Honorable faith that leads farther

The Truth About Men & Church

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We began with the Cross of Christ and we end with the Cross of Christ. As we stand at the sheep gate, I would like to close with a story of the late Dr. MacKay, the great Scottish preacher who was holding meetings in London. MacKay, I would like to speak to you for a moment. It does not seem to get through.

Take it and turn to Isaiah MacKay rushed down to get his train. The young man stood there holding the Bible, a little puzzled. He moved over under a street light and turned to Isaiah Now what did he say to do? He continued to read the verse: Oh, yes, I am to stand up straight and come out. I see it now. I am to trust Christ. The Lord God has laid all of my sins on Jesus. Now I can stand up straight—He has forgiven me! The next evening Dr. MacKay arrived early and sat on the platform looking for the young man.

The service started and he had not located him yet.

He had his Bible and, after all, Dr. MacKay, being Scottish, was not about to part with that Bible. Finally he saw the young man come in, and Dr. MacKay went to meet him and get his Bible. I read Isaiah My friend, we begin at the sheep gate, and we come out at the sheep gate. I think that throughout eternity we are going to talk about the sheep gate, where Jesus died nearly years ago for your sins and mine.

Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned? We will always have our enemies, those who resist the will of God. The sad fact is that often our opposition comes from within our own ranks and not always from outside. Initially they mocked and despised the Jews and even lied about their true intentions claiming they were rebelling against King Artaxeres.

Will you rebel against the king? Who were these characters with funny sounding names that stood in opposition to the reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem? Sanballet was governor of Samaria, and Tobiah was the leader of the Ammonites. How did Nehemiah and the people respond to this kind of criticism and opposition? First by praying, remember Nehemiah was a man of prayer. A prayer for vengeance called in the O.

To his credit Nehemiah did not seek vengeance himself, but left vengeance to God.

There are certain matters that we should turn over to the Lord and He will handle them. If we attempt to handle them, it means that we are not walking by faith. They refused to quit. In spite of opposition and obstacles, Nehemiah continued with the task God had given him to do. Again, he first prayed. God must always be our first resource. However, prayer without vigilance is presumption. Watch what this verse tells us happened next. A legend tells of the auction at which the devil offered his tools for sale.

Exhaustion and the enormity of the task remaining can pull one down into discouragement. Some believe these Jews to be alarmists or collaborators with the enemies. Others hold that these Jews were asking their brethren who had left their villages to labor on the wall to return to protect them and their families. Whatever the case, Nehemiah and the builders did not let discouragement stop the work.

This verse tells us Nehemiah took three actions to prepare for battle. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. He organizes the men servants for possible attack. He assigns the leaders the officers responsibilities as well.

Our God will fight for us. Topic this evening , Unjust Practices, from Nehemiah 5: That section begins in your books on the bottom of page Remember, Nehemiah has been met by opposition in many forms. Again, the more things change, the more things remain the same. The devil never takes an off day. He does his work well. He is so subtle. First the enemy laughed at the Jews. Then the enemy ridiculed them. Finally there was open opposition. It was so intense that Nehemiah had his builders put a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other hand while they worked on the wall.

Nehemiah and his associates worked so hard that they did not take their clothes off except to bathe. Now we see opposition coming from within. This is where the Devil strikes his greatest blow. In the history of the church we have seen that when the Devil could not destroy the church by persecution, the next thing he did was to join it! The Devil had already caused discouragement among the Jews, and now he goes a step farther and causes conflict within. So often the members of the church find themselves in opposition to one another and often fight against one another. We forget that the head of the body is to be Christ.

He controls all other parts of the body that should function together in harmony for health and happiness. In any event, look at Nehemiah 5: The first cry against unjust practices came from the poorer people, the common, ordinary, lay men and women of the Jewish community. What a tragedy that this was not so. These verses tell us of three problems faced by the Jews in Jerusalem during that day. First, a famine in the land had depleted their grain corn supplies.

They had very little food. Inflation was out of sight. The law of supply and demand was just as true then as now. The people simply had no or very little food, and even less money to afford what food was available to them. Second, because of their labor on the wall, and their fear of constant attack from neighboring enemies, they had been unable to work for money to buy the food needed for their families.

Are you beginning to see the problem? The King, the very King Artexeres who had provided the free materials for the rebuilding of the wall to Nehemiah and the Jews was also exacting high taxes and tariffs from the Jews at the same time. The poor Jews were forced to take loans or borrow money from their wealthier noblemen and officials of the city.

