9/18/14- 1 John 5

13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5)

Thoughts: Faith involves confidence.  It involves a confidence that provides a foundation for life. John says that he is writing these things so that they may know and have confidence.  He writes so that they may know they have eternal life.  They do not need to wonder, or wander in a state of limbo.  It is possible to know- right now, that eternal life is ours.  How can we know this?  It is the same way we know anything.  How do we know the sun will rise tomorrow?  It is not that we went out and read all the astronomical data and mathematically figured that the sun will rise.  How do we know that our brakes will work in our car?  It is not that we pull the tires and check the brake shoes before we go anywhere.  Trust and confidence come with practice and finding reliability.  We know we have eternal life because the new life- the born again life- the eternal life does not begin when we die, but begins now.  We taste the life now, and we believe we will have more of it on the other side.  Because we know God, we have confidence He hears us and answers our prayers.  How do we know this?  Not because God has to always say yes (or we think He doesn't answer them).  We know He hears us because we have a living relationship with Him.  Faith in God involves confidence.  Not having faith means not having confidence.  We should now expect those who do not have faith to have confidence that it is possible to know we can have eternal life.  We should not expect those who do not have faith to have confidence in God's ability to answer prayer. 

Prayer: Lord, I have confidence in you.  Help me to live for you and pray earnestly to you, 

8/17/13- Confidence in God and God's Ability to Use Us

4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

(Nehemiah 2:4-5)

Thoughts: The cupbearer- who was not a builder- believed he could build up the city of Jerusalem and thus the church of God.  Confidence is one of the first steps to success.  Confidence is faith that you can do something.  For believers that confidence is not just in our own God-given abilities- but also in the God who gives them.  For God not only gives us all we need to fulfill the calling He gives us, He also goes with us into that call.  Nehemiah knew that he may not know what it takes to build, but the Great Architect and Builder was with him to see him through.  

Prayer: Lord give me confidence without pride.  Give me humble confidence in you.