Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtFor the first 23 years of my life, my understanding of God was entirely shaped by what other people—many from diverse backgrounds—told me about Him. This left me with a confused and distorted perspective of who God truly was. Much of what I believed about Him was a mixture of human opinions and imaginations rather than truth.That all began to change when I met a woman who shared Jesus with me. She led me in a prayer to receive Him as my Savior and encouraged me to start reading the Bible. She assured me that the Holy Spirit, who now lived within me, would guide me and help me understand God’s Word. The realization that God reveals Himself to us was mind-boggling. God certainly uses pastors and teachers of the Bible to help us grow, but He also works through Bible-believing friends who love Him and live faithfully for the Lord. I began experiencing this firsthand 47 years ago, and from that moment, my questions about God started being answered, one by one.Do you have questions about God? Do you believe that He genuinely desires good for you? If you accept that God is good and that He truly is who He says He is, it will transform how you see Him, how you love Him, and what you expect from Him. Faith, at its core, is expectation—what you believe or anticipate something to be or become.God has made countless promises to those who belong to Him, and these promises are revealed throughout the Bible. If you ask the Holy Spirit to open your understanding as you read, you will encounter His help often. He will speak to you. As you do, remember this: God’s promises become ours through faith. When we have faith and trust what He has spoken, He brings those promises to fulfillment in our lives. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) says: “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” Hebrews 11:1 (TLB) further explains: “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.”Think about Noah. He spent over 100 years building an ark in obedience to God while being mocked by those around him. God had warned Noah about a coming flood that would destroy the earth and gave him precise instructions to save himself and his family. Though Noah shared God’s warning with others, no one believed him. Perhaps they thought he was crazy. Maybe people think the same of you for believing God’s Word. I promise you, it happens. But believing what God says is the essence of faith. You have the choice to believe or not. Noah believed God’s promise even though it had never rained on the earth before. That’s faith! People thought he was foolish, but Noah trusted God, and because of his faith, he and his family were saved.Moses trusted God’s promises, even in the most daunting situations. God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, saving those who had faith and followed him. When they were trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s approaching army, Moses’ faith in obeying God led to the miraculous parting of the sea, allowing the people to escape. Faith turns the impossible into reality. It matters because it brings God’s presence into our lives and transforms everything.Consider Peter. Jesus told him to go fishing to find tax money in the mouth of a fish. Only someone with faith would attempt such an unconventional task! But Peter believed, obeyed, and found the money just as Jesus had said.Noah saw the rain come. Moses saw the Red Sea part. Peter found the coin in the fish’s mouth.When we read the Bible, we do so with different challenges and needs in our lives. God, in His infinite love and wisdom, speaks to us through His Word in ways that build our faith and expectation. As your faith grows, you’ll find that His promises become more real than any circumstance you face, enabling you to stand strong even in adversity.It’s crucial to understand that God wants good for you. He wants you to trust that He will make a way, no matter what situation you’re in. This isn’t about seeing God as a genie who grants wishes. It’s about knowing Him as a loving Father who sees the beginning, the end, and everything in between. He answers every prayer in His perfect timing for those who walk by faith.When you recognize God’s promises, you have the opportunity to stand in faith—just as Moses did when faced with overwhelming odds. Yes, some will mock you. Sometimes the answers of God will take time for reason unknown to you. But God will to a work in you because of your steadfast faith in Him. And yes, fear will try to discourage you. But God’s promises will sustain you and lead you through.And so as you begin to learn all this from God's word and experience, hold fast to this one truth and don't every let the devil steal it from you! God wants good for you! Know it and be steadfast in it, always and forever. Do so and you will live a miraculous life! Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.In His love,Pastor Tim Burt
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