In order to secure these loans they had to put up their lands and or their own children as collateral. He did so privately at first. Only later after there was no apparent change did Nehemiah bring public his charges against the leaders. So I called a great assembly against them. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren?

Or should they be sold to us? These verses give insight in handling what is a very difficult and uncomfortable issue in the church today, rebuking fellow church members of sin or inappropriate practice, behavior or lifestyle. Sometimes this refers to church discipline. Nehemiah used great wisdom in dealing with this issue of internal conflict within the Jewish community.

We can afford to do nothing less. I have learned to do this when dealing with members and or staff within the church. Scriptures prescribe, we must bring sinning brethren before the church for the whole church to take action. Our motives must be pure. The motivation must always be love and concern for our sinning brethren with the goal to instruct and improve the individual and the church.

Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? When the officials could not defend their actions, Nehemiah cited a second reason why what they had done was not right. They had brought reproach on the Jewish community by creating division among them. Please, let us stop this usury! In verse 10, Nehemiah included himself as a part of the problem and the solution.

He said, Please, let us stop this usury! Second, Nehemiah urged the people to follow the example of responsible compassion set by him, his brethren and his servants when lending to the poor. They had loaned to their poor brethren but without interest. Third, Nehemiah urged both moneylenders and borrowers to take steps to comply with this example or responsible compassion.

Nehemiah called the priests as a witness or an oath for what they promised to do. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied. Then the people did according to this promise. A promise or oath carries with it a curse for failure to fulfill its requirements. As conflict was restored, the whole congregation gave praise to God.

In doing as they had promised, their unity was restored and the work of rebuilding the wall went forward. What He discovered and what we are going to see as well is that God provides His people all they need to accomplish the work He gives them to do. God provided Nehemiah with strength to avoid distractions Nehemiah 6: Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you? It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king.

So come, therefore, and let us consult together. And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in! Their evil strategy included stopping the work before it was finished by destroying Nehemiah as a leader. Their plan called for killing Nehemiah either outside the city or inside the temple. Some have speculated that Tobiah would lead an attack against the city during that time. Paul challenged the members of the church at Corinth to remain passionate and faithful in this way. Lie 1 was that it was being noised abroad internationally that Nehemiah and the Jews were rebuilding the walls in order to rebel against the King.

This rumor and lie had been told before and it is often successful. And 4th he did what we have seen him do many times before, he prayed. He prayed for strength. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. What He discovered and us as well is that God provides His people all they need to accomplish the work He gives them to do. God provided Nehemiah three things he needed to finish the work. He gave him strength to avoid distractions Nehemiah 6: The month Ellul would be at some point corresponding to our August or September.

Fifty-two days may seem a short time for such a great work. Although they did not know or understand the God of Nehemiah and the people of Judah, they were more than aware that this work was a work of Almighty God. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. The point of these verses is that Nehemiah refused to compromise his position and purpose by cooperating with his enemies. Tobiah was an Ammonite, a mixed Jew. He would have surely sabotaged the reconstruction effort. There are many good things the church can do. Many wonderful Christian organizations that would love for us to adopt their mission and support their ministries.

But our focus must be on rebuilding the church at Center Point to be a strong and viable Christian witness to this community in the 21st Century. God gave Nehemiah wisdom for securing Jerusalem from both inside and outside threats. The gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites mentioned in verse 1 were all a part of the Levitical priesthood. He assigned them the responsibility of caring for the work of the tabernacle in the wilderness and the Temple in Jerusalem.

Of the Levites, God chose Aaron and his sons to be the priests. The Singers were just that. They were the Levitical choir that sang the psalms of the O. The Levites are a reference to all the other members of the Levitical Tribe who were entrusted with responsibility for caring for and maintaining the temple ministry. Then in Nehemiah 6: Both of these men are described as faithful men who feared God. So much rises and falls on leadership. We need highly committed, faithful leadership who fear God.

Now that Jerusalem had been secured by godly life and worship, Nehemiah takes steps to increase its inhabitants. Chapter 5 — Renewing Your Worship Nehemiah 7: After this was accomplished and the people were securely in their homes, the stage was set for God to do a great work of revival. The job was not complete with the rebuilding of the walls.

