faithtrust

                                                                           Parousia Patris News
Volume 10 Issue 1 �Faith-Trust in Father, Son and Holy Spirit�          January 2009

   �Looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem and purify for Himself His special people�� Titus 3:13-14a
     The Firm foundation of Faith is the perfection of God; His unerring knowledge; His unquestionable truth, infinite goodness, and almighty power. Faith in scripture, is taken for truth and faithfulness of God.
     Faith is dependence, a firm belief and trust in a person. One is said to �keep faith� when he performs a promise made to another person. �Therefore, having been justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by Faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.� Romans 5:1-2.
     Trust is to put your confidence that when a promise is made, the promise will be carried out! When you look at Faith and Trust together, they are much the same. They do work together. Each is dependent on the other.
�Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.� Proverbs 3:5-6.
�Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the confidence (realization) of things not seen.� Hebrews 11:1.
Hebrews 11 is known as the �Faith� chapter in the Bible. �Without Faith it is impossible to please Him, (God) for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.� Hebrews 11:6.
    The Psalmist says in Psalm 118:5-9, �I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear, what can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me; therefore, I shall see the desire on those who hate me. It is better to Trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to Trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.�
Psalm 33:18-22, �Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear (are in awe) of Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You!�
    We have only written one newsletter, at CHRISTmas since August-September. We have been tested as to our Faith and Trust in our Heavenly Father God, Jesus Christ our Savior, and the Holy Spirit. In July 2008, Pam had panic attacks, with highly elevated blood pressure that concerned us. We called the EMT. They are �Angels� in disguise! They did an EKG, blood pressure and other vitals, to determine all was OK. Suggestion was made to go to the doctor to control the symptoms. The doctors switched meds 3 times and she took one 28 days until she began to have hallucinations, suicidal thoughts or do harm to someone else. This is not the Pam I have known for 25 years. The doctor said to quit �cold turkey�, which we learned later is not the way to do it. She has been off meds for 6 months and still has times when she experiences satanic attacks telling her she is not going to live or something dire will happen to one of us. This is telling just a few of the episodes that come to her.
     She is much better now and is realizing that God is preparing her to be stronger in her weakness, to be able to witness to other folks in the future. The apostle Paul in 2Corinthians 12:7-9, had a �thorn in the flesh� that he asked God 3 times to remove. God�s answer was �no� 3 times and He said, �My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in your weakness�. Apostle Paul went on to write more than half of the New Testament, much of it while in prison, chained to guards 24 hours a day. An interesting side line, it was �open season� on the Roman guards chained to him for he testified to them of Jesus Christ and they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They in turn helped to build the church in Rome.
     Yes, there have been many times in these 6 months when we have had our Faith tested. This is written 20 January 2009. Just today we received the news that Pam�s CT of her head was �normal�, showing that there was no evidence of a stroke!!! Also she had an ultra sound of her gall bladder that proved to be also �normal�!! This evening we are �Praising the Lord and praying back a big �Thank You, Heavenly Father!!� We have much to be thankful for!! There are still moments of fear and doubt. Please pray with us that she will be able to call these negative thoughts what they really are, lies from satan, and place her trust completely in God, our Heavenly Father. She will serve the Lord her God and no one or nothing else.
     Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, �Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.� There are many benefits of trusting (putting my confidence in my Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.) Psalm 5:11-12, �Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You protect them; Let those also who love your name be joyful in You! For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous, with favor you will surround him as with a shield!� God will give us His deliverance; Psalm 22:4-5, �Our fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.�
    God instructed Joshua when he was to take over and lead more than 2 million Israelites, when Moses died, in Joshua 1:5b-6a, �I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage!� Again God said in verse 9, �Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.� Joshua was to trust God as he took over this awesome task of leading God�s people to the Promised Land.
    We can trust God because we can never be separated from Him! Psalm 139:7-12; �Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I fall from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell You are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me; indeed the darkness shall not hide me from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.� Isn�t that interesting? There is no way we can be separated from our Heavenly Father if we trust in Him with faith in Him, even darkness and daylight are all the same to Him!!
    Acts 16:16-31 is an example of trust and faith in action, Apostle Paul and Silas, his fellow missionary, were leading a prayer meeting. A demon possessed girl kept following them and declaring for all to hear that these two men were �servants of the Most High God who declare to us the way of salvation!� (v17). Her knowledge was from the demon. After many days of this, Paul did not want the people to believe because the girl said so, so he �commanded the demon to come out of her.� When she was freed of the demon, her handlers knew they were out of business because she could no longer tell fortunes. They had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown into the inner prison and placed in stocks. That night at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying, praising God and singing hymns and all the prisoners were listening to them. God sent a great earthquake that shook the foundation of the prison, all prisoners� chains fell off and all doors opened. The jailer woke up and assumed all had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself, because all prisoners were his personal responsibility, if they escaped he gave his life. Paul told him everyone was still in place. He came in to Paul and Silas asking, �What must I do to be saved? Paul�s and Silas� answer was, �Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household!� Acts 16:31. The jailer�s entire family believed and you know what? We will see that Philippian jailer and his family (Acts 16:16-31) in heaven some day!! This is a demonstration of Paul and Silas trust in God, even to being jailed for their trust! Also the jailer and his family had faith in God to believe what Paul and Silas taught them.
    �For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.� John 3:16. Why trust God? He gave His very best, His only Son!! Why trust Jesus? He gave His life on the cross for you and me!! God says in Isaiah 49:8, �In a favorable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.� Paul adds in 2 Corinthians 6:2b, �Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation!�
    Have you placed your trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Do you have faith in God�s Word to ask Jesus to be your Savior? Pray a prayer; Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I want to repent of my sins. I know You died on the cross for me. I accept You Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Thank You Jesus for saving my soul, and I will be with you in Heaven always. Amen!
    If you asked Jesus into your heart and life, please write and tell us so we can praise God with you! Our love in Jesus� name, to each and every reader. Our address is Parousia Patris News, PO Box 1393, Ava, MO 65608    Blair and Pam