HOW MUCH FAITH DOES IT TAKE ?

There are all kinds of stories and counsel about faith in the Bible.

  • Some great faith—great results.
  • Some weak people, with faith—great results.
  • Some counsel—little faith—great results.
  • Some little faith, rebuked—great results.
  • Some prayers without faith—no results.
  • Some praying early—Jesus.
  • Some praying all night—Jesus.
  • Some praying in a solitary place—Jesus.
  • So, faith takes lots of prayer !

Question:
HOW MUCH FAITH DOES IT TAKE ?

Answer:
All the faith you’ve got, in God Who makes up the difference for what it takes.

Then, do not fail to acknowledge and thank Him for His answers and actions in your life—the big ones and the little ones and the ones different than you asked for.

And faith grows !

Find some Bible verses to say out loud to God over and over—‘wear them out’—God loves to hear us say what He said.

ISAIAH 5:20

This morning (1-13-26) on American Family Radio, Jeff Schreve was illustrating how the democrats/the left totally oppose everything President Trump does, says, stands for. He used Isaiah 5:20 to underscore his point.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

Meaning of Isaiah 5:20

The following copied from the internet, including this disclaimer:
“Auto-generated from sources. May be inaccurate.” (That’s interesting—this time they? got it right.)

“Isaiah 5:20 serves as a warning against moral confusion and the distortion of truth. It highlights the danger of reversing moral values, where what is traditionally seen as good is labeled as evil, and vice versa. This verse addresses the people of Judah, emphasizing the consequences of straying from God’s commandments.

Themes

Moral Relativism: The verse critiques the tendency to redefine morality based on personal or societal preferences rather than absolute truths.

Judgment: The term “woe” indicates a solemn warning of impending judgment for those who mislead others by distorting moral truths.

Spiritual Vigilance: It calls for self-examination and discernment among believers to avoid falling into the trap of accepting falsehoods as truth.

Cultural Context

In the time of Isaiah, the people faced significant moral and spiritual decline. The prophet’s message remains relevant today, urging individuals to uphold biblical values and discern right from wrong amidst cultural pressures.”

PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE ?

Teaching of pre-tribulation rapture says, or implies . . .
— not all the elect will go up in the rapture
— there is a second chance to get saved if you missed the rapture
— people get saved after the rapture, and they experience mega tribulation and martyrdom (but we don’t, we won’t, because we’re gone ?)
— there is a second coming of Jesus and a third coming of Jesus
— we Christians will not escape ‘regular’ tribulation, but we will escape ‘great’ tribulation
— compelling people to get saved to avoid The Great Trbulation supercedes compelling people to get saved to avoid hell
— descriptions in the Bible of The Great Tribulation don’t apply to us who won’t be here (so what’s the point of most of Revelation ?)
— three (or . . .) interpretations or beliefs about the end-times time line are always mentioned first—then, “I believe this way”—and then, every question, every detail is covered definitively as fact
— so other beliefs, other interpretations, are left in the dust, regarded as ridiculous


Question:
What effect does most end-time teaching have on the listener/reader ?


Important:
Teaching about repentance and believing in Jesus for forgiveness so your name is written in heaven—this message must prevail over any emphasis on end-time teaching.

PREACHERS PRACTICED WHAT THEY PREACHED

Preachers practiced the Second Amendment decades before it was written.

In fact, it was the preachers in America that inspired the Revolution, and the Second Amendment, by their actions, and scared King George the most.
King George said so.

C H R I S T M A S 2025

(I shared this at Church In The Park on Sunday, before Christmas)

CHRISTMAS 2025
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!


Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;
The stars in the heavens looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.


Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

☆ ☆ Have you been to Jesus ? ☆ ☆

  • to the manger to worship ?
  • to the cross to repent ?
  • to the grave ? ? ?
    — Jesus’ grave is not the end of story
    — Jesus’ grave has no memorial
    — Jesus’ grave is EMPTY
    — Jesus’ empty grave means victory
  • Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
    Because He lives, all fear is gone;
    Because I know He holds the future,
    My life is worth the living just because He lives.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

“We love Him because He first loved us.”

“I love the Lord because He hears my prayers and answers them.
Because He bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I live.”

I love you Lord,
And I lift my voice
To worship You.
O my soul, rejoice.
Take joy, my King,
In what You hear;
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
In Your ear.

Blessed assurance,
Jesus is mine.
Oh what a foretaste
Of glory divine.
Heir of salvation,
Purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit,
Washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

☆ BLESSED ASSURANCE ☆

Will you get this blessed assurance, this Peace—
— Peace from Jesus
— Peace with Jesus
— Peace in Jesus
— Peace of Jesus
— Peace, only if you have Jesus

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.”

Jesus leaves us with His Peace.
The world leaves us with peace, that leaves.


My Christmas wish for you—in this last song:

☆ ☆ ☆ Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls
O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

Peace, peace! wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above,
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray,
In fathomless billows of love. ☆ ☆ ☆

“The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL !

SENIOR SORROWS – – – WHAT DOES GOD THINK ?

What is God’s perspective on the inevitable deterioration in senior years ?

