Freezing rain greeted us this morning, not what you want to see when you have loved ones who have to drive in it.  You are in my prayers.

Another day without sunshine, foggy and drizzling rain, hopefully it will shine a bit today.

I was talking with one of the nurses who moved from Alaska down to White Salmon.  I commented on how hard it must be to live in Alaska where the winter has such a darkness over the land.  She said she actually didn’t have problems with the lack of sunshine until she moved to White Salmon.  In Alaska, while there is a small period of overwhelming dark days, they don’t last and the summer is so bright – but here there is so much fog and overcast that she actually felt she saw far less sunshine.

I will take her word for it – although I have to admit we get socked in here at times for weeks on end.  The fog settles in and the wind chooses not to blow it out.  We know there is a sun up behind there, but we don’t get the benefit of the warming and comforting rays.

Today, even Carla is doing things inside rather than going outside – that should tell ya somethin’!!  

1 Peter 1:7-11  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

¹¹ Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

The prophets of old prophesied many things, some they saw come to fruition; others did not happen until after their death.  Indeed the cause of their death was often because their prophesies proclaimed the evil of existing rulers, leaders and the people themselves and old them what was going to happen if they did not return to God.

Rather than listen and ask forgiveness, changing their ways, they chose to persecute and kill God’s messengers. 

Yet, they prophesied, they spoke the words God gave them in faith believing that He would do what He said He would do.  They watched and waited, sometimes they saw, sometimes they did not, but always they had faith in God.

They wanted to see God’s Messiah come, they wanted to praise Him and worship Him – yet they never saw His coming.  Their faith, however, continued, because God would do what He said.  They believed that, they preached that and they lived that faith.

Today, we do not have the experiences that the Apostles had as they walked with our Lord.  But we believe what they said; we believe that Jesus proclaimed Himself the Son of God and that He was the Messiah that was sent by God to redeem the world onto Him.

We read of the testimony and witness of these men.  We are touched by the Holy Spirit as He confirms those truths to us and we accepted Christ as our Savior.

It is by faith in God and what He proclaimed throughout the ages; faith in Jesus that He was who He said He was that we are saved.

It is by faith that we believe God cares for us, loves us, forgives us, directs us and has adopted us into His family through His Son’s sacrifice on the cross.

We have a hope that surpasses anything that the world can offer, and we have faith that God will do what He says He will do.

Hebrews 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Jesus proclaimed that His followers would no longer walk in the darkness of evil in this world, but would be walking in the light of His salvation.  Through Him we would have the life that only God can give.

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

In order to exist in this world we must have faith – of some kind.  We have faith that the sun will rise, that the seas will rise and fall according to the tides.  We have faith that when we get into our car it will run properly and the other people on the road will obey the law so all will be safe.

We believe because we have experiences that tell us that, for the most part, our faith in things governing our daily existence will remain as they should.  We read books that tell us those things that we may not have experiences in, but the truth shows the facts to be true.

We have faith in God through His written Word, the witness of those that were living when these actions occurred provide a proof that God not only exists but He loves and cares for us.  We have faith because the Holy Spirit has given us insights into the truth of God’s Word.

We may not understand everything – and there really is no way we ever will, especially those things of God – but we have faith they exist. 

As the prophets of old had faith in God, as Jesus walked this earth and had faith in God, as the Apostles walked with Jesus and had faith in God, as those that have come through the centuries have continued in the faith proclaiming the salvation through Jesus Christ, so can we have faith that He will do what He has said He will do. 

Whether we see Him coming in the sky to reclaim His Church, or die in faith that He is the Son of God before He returns, we have faith He is able to do what He said He will do; that He will return to reclaim His Church and govern the world in love and peace.  We have faith that we will always be with Him throughout eternity.

As the old Hymn says “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ love and righteousness.”   ---  “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand...all other ground is sinking sand.”

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again