Feed Your Faith

 

By Andrea Merrell

So then faith comes by hearing, 

and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17 NKJV

“You gotta have faith!” the speaker said emphatically. “You must believe that God will do what He says He will do.”

Afterward, my friend said to me, “Sometimes I don’t think I have any faith at all. My doubts seem to choke out what little is in me. What should I do?”

“Feed it,” I said.

She frowned. “And how exactly do I do that?”

The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing. By hearing what? God’s Word. One of my former pastors used to say, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing, and hearing.”

We believe what we hear from friends and family. Even podcasts and news reports. The more we hear, the more encouraged—or discouraged—we become. It’s the same with the Word. The more we hear it, the more we believe it, and the greater our faith grows.

But listening to a sermon once or twice a week (or even less) will never be enough. Just like we feed our body, we need to feed our faith. And since we believe what we say most of all, the more we speak and confess the Word, the more our faith will flourish.

My friend finally got it. She began to put the Word in her mind, her mouth, her ears, and her heart. The transformation was amazing.

If you deal with doubt and unbelief, there’s only one sure cure: start feeding your faith a regular diet of the powerful, life-changing Word of God.

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What Are You Full Of?

 

By Andrea Merrell

A good person produces good things from the treasury

of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things

from the treasury of an evil heart.

What you say flows from what is in your heart.

Luke 6:45 NLT

 

Normally, when someone says, “You’re full of it,” their meaning is anything but positive.

But it still begs the question, What are we full of? Faith? Joy? God’s Word? Or is it more a matter of fear? Anxiety? Bitterness?

The Word for You Today says, “You can learn a lot about yourself by listening to what you say.” Why? Because Jesus plainly tells us the mouth speaks whatever the heart is full of.

It’s a matter of input/output. What goes in is what comes out, so it’s important for us to realize what we think about, read, watch, dwell on, do habitually, and allow to become part of us.

The psalmist declared, “Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 NKJV). The Passion translation put it like this: “I consider your Word to be my greatest treasure, and I treasure it in my heart to keep me from committing sin’s treason against you.”

When we fill our heart and mind with God’s Word, we allow our thoughts, words, and actions to line up with His.

Take a moment and listen to yourself, then ask yourself, “What am I full of?” If you don’t like the answer, you can change it starting today.

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Faith in a Nutshell

 

By Andrea Merrell

What is faith? It is the confident assurance

that something we want is going to happen.

It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us,

 even though we cannot see it up ahead.

 Hebrews 11:1 TLB

 

“What is faith?” the leader asked the group.

After a long moment of silence, answers slowly came. Trust. Belief. Hope. The last member of the group finally said, “Something I wish I had.”

Faith is not about religion or denominations. And it’s not some pie-in-the-sky, super-spiritual thing that we search for and hope to someday find. If it were something that out of reach, the Bible would not tell us that without it, it is impossible to please God.

The Greek word for faith is pistis and means firm persuasion or a conviction based on hearing and learning. Hearing and learning what? The living, powerful Word of God—everything He has to say on the matter.

“But I don’t feel like I have any faith,” I’ve heard people say. The truth is faith is not a feeling. It is not something we drum up and has nothing to do with intellect. Simply put, The Word for You Today says, “It’s a choice you make to fully embrace what God says in His Word. When that happens, it creates a heart climate that motivates you to act in keeping with what you choose to believe.”

Now that’s faith in a nutshell.

 

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Hide the Word in Your Heart

By Andrea Merrell

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalm 34:8 NKKV

The Bible tells us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” One of the best ways to do that is to cultivate a taste for His Word.

Just like healthy food gives life to the body, God’s Word gives life to the soul. Some refer to it as the “true soul food.”

Eugene Peterson says:

Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love.

How wonderful to know that the life-giving Word is not just something we know (memorize). It actually becomes part of who we are. That’s how we are able to walk in love. Forgive others. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. Put others above ourselves. Delight in the Lord and freely obey His commandments.

The psalmist said, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103 NKJV).

Have you developed a taste for God’s Word? Are you hiding it in your heart? If not, why not begin today. Your life will never be the same. That’s a promise.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com and Aaron Burden.

 

The Wrong Mirror

 

By Andrea Merrell

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT

“Mirror, mirror on the wall … please be kind to me today. Let me have a perfect hair day, put on just the right amount of make-up, be free of zits, and walk away from you feeling good about myself.”

