Lord, when what we know about you and your ways becomes something we "know", instead of just something we hope or believe, then our lives will become a walk in solid faith that brings life. Help us to hold all that you have spoken as a matter of fact rather than belief or hope and live accordingly. Then we can be called faithful to your heart and we will then be found confident, safe, content and well provided for because you are always faithful. Give us confident knowledge of you in place of our hope, and desire to believe, that we may be successful in our walk of faith by your judgment. For when our hearts are convicted by our knowledge of you, then our feet will follow the path guided by knowing eyes discerning the way to your heart. If we walk in faith given by confident knowledge, our faith will be strong and the evil one will not be able to snatch it away to lead us to fall.
When we know that the power that exists in this world has created an illusion of life, that by design will lead us into turmoil and death, then we will not be tempted to engage in it. When we realize that the things that distract us and occupy our time in the world separate us from you and service to your heart, then perhaps we will become better stewards of the precious numbered moments you have given us to prove our devotion.
When we know that the standard we live by is that of our God, then we will live free of eternal failure and condemnation. The standard of the world is designed to promote our failure and it's enticements call to our ambition and desire to be recognized and our flesh to be pleased. It calls for us to be seen as selfish individuals, set apart from the masses you created in your great love, thereby promoting division rather than unity. We are called by our King to be set apart from this world, but not from each other. The world's call to unity is in a self serving effort to promote united acceptance of its' own views rather than those of our God. We are united in Christ, but separated from the world because we subscribe to your teachings of proven wisdom rather than to the views of this world that are designed by the power that exists in it. If the world chooses to call this our failure, then let it die by itself that we may live united by your wisdom.
When we know that as we are able to keep you first in our thoughts constantly, reacting in all things according to your teaching, then we will have stability in our lives. For you are the stable and immovable God who directs our path and cares for us in all things as we permit it by our choice to be obedient to your Word. We will find our strength and all that we need in a source that is far more certain and powerful than ourselves or the world we walk in and we will never be disappointed.
When we know that our lives are designed by your plans and that your intentions are only good toward us, then we will be able to accept the difficulties we encounter as good and give praise for your intentions rather than blame. The gardener tends what he loves, removing the blight of diseased branches and gives the roots the ability to grow strong by trial. We are tried in refinement by your hand that we may flourish and have continued life by your merciful love for us. You give us to bear good fruit in great quantity as your wisdom sees our true need to be refined over our desire for comfort to guide us to successful life.
When we learn to hold all that you have spoken as the standard and the truth that we live by above every thing else we could know in the world, then we will have peace. For all that you have spoken is the life giving truth unchanged by the wisdom of men. It is our shield and our protection from the evil that exists to rob us of our inheritance and our identity in the Kingdom of our God.
When we know that love is your greatest power amongst us, that it represents your greatest strength in the world of men, then perhaps we will be moved to become heirs to the power to change the world. For it was not by violence that you conquered death to give us life, but by your love that the greatest battle in the universe was won.
When we know that if we see our own weakness when we look upon the faults of another, that we will be motivated to have compassion to speak life to them rather than judgment, we will be closer to your own heart. You came not to condemn us, as was your holy right, but to save us out of compassion and love. You are the only one holy perfect who chose not to judge, but forgive. We the forgiven, have no right, but to be forgiving by the gift of your grace.
Lord, by your mercy, grant us confident knowledge of you that our faith may be strong and that we may walk faithful to your heart.
Amen
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