Based on “Step out in Faith; Sing out in Thanks” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 1/16-17/10,
Message #MB404; Daily Devotional #3 - “Senior Partner”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) Everybody needs a measure of faith to navigate through life. We rely on a lot of things around us for convenience and to get by. One pastor commented on ‘risk taking’ during one of his sermons, and he questioned why some people found it difficult to step out in faith. He said just waking up in the morning and stepping out of bed in the usual way is taking a risk! The congregation roared with laughter. God alone knows what the future holds, and the just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17, KJV).
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) The Lord delights in ordering the footsteps of His children. He expects us to trust Him when we take the very first step. When the centurion came to Jesus for help for his sick servant (Matthew 8:5-6), Jesus offered to go and heal the servant. Jesus was surprised at the level of faith the centurion showed. He told Jesus that his physical presence was not necessary for the healing to take place, and Jesus only needed to speak the Word. The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. (Matthew 8:8). Jesus told the centurion that his servant would be healed just as he believed, and the servant was healed that very hour. Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. (Matthew 8:13) The centurion took a step of faith when he went out to meet Jesus. He demonstrated complete trust in the Lord by his actions, and his faith was rewarded.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor. Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36) Our God is the one who was from the very beginning; He is infinite in wisdom and knowledge. We can turn all the affairs of our lives over to Him completely. He is faithful to lead us, direct us, and keep us in the center of His will. It takes humility for us not to try to handle life on our own. By faith, we can trust the Lord, our Senior Partner, to do life right.
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Matthew 8:5-13
LO
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
King James Version = KJV.