Fully Persuaded

{Daily Selah}


Promises. Sometimes we make them, but we're not always able to keep them. I'm so glad God is not like we are. He has no limits like we do. He never changes, neither does His Word. His decrees stand for all eternity. He always says what He means and means what He says. He has never broken a promise and never will.

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Abraham knew he served a faithful God. He didn't hesitate to trust his promises. 

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform (Romans 4:20:21).

God wants you and I to have an Abraham-like faith; a faith that never wavers; a faith that understands who He is and is fully persuaded that God will keep His Word. 

God always has, always does and always will keep His Word. 

Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9). 

There is no reason for us to ever doubt Him. We serve the only true God, the Almighty Creator of the universe. Our God has conquered sin and death and hell. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords and He is on our side. 

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32). 

The God of the universe loves us so much that He gave His Son to die in our place. He proved His love when Christ's blood poured down to the earth from the cross. We know He has never broken a promise so why do we ever doubt, worry or fear? 

We've seen Him at work in our own lives. We've seen Him at work in others. We've seen Him at work in His Word. God has never given us reason to waver in our faith. We have no excuse for our lack of faith. But, we have every reason to have an Abraham-like faith, fully persuaded that God will do what He says He will do.

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform (Romans 4:20:21).

Fully persuaded. 


{Daily Selah} is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

Believing is Seeing

{Daily Selah}

Many people say, "Well, I have to see it to believe it" in regard to matters of faith. However, there are many examples in the Word of believing then seeing.


Remember the woman with the bleeding disorder who just wanted to reach out and touch the hem of Jesus' robe? She had spent everything she had over the course of many years, going to doctor after doctor, trying to find a cure. Imagine how weak and tired and pale she was. Yet, she was determined to get to the Messiah. She knew only He could heal her.

Jesus' response was, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole (Mark 5:34). It was faith that brought her the miracle only Jesus could perform. The woman's mindset was not that of "I'm gonna be healed because I say I will." She was convinced that only Jesus could heal her. It was genuine faith that brought her to the feet of the Master. She believed and then saw a miracle in her life.

Right after Pharaoh finally let God's people go, he had a change of heart and decided to go after them. Moses knew that believing is seeing. He was convinced that only God could rescue them. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day (Exodus 14:13).

Put simply, the message the Lord gave the people through His servant Moses was, "Don't be afraid. Believe and you will see what your God will do for you." That same encouragement can be applied to any situation or circumstance you and I face in our lives.

Personally, I've never ascribed to "name it and claim it" or, as one pastor I know says, "blab it and grab it" theology. There are those who say we should declare our own destiny, speaking what we want into our lives. This post is about living by faith, not on presumption.  Let's take a look at 1 John 5:14-15 for a moment...

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

The key here is to ask according to His will. Obviously, it is not God's will for us all to live in a mansion or drive a Ferrari. But, God has promised to meet all our needs (Philippians 4:19). Asking Him to provide food for our family or to help us meet the bills or to have enough left over each week to be a blessing to others - these things are all in accordance with His will. (Bear in mind that He usually requires some work on our part to get us there.)

James 1:6 is written in the context of asking God for wisdom, but the principle found there can be applied to asking God for anything we need. We are told:

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering...

Check out that verse in the ESV:

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting...

God has made exceeding great and precious promises to us (1 Peter 1:4). Being convinced that He will do what He says He will do is the life of faith. It is believing and seeing. Remember Thomas? Thomas was an "I have to see it to believe it" kind of guy. He was not willing to believe Jesus had done what He said He would do until he saw the risen Savior for himself.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed (John 20:29). 

1 John 5:4 says, For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us believing is seeing. Take a look...

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Did you see that? Faith first, then reward. Believing then seeing. 

Want victory in your life? Need God's provision in some area? Don't know which way to go? Don't be afraid. Ask God. Believe and you will see what your God will do for you. 

Believing is seeing. 


{Daily Selah} is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.

Go...and be glad

{Daily Selah}

When I was growing up, our family took a lot of vacations at the beach. My brothers and I so looked forward those trips and enjoyed every moment splashing through the waves and searching the sand for hidden treasures like shells, starfish and driftwood.

Most of us have a favorite place we like to be. We look back to certain places and times with fond memories. King David had a favorite place, a place that made his heart glad whenever he had an opportunity to spend time there. He said, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1).

People say, "Well, I don't have to go to church to know God." They're right. You don't. But, there is so much we miss out on if we neglect gathering together with other believers to worship the Lord. Take a look at something else David had to say about God's house...

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4). 

David's desire was to spend every moment in the house of the LORD.  As king, he had other duties and responsibilities to attend to just and you and I do, but David really looked forward to the time he could spend in God's house. 

David prayed, sang and worshiped the LORD at other places and times, but he so enjoyed being in the house of the LORD that it made him glad whenever he had opportunity to go. 

Some easily dismiss the importance of believers gathering together in corporate prayer and worship, but God has made it a high priority for every one of His children. Hebrews 10:19-27 expresses God's thoughts on the matter of being present in His house...

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Read that again slowly. Do you see the point being made here?  The context speaks of spending time with other believers, Jesus being high priest over the house of God, reminds us we must assemble together in that house, and gives us and important warning that is all part of the same thought.

We're told to continue meeting with other believers (i.e. going to church with them and having fellowship with them) and to encourage one another. Then, the writer says, For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins... Sin makes Christ's sacrifice on our behalf ineffective for us because we have chosen to sin instead of living as those who are blood-bought children of God. This statement is made right after the exhortation to assemble with, fellowship with and build up our fellow believers.

Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the writer warns us that refusing to be the functioning member of the body of Christ God has designed us to be is sin. Neglecting His house, and neglecting other believers is sin.

What should we do then? Go... and be glad.



{Daily Selah} is a mini-devotional, a pause to ponder about the Lord and how He wants us to live.