doubt that I am Yours. (Matt.7:20) I submit myself to You fully and release all worry, care, anxiety into Your hands. I lay at Your feet to be used of You. Longing for the day when I will see you face to face. I praise you, I honor You, and I glorify Your Holy name Jesus. Amen 🙏
Tina Bassett resides in New Martinsville. She is a single mom of three beautiful daughters: Rachel, Charity, and Destiny. She is the director of the greeters/ushers, serves on the prayer team, and also participates on the praise and worship team at her local church. She loves animals and the beach. More than anything she wants her life to reflect God’s love and have an impact on those around her.
Hey guys! I know a while ago I did a post on freedom… But there is a difference in freedom and independence.
Freedom means you can do whatever you want and independence means you know the right choices to make and you make them! Recently I went to a women’s conference that really has taught me independence. I have wanted to move out on my own for a long time and be born independent of my parents opinions and make more decisions for myself.
Well now I believe that through the power of the Holy Spirit I have finally gotten the revelation and the boldness and wisdom that I need to make my own choices! I can’t explain what happened on that mountain, something has switched inside of my brain. I told you guys at the beginning of this year this is a brand new day, a brand new me: learning to live without autism, getting to know myself, and learning how to handle myself independently!
I believe that this weekend is just the beginning. I believe it’s just a beginning of my new life making my own decisions, living independently, and learning how to live on my own! Like I said, just one more step in this journey of getting to know myself again without autism!
It’s OK to want to be independent, but you have to go through the right channels and do it the right way or it’s going to fail… so excited about this next phase in my journey! I love you guys! God bless! Peace out peeps!
Hannah Benson — known for her big heart, her kindness, and her eagerness to serve — is the author of the Overcoming Autism blog.
Hannah was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 14, and now uses this media platform as a way to reach out to those living with Autism and other handicaps. Hannah shares tips and coping skills for those with Autism and for family and friends of those who have been diagnosed; she also relates her life to stories in the Bible and chronicles the lessons she’s learned along her journey.
Hannah Benson can be found on Instagram @hannah_benson94 or on Facebook on the Overcoming Autism Hannah’s Story.
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein (Mark 10:13-15).
As children, it is so much easier to believe in and accept things that are presented to us. In fact, if it isn’t real, we will imagine it is.
As a child, I had no doubt that Batman could climb up the side of a skyscraper and win a fight when he was outnumbered ten to one. I had no problem believing that Superman could fly and that bullets would just bounce off of him. On the imagination side- my bicycle became a motorcycle when I put sports cards between the wheel spokes to make it sound like it had an engine. It was too bad I couldn’t imagine how much those cards could have been worth if I had not destroyed them!
As time goes by, our faith and acceptance of things changes drastically. I can remember the day I decided Santa Claus wasn’t real. Looking at our Burnside stove in the living room, I noticed how narrow the stovepipe was. A big man like Santa couldn’t possibly fit through that pipe! All attempts at explaining that away were futile. I was finished with Santa Claus. You know, this rationalization can carry over into our faith in God as well.
Remember all the Bible stories we heard as children. God parted the Red Sea for Moses. David defeated Goliath with a sling and a stone. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. We believed these accounts.
Flash forward to our adult years. We may not face a Red Sea, but we need God to make a way for us. We may not face Goliath, but we all have our own giants. We may not be Lazarus, but we really need hope and dreams resurrected in our lives.
Maybe we should stop studying the stovepipe in order to devise a reason things cannot happen. Maybe we should once again exercise that childlike faith that says, “Anything is possible with God.”
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
So many of us get into a rut. We get comfortable in where we are or what we are doing… I’m guilty. We feel safe there. We know what our limits are. We don’t want to push the envelope, we want to stay out of the “lime light.” But that’s not what God wants. He wants us to be constantly improving ourselves.
Hebrews11:6 says: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.” Many times an “open door” from God is one that allows our faith to be stretched and strengthened.
As the scripture above states, we need to stretch ourselves. Get out of our shell. We need to listen to what God is telling us and showing us. He isn’t going to put in front of us something that we can’t handle. It might seem like it, but think about all the things you have accomplished in the past that you thought you couldn’t. He was there with you.. encouraging you, pushing you a little further.
God has a plan for all of us, we just have to listen for his words and wait for his timing (not always easy). We need to be ready to grab hold of that doorknob and open that door to the great things He has for us.