Now it was time for the people to rebuild their lives spiritually. When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. When he came, he brought a copy of the Book of the Law with him. The assembly of all the people included men, women and children who had the ability to understand or comprehend the Scriptures. This was followed by the Day of Atonement on the 10th day of the month, and the Festival of Booths on the fifteenth through the 22nd day, Leviticus The word of God was read publicly from morning, daybreak until noonday.

Most importantly, the people listened with attentive ears. An extremely large pulpit indicating some prior preparation for worship renewal. Whereas in verse 3 we saw the people giving attention to the word, in verse 5 we see the people giving reverence to the word of God. Ezra the priest blessed the Lord, that is he praised God or worshipped God.

The response of the people below included three things:. The men listed in this verse were all Levites who were to be teachers of the Law. The NLT reads this way: Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. One of the results of the word faithfully preached and taught is revival. Beginning with verse 11, Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes.

But the purpose of revival is to turn our mourning into joy. That may have been what the priests and counselors were trying to tell the people. Eat the fat, drink the sweet was a common proverbial saying suggesting a time of celebrating. One of the things common to all nations, tongues and tribes is the use of food in our celebrations. This special, holy day was a day of celebration for the forgiveness and restoration God had provided Israel. The joy of the Lord is your strength could be interpreted to imply one of the following:. The bible says God has saved us and called us with a holy calling.

We find strength in the Lord knowing that we find in Him all we need for right living now and eternal life to come. Let me show you something here. When lives are changed, not just moved emotionally, but changed permanently. Some of the people came back the next day, the second day. Representative members of the households returned hunger for the word and determined to live in obedience to its teachings and truths. They were not content with the initial spiritual awakening. This idea of dwell in booths is a strange one to our culture and customs.

It was an act of separation from the normal course of life in order to focus more sincerely on God. And there was very great gladness. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner. As a part of the Festival of Booths the word of God was read by Ezra throughout the day for 8 days. They kept the feast for seven days, fellowship and sharing with those in need, joyfully celebrating God at work among them, forgiving and renewing them, revival.

On the final day, the eight day, there was a sacred assembly or a solemn assembly, that involved several days of fasting and prayer. Chapter 6 — Renewing the Covenant Community Nehemiah 9: What we are going to see are the evidences of genuine renewal through the 1 confession of sin,. Ezra returns with the book of the law of the Lord determined to obey it and to teach its precepts in Israel.

Nehemiah returns in obedience to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem which he accomplished in 52 days. Revival fires begin to ignite as the people of Jerusalem saw the gracious hand of God upon Nehemiah and joined him in the work. They listened attentively, did what God told them to do, and therefore experienced joy, worship and a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Now we come to Nehemiah 9 with revival fires burning in the hearts of the people. Some have pinpointed this exact date to be October 31, B. It occurred one day following the Festival of Booths. Fasting indicates they had gone without food to humble themselves before God and brokenness over their sinfulness. Dust on their heads symbolized brokenness over their sinful conditions.

Separation and consecration is what is mind here. Come out from among them…. This is the fourth time in the past few chapters that we see the importance the word of God plays in renewal and revival. To say that they stood up in their place and read from the book of the Law for one-fourth of the day means three hours. For three hours they stood to hear the word of God read to them.

Nehemiah, Serving God with a Determined Faith

A nd for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. These men would have been the spiritual leaders of the community, the preachers and teachers of their day. They too, were experiencing spiritual renewal and encouraged the people to seek God in full renewal. This prayer, perhaps lead by Ezra, continues through verse It includes praise, confession and promises of renewal. Instead of being thankful and obedient, they acted arrogantly….

God gives them victory after victory yet the Israelites once again backslide by turning to the foreign gods of the nations around them, forgetting the One true God who delivered them. They rebelled and once again became disobedient to His word. They even killed His prophets that God sent to warn them to repent of their wickedly. Our fathers and on all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. We make a sure covenant , and write it; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it. We need to begin with the phrase in verse 38, and because of all of this. What is meant by the phrase and because of all of this?

Remember, to understand your bible we must constantly read it and interpret it within its context. What is the context of Nehemiah 9: The answer is the 37 verses that preceded it. And what did they tell us? The need for Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to repent of sin, confessing their failures and to return with a full heart to faithfully serving Jehovah and keeping His covenant.

The great distress of being a post-exilic nation seeking to rebuild not only the walls of their city, but the walls of society, community and family. They probably also had in mind their proneness to unfaithfulness. So they make a sure covenant, or a binding agreement to prove their sincerity in returning to God and renewing their faithfulness to keep His covenant agreement. They put it down in writing. Their leadership, priests and Levites put their seal of approval on it as well.