We “call on Him in every trouble”, every challenge, every test, every detail.
He “delivers us” over and over again.
We “glorify Him” just like His Word tells us.

Some experience more deliverance than others, and come to the end of life with glory and praise for God’s goodness.
But most of us experience decline in senior years—in health, in strength, in mental function, in what we can do, in what doesn’t work like it used to, in pain, in failure, in loss, in heartache, in heartbreak, in all the cryptic descriptions of Ecclesiastes 12. *

So, how much of this should we fight and claim victory over—with the multitude of Bible verses that promise miracles—yes, even experienced before, with faith.
So, how much of this “going down” are we supposed to accept and ‘adjust to?’ because that’s just what happens in this fallen world.

Is is possible to know what God thinks ?
I know it is dangerous to say what God thinks.
We can confidently say what God says in His Word.
In His Word He tells us His Will.
In His Word He tells us His Promises.
In His Word He tells us how He kept His Promises.

But now, personal, in my life, where do I claim overcoming with His Promises, and where do I resign with His Promises.
I’ve been walking with Jesus too long with too much reality, to spin His Promises with my words to suit my comfort level.

All the people who walked with Jesus before me, like Daddy, enduring to the end, “faithful unto death”, certainly had God’s smile of approval and reward, “the crown of life”.
If we endure, even when we start to ‘lose it’ in later years, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. Remind the believers of these things.”

* May I suggest reading this chapter from your Bible, before reading the following.
Ecclesiastes 12, with translations of the cryptic (help from Bible Lessons International).
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the days of adversity come
[times of sickness, sorrow, senility]
and the years approach of which you will say,
‘I find no pleasure in them,’
[deterioration of the physical body robs life of joy]
before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened,
[even the beauty of seeing God’s creation grows dim as one ages]
and the clouds return after the rain,
[never a clear day, never a sunlit morning, always gray and gloomy]
on the day the keepers of the house tremble
[the body’s arms shaking (from age or fear)]
and the strong men stoop,
[the legs]
when those grinding cease because they are few
[the teeth]
and those watching through windows see dimly,
[the eyes]
when the doors to the street are shut
[lack of hearing]
and the sound of the mill fades away,
[ears]
when one rises at the sound of a bird
[sleeplessness]
and all the daughters of song grow faint,
[bad hearing, fading sexual desire]
when men fear the heights and dangers of the road,
[standing, fear of falling, difficulty walking]
when the almond tree blossoms,
[white, gray hair]
the grasshopper drags himself,
[elderly walking bent over]
and the caper berry is ineffective—
[normal sexual desire is gone]
for then man goes to his eternal home
and mourners walk the streets.
[waiting for you to die]
Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is crushed,
[the value, yet frailty of human life]
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring
and the wheel is broken at the well,
[household items, daily chores]
before the dust returns to the ground from which it came
[humans made from dust]
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
[breath from God]

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.”

LOOK – – – BEHOLD – – – BE STILL

☆ LOOK up at the stars.
The massive, overwhelming sky communicates to every person on earth, to everybody who ever lived—unmistakable message—no excuse ‘didn’t know’.

The stars, the moon, the sun direct the schedule of the world, the universe.
The precision is absolutely undeniable.

And the amazing complexity that keeps me alive multiplies the wonder of it all.

☆ BEHOLD these awesome wonders, comprehend what it means, and what is behind it all.

☆ BE STILL, stop, be silent, listen, learn, open your heart and soul, and know !

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

“LOOK to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

“BEHOLD, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.”

“BE STILL, and know that I AM God.”

MEMORIALS – – – FOR ?

What are memorials for ?
— for remembering the past.
— for inspiring the present.

Who are memorials for ?
— for remembering people who have passed.
— for inspiring us to also be faithful.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS ?

! ! ! It’s Christmas ! ! !
Have you been to Jesus ?

Have you been to Jesus
— at His birth to worship Him ?
— at His miracles to thank Him ?
— at His compassion to love Him ?
— at His sermons to learn from Him ?
— at His solitary place to pray with Him ?
— at His cross to repent, give your sin to Him ?
— at His empty grave to celebrate victory with Him ?

“Because He lives I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds my future,
My life is worth the living
Just because He lives.”

DID GOD REALLY SAY ENOUGH ?

The Bible is enough.
It tells us what we need to know.
It does not tell us what we don’t need to know.
We don’t need to speculate—we dare not speculate—about what the Bible does not tell us.

Apply this to everything else.
Read the Bible for what we must know about . . .

  • origins
  • sin
  • salvation
  • end times
  • heaven
  • hell
  • any doctrine

Consider:
“Did God really say ?”
That trick worked the first time in the garden—it tricked Eve and Adam.
That same trick works over and over ever since.

Consider this also:
Did God really not say ?
Ask both questions whenever dealing with any issue.

It’s okay, it’s good, it’s wise, it’s essential to be a strict, purist, literalist follower of Jesus with what He tells us in the Bible.

Closing question:
Does not the Bible clearly and unmistakably give direction for our lives—more than enough to keep us busy obeying what He says—Jesus, The Word ?