We Live Each Day From Faith To Faith

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. Romans 1:7 (CSB)

Sometimes it seems we move from one crisis to another. We no more escape an overwhelming challenge before we are hit with two more terrible obstacles in our path. Life will do that to you.

Living from faith to faith is discovering a new revelation of God through every difficulty that confronts us. In Hebrew there are many names and titles for God: The Righteous God (El Tsaddik), The All-Sufficient God (El Shaddai), The Everlasting God (El Olam), The God Who Sees Me (El Roi), and several other names. We learn more about God and His aspects as we rely upon Him through a variety of diverse experiences.

If I could give God a title it might be: “The God Who Changes Things”. That is one of my revelations of Him. I have seen Him take nearly hopeless situations in my life or overwhelming circumstances and found Him faithful to change my circumstances from hopeless to hopeful and bearing the fruit of blessings at the end of the trial.

We live from faith to faith in Him. Our faith has a very powerful object in our Lord. Some people carry a lucky rabbit’s foot around, others carry items or look to objects to give them hope in a variety of circumstances. But we look to a Person, a God who changes things. We look to a God who cares, who is with us in affliction, and brings us through trials beyond our strength to endure.

We not only have faith in God--He has faith in us. For He knows the resources He has given us, the word that carries us, the faith within us that created the very heavens and the earth. His Spirit lifts, drives, moves, and empowers us from faith to faith through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Faith is not a wispy substanceless vapor. Nor is it wishful thinking. Faith has an object that moves, empowers, and changes circumstances through the will of the One who planted faith in our hearts. He not only is the object of our faith, He is the Author, Maker, Mover, and very substance of the faith that thrives within us and moves us from faith to faith through His own glorious power in every believer.

You may think your faith is small, a mere speck incapable of carrying you forward. Yet I tell you that if Jesus is Your Lord you have the faith to move mountains because He dwells inside of you. From faith to faith you serve a God who positively changes things for His children. So trust Him today to carry you from faith to faith no matter your circumstances.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we need faith so much in our lives throughout our trials and endless challenges. Give us strength to always live from faith to faith day by day in Your precious Name we ask it. Amen.

Karlton Douglas

Copyright 2017

It Is A New Life Church!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB)

On the drive to my daughter’s house my eyes took in a huge cemetery that stretched as far as the eye could see. But then something else caught my eye. A stone’s throw away from the cemetery, just a road separating the two places, was a church called the “New Life Church”.

Jesus died for us so that our end, the final stage of our existence, would not end in a cemetery but in a new life. Out of His death a new life was brought forth for you and me.

The hope of Easter is an empty tomb, a grave with no occupant. Suffering and death have been the bane of human existence for millennia. All our hopes and joys, every accomplishment in life, all that we ever were or tried to become, would end up in a cemetery without Jesus.

Like that little church across the road from a massive cemetery, the cross of Christ, followed by the resurrection, brings hope in the midst of our pain and loss, brings joy in place of separation from all that we were in life. For that cemetery is not our end, but an eternal glorious resurrection with Jesus.

Death seems final. Loss can feel like eternity, but hope comes through Jesus Christ. Easter is not about bunnies and chocolate eggs, but about a holy warrior who beat down death, broke sin and brought its reign of death to an end. No brothers and sisters, our end is not in a plot of ground, but in reigning throughout eternity with a Savior who lives and so shall we!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we will through eternity be praising You for what you did Easter morn so long ago. Thank You for being our Risen Lord!

Karlton Douglas

Copyright 2017

What He Endured For Us

From then on Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Matthew 16:21 (CSB)

I have seen the movie “The Passion of Christ” two or three times. I have seen other movies depicting the death of Jesus. And since I was a boy I have heard and read the events of the suffering and death of Jesus. To this very day I cringe and can barely endure to see depicted or to read about the suffering and death of my Lord.

When we love and care about someone it hurts us to see them suffer. Indeed, often it is the case that we would rather be suffering in their stead if we could rather than see them endure pain. When it comes to Jesus not only is it hard to see and read about what He endured, it is doubly worse because we know that what He suffered was on our behalf, and He would not have suffered at all except that He loves us so very much He was willing to die for our sins.

