Faith Archives - Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel

Trade Doubt for Faith and Sitting Among Friends #77

Jaime Wiebel — Wed, 31 May 2017 06:04:00 +0000

He who doubts is like a wave tossed in the sea. James teaches us about doubt and faith. He changes our idea of faith by telling us to consider the trials in life pure joy.

How many times in life do we head the advice of James?

Well, let me encourage you today by going back to those verses in James chapter 1. The verses that put our faith in real perspective. The ones that spell out our double-minded faith as unstable and in them we shouldn’t be expecting anything from God.

What does that mean? Double-minded faith?

Let me be honest here. Being double-minded had always been one of my biggest struggles.

If you have read my testimony, you will know that I spent much of my life in rebellion against the rules. Not understanding the true measure of grace that I was granted and gifted by the shed blood of Christ.

I was double-minded. I could play the game, talk the talk, and occasionally walk the walk. Live for myself I did, I could talk out of one side of my mouth like a Christian and like a sailor out of the other (since we are being honest).

Double-minded. I was unstable.

When I had my first child, things were tough, I had severe postpartum depression and never sought any help including help from the Lord.

Why? I doubted. I always doubted. My whole life was about independence and I always doubted that I needed help. I doubted the reality of my desperate situations. I doubted He could help me in my darkest hours.

All my doubts doubled up when they became fears. Fears that were never realized. Fears that I held like a buoy as I was tossed about in the unstable state that I resided in.

All of that eventually came crashing over me. Like the waves, I was being tossed in, I was overwhelmed as they came crashing down on my reality.

Unsettled. Unstable.

What changed?

What began to change my thought processes may seem really strange, but hang in there with me.

I was in the middle of a study of the tabernacle.

Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” Exodus 25:8-9 (NIV)

And the details went on. And On. And On.

From the design of the table, what furnishings would be in exactly what place, what offerings were acceptable, all the way down to… finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker (Exodus 26:1b NIV)

Why would that matter?

Notice why they were to make a sanctuary for the Lord?

And I will dwell among them.

Not in them. Among them. The plan had to be the exact copy of everything that He told them. The details were perfect and laid out in perfect fashion and God expected them to be perfect for Him to dwell among them.

Friends, that was a building. And I know it was building meant to house the presence of the Lord, but it was perfect.

The plans were perfect. He knew every detail. He knew every thread and where He wanted it placed and how He wanted it formed.

I am glad He didn’t wait for us to be perfect to dwell in our hearts!

How much more can He carry out the plans for your life? For your days? In perfect fashion. In perfect detail. According to His plan.

You are not a place where God can dwell among you. You are the tabernacle that He will dwell within. Perfect plans He has and perfect plans He will carry out.

It is easy to get wrapped up in the heaviness of this world. It is easy to feel unstable and be double-minded. It is easy to say that we have faith and constantly doubt.

We continually believe that we have the control and the perfect plans in our lives until it all comes crashing down and then we want to be rescued.

We gasp for air as we try to grab some sense of normalcy and self-control.

Let Go.

God has you in His hands. He has a design and perfect plan for your life.

Let go of the doubt. Let go of the worry and fear. If He can direct a skilled laborer to carefully stitch cherubim into the curtain of the tabernacle, He can stitch your needs into your days.

He can foresee the aching of your heart and send comfort. He can carefully weave His grace and mercy into your life beyond what you can expect, imagine, or do on your very own.

Personal Reflection

We can say that we believe and trust God but living it out is a very different.

Faith is action. Are you ready to take that step today?

Are you ready to lay aside the doubt and the double-minded way of living? What do you hold onto and try to control in your life?

What is the first step you can take today?

Are you ready to confess your doubt and ask God to move you forward in your faith or have you grown too comfortable in your control?

I am glad you are here. I want to introduce to you Seeking God Daily. Because a couple friends and I are passionate about sharing God’s Word we have joined forces to bring together a Facebook Group called Seeking God Daily.

Seeking God Daily is a group that offers hope, encouragement, and support in learning God’s Word and applying the truths to our walk with Christ.

We want to encourage one another through authentic, honest and respectful conversation as we earnestly seek Him daily.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

This week and next you will get to meet the ladies behind this new adventure. You can join this group by clicking HERE ! While you are there feel free to invite some friends along for the journey. We would love to have them!

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WOW! Thank you all for coming and for the 74 Amazing posts from last week. This party has been wonderful thanks to you, friends, who link-up with us and those who stop by and read posts. Thank you!

You all are amazing writers who share Family and Faith, DIY’s, Recipes, Photos, Giveaways, Homeschooling and more. Many of you have amazing journeys of faith and I praise the Lord we are able to connect here!

