FAITH IN GOD MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

Psalm 31,14-15

Don McDaniel – 4/22/18 Sermon

Hebrews 11:1-34

PSALM 31:14-15: “14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.”

HEBREWS 13:8  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”

Let’s reflect a moment at the lives of a few Old and New Testament individuals who exampled the difference their Faith in God made in our lives, conduct, and accomplishment:

  1. Daniel led the most powerful and evil king on earth to repentance and showed his people and the most powerful pagan people on earth the true God.
  2. Joseph saved his family from death due to starvation.
  3. Jonah learned forgiveness and led 120,000 people, his bitter enemy, to God’s mercy.
  4. Job learned and showed his people how to trust God in the midst of great loss and tragedy without knowing why. His experience continues to guide and council and minister to millions in each generation since.
  5. Noah saved himself and his family from drowning.
  6. Esther saved her people from certain death.
  7. Paul’s letters make up much of our New Testament scripture and lead countless thousands to Christ during his life and are still leading countless millions to Christ in each generation.  
  8. Mary’s faithfulness resulted in being chosen as Jesus’ mother. An honor and responsibility and blessing
  9. Peter was transformed from, an impulsive person who would be the first to respond to Jesus until danger came and then the first to run, to a person of courage and faithfulness even at cost of certain death.

So, what is faith and what is necessary to journey from simply having faith in God to becoming Faithful to God?

Key Scriptures on Faith:

Hebrews 11:1  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In a nutshell, faith is believing and trusting God at his Word without any questions or doubts.

Hebrews 10:38  “The just shall live by faith, but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

2 Corinthians 5:7  “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith, it is impossible to please God; for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

Psalm 53:1-2 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.”

As we look at the above individuals, we would agree they not only believed in God but had a great deal of faith in God and Trust in Him.  Sufficient trust to put themselves in harms way while relying on God’s help and protection.   They all demonstration faithfulness, which is consistent obedience as a response to their faith and trust in Him.

So how did they take the leap of faith from believing to faithfulness?  Each of their stories is different but let’s look at what they had in common:

  1. They all had a close relationship with God and depended on Him consistently for council and help.
  2. They all had a time of preparation which involved making wise choices that drew them closer to God and also demonstrated a level of obedience that proved them able to maintain a higher level of obedience and faithfulness and responsibility and accountability to God
  3. They all had a life and/or family crisis that made them even more dependent on God
  4. They all had a critical decision to make that would put them at great risk of suffering or prison or even death but chose to follow God’s instruction and obey.

Daniel didn’t know if lions would eat him alive or not, Joseph didn’t know if he would spend his life in prison for a crime he didn’t do, Jonah didn’t know if he would drown when thrown off that ship or die inside that whale, Job didn’t see an end to his suffering, Noah didn’t see any evidence of a flood until it came, Esther didn’t know if she would die along with her people when approached the king, Mary didn’t know what she would face as Jesus’s mothers, and Peter didn’t know how he would or could fulfill his calling.  They all didn’t know but only knew God told them to go and do.  They trusted God and obeyed each step and day.  They couldn’t imagine what God would do with their obedience, but God multiplied their faithfulness (Faith + Obedience = Faithfulness) and still is doing so because their story is still being told today from scripture. 

  1. Their faithfulness required significant personal sacrifice and cost but resulted later in a legacy and good far beyond their imagination.
  2. They had no idea if their future was bright or bleak and if their lives would be long or short. They had no guarantee of comfort or prosperity, only God’s abiding presence and an eternal home with Him.
  3. Their legacy and impact of that legacy still continues to do great good and impact centuries later.
  4. If we could ask each one if their sacrifice was worth it, THEY WOULD ALL PASSIONATELY SAY YES, OH YES!!

Some people spend a great deal of time and money trying to discover and plan their futures. Sad thing is many put their trust in horoscopes and fortunetellers and a host of other ways, including hording treasures that are easily robbed or destroyed or lost instead of seeking God, who not only knows the future but has been there since He is not bound by time.