Despite how hard it is to watch and think about, it is at the cross where everything changed for this world. It is at the cross where blood was shed that we find redemption. It is almost inconceivable that what brought Jesus so much pain and misery has brought us so much hope and joy. For every debt, every vile thought, every contemptuous word, every unholy action, every sin from the beginning of time until the fulfillment of all things has been covered, the debt is removed from off of our backs, and the toll road to heaven paid for by Jesus on our behalf.

We grieve when we think about what Jesus endured for you and me. It hurts us to see or read about Him being whipped, spat upon, nailed to a cross, and mocked as He suffered for us. Yet as we hurt for Him let us also look beyond the horrors He went through. Let us see the joy and glory He received as the spotless Lamb of God who brings us into His glory. We will have glory with Him in heaven all because of what He suffered and endured and overcame on our behalf.

We suffer much on this earth, endure pain, loss, hardships of all kinds. But let us never forget what our loving Lord did for us, what He made possible for us. For those who have received Jesus into our hearts no matter what we suffer here it is nothing compared to the glory that awaits us because of Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for everything You endured for us. Thank You for making a way into heaven for us. Thank You for dying on a cross for us. Amen.

Karlton Douglas

Copyright 2017

Does Worry Dog Your Steps?

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying? Matthew 6:25-27 (CSB)

I am a chronic worrier. I have been since I was a child. So I try very hard to take the verses above to heart and apply them to my life. Worry is a bad habit that we need the Lord’s help to break out of.

Even when we know the Lord will see us through terrible and challenging situations it can be hard not to be anxious and worried. When we are struck with a serious affliction, when loved ones suffer, when our joy is overtaken by pain and tears and nothing seems to be going our way--worry is hard to avoid.

Anxiety is an illness in its own right, and physical afflictions can cause anxiety. What do we do when our life is smothered with anxiety and worry? The Bible says we should cast our cares upon Jesus because He cares about us:

casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7(CSB).

There is relief in knowing we do not carry all our cares and worries alone, that we can turn to Jesus and find peace through Him. The Lord has given us His Spirit to comfort us and bring us peace in the midst of our worries. If we were left solely to our own devices our situation would be dire when severe challenges assault us. We could crumble under the pressure. However, when we have confidence in the Lord’s strength to help us through our fear and worries there is nothing that can stop us.

Fear, doubt, and worry can rob us of the courage we need to face our problems and the vicissitudes of life. Yet when even the darkest day comes upon us, if we will hold tightly to our heavenly Father our courage can rise to the occasion. Through Jesus our life can regain its joy in the face of all challenges. We are equipped to face any difficulty through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who abides within every believer.

Prayer: Dear Lord, when life throws difficulties our way, when worry and fear robs us of strength, renew our strength through Your Spirit and presence in our lives. Amen.

Karlton Douglas

Copyright 2017

Do You Have A Monkey Mind?

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

The term “Monkey Mind” is Chinese. It is essentially comparing your mind to a chattering, jumping, hyperactive monkey that cannot be still or be quiet.

I have definitely suffered from “monkey mind”. Just recently I awakened early in the morning and soon found my mind jumping from one thing to another like a wild monkey racing around in my head refusing to be still or be quiet.

When we are ill and suffering from afflictions we are more prone to get caught up in monkey-mindedness. We worry over one thing and then another as our worries pile up into an avalanche that threatens to drown us in our cares.

If you find yourself with a bad case of “monkey mind” you need to surrender those worries and cast those cares upon the Lord for He is the only One who can deal with many of the big issues we are facing.

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

We easily begin to drown in cares and worry when massive health challenges and other fretful difficulties come our way. Yet with the Lord’s help we can still those chattering monkey thoughts and capture our worries, cage them, and with Jesus beside us begin to tackle our problems one at a time instead of being overwhelmed with a multitude of problems clamoring for our attention.

Prayer: Dear Lord, our problems seem legion, yet we know when we surrender our difficulties and worries to You our problems are solved, and the challenges are dealt with, for nothing is too big compared to You and Your power to overcome all obstacles. Thank You Lord. Amen.

Karlton Douglas

Copyright 2017