Come on, ladies, we think it even if we don’t say it. We start the day judging ourselves by what we see in the mirror, and it sets the tone for how we feel, think, and behave. When we do that, we’re trying to live from the outside/in.

But what if we’re looking into the wrong mirror? They say what you see is what you get, but that’s not always true. What we see with our natural eye can give us a distorted view of who we really are. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror.

The mirror of God’s Word is where we’ll find our true, authentic self—our spirit. Born again. Redeemed. Loved. Made whole, complete, perfect in His eyes.

God does not judge us—as we judge ourselves—by how we look or even behave. We don’t have to be perfect on the outside to be worthy of His love. As His child, He sees us clothed in His own robe of righteousness.

We are spirit beings, created in the image of God. We have a soul, and we live in a body (our temporary earth suit). We should never be overly concerned about what we see in a natural mirror. It’s what’s on the inside that counts—peace, joy, wisdom, strength, kindness, compassion, the mind of Christ, the love of God that’s been poured out in our heart, and rivers of living water.

Let’s change our focus (our mirror) and live from the inside/out (from our spirit) just as God intends.

 

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You Are Not Worthless

 By Andrea Merrell

You’re worthless.

I heard those words so many times growing up that I believed them. They affected my confidence, my self-esteem, and my relationship with others. I became a people-pleaser who tried hard but never measured up to the standards and expectations of others—at least in my own mind.

But everything changed for me when I found out what God’s Word says and what He thinks about me. It can change for you too.

If anyone has ever made you feel worthless, listen to what God says about you:

• You are loved with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)
• You have been bought with a price. (1 Corinthians 6:20)
• You are a joint-heir with Jesus. (Romans 8:17)
• You have been adopted into God’s family. (Ephesians 1:5)
• You are seated in heavenly places with Christ. (Ephesians 2:6)
• You are redeemed. (Galatians 3:13)
• You have been set free. (John 8:36)
• You are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• You are accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)
• You are forgiven. (Colossians 1:14)
• You are chosen. (1 Peter 2:9)
• You are the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:12)

God’s agape love sees us as a treasure. A person of great worth. And that’s the way He wants us to see ourselves. The good news is His opinion is the only one that counts.

So rejoice, my friend. You are a beloved child of the living God. You are priceless.

 

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God’s agape love sees His children as a treasure, people of great worth. And His opinion is the only one that counts. via @Andrea Merrell (Click to tweet.)

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Where Does the Buck Stop?

 By Andrea Merrell

 

Within your heart you can make plans for your future,

but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.

Proverbs 16:9 TPT

 

We’ve all heard it. Most of us have probably said it. President Harry S. Truman even had a sign on his desk: The Buck Stops Here!

Passing the buck—or passing the responsibility on to someone else—is all too familiar in this day and time in which we live. Stepping up to the plate, so to speak, and taking responsibility for our own actions has become a thing of the past.

 

Someone once said that opinions are like armpits—everyone has one. But how do we form our opinions? Do we listen to those who love to gossip and sling dirt? Do we watch the news 24/7? Are we influenced mostly by social media?

 

The truth is we can form our own opinions and plan our own course, but the Lord is the only One who can establish our steps. He is the omniscient one, the one who knows all things. He knows the end from the beginning and everything in between. And He is the only truth we can bank on.

 

What it boils down to is this: Unless our thoughts, opinions, and words line up with God’s they don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Only what God says matters.

 

If you’re floundering today, spend time with God. Go to His Word. That’s where the buck stops. Period.

 

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A Spoonful of Sugar

By Andrea Merrell

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us

what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

It corrects us when we are wrong 

and teaches us to do what is right.

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

 

I needed to change. The reality hit me in the face like a wet rag, but it was a truth I had to accept.

It’s easy to see the faults and weaknesses in others. Those attitudes and behaviors that desperately need attention. But seeing them in ourselves—and having the courage to take our medicine and do something about them—is a whole other matter.

According to Mary Poppins, all it takes is a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. But God doesn’t sugarcoat anything, especially when it comes to our well-being. They say, “the truth hurts.” Maybe so, but if it helps us get moving in the right direction, it’s worth the temporary pain.

Change comes when we are truly submitted to God—spirit, soul, and body—and when we stop making excuses, take responsibility for our own actions, and take our spiritual medicine (God’s Word). No sugar needed because what God says is coated in His amazing love for us.

Have you had your medicine today?

