God requires faith from us. Faith in who our LORD claims to be.                            Faith in God’s salvation plan through Jesus Christ alone.                                          Faith that God will never leave us or forsake us.

It is the humility of our faith that God honors, and through which God lavishes on us an intimate and eternal relationship with Him.

 We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

Personal Reflections from Sylane:                                                                           Faith is NOT a feeling.

Faith is NOT about feeling that God is who God claims to be. Faith is NOT about feeling that I am saved. Faith is NOT about never feeling alone or abandoned.

Faith is a conscious decision to take God at God’s Word.

Faith often involves risk and uncertainty. 

Faith can sometimes involve long periods of waiting (according to our perspective) to hear from God…or sense any leading from God…or recognize the evidence that God really is answering our heartfelt prayers.

So why should we live by Faith? Why not by sight?

Because God is who God claims to be: Loving, Holy, Righteous, Just, Wise, Compassionate, Eternal, Intimate, Sovereign, Faithful, True. God is One. And our Lord Jesus Christ is the One True God.

God actually encourages us to seek Him, to call out to Him. God promises to reveal Himself to us who would humble ourselves enough to risk checking God out for who He claims to be.

Sight alone would tell us that there is no real meaning or purpose in life.

Sight alone would tell us that there is no true and perfect love for us to know and experience.

Sight alone would tell us that we are all going to die and that is the end of our existence. There is nothing more.

Faith agrees with God according to the Truth of God’s Word:

• That we have been PURPOSEFULLY made in God’s image and through the redemption and salvation of Jesus Christ that we will yet be transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory. (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15: 49; 2 Corinthians 3:18)
• That God has His purpose for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:10)
• That God has an ever-lasting love for us, calls us to love Him and love others (Jeremiah 31:3; Deuternonomy 6: 4-5; Mark 12: 29-31; 1 John 4:7-21)
• That God intended us to have eternal life with Him and that through Jesus Christ death has been conquered! (Genesis 2:9; Isaiah 53:11; Daniel 12:2, John 3:14-17; Romans 8:37-39; 1 Corinthians 15: 52-57)

These Bible passages are just a very few of the Scriptures that would call us to a Decision–NOT a Feeling–of FAITH. And even that which would call us to make a FAITH decision is from the very Spirit of the Living God.

Let’s each ask God to help us know Him, to help us trust Him…to help us determine–through the knowledge of God’s Word and the power of God’s Holy Spirit–that we can, and will, make a conscious decision to put our faith in the Living God–the Lord Jesus Christ.

No matter what our limited sight perspective may bring as evidence to the contrary.

Jesus told us, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” –John 14:6

It will be through humility and risk-taking, life-freeing, life-giving FAITH that we will fully agree with God.

Living by faith is so much more than anything sight could ever offer us.

Our FAITH–our agreeing with God causes us to be embraced with the fullness of love and life, hope and peace for which our very souls crave.

FAITH in Jesus our Holy God is something to live by…something to walk and run and jump and dance by…for all eternity!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane  

We don’t always know what is happening in our present circumstances. We don’t often know what we should plan for OR do about our future. We can, and often, feel like we are in a state of limbo.

But limbo is only a limited, human perception. Limbo is NOT a God reality.

God always knows every detail of who we are, how we and and what we are going through every moment of our lives. And our Sovereign and Intimate LORD holds each of us, every day of our lives, in His faithful and loving hands. THIS is where we are. We are NOT in limbo when we are in Christ!

My times are in Your hands…Psalm 31:15

We have been called by God to be His children, and we are called the Body of Christ.

So, let us live our lives reaching out to others in the name of Jesus and with His loving heart, healing hands, open arms, compassionate eyes, listening ears, truth-speaking mouth and feet ready to help others around us.

Living in an intimate, dynamic relationship with the Worthy One–our Lord Jesus Christ–makes it possible and gives us the power to live a worthy life of God’s calling. And what a worthwhile and joyful life that is!

 …live a life worthy of the calling you have received.   Ephesians 4:2

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane 

Do you know who you are in God? Jesus did. Jesus knew who He was in God, and He knew all that the Father had given Him.

This knowledge gave Jesus the absolute power to be completely humble. No act of loving servanthood–no matter how lowly or behind the scenes–could ever deny the truth of Jesus’ eternal authority, power and position in His God and Father.

And this is the truth for us as well.

When we know and believe who we truly are as children of the Most High God, we will have the power to freely and humbly serve our brothers and sisters in this world with the unfailing love of our Heavenly Abba!

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist…and began to wash His disciples’ feet…John 13:3-5

There are times that I just want to knock heads together!

Instead, I have learned (and will continue to learn) that I must invite God to knock on my head with His far wiser, more loving plan of action…and reaction! And, oh! It is so much better when we do things God’s way–for ourselves and for others involved!

In Christ we are given wisdom, grace, truth, peace, strength and love to remain calm and thoughtful right in the midst of a sudden crisis and fierce persecution. We must always choose to let God, not our emotions, rule our heads!

Obedience, in humility and sincerity, to God’s precept to keep our heads in all situations will help protect us so we won’t lose face!

But you, keep your head in all situations… 2 Timothy 4:5

Sometimes we feel so afraid, weak, bitter or unable to control our thoughts, emotions, words and actions. God has given us a spirit that battles and conquers all of that! We must claim what we have been given through the Spirit of the Almighty and Living God!

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.  2 Timothy 1:7

God has done a new thing for His people. Through His eternally present Spirit, God’s words and ways have now been put within our minds and hearts. They are intimately and powerfully available to shape us, guide us and transform us as the people of God.

Will we let them?

“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD.” I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.”  Jeremiah 31:33

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane 

God gives His children the light of His Spirit so that we may draw others to the loving heart of our righteous God! Through God’s light, our lives are to shine with the gift of salvation that comes freely through Jesus Christ–God’s Son, God’s anointed Messiah!

 Shine, children, shine! 

Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.  Daniel 12:3

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane 

Ignorance is NOT bliss.

When it comes to knowing our God and His plan for salvation through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus, knowledge is absolutely essential. 

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.  Hosea 4:6

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane  

God does turn our world upside down. But that’s a good thing.

When we realize that the LORD really is our life–the Creator, the Savior and Redeemer of our life–we will want to let go of our perceived control over our lives and, instead, hold tightly onto our God’s eternal and true gift of life!

Actually, God turns our lives upside right! And that’s a very good thing!

Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it.  Matthew 16:25