Bible tells us the wise man puts his trust in the Lord.  God not only knows the future but is powerful enough to do something about it.  In fact, He has the best plan all worked out for us and our family.   A plan best for us and them but a plan that is best for everyone, but we need to follow that plan.  But it a plan that requires trusting Him first.  It is a plan in which He hides some key information and understanding so we must show and exercise trust in Him to follow that plan. 

A car can be driven to a known and selected destination even in the dark, but headlights only show enough light to enable car to be steered on the highway a few hundred feet at a time.  In the same way, Christ only lights our way far enough to enable us to make wise choices necessary for the day. When we try to see and act further than He lights, we get ourselves in trouble.  How foolish would it be to drive a car without headlights at night? Wiser is to make sure lights work so can depend on them during night driving. 

He is teaching us to wait for His guiding light as well as move forward when He gives us insight and light to do so. That is the journey of faith and obedience our relationship with Him guides us on.  We have no need to know the future because He already has told us what awaits us at life’s end.  He is asking us to trust him and to take His hand and walk with Him on the journey to that destination during our remaining time on earth. 

So why does He hide what He knows from us, and why does He allow us to make foolish choices and face hardships and tragedy along that journey?  We can’t know because God’s wisdom and understanding is so far above ours. I do know history shows us that hardship and tragedy is an effective way of drawing people back to and closer to Him and into a deeper / more personal relationship with Him.  I do know that relationship is what He longs for with you and me above all else as well as with everyone. 

He promises to walk with us as we face and journey through both hardship and comfort.  We still must hold on to Him, but if we do, He will guide us and help us and strengthen and encourage us as we walk through dark times but also when we go through prosperous times of peace, which can be more dangerous due to temptations to think we don’t need God.  Israelites feel into sin during times of peace and repented and turned back to Him during times of bondage and suffering.  So, do we.   We, like they, tend to only seek God when we need Him and not when we think we don’t.  Truth is we need Him all the time and always will. 

“My times are in Thy hand;/ I’ll always trust in Thee; / And / after death / at Thy right hand / I shall forever be.”  Hymnist William Lloyd

As you know, we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary April 14th at Pleasantville Family Camp.  Debbie and Donny, our children, blessed and touched  us with their words of love and work preparing this celebration. The response of those there and since both locally and via Facebook makes us realize our lives are impacting others.  There are many who have lived and have been married many more years.  My parents were married happily 66 years before my father passed.  Arlene’s were happily married just short of 50 years before her father passed.  Yet their examples showed us what a Christ centered marriage is like and demonstrated not only a deep faith in Christ but lived a faithful Christ follower life. 

Their generation had many such examples and such examples were widely admired by all, including leaders in schools and government. 

Today, such examples are becoming less common and those in leadership roles in government and schools are swiftly shifting from admiring and supporting such lifestyles to condemning and promoting lifestyle and moral values judged as sin in scripture. But redemption and healing can not come in our marriages or in our souls without admitting our sinfulness and accepting  Christ’s Grace and forgiveness.  Denying sin only leaves us lost and miserable in our sins. 

The example Arlene and I have strived to live and the marriage and family we enjoy is because of putting Christ at the center and yielding to His Guiding Holy Spirit instead of our own wills.

One question I’ve been asked a number of times recently is what our secret and advice to young couples is.  Our response includes:

  1. Both spouses need to want their marriage to last and both must work to make it last. If both live I CORINTHIANS 13 (especially verse 4-8) AND MATTHEW 7:12, then when one isn’t so loving or caring, the other will respond with forgiveness.
  2. Maintaining a personal relationship with Christ and a determination to forgive and put other spouse before your own wants is key. To love your spouse as Christ loves His church. 
  3. With God’s help and willingness to keep forgiving each other for failings, we believe even impossible obstacles can be overcome. THE GRASS IS NOT GREENER ON THE OTHERSIDE
  4. Faithfulness to our spouse in good times and in bad, as we promised with our vows, is vital as being faithful to Christ is vital.  But with work and determination, days like April 14th  are achievable for every couple if they stay the course and seek God’s help together.                                                                                                                                    

THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH IS NOT ONLY DOUBT BUT FEAR – FEAR IS MUCH STRONGER THAN DOUBT.

