There is a Reason for Redundancy:

“The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),…”                       ~Isaiah 2:12

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”                                ~Matthew 23:12
...
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted."                                  ~Luke 14:11

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted."                                  ~ Luke 18:14
                                                                         
 

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself
like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

~ Matthew 18:3-4

 

Being humble is to place all trust, complete dependence, in God, from the simplicity of daily provision to the miracle of salvation, there are no personal efforts that will allow me to walk through heaven’s gates and into the presence of God Almighty, the humble, Lord Jesus Christ. 

~ Owen <><  ... (Philippians 2:5-11)

 

Need a Shovel?

I read a comment on Scripture that triggered within me a question to ask myself. How should I live the gospel, how do I “walk in the footsteps of the faith” (Rom 4:12) and keep in step with God’s Spirit (Gal. 5:25)?  If I am to live the gospel by faith in Christ, shouldn’t I breathe and live out life in complete humble dependence upon my Father God?

The statement that triggered how to live by faith in God was this: 

 

“Christ said we could move mountains if we only had faith.

But He didn't say we wouldn't need a shovel.” 

 

 

 But this is what Jesus did say in Matthew 17:20:

 

“Because you have so little faith.

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,

'Move from here to there' and it will move.

Nothing will be impossible for you."

It takes complete humility to accept God’s Word, to trust Him fully in all things, and to know that your faith has hope, not a task to do what God doesn’t. 

 

 

It is by faith that mountains will move, that barriers will be torn down, and the Holy Spirit’s enablement is given to do all things through Christ – by faith alone in the One who spoke the promise:

“Nothing will be impossible for you." 

 

I will follow the Lord’s, and not man’s wisdom.  I will cling to Jesus’ declaration, "all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27) – no tools or effort needed by me, I’m humble enough to admit that God has control and that I am NOT.    

All faith through Christ alone,

Owen <><

No Smell of Smoke – A Taste of Fruit

If a miracle occurs in our life … GREAT!
Miracle or not, serving God faithfully is how the fruit He desires is harvested.

Such is revealed in the life of three young Hebrew men with faith in God.  King Nebuchadnezzar threatened them of death in a furnace, as punishment for not bowing to the idols of his kingdom, to this they replied “we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us.”  The king was true to his threat.   

As the three were thrown into the fire, some soldiers carrying out the order were killed by the fire, and then other soldiers exclaimed, “’Look! … four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed,’ … [they] came out of the fire, …not harmed … not scorched, and … no smell of fire on them.”   

The sight prompted the King to say, “They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” The result was for Nebuchadnezzar have a change of heart, saying “no other god can save in this way.” 

The fruit of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wasn’t their deliverance from the furnace by a miracle, but how their faithfulness revealed the power of grace by the Lord’s presence with them.  That presence brings something more than the miracle itself, it brings change into someone’s heart, the fruit God desires, and that is doing what matters.

That others don't smell of smoke, but are a miracle of Christ's fruit, 

Owen <><

Know your Word of God, go Read Daniel 3

P.S. YES! Christ Jesus was with us from the beginning (John 1:1-2), He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and by faith God is with you - Christ's Spirit in you.