Tag: trust

Pray, Pray Pray
Christian. · Ireland · March · March 17 · St. Patrick · St. Patrick's Confession · St. Patty's Day

Pray, Pray Pray

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So as we left Patrick, he ran away from his master and traveled a great distance to find a boat.  He believes God called him to follow this path.  The boat owners turn him down and tell him no way can he sail on their ship.  Patrick turns and walks away praying.

 

Hearing this I left them to go to the hut where I was staying, and on the way I began to pray, and before the prayer was finished I heard one of them shouting loudly after me: “Come quickly because the men are calling you.” And immediately I went back to them and they started to say to me: “Come, because we are admitting you out of good faith; make friendship with us in any way you wish.” (And so, on that day, I refused to suck the breasts of these men from fear of God, but nevertheless I had hopes that they would come to faith in Jesus Christ, because they were barbarians.) And for this I continued with them, and forthwith we put to sea.

The fact God calls us does not mean there will not be obstacles but we should preserve as Patrick did.  He prayed asking God to show him the way.  God answered Patrick immediately, sometimes we have to wait and pray longer than Patrick did.   But if God calls a person, and the person holds to faith and trusts God, the Lord will open the path.

Look at Moses.  God called the Israelite out of Egypt.  Before them was Red Sea and behind them the armies of Egypt.

Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lordfighteth for them against the Egyptians.

26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

Day 19: Agape Trusts, Believes, Has Confidence In
28 Day Love Challenge · Christian. · February · Love

Day 19: Agape Trusts, Believes, Has Confidence In

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Let’s parse this one.  Agape trusts all.

I understand my love for Christ is a love which trusts Jesus in all things in all ways.  Why?  Because He has proven himself trust worthy to me.  I know that even when things seem strange and out of sorts that Jesus has it all under control and eventually it will work out for good.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Love requiring trust makes sense to me when it is us loving Jesus.  Why?  Because Jesus is trust worthy.

But turn it slightly, I know Jesus Agape me.  But I am not a trustworthy person at all.  I mean to be.  I really do.  I am like the disciples who kept falling asleep while Jesus prayed.  My spirit is willing but my flesh weak.

Matthew 28:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Why would Jesus have any trust in me?  I know He knows I will fail Him.  Yet Jesus loves me with agape love.  Jesus believes in me.  Jesus believes in you.  Jesus spoke about you and about me in his prayer.  He believed in us.  See His words.  He trusted us.

John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

We trust Jesus, that is the foundation of our relationship with Him.  We trust him for salvation and we are to trust Him through every stage of our lives.  We see He actually has faith in us that through our walk with Him we will grow towards the perfection of being one with Him and the Father.

But we are also called to have faith in our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We need to show them we have confidence in them.  We know if they hold on tight to Jesus he can do a great work in them.  When they are weak, we may have to help them hold on.  But Agape love trusts.  We are to believe in our fellow Christians just as Jesus believes in us.  They may fail us on occasion, but we are all in this growing process together.  Jesus believes in me even when the flesh is weak.