Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Operate on faith or endure? | Heb 11:1 | Shuggy | 23847 | ||
I'm a little confused about faith. Let me explain. I'm listening to Dr. Charles Stanley's series on Walking by Faith. In once instance, he says that we are to operate by faith and believe in God for everything. On the next tape he talks about endurance. Specifically, endure that job. Here's the situation. My employer is way beyond struggling to keep his company afloat. Last pay period we (1 person got paid) didn't get paid since there was no money. I also am a Personal Trainer. I feel this is my calling to help other people. I want to quit my job and just do personal training. So...do I endure? Do I operate on faith and leave the job knowing that God will provide the clients I need to be profitable. I'm really confused about operating faith. Somebody help me out on this. | ||||||
2 | Operate on faith or endure? | Heb 11:1 | Mommapbs | 23848 | ||
Faith always has an object. Jesus is the object of our faith. We believe God because of WHO HE IS; we are confident that He will do as He promises. But do we leap off a bridge because He says in Jude 1:24 that "He will keep us from falling?" Hardly! We must be very careful to not abuse God's Word! God's plans for our lives do not come in a neatly wrapped box, ready for us to tear into and enjoy. Instead, His plan is most often hidden, waiting to be discovered! There is great joy in seeking and finding the "surprises" of God! In order to help you sort out your situation may I suggest the following: place your wants and God's will in separate categories until you are sure that they are aligned. Do not not trust your "feelings." Faith is not about feelings, but it is being confident about WHO and what we cannot see. You believe that your calling is to help others. You want to quit your job. Where does God's will figure into these statements? If God has indeed called you to serve others, are you sure that it is specifically "personal training?" If it is, then God will give others for you to serve. But, before you "leap" I would encourage you to spend much time in prayer and in searching God's Word for direction. He will be faithful to answer you when you call upon Him! Sometimes He says, "Yes;" sometimes He says, "No;" and other times He says, "Wait a while." After this, please seek the counsel of a mature believer. God's plan will be clear when what He says by His Spirit through His Word, through prayer, through experiences He gives you, and through other believers is in agreement. You have faith in Jesus. This faith enables you to endure the period you are now in! I call this "God's waiting room!" God's Word tells us to wait patiently for Him! If your hope is in Jesus - He knows what you need and will provide, but it will be in His timing. Don't rush God; let Him make the path straight before you! Sometimes, He has to get out heavy equipment to move some roadblocks - but it's worth the wait! |
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3 | Operate on faith or endure? | Heb 11:1 | Shuggy | 23894 | ||
Momma-Thanks for the answer. You say to list my wants and God's will. Wouldn't most of us do God's will if we new exactly what it is? I have been personal training for over 20 years as I side job. I had the opportunity to work it full time while I was in Germany. Everything else in my life seem to line up when that happened and I loved helping people to attain their fitness goals. In some cases, it completely changed them as a person. By that I mean, lifting their self-esteem and confidence. On one hand I feel like I'm not truly trusting God if I don't step out and start working on to get more clients. I know what you mean about providing folks for me to serve but shouldn't we be actively working God's plan? If we step out on faith that God will provide aren't we trusting Him that He will provide? Also, about this job. I interviewed at a place other than the job site. When I went to the job site, the Friday before I started Monday morning, I felt a heaviness over me like..uh oh...something is not right here. But, he had already let go of the other person so I felt obligated to stay. My boss is great. He's a believer and a great guy but, he has gone bankrupt before and I see so many obvious mistakes that are being made and nothing being done about it. I welcome your further comments or email mail at shuggy2u@yahoo.com Thanks and God Bless you. |
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4 | Operate on faith or endure? | Heb 11:1 | Mommapbs | 23950 | ||