There are easy share buttons to your left or at the bottom of each post (mobile) and after you link-up. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks! From all of us at #SittingAmongFriends

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When Doubt Creeps In & Sitting Among Friends #72

Jaime Wiebel — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 07:57:00 +0000

While I was reading my son a section in his Bible, a thought popped in my mind.

Is this all real? While it was brief and I was certainly assured that it was, I was a bit startled.

Have you ever wondered? Have you ever doubted? Have you ever felt like this is too much and could it possibly be true?

As Christians, having those thoughts is often accompanied by a sense of guilt. A sense of wonder or confusion. We may have these thoughts and think it is not possible to really believe in God and wonder or doubt if this is all real?

Jesus understands. In fact, He wasn’t afraid to clear this matter up with one of His close companions. And guess what? It came with no accompanying guilt.

We can come off this mountaintop of joy after Easter. We are ready to celebrate and are encouraged to get moving in our journey of faith. Then life creeps in and we can wonder or have doubts if we are the person for the job.

So, if you have ever wondered or had doubts if this is real (I am going to guess that maybe all of us have at some point) then let’s dive into John 20.

What has just occurred in John is the women went to the empty tomb, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and then the disciples.

I want to remind you before we go any further that the disciples were hiding behind locked doors because they were afraid.

Christ had been crucified and now He was missing from the tomb. The reality of what was in front of them was the leader they had been following and riding all their hopes on, was gone.

Can you say bundles of wonder, doubt and fear must have been sweeping through their emotions? I can’t imagine the physical and emotional trauma they must have been feeling. But then…

Jesus appears and shows them His hands and side. He greets them with, “Peace be with you!” And they are overjoyed.

But one was missing. One didn’t have his fears or doubts calmed. Before we are too hard on Thomas, remember Jesus showed the others right away. He knew they had fears (they were behind locked doors) and His greeting of peace meant He knew they needed them calmed.

When Thomas arrived with the other disciples, they were overjoyed and exclaimed, we have seen the Lord! But Thomas…

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:26b

I will not believe. Have you ever said, unless God shows me this… Or… if God could only let me know or see this… Or… If only I could see a miracle, then…

John tells us a week later. Thomas had to wait a week to see what the others had already had eased in their minds. It must have been a very long week.

Sometimes a day, a week, a year or a decade of seeing clarity in God can eat away at us. It can eat away at our faith. The wonder, the doubts, the fears take place of the truth or reality of what the Lord is really doing in our lives.

Then the Lord appeared to Thomas and greeted Him, “Peace be with you!”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:27

Right away, He addresses this issue of doubt. Put your finger here. See my hands. Physically see. Touch. Understand. I am and did what I said I would do.

He knows and addresses His doubt. Stop doubting and believe.

The opposite of his doubt is belief. Belief in the evidence.

Maybe you are saying to yourself. Well, if I could only see that, then I could believe. Then my doubts could be put to rest.

We don’t get the benefit of physically seeing Jesus. But listen to Jesus’ next words to Thomas.

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

Blessed are those who have not seen me and still believe. That is us who have put our trust in Him. We don’t have to see Jesus to believe. We can see the evidence of His existence is so many other ways.

We have his amazing sunsets that declare His great love. We have the miracle of life as He gives us each breath we take. We have His power displayed in us through His love that we can give others. We have healing, mending, and restoring of broken hearts, bodies and lives.

As we walk and put our trust in Him more and more, He becomes more evident in the grace and mercy that he pours into our lives.

We are on this side of the cross and get the benefit of walking in grace and not under the law. We are the recipients of His blessings, goodness, and faithfulness through the generations.

Wonder, doubt, and fear are all a part of the process of putting our trust in Christ more while stacking them up against the truth and evidence He has displayed in our lives.

When those thoughts creep in, we can replace them with the truth of what we know to be true of God.

When time, circumstances, and feelings make us weary we can hand them over to Him for the same encouragement He gave to Thomas. Here is the proof. Stop doubting and believe.

Christ didn’t rebuke Thomas. He said, put out your hand. Take hold of me and Believe!

Does doubt creep in?

Following Jesus’ example. Here is a simple exercise to replace doubt with belief in your life. We are going to replace the lies and doubt with truth. First, ask God to reveal some solid truths and evidences of His work in your life. (If you are a believer in Christ, that is miracle number one). Keep a list. A physical reminder of the ways God has shown up in your life. When doubt creeps in, ask God to replace the doubts with the truths you have recorded. Trust and Believe that His words are meant for you.

Let me know how using this exercise goes. What other ideas do you have and use when doubts and fears creep in? Let us know in the comments below. Need More encouragement. Feel free to email me!

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This week’s featured friend is Alisa Nicaud from Flourishing Today. Alisa shares her beautiful story of how she has Flourished in God’s abundant grace and inspires you to meet God so you, too, can Flourish Today. I am so glad you are here, Alisa. Thanks for joining us!

