Believing God by Rocky Flemingமாதிரி

DAY FIVE

Believing God by Rocky Fleming

Scripture: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 ESV)

Thought: Read and feast on the scripture above. Do you believe this promise to you? It comes through your belief in Jesus. Do you believe that nothing can separate you from God’s love through Jesus Christ? You must believe that He is a promise keeper if you are to believe this and all His promises that He gives to you. I said the first day of this devotional series that Jesus indicated in John 6:28-29 that the work of God is accomplished through our belief in the Son. His great work is more expansive and elaborate than we can imagine. But it requires our belief in the Son. For instance, it is the work of God to break down all the barriers that keep us from Him and to expand our understanding of His great, great love for us. It is His work to accomplish this, and it flows through our intimate connection with Christ. It is there, in this close proximity to Him, that the promises in scriptures such as those we read above come alive to us and become very relevant to our life. God’s work is an organic, expanding presence in our life that grows until we join Him in Heaven. But we can prevent this expanding growth by our unbelief. Why would we do this? Why would we leave the best our life on this earth could have by not taking all of Him and all He wants to do for us because we do not believe Him? The assurances we receive from Him are a feast and yet we eat the crumbs that fall off the table instead of digging in.

Application: So, are you digging into the feast or are you content with the crumbs? I would like to give you a picture to understand the connection between belief and feast. Imagine that you have been invited to a great wedding feast. But you must have the proper wedding attire to join the feast. Jesus provides this attire through our belief in Him. What He does for us with our redemption gets us in the door. He paid that price for us … the price of admission. But we are not feasting yet. We are simply in the banquet hall. We are then invited by the King to sit at His table and feast on His best food. Some take Him up on it and claim the entirety of their redemption by entering into the relationship offered to them. Jesus mentions this in Revelations 3:20. It is to sit with Him and feast on all the good things He wants to give us. But many stop at the entrance of the door … just inside … and don’t go to the feast. They just pick up the crumbs that fall off the table and believe that it is all there is. But that is the problem. They believe Jesus, but they really don’t completely believe Him, and they miss the feast He wants to give them. Faith must expand and grow in us, or we stay stagnant in our spiritual growth. As you interact with this thought, where do you see yourself? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what is missing and what you are invited to. Ask Him to make you hungry for the feast. Don’t settle for less.

Response: If God has shown you that you are missing a lot that He wants you to have, make a determined effort today to grasp all that He offers you. The hand for grasping this feast and eating of it is not part of your physical body. The hand I speak of is your belief that there is more being offered to you and your desire to reach out and take it. So, strengthen your grip of belief and take it my friends. The feast has been bought and paid for you. Don’t waste it.