Bible Challenge (Nehemiah 6:9)

"For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands." Nehemiah 6:9

As God is growing me and leading me in my walk with Him, He gives me a work to do. It can be something as "small" as staying at home and being a blessing to my family, or being a light and a testimony at college, or even something as "large" as going to a mission field. Whatever it is, as long as I am faithfully following Him, I am doing the work He has called me to. There comes a point in time when the devil realizes he can no longer take me away from the work, so he does his best to distract me. It can be with circumstances, "enemies", or even friends. Anything that will slow me down or hinder me from doing the work God has for me to do. (Read Nehemiah 6 for the full picture) But even when distractions come there is a comfort. I can call on the Lord to strengthen my hands, and though it can be difficult at times, HE can work His might through me and continue the work. Praise God for His strength through my weaknesses!

Bible Challenge (Exodus 3:3-4)

“And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said Moses, Moses, And he said, Here am I.” Exodus 3:3-4

Sometimes God desires for me to turn aside from the path I am walking in life to see what He is doing and how He is working, and many times uses that “wake-up call” to call me to something greater than what I have been doing.

Bible Challenge (Mark 1:35)

"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he(Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed." Mark 1:35

So many times throughout God's Word I am commanded to pray. I pray for wisdom and understanding when I read His Word, for meals, and for special requests. But do I ever just get alone with the Lord and talk to Him in prayer? Even Jesus, the Son of God Himself knew the importance of spending time alone with God. So many times I use the excuse that I don't have time, but even that excuse is nullified by Christ's example of getting up "a great while before day". It is that important. Am I willing to make a time of prayer a part of my day, even if I have to get up earlier in order to have unhindered and uninterrupted time with my Lord?

Bible Challenge (Matthew 21:22)

“And all things, whatsosever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” – Matthew 21:22

There have been things in the past that I have prayed for God to provide for me or remove from my life and I sat back and just waited for Him to answer. Sure, I knew He could do it, so I thought I was asking in prayer and believing. Recently I’ve come to realize that if I truly believed, I would act on that belief. I would not only pray for certain things, but I would go forward, acting on the faith that God WOULD provide or WOULD remove something from my life. Two farmers may pray for rain, and one sit on his porch waiting for it, while the other goes out and prepares his fields to receive it. Which one truly believed? Which one am I?

Bible Challenge (Exodus 4:10-12)

"And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." - Exodus 4:10-12

God does not care about what I can or cannot do, because when God calls me to do something, He also will equip me. I may not have all the answers or know everything before I begin to do the work He has called me to, but as long as I trust in Him and follow His will, He will give the answers and abilities as I need them. Not necessarily before.

Bible Challenge (Matthew 18:3-4)

"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3-4

The neat thing is that even though the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is those who are humble and have child-like faith, those who are truly humble and daily live that child-like faith have no desire to be creates in the kingdom of heaven. To be great is not the goal, but to be so low that being great doesn’t matter.

Bible Challenge (Matthew 14:29-31)

"And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore first thou doubt?" Matthew 14:29-31

It takes a great deal of faith to step out and go where I've never been before, but as long as I keep my focus on Jesus Christ, He will use that faith to hold me up. There may be times when I am whipped about by the winds of trouble and splashed by a wave or two of trials and testing, but as long as I keep my eyes fixed on Christ, I can keep walking forward in confidence. It is only when I take my eyes from the Lord and start to focus on the people or circumstances around me, or think to much about exactly WHAT I'm doing that I will start to become overwhelmed and sink. May I keep my eyes fixed on Christ and step forward confidently in the faith I have in Him!