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Take Your Bible Off the Shelf

By Andrea Merrell

 

Many years ago when I worked in a Christian bookstore, a woman brought her young son in to purchase a Bible. After a lot of searching and discussion between the two, they chose one.

Excitement radiated from the boy’s eyes as his mother paid for the Bible, then ceremoniously handed it to Him like a gold medal or coveted trophy. “Now, you take very good care of this. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes ma’am, I will.” His head bobbed up and down. “I promise.”

She shook her finger at him. “And I don’t want to see you writing in it or using one of those messy highlighters.”

The boy’s eyes grew wide, but he nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

I remember wondering what the woman would say if she saw my Bible. There are dozens upon dozens of verses underlined and many starred. I’ve written in the margins and made lots of notes in the front and back. I’ve even had to go to a professional book binder to have pages put back in place. My Bible looks like what it’s intended for—to be read.

A few have told me I need a new Bible. I’ve had several over the years. They don’t realize how hard it is to break one in. No, I’m very happy with the one I have. I know just how to find what I’m looking for. Sometimes I flip through and read the underlined portions, those passages that minister to me the most.

Yes, God’s Word is sacred. But people have different ideas about how to respect it. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires (Hebrews 4:12 NLT). 

The Bible is not a trophy to be proudly displayed or kept on a shelf to preserve it. It's meant to be read ... and read ... and ...

Is your Bible on the shelf?

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The Clean Plate Club

By Andrea Merrell

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, 

rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 

so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped

for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

When I was a child, I had to eat my vegetables, like them or not. Actually, I was required to eat everything so I could be—as my grandfather said—a member of the “clean plate club.”

Since I was never allowed to be a picky eater, I grew up not only liking most foods, but also having an understanding and appreciation for all the vitamins and minerals needed to keep me healthy. I learned to make good choices.

With today’s busy lifestyle, we have fast-food restaurants on every corner. There are buffets of every cuisine where we can pick and choose. We can even go online and have our favorite food delivered straight to our door. We’re free to make our choices and eat only what we like.

Not so with God’s Word. The Bible is not an a la carte menu from which we can pick and choose what suits us and leave the rest alone. It’s an endless smorgasbord of instructions, guidance, warnings, commandments, love, comfort, encouragement, and blessings. Everything works together to bring us the perfect meal, full of all the nutrition we need to keep us spiritually healthy.

When it comes to God’s Word, don’t be picky. Be a member of the clean plate club.

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Cream in My Coffee

By Andrea Merrell

 That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro

and carried about with every wind of doctrine,

by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of 

deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love,

may grow up in all things into Him

who is the head—Christ.

Ephesians 4:14-15 NKJV

I’ve always preferred my coffee black … until recently. Now, I find myself adding creamer, especially when the brew is too strong or not so good. It makes my coffee more palatable and easier to drink. Sometimes we need a little help.  As the song says, "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down."

That’s not a bad idea, but it’s amazing how we try and sugarcoat other things to make them more palatable—especially when it comes to the truth. Rather than confronting a person or situation with the power and authority of God’s Word, we tend to avoid confrontation and turn a blind eye, hoping the situation will go away or resolve itself.

The Bible tells us to speak the truth in love. The Truth—God’s Word—is referred to in many ways: meat, milk, water, and honey. But no matter the label, it’s easy to digest … no cream or sugar needed to make it go down into our innermost being and bring about the changes God desires to make in each of us.

Don’t allow yourself to water down the Word. Accept it as it is—living, powerful, life-changing, life-giving, and life-sustaining.

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What's In Your Heart?

By Andrea Merrell

For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.

Matthew 12:34 NLT

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I cringed. Where in the world did that come from?

My answer was found in Matthew: For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.

Seriously? I had no idea that thought was in my heart. It had somehow bypassed my head and implanted itself in a deeper place. Ouch!

Maybe that’s why Proverbs 4:23 says above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Guarding our heart sounds like a huge responsibility. Well, it is. Everything we’re exposed to on a daily basis affects us in one way or another—what we see, hear, read, listen to, and especially what we allow our minds to fixate on. Before we know it, our heart is filled with debris that needs to be cleaned out. That’s where prayer, repentance, and God’s Word come into play. As Ephesians 5:26 tells us, we are sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the Word.

The next time your thoughts and mouth betray you, check the source. The commercial asks “what’s in your wallet?” But God is asking “what’s in your heart?”