Now the first 27 verses of Nehemiah 10 we read that the Israelites are making a covenant with God. They are signing on the dotted line. Have you ever made a covenant with Him? Have you ever promised the Lord anything? A covenant is a serious matter, but I believe the Lord likes to know that we really mean business with Him. In this chapter we find that Nehemiah, the governor, and twenty-two priests are listed first. They sign the covenant. Individual Levites sign the names of their families on the covenant. Also, forty-four chiefs of the people are listed. By the way, Ezra belonged to the priestly family of Seraiah whose is among the first listed in Nehemiah Look at Nehemiah These Jews demonstrated two qualities that we need to emulate today.

First they had the ability to understand what their commitment involved. In fact, they were willing to make a commitment and keep their commitment, a thing that many of our generation know so little about. Second, they further proved their sincerity by separating themselves from the surrounding peoples to obey the law of God.

Listen to this great explanation of what it means for Christians to live separate from the world that I took from your book. The Apostle Paul continues this biblical practice in 2 Corinthians 6: For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: No business would be transacted any longer on the day of rest. It would be a day of reflection and worship instead. First they imposed a temple tax requiring each individual to exact from themselves yearly one-third of a shekel which was about an eight of an ounce of silver in order to provide for the various required offerings or service of the house of God, for all the work of the house of our God.

A second step involved a commitment to keep the fires of the altar burning. I like that idea. Keeping the fire on the altar. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. A third commitment was to provide for the needs of those who ministered to them in spiritual matters.

These offerings provided for the sustenance of the priests of the temple. The Law required that the Levitical Priests were not to do any work outside of the temple sacrifices and services within the temple. The people of Israel were to provide for the needs of the Levitical Priesthood through their offerings such as these. The church today continues that practice by providing for the needs of those who minister to the church membership full time.

I Corinthians 9 is a great chapter on this matter. Beginning with verse 7, Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? Or does not the law say the same also? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. A fourth commitment the people made was a commitment to faithfulness in tithing.

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples that the one who was to be considered the greatest should be the least among his brethren. We do best when we remember this servant principle. And since our Master is the Lord Himself, we need to remember, we are not here to please ourselves, or to be served, but to serve and to please Him! We are in chapter 11 as we begin tonight in the book of Nehemiah and on page 83 in your books. We are called to identify opportunities we have to serve God and determine to serve willingly in every opportunity He gives us!

Reformation, revival and spiritual renewal began when God put it into the heart of man, a layman, to attempt something beyond his own ability for God. After the completion of the wall in 52 days, the people next renewed their covenant relationship with God. The repopulation began when the people were willing to tithe themselves by serving the Lord through relocation. The Sabbath is a time for rest, renewal, and starting over. Learning about Jubilee Year reminded me of those important principles.

In a world full of planners, alarms, and calendars, we are always making plans. But something that life has taught me is as an imperfect person, my plan may not be the plan that I should be putting my faith in. As a truth seeker, I find joy in whatever form truth arrives. Sometimes when our hearts lay broken in the face of tragedy, faith is the only thing that can help us stand back up, and stand together. Join people of faith around the world in response to the harrowing events in Las Vegas. Now I know that fear motivates me to have faith and that makes all the difference. Leaving my faith was easy, and coming back was difficult.

But greater happiness has come from the difficulty. Mother Teresa taught by word and deed that personal strength is found by faithfully giving your time From what my Sikh friends told me, the idea of a communal kitchen ties together the past and the present of their faith.

National Sibling Day has been around for a few decades in the United States, but siblings in India have been honoring the unique bond between brothers and sisters for centuries. Did you know that college homelessness is a problem across the United States? A group of friends in Los Angeles decided to do something about it and created a shelter at a local church. To see how you can help, visit Bruin's Shelter Imagine being strong enough to get As I was watching the recently released music video and listening to the song, the imagery and lyrics really spoke to my heart.

I was reminded of love for family, new life, purpose,. The Fourth of July is about more than fireworks. Learning about the Islamic month of fasting and prayer inspired me to evaluate my own spiritual health. Watch this discussion with a rabbi, Muslim and Bishop that is wonderfully London. Finsbury Mosque Muslims had Iftar with Rabbi last night pic. Sometimes the person that needs your forgiveness the most, is you.

