Hey Friends –
Welcome! If this is your first visit — hello, friend! You can begin the 31 Days to Fire Up Your Faith here. Thanks for joining us on this power-filled faith journey!
I love this comment I received this morning from one fired-up friend in Canada.
She shared, “… I’m loving this week’s key of receiving God’s Power! I had a moment with Him this week that unlike anything I’ve ever experienced with Him before… Since I watched the video you posted from Bill Hybels I’ve been getting up earlier in the morning to spend time with God. Today marks 18 days! (In a row!) Which I have to admit is the longest stretch I’ve ever had of being in relationship with God…”
Isn’t that awesome?! Woo Hoo!
If you have comments/stories/photos to share, please send them my way to cindy@cindybultema.com.
Maybe I should add 2 more “P’s” to our 5 P’s — personal testimonies and photos! They sure fire up my faith — how about you?! 🙂
As our dear Canadian friend mentioned, this week we’ve been talking about
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Key # 4 — Power
Sweet friends, here’s the bottom line:
As followers of Christ, we were meant to experience power-filled, effective lives.
Am I saying a life without problems? NO.
Am I saying a life of ease and comfort? NO.
Personally, I’m wrestling with my own “faith challenges” these days.
- Hard conversations.
- Wounds re-opened.
- Overwhelming To-Do lists.
- Close friends who are going through significantly hard times.
In many ways, this season just doesn’t look like I had hoped that it would. I wonder if you can relate.
Life can be hard sometimes, huh?
And so I turn to God’s Promises. Remember Jeremiah 23:29 — “Is not My Word…like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”
When we need a breakthrough, let’s grab the hammer of God’s Word and let the His Promises do their powerful, life-changing work!
A verse I pray nearly every single day is Phillipians 4:13.
Read it aloud in the Amplified Bible below —
I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me – I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me…
That’s what I need, friends — an infusion of His inner strength and power into me!
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‘all know I’m a visual learner.
I literally picture myself every day —with my arms stretched out, palms facing upward —hooking up to the Divine IV, and allowing God’s power and strength to slowly start infusing right into my weary soul.
And I pray….
- Infuse me with Your POWER, O Lord—and I think about how POWERFUL and STRONG and MIGHTY He is!
- Infuse me with Your PEACE— and I reflect on His peace, His perfect peace (shalom shalom), that surpasses all understanding…even in the midst of disappointment and despair
- Infuse me with Your PATIENCE, O God— and I think about how patient He has been with me. Always. Even when I didn’t deserve it…one bit. (May I extend that same patience to my kids —and my naught overweight dog — today!)
- Infuse me with Your GRACE— and I am overwhelmed as I ponder His amazing grace. His grace that saved a wretch like me. May my life (and my thoughts and actions) reflect His grace to all who encounter me today.
Let’s be honest. Our circumstances and faith challenges do not change when we hook up to the Divine IV.
Personally, my heart still needs healing. Relationships still need mending. My To-Do list is still overwhelmingly long.
What about for you, friend? Could you use an infusion today? An infusion of God’s power? His patience? An extra dose of His peace?
May I encourage you to sit back, spend a few minutes resting in Him, and allow God to infuse you with everything that you need.
He is able….of this I am sure.
Today’s Challenge: Day 23 of our 31 Days.
1. Grab your Fire Up My Faith notebook and head to “your chair.” Jot down today’s date, and then spend time in prayer asking God to open your eyes, ears, and heart to all He has for you. Write out Phil 4:13 AMP in your notebook. What does this verse mean to you? Could you use an infusion today? An infusion of God’s power? His patience? An extra dose of His peace? Spend time journaling your responses, feelings, and reflections.
2. I love this quote by D.M. Dawson, “Without the power of the Holy Spirit all human efforts, methods, and plans are as futile as attempting to propel a boat by puffing at the sail with our own strength.” What does this quote mean to you? Have you ever experienced this to be true in your own life?
3. Who do you know who lives a power-filled life in Christ? What are their habits? Disciplines? Share with us (not their name necessarily) but what characterizes their life as power-filled. What can you learn from following their example of fatih? (1 Cor 11:1)
Thanks for stopping by 31 Days to Fire Up Your Faith. I thank God for you! May you experience His divine power today!
Sweet blessings
P.S. Can you believe we are entering the home stretch? Only 7 days left! In case you don’t want to miss a final day, you can like my FB page, connect with me on Twitter, or subscribe to my blog via the sidebar. There’s still more ideas, resources, and encouragement to Fire Up Your Faith to come!
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