PJP2 SEVEN - 17012021 - FAITH

SEVEN: Share/Seek; Encourage; Verily Verify the Victory; Evaluate NOW (Note On WORD)

FAITH: Follow Always In Touch (with) HIM

Hebrews 11:1-3 (ESV)...."Now FAITH is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  For by IT the people of old received their commendation.  By FAITH we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."....

Inauguration Day - 2017 and D-Day +1....., regardless of our politics, yesterday we witnessed the Founding Father's work being repeated.  The peaceful transfer of leadership as guided by our U.S. Constitution, a unique and at times perplexing exercise in democracy.

There is, albeit, a tense sense of expectation with the new U.S. Administration.....some have great expectations, others not-so-much.

Thus, what I have Heard His Holy Spirit Share with me this morning is His Question to me:

"Jeffery, WHO do you have FAITH in?".....Yikes!

BUT more on that in a moment...

IF we take Hebrews 11:1-3 ( above) as our Baseline.....The Answer seems quite Obvious.  BUT (Behold the Underlying TRUTH).....bear with me as we go down this path....

Throughout God's WORD, He Shares with us His Principle of Having More than just One Witness (Check out: Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6-7; 19:15; Matthew 18:16).  Our Lord Jesus sums this Concept up.....

Matthew 18:20 (ESV)...."For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”....

Thus, IF we take a Broad-Brush Look - God The Father Ensures we have Multiple Witnesses in Regards to Him, His Nature, His LOVE & GRACE towards us, and His Eternal Engagement in our Lives.....

From the Days of Noah and The Flood....

Genesis 9:16-17 (ESV)...."When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” God said to Noah, 'This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.'”....

To the Days of Moses and God's Children of Israel's Exodus from Egypt....

Exodus 2:24-25 (ESV)...."And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew."....
We Serve a God and Savior Who Is Not Only Watching Over us, He Calls to our Mind That He Has a Binding Contract, a Holy Covenant AND He Is Ever Faithful and True to His WORD....

1 Chronicles 16:15 (ESV)....."Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,"....

One more Brick for God's Foundation of FAITH in our LIVES.....Here's God's Own Statement of Witness to us.....His Holy Spirit Inspired His Psalmist to Record This Quote of God's Heart.....

Psalm 91:14-16 (ESV/emphasis added/jaj)....“Because he Holds Fast To ME In LOVE, I Will Deliver him; I Will Protect him, Because he Knows MY NAME.  When he Calls To ME, I Will Answer him; I Will Be With him in trouble; I Will Rescue him And Honor him.  With Long LIFE, I Will Satisfy him And Show him MY Salvation.”

Look at PROMISE and Be Encouraged.....HE PROMISES us....To Deliver us; To Protect us; To Answer us when we Call Upon Him; To Be WITH us; To Rescue us; To even Honor us (in His Mercy and GRACE); To Satisfy us AND Show us His SALVATION.....

And The Kicker - The Ultimate Witness for us to Confess our FAITH in Him?

2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV/emphasis & paraphrase added/jaj)....."For ALL The Promises of God Find Their YES In Him (our Lord Jesus Christ).  THAT Is WHY It Is THROUGH Him that we utter our AMEN to God for His Glory."....

In a Word.....OUTSTANDING.....

Thus, May I Offer Up this Paraphrase of Prayer and Praise in Response To our Lord's Awesome PROMISE of which we Can Stand Upon in Total Confidence - Following Always In Touch (with) HIM....Psalm 22:25-28 (ESV/emphasis & paraphrase added/jaj).....O Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God, we Lift Up Your Praise in the great congregation.  Lord Jesus, May we Confess our Vows of FAITH to You.  Holy Spirit, Strengthen us and Help us to Perform/Reflect our FAITH to All, Standing With You and those who Faithfully Esteem, Adore and Respect You as Lord.  Father God, Thank You for Your LOVE.  For Through Your Son, our Lord Jesus, the afflicted Shall Eat of Your GRACE And Be Satisfied in our Souls.  O Lord Jesus, May those who Seek You, Find You and Lift Up Praise In Your Name, O Lord our God!  Holy Spirit, May our Inner Hearts Live Forever In Your Presence!  Father God, Revive us that All the ends of the earth Remember And Turn To You, Lord.  Lord Jesus, May we Share Your Story and Be Your Ambassadors that ALL the families of the nations Shall Come and Worship Before You.  Indeed, Lord Jesus, May we Proclaim Your Kingship.  We Belong to You, O Lord!  You Do Rule Over All.  In Your Holy Name we Pray....Amen and Amen....jaj

Bonus:  Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)...."Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."