We all love a good underdog story, but who in their right mind wants to BE an underdog? It will happen to us all sooner or later, so we might as well embrace it! Shavuot commemorates the revelation of the Torah on Mt. Sinai to the Jewish people and occurs on the 50th day after the 49 days of counting the Omer. Emily Hedrick spent a few weeks getting to know and learn about Muslim life in Morocco. In her experience there she learns more about what it is to be Muslim and meeting those who truly live their religion.

William Tyndale, the father of the English bible, left a powerful legacy we can pattern today for courageous and faith-filled living. They come in many shapes and sizes, but these hats have one thing in common: Faith, each a symbol of reverence and sacred tradition. Sikh men—and sometimes women—wear a dastaar or turban to cover unshorn hair. The story of each refugee is different, yet each is weaved with common threads. The brightest color being their daily hope, their faith that life will get better.

You can only trust in the words of experienced hikers who have already been down that path. The story of Easter is the story of hope for those touched by the finality of death. For believers of the Christian faith, Easter promises everlasting life through Jesus. Our thoughts and prayers for the victims of the london attack in Westminister PrayForLondon pic.

Louis Zamperini was a person of faith, even though he lost his way at times. And, like Zamperini, faith has played an important role in my sobriety, and my life. Through meditation, you can reap the benefits of better health, but did you know you can also improve your relationships? Check out the three benefits of improved mindfulness that can help you find relationship success!

Looking for ways to overcome past burdens? Holi is a Hindu holiday that starts with a bonfire symbolizing the burning of the bad and the victory of good. The next day, people drench each other in color to celebrate spring, harmony and fresh starts. Each year, Hindu villagers gather to worship, to give thanks, to visit with friends and family.

For many, it takes days to arrive at the temple, and a lot of faith. Sacred stories help along the way. Abraham Lincoln is remembered as a man of honesty, courage, and kindness. Was he a man of faith too?

1. They Constantly Reference their own Achievements

Cultivating relationships requires faith in the value of connection, faith in the power of the process, and faith in constant sources. Here are some lessons we can all learn on this holiday. I had never seriously meditated before, but when challenged to try it for a week, I learned some important lessons. Building faith in ourselves, each other, and in the world is easier than you might think. Discover the power of even the simplest expressions of kindness. Michelangelo was a man of faith, both in God and himself. We can make our own lives masterful works of art by following 5 lessons we learn from Michelangelo.

While we still have a very long way to go, I saw a little piece of Dr. We all want life to be exciting and adventurous. Unfortunately, most of life does not consist of hiking Mount Kilmonagaro. So, how can faith can help you find meaning in the grocery store line? Mother Teresa was a woman of intense faith who fervently believed the world could be a better place, drop by drop, person by person.

She dedicated her life to succoring and empowering the disenfranchised, and taught us, through her actions, to cultivate and live an attitude of faith. Jackie Kennedy is known for her elegance and composure in the midst of personal heartbreak and tragedy. What can she teach us about getting more out of life?

The stories behind some Christmas symbols are easy to guess, but others could surprise you. Learn why we celebrate with oranges in our stockings, boughs of holly, tinsel, wreaths, and poinsettias. When times are tough, remember these lessons taught by C. Hellen Keller was an author, speaker, and activist with a spirit of determination that served as an inspiration for people with disabilities and generations to come. She triumphed over adversity and dedicated her life to helping others. Sharing your faith with your friends, neighbors and even family can sometimes feel clumsy and awkward.

Here are five ways to share your faith more easily this holiday season. But do you know how to find it? Doubt can be a necessary ingredient in building the bedrock of our faith. Just as power outages occur in the wake of devastating hurricanes, they can occur in our lives during spiritual storms.

There is a way to turn the lights back on. We have access to the switch. We have access to a Higher Power who knows how to help. After the death of my brother, I took up running again and it became not only a path to better health but an important spiritual practice. He is teaching us to find gratitude for the beautiful things instead. From interpreting dreams to nourishing your soul, your pumpkin roll means a lot more than just a decadent dessert!

The journey to adopt is filled with uncertainty, yet eased by the faith God has entrusted to facilitate the process. After all, he knows us, he knows our families, and he knows how to bring us together. If you are feeling tired and stressed out all the time, here are two exercises to try out that really work. Whether Eleanor Roosevelt was busy leading as the First Lady, actively pushing for equality, or serving as American Spokesperson in the United Nations, she was a true example of strength, courage and determination. Have you ever wondered how faith and knowledge can go together? This story details one U.

