Dannys Desk

Learn To Use Your Faith

MARK 11:23-24 NKJ
23 “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in
his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done,
he will have whatever he says.
24 “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you
pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

There is spiritual growth as well as physical growth. We don’t
start out strong and mature. The Bible, and all creation,
teaches gradual growth.

MARK 4:28 NLT
28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade
pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally
the grain ripens.

The Bible is full of great promises. We must receive them by
faith. Faith is not trying to believe, but knowing that you
believe. So, you must start using faith at the level you are
at. If you don’t have faith for a new car then believe for a
bicycle. Then believe God for a motorcycle. Keep using your
faith and feeding it on God’s Word and it will continue to
grow.

Eventually, you will get to where you can believe God for large
things as easily as you did for small things.

It requires feeding your faith on God’s Word as well as
exercising your faith to cause it to grow strong.

The mistake many make is trying to believe God for a jumbo jet
when they really don’t have enough faith for a bicycle. Yes,
the Word says that all things are possible, but only for those
who truly believe. Most people are just trying to believe and
hoping something will happen.

What if you have a need now, but don’t have enough faith to
cover it? Get someone else to agree with you, using their faith
on your behalf.

MATTHEW 18:19 NKJ
19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth
concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by
My Father in heaven.

But don’t expect to go through life depending entirely on
someone else’s faith. God will require you to eventually grow
up and use your own faith. So you might as well get started
now.

God knows our needs. The Bible is clear that God does not want
us to be in lack. Then why doesn’t God just meet our needs,
without us having to ask?

One answer is God wants us to grow in faith. Our faith can only
grow strong as we use it. So, every need is a faith
opportunity, and thus an opportunity for growth.

God wants us to be specific in our asking, so that when the
answer comes, we will know it was from God and came in response
to our faith in Him.

Don’t wait until you have a large crisis in life to start
learning to use your faith. Start now!

Don’t try to start praying for something big. Start small. Your
faith will grow as you use it.

SAY THIS: God will help me to learn to walk in faith.

Bless you

Dan’iel

Love Evidence

JOHN 13:34-35 NKJ
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another.”

True followers of Jesus are different. They are marked by
divine love. They do something which is impossible for “mere
men,” they walk in divine love.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:3 NKJ
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife,
and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like
mere men?

This verse shows that believers can be carnal, or ruled by
their senses and natural mind, but all believers are capable of
showing divine love.

The truth is that we need to be born again so we can have God’s
love in us. Then we will be able to love others as Jesus loves
us. The people of the world are not capable of this.

ROMANS 5:5 NKJ
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has
been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given
to us.

Even though we have the love of God in our hearts, we still
have to choose to allow it to control our actions and reactions
toward people. In this, as in every area, we must look to the
Lord for His help.

The love we are to show others is the kind of love God has
toward us. It is a giving love, and a forgiving love.

This love desires the best for others, but goes beyond just
desiring it, for it is willing to do what is necessary to make
good happen for others.

This divine love is evident when you would rather allow
yourself to be hurt than to allow someone else to be hurt.

When people see this love manifest through our lives, it should
cause them to say, “That’s not normal!”

That’s what Jesus was talking about in John 13:35, that those
who are His disciples would stand out from the crowd because of
the divine love being demonstrated through their lives.

DAn’iel

Love Means Giving

John 3:16 KJV
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave . . .

You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.

When you love you will give of your time, you will give of
yourself, and you will give of your resources. Those who truly
love, hold nothing back.

The measure of your giving reveals the measure of your love.

Love is something we can’t see, but we can see the evidence of
love in the action it produces, which is giving.

If you love someone you will also give them forgiveness. Love
causes you to be merciful, understanding, and forgiving.

Where you give your time and resources also reveals what you
love. If we think we love someone, yet never give to them of
our time or resources, then we are just deceiving ourselves.

There are many people in each of our lives who need and deserve
our love. Jesus Christ is the most deserving of all!

SAY THIS: My giving reveals my love.

God Feeds The Birds
 
MATTHEW 6:26 LB
26 Look at the birds! They don't worry about what to eat -- they
don't need to sow or reap or store up food -- for your heavenly
Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than
they are.
 