 

     “OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY TO REAL FAITH”  Chuck Colson

 

HIS PROMISES ALREADY AVALABLE TO EVERYONE WHO ACCEPTS THEM:

  1. HE HAS GIVEN US ALL WE NEED TO HAVE FAITH AND NOT FEAR. 
  2. HE HAS GIVEN US HIS WORD WHICH INCLUDES EXAMPLES OF COUNTLESS FAITHFUL SERVANTS, HE HAS GIVEN US HIS EXAMPLE,
  3. HE HAS GIVEN US HIS OWN SACRIFICE AS PAYMENT FOR OUR SINS SO WE CAN BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER THROUGH HIM.
  4. HE HAS GIVEN US THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE AND ABIDE AND COUNCIL US ALL THE TIME WITHOUT FAIL.
  5. HE HAS GIVEN US THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM IN A PLACE AND HOME HE IS PREPARING FOR US.                                                                                    
  6. HE HAS PROMISED TO NEVER LEAVE NOR FORSAKE US (HEBREWS 13:5)
  7. HE GIVES US COURAGE IN THE MIDST OF DANGER AND EVEN DEATH IF WE PUT OUR EYES AND OUR FAITH IN HIM ABOVE ALL ELSE.

If you wish, you can access my blog at “https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com“. There you will find 133 blog posts I have made plus a link to my devotional journal material archives from 2013 to present.                                                                                                                                              You may also access my Facebook page, at https://www.facebook.com/Don1951                                                                                                    and request to be my friend and automatically receive my daily journal publications daily.   Link to our wedding and anniversary pictures is below, or email me at dmcdaniel12@verizon.net and  will email link to you: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iytyg6op7awxutq/AAD9dk8D3wbKaDyzEV2Ma_Vaa?dl=0