I started opening that door awhile back. I don’t know exactly what God has for me. But I know that no matter what He will be there right beside me, to catch me when I might stumble. The enemy will also be there to whisper in your ear things that will discourage you. But remember… our God is an awesome God, and he will not forsake you.
When God opens doors in our lives don’t try to close it because of the trials, which is sometimes required. No one can close an open door that God has for you so have confidence in the Lord. If it’s God’s will it will be done, remember He always has a plan.
Watch out as well for doors that God closes. This is so true… not every door we try to open will. It doesn’t mean it will never open, it just might not be the right time or season for it to.
Revelation 3 :7-8
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
So as always, I pray that this might help you or someone you know step up to that door, and let God lead you where he wants you to be.
Until next time…May your cup ☕️ never be empty.
Lou Ann Virden is the author of the blog Farmhouse, Coffee and Jesus. She is very active in her church. She volunteers in the food pantry, usher/greeter team, and cleaning crew. She is on the prayer team, is over the sound room team, and she writes the newsletter for her church. Lou Ann and her husband Donnie will be relaunching The Refuge 180 Evangelism Ministry. They have been married for over 40 years. They live on her husband’s family farm with their dog Hunter. In the summer they are busy canning what they harvest from their garden. Her hobbies include going to the beach, reading, camping, and serving however she can. She hopes that her blogs inspires someone that might be dealing with a similar situation.
But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the Lord thy God careth for:the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mightest gather in thy corn, and thy wine and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full (Deuteronomy 11:11-15).
Imagine, if you will, the thoughts that were going through the minds of the people of Israel. They had spent their entire lives in Egyptian bondage. Overworked, ridiculed and beaten- God was promising them a life that was so much better. Anticipation had to be mixed with apprehension. After all, why would God prepare a place for them- a place with plenty of rain to aid them in their endeavors to raise animals and reap harvests?
Notice, they had to make the effort to go where the rain was. This parallels the New Testament incident when the disciples had toiled all night without catching a single fish. In Luke 5:4, Jesus said, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” The disciples obeyed and Jesus’ promise materialized with such a haul of fishes that the net broke. The same is true with us. We have to go where the rain is.
Like the Israelites, we each had our own Egypt. We were bound by our sins. In our addictions, we continued to do the same hurtful things over and over again. Satan stood back and watched. He laughed at us and told us life would never be any better. Then we heard the good news of the Gospel- there is a better life.
I Corinthians 2:9 gives us a great promise: “… Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” This verse is not speaking only about Heaven. Remember, Jesus said He came to give us life- life more abundantly. We need to go all out to enjoy the life that God wants us to have.
Do you remember the warm spring and summer rains we saw when we were children? I remember running out to get soaking wet just to enjoy the rain. There were very few mud puddles that I missed- that is for sure. As adults, we need to be that anxious to live where the rain of God’s blessing can be enjoyed. Deuteronomy 11:13 tells us how that can be accomplished:
Listen to and obey the Lord’s commands. Love the Lord. Serve the Lord with all our hearts and souls.
Let’s get out of our places of comfort. Let’s get out of the house. Let’s get off of the porch. Let’s go where God’s blessing is! Let’s go where the rain is!
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
The above are red letters from a prayer that the majority of Christians are familiar with. Jesus’ instructions on how and what to pray. I had this memorized at an early age, somewhere between 8 and 10, and would gleam with pride when it was time in the service for the entire congregation to declare this prayer. I had no idea the magnitude of verse 10, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 10:7: “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”
Acts 1:3: “to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”
These three scriptures refer to the most important message that Jesus proclaimed, the kingdom of God/Heaven. After I became a believer and began reading the written, or logos, word of God, I would come to these scriptures and think “Hm, Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God. I don’t really understand what this means. What exactly is the Kingdom of God that Jesus is speaking of? I’m sure I will find out eventually” and left it at that. I was a new believer and mostly concerned with just reading His word and learning as much as I could as fast as I could. I thought I only needed to have a basic understanding of what the preacher was talking about during church.
Over time I settled into this western idea that the Old Testament didn’t really pertain to us New Covenant Gentile believers and it wasn’t that important to study, but maybe read it occasionally to know the stories. What I didn’t seem to understand at the time is that the Bible is a Jewish book, WHO KNEW! The old testament is loaded with prophetic words and confirmations pertaining to this KINGDOM OF GOD.