You asked: “Wouldn't most of us do God's will if we new exactly what it is?” Sadly, the answer is no. It is our human and sinful nature, still riddled with pride, that so often asserts itself causing us to think we know a better way – our way not Yahweh, pun intended! Look before you leap asking: Will my choice or decision bring glory to God or to me? Will this enable me to fully rely upon God? Will this strengthen my relationship with God? You enjoyed success in the past, but perhaps you are afraid to STAY put now! You observe that the person you are working for has had a history of past failures. You also observe that he is a “believer and a great guy.” He terminated someone and has offered the position to you, so obviously he has a need that you may be able to meet. You state, “I see so many obvious mistakes that are being made and nothing being done about it.” These are facts. Perhaps God will use YOU to be His instrument of change here! Now compare this to what you have written: “I felt a heaviness over me, something is not right here. But I felt obligated to stay.” Don’t trust feelings to direct your course of action; feelings should only confirm what you already know. Perhaps God has a lesson for you, or perhaps your boss, to learn through this experience. You are focusing on the past when you write: “Everything else in my life seemed to line up when -you were working full time as a personal trainer-and I loved helping people to attain their fitness goals. In some cases, it -your work- completely changed them as a person. By that I mean, lifting their self-esteem and confidence.” I must ask: Where is God in this picture? Everything is just about you and what you are doing. Where do you see His plan and His Hand in your experience? How did God use this to shape and refine you, drawing you into a closer, more dependent relationship with Him? Did your experience bring those you were with into a closer walk or awareness of the Lord? God is always on the move, He calls us from something, to something, for something. I can’t encourage you enough to keep looking to Him for direction. Get into His Word. He will speak to you from it! Do not rely on the past, but thank God for those things that you have experienced! Press on! Be excited about what God will do next in your life. He loves you and wants you to follow Him, even if it means that you wait for a while as He prepares the way for you. Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things work together for good to THOSE who love God and are called according to His purposes. Focus on the word THOSE – this means that things God allows to happen in my life are not always just for MY benefit – they are GOOD FOR OTHERS as well. God has allowed your life to intersect with this man whom you declare is a believer. He has obviously made some costly mistakes. Don’t second-guess God based upon that past performance either! He may have placed your boss within the sphere of your influence for you to become God’s ministering instrument, to bring confidence and self esteem to both of you!. You wrote: ”I feel (There are those feelings again!) like I'm not truly trusting God if I don't step out and start working to get more clients . . . shouldn’t I be actively working God's plan? Yes, this is a good choice – to follow God’s PLAN for your life, to depend upon Him to equip you for whatever it is that He has prepared for you to do. Ephesians 2:10 Don’t confuse your ability as a personal trainer with the gifts that God has given you. Abilities are things we can do on our own; gifts are dependent upon the work of God. We should be exited about working with Him to use these for His glory! I honestly don’t know what it is that God intends for you to do for Him, but I do know that HE will reveal it to you when you seek Him with your whole heart. Read my note on Psalm 37:4. Jesus tells us to “Seek FIRST HIS Kingdom - that is His Sovereignty and Lordship over your life- and His righteousness -found only in Jesus- and all these things -what you need to accomplish God’s plan for your life- will be given unto you!” May these words dwell deeply into your soul and give you encouragement and blessings! In Christ, Mommapbs |
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5 | Operate on faith or endure? | Heb 11:1 | Shuggy | 23995 | ||
Thanks again for your answer. I agree with a lot of what you have written. However, when you talk about me operating so much on feeling...if we are doing God's will isn't it true that we have a "feeling" of peace over us? When I am able, through God, to help a person that feels broke, busted and disgusted, aren't I glorifying God in that way? Sometimes you have to be a friend and confident first in order to witness about Christ. Yes, personal training is an ability, exhortation is a gift which I feel is what you can do as a trainer. Atleast in my instance. I can only speak for myself. When I became a full time trainer and had rededicated my life to Christ shortly before that, people would ask me what's different about me? I seem so happy, confident? This opened the door for me to witness for Christ. I'm absolutely sure that this is God's plan for me. I just don't know the timing. Thanks again for all your help. God Bless You! Phyllis |
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