WOW! Thank you all for coming and for the 78 Amazing posts from last week. This party has been wonderful thanks to you, friends, who link-up with us and those who stop by and read posts. Thank you!

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Fear Not – Believe Only – Hope Restored! and Sitting Among Friends #61

Jaime Wiebel — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 08:57:00 +0000

Fear Not – Only Believe – And you will be made whole

Wow! Words that seem so steep to our minds. To our broken hearts. An uphill mountain to climb with peaks beyond our view. The journey of one father at the feet of Jesus may have seem wasted. It may have even seemed ridiculous to the onlookers.

But in his gentleness, Christ tells him, fear not, believe only, and she will be made whole.

We read that and some of us long to know and own those words. Fear Not. But what does it take to be made whole?

There are two stories intertwined in the latter verses of Luke 8. We will look at the story of a desperate father to save the life of his dying daughter as we continue to learn from the people who sought life at the feet of Jesus.

Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds -almost crushed him. Luke 8:41-42

Immediately after this, a very sick woman touches Jesus’ robe and is healed. Jesus stops to take the time to talk with her before He continues onto Jairus’ house.

The people had heard Jesus was coming, so the crowd was ready when he arrived.

Jairus’ daughter, his only daughter, was near death. He comes and the scene is crazy. There are so many people and yet Jairus falls at his feet and begs Jesus to come with him.

There are so many things we can learn from these two verses about Christ but I want to point out two things we can take a hold of right now.

He is a personal God. Each life matters. No matter how many people are around, He cares for each individual case.

He can handle all that is around Him. The day was crazy. Crowds pushing in on Him and He calmly stops to heal and talk to another woman before continuing to the house of Jairus.

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” (NIV) But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. (KJV) Luke 8: 49-50

I love verse fifty. Fear not! – Believe Only! – And she will be made whole!

First, Christ is telling this father to fear not. When Christ tells us to fear not it is because he is capable of the end result. It may be healing, it may not and while that may seem of no consolation, notice Christ will make her whole. Not just alive, not just well, but whole.

I don’t want us to miss this train of events he is telling this father.

Fear Not – Believe Only – Hope Restored!

In this case, Christ chooses to heal this little girl. He goes into the house with the mother, father, and four of His disciples. He takes the girl by the hand, tells her to rise-up, and restores her spirit to her lifeless body.

Praise the Lord! He has made her whole. He brought hope to a hurting family.

This father, who agonizes over his dying daughter hears in the process of seeking his last bit of hope that she is dead. This was heart-wrenching news and it may appear that all hope was lost.

That moment you hear or see that the life of your loved one is gone. The sinking agonizing feeling is crushing to your soul. For a time, it may seem as if all hope is lost but it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Jesus came that it could be different.

He is not saying, “don’t mourn” to this father. He is telling Him to not fear. Us telling that to a friend or loved one may be of no comfort, but Christ, he is the difference maker here.

He tells the father to not fear because He has the power to restore the hope. That train, he can get it moving. He can move us from fear to hope.

Here is the other difference maker. It is the stop in between the fear and the hope. It is the faith to believe that only He can conquer one to restore the other.

What happens at the feet of Jesus here?

He gives this father a life changing opportunity to lay aside his fear, take ahold of his faith, and let Christ restore his hope.

What does that mean for you? What are you facing right now that you so desperately want to hope that there is a way to feel whole again? How has Christ showed up in your fear or are you still holding onto it not quite sure how to Believe Only?

Is your faith hanging in the balance not sure which way it will fall? Do you know the difference maker? Do you believe he can make a difference in YOU?

I would love to continue this conversation. Leave a comment below.

Email me at youresewtrendy@gmail.com, if you want to know more about the life-changing decision to follow Christ, I would love to talk with you.

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If we are not connected on Social Media, Find Me on one of the links Below!

Jaime Wiebel – Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+

This week’s featured friend is Micah Maddox from
Deeper Life Today. Micah is in the middle of a series called Living with Purpose. She is a great encourager for life’s moments that hurt the most! Thanks for joining us, Micah. I am glad you are here!

WOW! Thank you all for coming here and for the 86 Amazing posts from last week. This party has been wonderful thanks to you, friends, who link-up with us and those who stop by and read posts. Thank you!

You all are amazing writers who share Family and Faith, DIY’s, Recipes, Photos, Giveaways, Homeschool and more. Many of you have amazing journeys of faith and I praise the Lord we are able to connect here!

There are easy share buttons to your left or at the bottom of each post (mobile) and after you link-up. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks! From all of us at #SittingAmongFriends
*** Joining Us Here? You are welcome to join me on Pinterest and Pin to Our Sitting Among Friends Blog Party Board where I will be happy to re-pin posts to my other boards. ***

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The post Fear Not – Believe Only – Hope Restored! and Sitting Among Friends #61 appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.