Isiaah 49,15-16

Published by donsdevotions

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Don McDaniel - Who am I? Hello everyone and welcome to my devotional journal blog. In order to get acquainted and help you get to know me a bit better before considering following my blog, let me give you some background. I am a 74-year-old male and a retired engineer. I worked for a major supplier of underground mining equipment for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2012. Arlene and I have been happily married since April 1978 and have two grown – married children, one granddaughter and 2 step grandsons. I joined the local United Methodist church at age 12 after accepting Christ as my Savior at age 10 during revival services in that same church in 1961, so I have been a “Born Again” Christian all my teen years and adult life. Christ has helped and guided me all that time. He guided me in choosing my wife and life’s career. My life journey has included regrets and failures, but God has picked me up and protected and spared me from life threatening consequences and dangers more times than I can recall or count. But many I do recall and encourage and motivate me to trust and follow Christ with more passion than ever. Christmas 2011 our daughter gave Arlene and I each a devotional journal. Journals were books with devotion for each day and space to give personal impressions and thoughts related to each devotion. Her desire was to have a lasting legacy she could refer back to and share with her children and grandchildren especially after we are gone. I was touched by that gesture. My parents and Arlene’s were devout Christians, so we would have greatly treasured having that from them, so we felt a sense of urgency to honor her request. I finished my journal first and returned it to our daughter the following Christmas. I’m glad I did it then because Parkinson’s has caused my hand writing to deteriorate since then. The exercise was such a blessing for me. Discipline of keeping journal helped me gain a deeper walk with Christ and greater discipline in honoring my time of prayer and devotion with Him each day. So, I decided to continue the practice but since I could not find a paper journal I liked, I decided to create my own. I had already been receiving electronic devotions by email every day from several sources, my favorite being “Turning Point” from Dr. David Jeremiah. What I decided to do was to include devotional scripture but add my own thoughts and comments only so there would be no issue of copyright infringement. Creating and maintaining journal by computer also addressed my deteriorating handwriting ability. I started an electronic devotion journal January 1, 2013 and have been faithful to that practice every day since. I prayed about method and level of distribution. My initial intent was to only share it with my two children by email, but quickly discovered others in my family, my church, and friends from work (both retired and still working) who knew me and wanted to be included in distribution when they learned what I was doing. I now distribute by email my daily journal at the beginning of each month to over 150 friends and relatives. God has richly blessed and encouraged me. I am concerned with the state of our church and nation, and world for that matter, believing we are living in the end times the prophets of old and Christ have talked about in scripture, so time is short. I desire to be true to my Savior and a witness to help others come to a saving knowledge of Him and equipped to share His Good News too. If my journal can encourage and help others, I believe God wants me to share it. I struggled, for a time at first, because I know many others keep similar journals but only for their own edification and do not want to share them because they are private. However, Christ has stirred my heart to share it as a witness tool. Our son and daughter have a long-time friend who grew up with them who we also befriended nearly 25 years ago. He had a lot of family problems, so would gravitate to our family as a refuge and eventually thought of us as his adopted parents and he as our adopted son. We lost contact with him for some time when he grew up and left home. He traveled around the U.S. and eventually ended up in Ukraine where he resided for next 10 years. He had to return to the US to renew his visa and took opportunity to recommend I begin a blog of my devotions and helped me set it up. He is also an active blogger and has been an email subscriber to my journal for several months, so he has been suggesting I expand my distribution by starting a blog to get broader exposure. After reflection and prayer, I concluded God was in this, so he is helping me set up my blog site. This brief autobiography is my first entry. He returned to Ukraine, then resided there until circumstanced made him decide to move back to US with his young son. This biography was my first post February 29, 2016 . I have published 600 posts from 2016-2023 automatically sent to all my Facebook friends, published on WordPress to be accessible to anyone curious or seeking a deeper walk with God. I decided to take a sebatical to prepare for a new chapter. In 2014 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease which affects patient ability to walk, drive, do physical work, and eventually talk. By mid 2023 it became evident our home for last 42 years (previously owned by my parents for previous 44 years and by my mother's grandparents for 39 years before that) would eventually not meet my needs so we decided to sell it and move into 1st floor of a duplex we also owned that was the town school from 1855-1913. Likewise, the property was requiring more maintenance that I was no longer able to keep up with. 2023 involved selling our home and moving into apartment next door and then in early 2025 an opportunity to move closer to our daughter and granddaughter in Kentucky which was completed in May 2025. For a number of months I have been seeking direction seeking God's direction and timing to return to blogging as my journey with Parkinson's continues to unfold with God's guiding hand in mine. I hope and pray my devotions will continue to be a blessing for you. God certainly has become closer and more real to me since started this blog in 2016. I have spent time with Him studying scripture and praying and listening and writing this journal. I will continue seeking God’s help and will welcome your input to make this site as meaningful as I can and true to God, who is motivating me to create and maintain it. I will also welcome input in order to make format more meaningful going forward. Don & Arlene McDaniel In His Service, Email: mcdanieldonald769@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Don1951 If you wish, you can access my blog at “https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com“. There you will find 600+ blog posts I have made plus a link to my devotional journal material archives from 2013 to present (https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/link-to-dons-devotional-journal-entries-2013/ ) You may also access my Facebook page and request to be my friend and automatically receive my daily journal publications daily. My Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/Dondevotionals/ Many thanks to a pastor and dear brother in Christ in Nepal who set up the above Facebook page to help and encourage and give opportunity for more to explore and use my devotional blog materials.

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