• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Faithful with a Few

  • Start Here
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Start Here
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

romans

Faith In God – Growing In Times Of Uncertainty

By //  by Khaleef Crumbley

Having faith in God is vital during times of uncertainty. We need to be able to confront every doubt and fear with God’s word, if we are to grow in our love of and devotion to Him!

Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.

Today, I am posting a great thought by James Smith about the love of God through Christ, that is able to restore, justify, sanctify, and glorify us, courtesy of Grace Gems:

(James Smith, “Christ Exalted, Saints Comforted, and Sinners Directed” 1855)

Romans 7 24 - Save Me From Body Death

Faith In God – Growing In Times Of Uncertainty

My ruling desire is to be wholly given up to the Lord and to His work, and to show forth His praises from day to day. But when I aim at this most–I am baffled, opposed, and always hindered!
I see what is wrong–but cannot avoid it.
I see what is right–but cannot attain unto it.
I know what I wish–but I cannot enjoy it.
I read what God commands–but I cannot perform it.

In the midst of all, I bless God . . .

for Jesus Christ,
for free grace,
for a full salvation,
for abiding comfort,
for a good hope,
for sweet views of Jesus,
for a glorious inheritance,
for an assurance of victory, and
for the promise of eternal triumph.

Nothing can . . .
separate me from Jesus,
turn the current of His love from me, or
change the purposes of His grace for me.

His love is astonishing!

His ways are marvelous!

Faith In God

Faith In God – How It Should Change Your Perspective

I change–He remains the same.
I sin–He pardons.
I cry–He hears and answers.
I ask for favors–and He kindly bestows them.
I fear–and He promises.
I wander–and He says, “Return.”
I lament my folly–He whispers peace.
I feel poor and impoverished–He says, “All things are yours!”
I imagine that I am alone–He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
I expect that He will abandon me–He asks, “How can I give you up?”

I cry, “Unworthy, unworthy!” He says, “You are My dear son, My pleasant child.”

I fear I shall be overcome. He says, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”

I fear I shall lie down in darkness. He says, “The Lord shall be a light unto you.”

I say, “I can do nothing!” He says, “I will work all your works in you.”

I say, “I am barren!” He says, “From Me is your fruit found.”

I cry, “I am thirsty!” He says, “I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys, to give drink to My people, My chosen ones.”

I complain, “I am weary!” He says, “Come unto Me, I will give you rest.”

I feel dry and parched. He says, “I will be as the dew unto Israel.”

I say, “I need food!” He says, “My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”

I fear I shall die. He says, “He who eats Me, even he shall live by Me.”

I say at times, “All these things are against me!” He says “All things shall work together for your good!”

I say, “I shall surely be overcome!” He says, “Nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

I say, “I am often left alone!” He says, “Lo, I am with you always.”

I say, “I am all deformity!” He says, “You are all beautiful, My love, there is no spot in you!”

I say, “I shall see Him no more!” He says, “I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice.”

I say, “Surely the Lord cannot love such a wretch!” He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

I say, He cannot have chosen one so vile and base. He says, “I have chosen you, and will never cast you away!”

I say, “I am desolate and forsaken!” He says, “Your Maker is your husband, the Lord Almighty is His name, and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel.”

I say, “I shall be left to myself at last!” He says, “I am a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

I say, “Set me as a seal upon Your arm, as a seal upon Your heart!” He says, “I will make you like a signet ring on My finger–for I have chosen you.”

I cry, “Remember me, O Lord my God, for good!” He says, “You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”

I cry, “Do not be terribly angry with me, O Lord!” He says, “I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you.”

I say, “I beseech you, show me Your glory!” He says, “Behold, I come quickly!”

I cry, “Remember me with the favor which You bear unto Your people!” He says, “As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you–and you shall be comforted.”

I cry, “Tell me where You graze Your flock.” And He says, “Follow the footsteps of My flock.”

I cry, “O that it was with me as in days that are past!” He says, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with Me.”

I cry, “My soul is among lions!” He says, “Come down with Me–from where the lions have their dens and leopards live among the hills.”