Have you ever watched birds eating on a snowy day? It takes 
some effort on their part. They don't just sit around waiting 
for someone to put food in their mouth.
 
Is God feeding them? Directly or indirectly?
 
Jesus stated clearly that God is the one who provides food for
the birds. This implies that God provides for every creature.
 
Yet, if a bird sits still, instead of gathering the food God
has provided for them, they will starve.
 
Yes, the birds can be a good lesson for us. They don't worry.
Neither should we. They gather what God provides for them. So
should we.
 
I don't know whether the birds are thankful to God, or not. But
we should be thankful. And we should recognize that God is the
Source of all the good that we enjoy in life.
 
So work, but don't worry. (And if you can't do normal work --
still don't worry, because God cares more for you than He does
the birds, and He will provide for you somehow.)
 
Dan'iel

Jesus Took A Nap
 
LUKE 8:23 NLT
23 On the way across, Jesus lay down for a nap, and while he
was sleeping the wind began to rise. A fierce storm developed
that threatened to swamp them, and they were in real danger.
 
So many people are driven -- feeling and acting like the
responsibility for running the whole world is on their
shoulders.
 
But Jesus was able to relax. Arguably, He had an important job
to do. Yet He had balance in His life. He knew when it was time
to take a nap.
 
Jesus also spent whole nights in prayer. So, His example does
not encourage laziness or apathy. Just balance -- and trust in
God, instead of worry.
 
Some may think it would be a sin to "take a nap" because we
should always be working. But Jesus never sinned, and we may
safely follow His example, and keep our lives in balance.

Have a balanced life

Dan'iel

Respect People

JAMES 3:9-10 NIV
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we
curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers,
this should not be.

It seems that respect has gone out of style. But God’s
unchanging Word teaches us to treat people with respect.

Not agreeing with someone is no reason to treat them
disrespectfully. Just because they are wrong does not make them
unworthy of respect.

By His death for them, Jesus showed us He considers people
valuable and precious. So, we should not treat people as
insignificant or worthless.

Disrespecting people is actually disrespecting God who created
them.

God considers this so vital for wives, He gave a specific
command to respect their husband.

EPHESIANS 5:33 NIV
33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves
himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Certainly, we should respect all people, but God obviously
thought a special reminder to wives was needed.

A wise woman will enjoy the benefits, both now and for
eternity, of acting on this command from a loving Heavenly
Father.

MATTHEW 25:40 NIV
40 “The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you
did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for
me.’

The world respects people who are rich, famous, and successful.
Anyone can do that.

But how do you treat those who are thought to be the “least,”
who seemingly cannot help you in any way?

Dan’iel

Be Quick To Listen
 
JAMES 1:19 NLT
19 My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to
speak, and slow to get angry.
 
You learn by listening -- not by talking.
 
The biggest barrier to learning is thinking you already know a
subject. If you think you already know everything, it is
difficult to learn anything more.
 
You can learn from every person -- if you will just listen to
what they have to say. Everyone knows something you do not
know.
 
Pride robs you from learning from others. Pride keeps you
ignorant -- while making you think you are wise.
 
ROMANS 1:22 NLT
22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.
 
This is not to say you should accept everything you hear as
truth -- just that you should be humble enough, and respect
people enough, to listen and evaluate what they have to say.
 
Listen and learn. Talk too much and only embarrass yourself.
 
PROVERBS 17:27-28 ICB
27 The person who has knowledge says very little. And a person
with understanding stays calm.
28 Even a foolish person seems to be wise if he keeps quiet. He
appears to have understanding if he doesn't speak.
 
Proud people act as if they have a duty to display their
superior knowledge to all who will listen. They are quick to
speak, because they "know" they are right.
 
PROVERBS 10:19 ICB
19 If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin. If you are wise, you
will keep quiet.
 
It is not wrong to talk -- just don't talk too much. And don't
be so anxious to impress people with what you know.
 
ECCLESIASTES 5:3 NLT
3 Just as being too busy gives you nightmares, being a fool
makes you a blabbermouth.