5-Dec-14

…the faith because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. Colossians 1: 4-6No one can live without faith and hope.  These two combined bring us to our knees and ultimately raise us up to walk eternally in newness of life.  These two conditions of the heart, Faith and Hope, can only come through the gospel.  The gospel, the Good News, tells us about Jesus, his birth, death and resurrection.Faith and Hope.  Growing in Faith and Hope comes through God’s Grace and Love.  The Growing leads our hearts to transform our minds to think with Joy.  The kind of Joy that sustains us through hardship, the ‘splinters of life’ and the ‘this too shall pass’ times of life.For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7a   Thinking about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable.  And this is what you become and blessed.Dear Lord, Lead me to walk in the paths of righteousness, honor and glory.  My prayer is that those who read these words find your Grace and Joy of living in the Light of Jesus.  Forgive us, Lord, when we try to extinguish the Light of Jesus.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8