Last Sunday I wanted to play the video above, but it would not load. So I thought I'd share it here. The question is still being asked of you: Are you a disciple - of Jesus?
Just as he called the 12 disciples and promoted them to apostles - someone who has been given the commission of spreading the gospel of Jesus - so he has called you. It is more than being "saved". It is being "significant" - living out our faith. We discussed what this means in our first Kingdom Heroes Bible Study.
In order to have faith like our Biblical heroes, we have to have an appreciation and understanding of WHO He is. If we trust in His character and acknowledge what He has done in our lives so far, then we should have the faith to keep trusting and following Him for the future.
"Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1, NLT)
That evening, this was my devotional reading in the YouVersion Bible App, and found it encouraging. Here it is for you:
NO ONE ELSE
Hannah desperately wanted a child, but she wasn’t able to conceive. Year after year, she was mocked, tormented, and left heartbroken because of her infertility.
Have you ever been there?
Maybe you have desperately wanted something: a godly marriage, a healthy body, a thriving family, a hard-earned title, a close community, a restored relationship. Maybe you’ve looked around at everyone else’s seemingly full lives and wondered why your arms were empty.
Eventually, after years of waiting, God answered Hannah’s prayer. And because of that, she was filled with wonder and worship, saying:
“No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”
1 Samuel 2:2 NLT
Despite the excruciating years of longing and disappointment, Hannah knew there was no replacement for God. There’s no one else who’s able to create something from nothing.
There’s no one else who holds the power of life.
There is no other Rock on which to build our faith.
There’s no one else who sees the worst of us and loves us anyway. There’s no one else who has compassion for our deepest longings. There’s no one else who can be trusted with the most tender part of our dreams. There’s no one else who’s there to guide, teach, and comfort—when it feels like everyone else has left.
There’s no one else who has the power to save.
Because God is holy, He is always good. Most of all, He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Rest assured, there is no one else who’s more worthy of your trust, your respect, and your heart.
Take hold of the lyrics from the song "Same God" the Youth Praise Team introduced to us:
You heard Your children then
You hear Your children now
You are the same God
You answered prayers back then
And You will answer now
You are the same God
You were providing then
You are providing now
You are the same God
Oh God my God I need You
Oh God my God I need You now
How I need You now
Oh Rock oh Rock of ages
I'm standing on Your faithfulness
AnnMarguerite Jones