Faith

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“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us” 1 John 4:16.

My husband Bruce has been teaching himself a computer program that is extremely complicated. It makes my brain hurt just to look at how thick the instruction manual is. He works tirelessly learning the information he will need down the road when putting this knowledge to the test. The funny thing about knowledge is that the value comes through application, not just knowing the information.

The same is true about our knowledge and reliance on God when we hit a crisis point. Times of crisis will expose what we really rely on, not what we think we rely on. Knowledge without reliance is like owning a car with no tires...we stay parked in fear...we move nowhere. ‘What we do in times of distress reveals what we really believe about God. A crisis is a challenge but also an opportunity for the Christian. During such difficult times we endure the loss of health, jobs, possessions, and often are discouraged. From a human prospective, crisis means loss. But God plans that we benefit from every trial we face’ Experiencing God, p. 125. Christ climbed up on that cross…the greatest crisis man ever faced…and yet we benefit from His crisis daily. We are loved through the sacrifice of Christ…we are adopted into His family in Christ…we are forgiven continually because of Christ. No matter what circumstance we are in we must settle the love of God first and foremost. We must not only have the knowledge that He loves us but sincerely rely on God’s loving nature and promises to work all things out.

Secondly, we must rely on the truth that God will keep His promises and give His best to us. ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ’ 2 Co.1:20. God is bound by His promises and would be going against His character to give us less than His best. It is important that we know His promises, but more important that we rely on them.

So whatever season you are facing this morning, know and believe that God is love and His love can drive out any fear that is in your heart. ‘God is love…There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear’ 1 John 4:16, 18.

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