The restoration of Israel or the “new kingdom” was so important to the Jewish people that Jesus went about and preached to His people “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”(Mark 1:14-15, Matthew 4:17, Luke 4:19) This was the message John the Baptist proclaimed as well (Matthew 2:1). When Jesus sent out His disciples (Luke 9:2) He instructed them to go out and preach the kingdom of God, and during the 40 days He appeared after He resurrected before His ascension to heaven, He went out and preached this exact message. (Acts 1:3)
So if Jesus went about and preached about the kingdom of Heaven, where did it begin?
Genesis 3:14-15
So the Lord God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
What does this passage have to do with the kingdom of God? This is the first declarative statement from the Father that there will be victory over satan. The first “gospel” which translates as “good news.” There will be victory over satan and there will be restoration of all things.
Isaiah 51:3
For the LORD will comfort Zion
and will look with compassion on all her ruins;
He will make her wilderness like Eden
and her desert like the garden of the LORD.
Joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and melodious song.
Acts 3:21: “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”
Reading this passage we see in verse 21 how important this time of restoration is that GOD SPOKE it by mouth of all His holy prophets since the world BEGAN. The time of restoration is the kingdom of Heaven that Jesus instructs us to pray for in Matthew 6:10. As believers THIS is where our focus should be, on the kingdom of Heaven that is at hand. If you read in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 each of those chapters have a section about the End of the Age. It was significant enough for 3 out of 4 gospels to have it recorded.
The disciples were VERY concerned with this “End of the Age” because our Bible is Jewish and this message was proclaimed often throughout the early writings! Even so, when Jesus had been resurrected and returned to His disciples they were still very concerned with this kingdom to come, they asked Him yet again.
Acts 1:6: Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
So who is the king to reign in this kingdom that is at hand?
Revelation 19:11-16: Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
It’s JESUS!!! He is the King! Hallelujah!
The famous sermon of The Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-11
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”
This teaching from Jesus shows us the kingdom of Heaven will be a kingdom of: comfort, peace, justice, righteousness, and pure perfection. We will suffer persecution on this earth, but we are to keep focus on the kingdom to come! This lifetime is only a moment in God’s time. This pain and suffering is but only a moment in comparison to our inheritance!
We will have dominion over the serpent, the cursed land, and our sin. There is a kingdom to come where there will no longer have suffering, sickness, poverty, starvation, or sadness. Jesus will come back to reign and restore the earth. We will live in the garden again and have eternal life! This is the kingdom of God that Jesus went about and preached!
So repent, get water baptized, receive the Holy Spirit so that you may also enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5, Acts 2:38). Then go out and preach the kingdom of Heaven to the lost! Do as Jesus instructed us and we will see the return of His kingdom!
Matthew 24:14: And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Hello my name is Adrianna Lindsey. I am a child of the most high God, a disciple of Jesus Christ, a wife and a mother. I devote much time to individual ministry dedicated to revealing biblical truth and helping to set the captives free. I have two wonderful young children that I try to immerse into the instructions left by Jesus for his disciples. The Lord has blessed me abundantly but it has not come without some suffering and testing for the sake of Christ. I have a house fellowship called Rivers of Life House and I supremely enjoy historical homes as I live in one as well in Sistersville, West Virginia. My future goals are to continue bringing in the harvest, equipping the army of the Lord, and helping people prepare for the return of our savior Jesus Christ.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
Lately, I have been thinking about the meanings of these two words: “believe” and “trust.” As we face various situations in life, these two words come to the forefront in our walk with God.
The definition for believe is “accept something as true, feel sure of the truth of something.” The definition of trust is “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.” How do these definitions correspond with our view of God?
Hebrews 11:6 says “… anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” We can see “believe” and “trust” in this verse.
It seems fairly easy to believe that God exists. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder.” (James 2:19) Many people believe in God. Trust is another matter.
When we pray, do we trust Him to reward our effort to seek Him? Do we trust that He is reliable, truthful, able and strong? You see, we have to trust Him even when it appears that things may not go our way.
In the fifth chapter of Mark, Jairus came to Jesus because his daughter was deathly ill. Jesus was heading for Jairus’ home with him when Jairus was told, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?” Jesus, hearing what was said, told Jairus not to be afraid but to keep believing. Jesus was asking for a higher level of trust that superseded simply believing in Him. Jairus was being challenged to trust Him- even when it seemed all hope was lost.
Had we been Jairus, would we have stayed with Jesus or given up and walked away? We face situations that call on us to decide which we will do. Answers to prayer sometimes seem delayed, impossible or totally contrary to what we expect. This is when trust has to be present. We must trust God- no matter how it appears- to always do what is best for us.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
by leaps and bounds 