We Believe

Need a solution to help you avoid distraction, stop worrying, and find more happiness in your daily life? Do all this by learning to focus your attention on the present. Life is full of mundane and even empty pursuits. But a peek into the wisdom of the Dalai Lama provides tools to find fulfillment every day.

The reality is that stress and worry are all a part of this thing we call life. But there are a number of ways to lessen its burden—including exercising faith. Sometimes, simply remembering certain things can be what we need to feel greater peace and hope for the future. I embraced technology as a tool for spiritual self-development, but it took me a few years to find the right balance.

Have you ever had doubts or questions about your beliefs? Read on to learn how to evaluate and come to trust your faith. Every great athlete has had to push through obstacles and reach beyond limits. How do they do it? And how can we reach beyond our own limits in our individual lives?

2. They Invade Conversations

Churches are finding themselves at the center of an opportunity to share faith with others. Here are 3 things you can do to help share your faith. A recent humanitarian trip to the developing, third-world country of Zambia was a lesson for me on faith.

Gandhi was a wise man whose life lessons far extend past the 79 years he spent spreading messages of peace, acceptance and love on Earth. Here are four ways to find your intuition—and more peace of mind. When my therapist asked if I meditated, I said yes. I thought reading scripture and praying counted, but I was missing an easy, faith-affirming, stress-reducing third step. Modern abolitionist and former U. Watch how his story of faith unfolded in the face of great fear.

Busyness is the language of modern life, but stillness is the language of the soul. Follow this advice to reconnect with the things that are most important. How has faith changed your life? Watch this inspiring video from Faith Counts contributor, R. Here are the inspiring lessons I learned from my mom about how to have hope no matter how dark life may seem. Our trust in God increases each time we act in faith, especially when what we feel we should do seems risky or foolish.

Today, millions of people around the globe are celebrating Vaisakhi. We care for our bodies. We walk instead of drive, take the stairs, eat leafy green vegetables, drink imported spring water. But our spirits need just as much nourishment. Take the health of your spirit to heart. This spring when you notice the flowers and trees beginning to blossom, consider these four ways you can help your faith bloom and work towards becoming the person you want to be. But those are also reasons I struggle with my faith because, thank you very much, I'm quite happy where Watch the incredible story of Chanel White, who has faith — not to be healed — but to have the emotional and spiritual strength to endure whatever comes her way.

For many of us of different backgrounds, faith brings peace, power, possibilities, provision and purpose. Many people are familiar with the story of Esther and her incredible faith, but did you realize that there is an entire Jewish holiday dedicated to honoring and celebrating her story? Have you ever felt betrayed? Although at times it may not be easy to keep a hopeful perspective, here is how I found the courage to move past betrayal and press on to brighter horizons.

Here are a few things I realized faith and exercise have in common. Mother Teresa was a woman of intense faith who dedicated her life to succoring and empowering the disenfranchised, and taught us, through her actions, to cultivate and live an attitude of faith. God was slowly laying down the puzzle pieces, revealing the larger image He has for me. Showing me how faith brought me here. My son went missing when he was two years old. The holidays are a perfect time for staying in and watching a classic holiday movie. We can learn a lot about faith, family and love from our favorite holiday movies.

The holidays seem to be defined more and more by busyness, but the story of Christmas invites us to something different, something better. What we crave most is connection, not things. Here are five tips for keeping the holidays focused on what truly matters. Watch the video today and invite the Christmas spirit into your home. As you hurry to get everything on your to-do list done, take a moment to look around for someone who might need a helping hand or words of encouragement. Every act of service counts this holiday season.

But gratitude helped me to see how God was extending small and significant blessings. I decided to look for people who had already figured it out. Watch how two couples keep love alive. The year is almost over and the holidays are fast approaching. In a world with countless voices claiming to have the right answer to any question, it can be challenging to separate truth from opinion. Here are some ways to move forward with faith in your search for truth.

Faith opens the eyes of our hearts. Have you ever been blindsided by a comment that mocks your faith or the faith of someone in your social circle? Though trying times in our lives come, we can learn from the words of C. Lewis the power of moving forward with faith. Pumpkin spice may make you feel warm and fuzzy during this season of change. But that warm fuzziness is fleeting.

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