faith pleases God. flower gardens

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

My garden is dead and currently covered with snow! It was just a few months ago that it was spectacular and filled with color! It seems that around Christmas time each year, I begin to get excited, dreaming about working in my garden. Though that time is a number of months away, it is coming and I can’t wait to begin working in it!

Gardening is all about the exercise of your faith. You put tiny seeds and small plants into the ground in faith believing they will grow and become something beautiful! It reminds me of my life’s work. So much of what I do is like planting seeds and having faith that they will grow into something beautiful. I write these devotions trusting and having faith that God will speak through what is written and help people. I work with people, teaching them God’s Word, hoping in faith that it will bring reassurance of His love toward them and transform their lives into something meaningful. I do all these things in faith, trusting they will produce a diversity of blessings for many people.

You operate in faith way more than you might think you do. Every time you turn on a light switch, you have faith it’s going to come on trusting that it and the power are working. You drive your car in faith trusting that people are going to stay in their lane and not crash into you. There are hundreds of ways you walk by faith every week. You may be implementing something at work by faith believing you’ll experience successful results. Faith is an every-day ongoing part of life. God is to be the center of our faith. We lean on Him asking for His help and having faith that He cares for and will help us—AND HE WILL! First of all, our faith pleases God and secondly, like a plant growing, it releases us from what we have no control over once we’ve done our part.

Hebrews 11:1 NLT says, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Too often, people put their faith in themselves, their ability, and what they think they can accomplish. People of great achievement that are honest will tell you that many of the things that contributed to their success were things they had little do to with. That’s true for us all and should bring a sense of humility. For those that know and have faith in God, they can be honest and give God the glory and thanks. For those that don’t, they soak up the praise for what they know they don’t totally deserve. That will one day work against them.

I take a small seed that God has created and provided, and plant it in the ground. It turns into something beautiful. I really only had a small part. God made the seed and God created the process for its growth and provides the water. I simply plant it and water it. God created the beauty with which it will be appreciated. My part is so small. His part is everything! And it all works because of faith! Because of this, I have faith that what He tells me to do will produce a truly good result. When He instructs me in His Word, I pay attention. He is really the true gardener of our lives. I put my faith that the incorruptible seed of His Word that He plants in me will produce something beautiful! As a matter of fact, I know it will because it already has. And I’m sure it has in you too!

So… have faith and let God be the gardener who plants His seed in you. Read His Word. Pay attention to His words that especially speak to your heart. Plant the seed of His word in an action that you take my faith. And watch God bring fruit and blessing through your obedience! If you do, it will produce a garden of many beautiful things in your life! And you will be so thankful you took steps of faith that changed your world!

Hebrews 11:6 “It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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