My husband recently said to me “ I could listen to sermons which preach God’s Word all day long”. That simple statement says a lot about who my husband Philip is, what he values most and why he lives the way he does.
Anyone who knows Philip knows he just keeps going. He quite simply refuses to give up, to stop dreaming or to settle and succumb to negativity and despair for very long, even on his worst days. He just keeps on bouncing back, moving forward and dreaming great dreams and then encouraging others to do the same.
I believe akey to his perseverance and bounce back ability is not simply his personality, upbringing, experiences or the people he hangs around with, but rests in his relationship with God and his love for God’s Word. On a hard day or when Philip might not feel well or whenever discouragement tries to attack his resolve and positivity, you’ll find Philip doing one of two things. He will either be listening to a sermon where faith in God is being enthusiastically preached or he’ll be spending time in God’s presence with a bible in his hands carefully meditating and praying over God’s promises to him.
Over the years I have many times woken up in the middle of the night or in the early hours of the morning to find Philip missing from our bed. Instead of tossing and turning with worries that would usually give most people a sleepless night or choosing to lie in bed late after a difficult week you will often find him walking the floor praying and declaring God’s promises, or simply sitting spending time worshipping in and enjoying God’s presence.
Today I want to inspire you with my husband’s example and to encourage you to take the time to listen to those people who speak words of faith, life and hope, and who encourage you to believe. Learn from those who share about the love and grace of God and then choose to pick up a bible and find Gods’ wisdom, direction and promises for your life and the situations you are facing yourself.
If my husband’s example is anything to go by I can guarantee you that it will “put you over” your circumstances and energise your faith, draw you closer to Jesus, help you to dream big dreams and to live with hope in your heart. Regardless of our journey when we choose to consistently spend time in God’s presence, put His Word in our hearts and listen to those people who set great examples of faith and who know and are skilled in how to inspire and teach God’s Word, it will undoubtedly cause us to go further and higher in life and to become the person we were created to be.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
“Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.(James 1:22-23)
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”(Romans 10:17)
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”.(2 Timothy 3:16)
“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”(Isaiah 55:11)
“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”(1 Thessalonians 2:13)
Prayer:Lord thank you for the example others who know you can give me and for those skilled in sharing and teaching your Word. Please help me to consistently do those things, which will help me to grow in you, to deal with my issues, and to keep moving forward so that I will become all you have made me to be. In Jesus name Amen.