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Panic Attacks

By Andrea Merrell

Do not be afraid of sudden terror,

Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

For the Lord will be your confidence,

And will keep your foot from being caught.

Proverbs 3:25-26 NKJV

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t talk. I could barely breathe. Time seemed to stand still. I was frozen in a dark place as helplessness washed over me. I was out of control, spiraling downward.

Fear comes in many forms, one of which is a panic attack. If you’ve ever experienced one, you know the symptoms all too well: sweaty palms, tight chest, and extreme weakness. The Bible calls it “sudden fear.”

In a world filled with stress, demands on our time and energy, and so many unknowns, these attacks have become commonplace, sometimes requiring therapy or medication. Fear grabs us by the throat and tries to choke the life out of us. But fear—like everything else—is subject to the laws of God and must bow to the name of Jesus. If you struggle with this type of sudden fear, here are a few ways to overcome:

Breathe 

Fear causes our chest to constrict, producing short, shallow gasps of air. This can lead to hyperventilation. Take a deep, cleansing breath to calm yourself. Relax your body, then do it again. I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with His praise. I live and breathe God (Psalm 34:1-2).

Pray

Call out to the Lord, whether silently or out loud, even if it’s just to speak His name. The name of Jesus carries power and can drive away fear. When you call, He will answer. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).

Praise

Not only does God inhabit the praises of His people, praise will drive away the Enemy. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We don’t thank God for the problems, but we praise Him in the midst of—and in spite of—them.

Talk to yourself

Take your focus off your situation and turn it to the Word. Again, whether silently or out loud, let the Scriptures wash over you:  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).  Fear not, for I am with you (Isaiah 41;10). For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Resist the Devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7). 

Fill your mind, heart, and mouth with God's promises. They are yes and amen.

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No Empty Calories

By Andrea Merrell

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.

Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

John 6:35

Growing up, I was required to be a member of the “Clean Plate Club.”

In my grandparents’ home there was no waste—ever. If I left a few bites of food on my plate, I was reminded of all the starving children in Africa. My initial reply was, “then pack up my leftovers, and mail them to Africa.”

Not a wise move on my part. I quickly learned to keep my attitude in check and eat all my food … whether I wanted it or not.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized it’s not always necessary to clean my plate at each meal—for both health and weight reasons—especially when it’s something I don’t particularly need or enjoy. Many times, I find myself saying no to those empty calories.

On the other hand, I’ve also realized how important it is not to leave leftovers when feasting from God’s Word.

God’s Word is referred to as both milk and meat. Jesus is called the Bread of Life. This is food for our spirit and soul. It's the sustenance we need for our spiritual growth and well-being.

If you’re hungry for more of God, go ahead and dive into His smorgasbord of peace, love, joy, forgiveness, promises, counsel, and direction. Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8 NLT). Fill your plate and eat every bite. You’ll come out stronger and completely satisfied every time.

And there are never any empty calories.

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Good Idea or Old Wives' Tale?

By Andrea Merrell

When I was growing up—and living with my grandparents—they had a lot of funny notions that had been passed down for generations.

During a bad storm, my grandmother would unplug every cord in the house except for one lamp. We would sit quietly in the room with the lamp, staring at each other while we waited out the storm.

I couldn’t go to a movie theater on Sunday because it was a “sin,” and there was no make-up allowed, even in high school. My grandmother would not eat brown eggs, believed that once the sun went down you were not supposed to leave the house, and she would never say anything bad about the Devil because “it might make him mad.”

My grandfather believed in driving twenty miles under the speed limit, would never talk to anyone about the Lord because salvation was a “private matter,” and gave his tithe to the church in cash because the amount was no one’s business. 

As I got older, I had many wrong ideas to work through and a lot of prejudice to overcome. I had to decide whether to adopt the beliefs of my ancestors or find my own way. Everyone has their own way of doing things, whether it’s from tradition or personal choice. As they say, to each his own.

The most troubling part of my upbringing was the way God’s Word was handled. My family loved the Lord. They were good, upstanding people, but they had been misled by the habits and beliefs of others. There were many principles they adhered to and some they didn’t. Some they believed and some they didn’t.

I found out later in life that listening to the advice and opinions of others is fine, but it’s ultimately up to me to decide whether something is a good idea or an old wives’ tale. When it comes to God’s Word, I can’t just blindly accept someone’s perspective. I need to read it, meditate on it, pray about it, and know for myself.

How about you?

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