I say, “O that I was sure that Jesus loved me!” He says, “You have ravished my heart, My sister, My spouse!”

I say, “I moaned like a mourning dove!” He says, “Your lips, O My spouse, drop as the honeycomb, honey and milk are under your tongue.”

I say, “I am exposed, and lie open to the attacks of enemies on every side!” He says, “You are My private garden, My treasure, My bride–a secluded spring, a hidden fountain.”

I say, “Do not look upon me, because I am black!” He says, “You are all beautiful, O My love!”

I say, “How miserable I am! Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger.” He says, “At our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for you, O My beloved.”

I say, “I fear that my numerous sins and powerful corruptions will cool the love of Jesus for me!” He says, “Many waters cannot quench My love, neither can the floods drown it.”

I sigh, “I am feeble and sorely broken!” He says, “I will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.”

I say, at times, “He afflicts, and counts me for His enemy!” He says, “As many as I love–I rebuke and chasten! I deal with you as My son.”

I say, “I am totally unfit to be the bride of Jesus!” He says, “Oh, how beautiful you are! How pleasing, My love, how full of delights!”

Filed Under: Devotion Tagged With: Christ Exalted, Devotion, faith in God, Glorification, grace gems, james smith, Justification, Love of Christ, love of God, romans, Romans 7, Romans 7:14-25, Saints Comforted, Sanctification, Sinners Directed

Khaleef & Sherrian’s Goals For 2014

By //  by Khaleef Crumbley

Since it’s now the beginning of January, it’s a great time to consider what our goals are for 2014. I’ve talked about my health, fitness, and some of our basic personal finance goals over on my weight loss and debt repayment website; so here I will stick to our spiritual goals.

One of our primary spiritual goals is to read through the Bible in a year. We successfully did that back in 2012, but 2013 was a different story. We both have a Bible app on our phone that includes a daily reading. Instead of the traditional portions of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs reading for the day, we will be reading straight through the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. We always found it very difficult to do the standard split reading program, because it was sometimes difficult (read: annoying) to have to cut off a reading in the middle of a thought or passage.

Bible Open

We also plan to do a study through the book of Romans. We will be setting aside time each week where we will do a thorough study (not just a simple reading) through the entire book. This will probably take us most, if not all, of the year.

Another big goal of ours is to do a topical study. Before all the stresses of life and the health problems came along, we were doing topical studies all the time, but now they only come up when one of us has to teach at church. The two biggest topics that we talk about are personal finance and eschatology. We both have pretty solid views when it comes to personal finance, and it is a passion that we share, but there is always more to learn and we believe that studying it together will allow us to better apply it to our own lives and the lives of our clients.

As far as eschatology is concerned my position is very firm while Sherrian’s position is somewhat firm, but a lot of it is based off of things she has heard through sermons/teaching and not from her first-hand study. I know she really wants to have a deeper understanding of this issue, so we will most likely dedicate some time to this study as well this year (and probably into the next).

Group Hug

We also plan to be more intentional when it comes to our relationships. For different reasons both of us have a hard time developing strong, meaningful relationships with people, and it is far too easy to walk away instead of fighting through the uncomfortable stages. Over the last couple of years we have been looking at the importance of fellowship and having a biblical view of all relationships, not just marriage, and we both have been convicted about how little we have invested in relationships with other people.

We have gotten better over the last two years, but we both see room for improvement. So that will be something that we will be focusing on this year as well.

We also plan to focus a lot more on sharing our thoughts and ideas with you guys through this site, and hopefully setting up a podcast and a YouTube channel as well. We really hope to develop a community where we can all share inspiration, information, motivation, and even prayers with one another as we all grow in Christ.

So we are hoping that you will join us as we try to make these goals a reality in the upcoming year.

Your Turn!

  1. What are some of the goals that you want to accomplish during the year?
  2. What plans do you have set in motion in order to see those goals become a reality?
  3. Is there anything specifically that we can pray for or even try to find resources to help you reach your goals?

Filed Under: Blogging, Christian Living Tagged With: 2014 goals, bible reading, Devotion, goals, read the bible in a year, romans, studying the bible

Copyright © 2022 · Mai Lifestyle Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in