Giving Thanks Daily: Day 937 of Giving Thanks

The Key to Pressing On Boldly

Friends, before we begin the New Year and venture off into making New Year's Resolutions I sense God prompting me, to encourage each one of us, to wait patiently before Him, to listen intently to hear what He is saying and where HE is leading us.

KNOWING WHAT GOD HAS SAID gives us the confidence to press on securely... no matter what else comes our way.

Hebrews 11:1-2 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (New International Version) So, "What is faith? And where does TRUE faith come from?"

Faith is not conjuring up some noble notion or incredible feat and commanding God to bless and empower...True faith is a direct step of obedience, a response to follow after God's promise and commission.

In Hebrews 11:8-12 we read, "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore."

But the truth God has revealed over and over to me, in the past couple of years, is that ABRAHAM never FULLY witnessed the fulfillment of GOD'S PROMISE.

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." ~Hebrews 11: 13-16, (New International Version)

The KEY to PRESSING ON BOLDLY and LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST occurs when we step out to follow after, responding to GOD'S voice alone.

Anyone can venture off into the unknown tagging God's name to their quest...but true faith never originates from "SELF"...true Faith derives directly in response to God's command.

True faith presses on when others shrink back, not because of self will or sheer determination, but because confidence in "WHO GOD IS" compels no other possibility.

Beloved, what is GOD calling you to in this New Year? Where is He leading? What does HE require from YOU? Our hope, our confidence, and our ability to press on, demands we know the answers to these questions. My prayer going into this NEW YEAR is that we might KNOW more intimately WHO GOD IS and that every ounce of our soul KNOWS exactly what HE IS SAYING and where HE IS LEADING.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for all the lessons You've taught us in today. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your leading. Thank You that You have a plan for us in tomorrow. Help us to HEAR what YOU are saying. Speak clearly. Direct our steps. We commit to follow YOU!