365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 125 & 126

Our Easter message from our pastor was so simple and yet had so much meaning in our world today. With our busyness and all the complications that come our way in life, it can be difficult to remember that our faith is not busy or complicated but simple. Our pastor quoted from a well-know theologian Carl Bart who was asked if you had to just say one thing about Christianity what would it be? He started to sing the beloved song
“Jesus Loves Me This I Know”. This was in my recent class that I took on Christian counseling. Many of us get wrapped up in the complexities of life and religion. To stay connected to the Lord and really grow we have to be centered in that original belief of Jesus loves me, this I know. I have said this before and will say it again and again because it is the truth. All is because of one thing, love. He loves you, me, the gunmen who slays children, the husband addicted to porn, the woman wrapped up in her self, the lonely, hurt and poor. He loves us all no matter what we do and all we have to do is believe in him to have all the sins of our past, present and our future washed away. Keep your child-like faith in knowing that Jesus loves you.

1John 4:13-16 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 60

In my studies, it talks about getting back to that faith-moment we had when we first accepted Jesus as our savior. The point is to get back to a child-like faith that is not complicated by all the teachings, study and whatnot that you get into as you go on your faith journey. The more we know the more we realize how little we know is the main point. It is a humbling experience to realize how small we really are when we start to learn about God but we have to go back to the beginning and just have faith. Trust that God will provide for all our needs and take care of us. David says it well in this Psalm when he asks for God to restore the joy of your salvation. That is what we need to be praying for everyday so that we keep our faith and do not let all the complicated aspects of learning about God block us from God. There is a reason Jesus loves the little children because they do not complicate their faith, they just fully trust and believe. We told my daughter the truth about Santa after Christmas of 2011 but she wanted to maintain her child-like belief in Santa and acted like he was a real for this last Christmas. At first, I was a little daunted by it but in the end I think she has a natural affinity towards faith and that will serve her so very well in this life. I pray we can all have such a faith.

Psalm 51: 10-12 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.