"Live By Faith In God Alone!"

[Rev. Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

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“The cedars of Lebanon are not dependent upon man for their watering; they stand on the lofty rock, unmoistened by human irrigation; and yet our heavenly Father supplieth them.” The Christian who learns to live by faith, is like the cedars of Lebanon, they are independent of man, even in secular things; for his continued maintenance he looks to the Lord his God, and to Him alone. The dew of heaven is his portion, and the God of heaven is his fountain. This is what Mr. Spurgeon said at the end of his Morning devotional for August 13^th:

"Again, the cedars of Lebanon are not protected by any mortal power. They owe nothing to man for their preservation from stormy wind and tempest. They are God's trees, kept and preserved by Him, and by Him alone. It is precisely the same with the Christian. He is not a hot-house plant, sheltered from temptation; he stands in the most exposed position; he has no shelter, no protection, except this, that the broad wings of the eternal God always cover the cedars which He Himself has planted. Like cedars, believers are full of sap having vitality enough to be ever green, even amid winter's snows. Lastly, the flourishing and majestic condition of the cedar is to the praise of God only. The Lord, even the Lord alone hath been everything unto the cedars, and, therefore David very sweetly puts it in one of the psalms, "Praise ye the Lord, fruitful trees and all cedars." In the believer there is nothing that can magnify man; he is planted, nourished, and protected by the Lord's own hand, and to Him let all the glory be ascribed."

This message is inspired by: "Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotional" - Morning devotion for August 13, 2016, "The cedars of Lebanon which He hath planted." Psalm 104:16.

Summary: Once we as Christians learn to live by faith, we will look to God for EVERYTHING; large, small, big, and little! We will know that we are planted, nourished, and protected by God Himself and we will give ALL the praise, honor, and glory to God alone! Learning to live by faith is a DAILY act; the Word tells us that the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38).

We as Christians are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Before we can walk by faith, we must live by faith; our hope (trust, belief, way out) should be put in God alone!Don't look for man to provide your way out; it is futile – man is not capable of bailing you out, nor providing what you need – ONLY God along! That is why there are so many frustrated, disappointed, depressed people in the world; they have made people and things their god and forgot the True and Living God - not only in the world has this happened, but in the church also! These people are looking for a man, woman, Pastor, money, things, etc. to bail them out of the mess they are in; not realizing that God is the One who can bring them out, not people or things-not even a place. Some people think changing their geographical location will get them out of the mess that they're in. No! If the mass is in YOU, changing locations will not help; you are there and the problem is in you. Therefore, seek God and cry out to Him for yourself; for YOUR deliverance.

I find that most people you go to for prayer, are not as passionate as you are about you getting YOUR breakthrough – go to God for YOURSELF! Don't depend on anyone to seek God for you – you go boldly to the throne of grace yourself; pouring out YOUR heart to God and stay in God's presence, until He answers you – He will answer. God wants YOU to come to Him yourself; God wants to talk with you directly – not through a third-party! Just go to God and be honest; although God knows already what is going on with you, tell Him ALL that is troubling you! Sometimes when you pray, words will come and other times, tears will flow but let God set you free His way – just you and Him – sit at your Father’s feet. When you go to God yourself, no man can claim the glory! ALL honor, glory, and praise belongs to God anyway; even when God uses a person to help you – man has no power unless God give it to him or her.

Surrender all to God! God has a plan for you and He wants to tell it to you and you alone. Don't worry about HOW God is going to work out your situation, just believe He will. EXHALE! God got you so LET “IT” GO! WHATEVER "it" is, release it to God so He can fix it for you – release it into God's hand. God wants YOU to choose NOW, are you going to keep "it" or are you going to release it to Him?

God is not going to take it from you, that would be a violation of your free will; God wants YOU to give it up to Him freely and turn it loose – it is that simple. Remember, ALL things are possible to those who believe (Mark 9:23) – release comes from the heart, not the mind.

My prayer for you: Thank You Father for touching the person whoever is reading this message; God touch him or her, like You never touched them before! Father give them an experience with You like they have never experienced before - when they finish praying, let them KNOW they have been in Your presence. Do it God! I come in agreement with them Father, for their deliverance, healing, and restoration! Father I thank You for hearing my prayer and I ask these things in Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen!

Go in the peace of God and make a conscious decision from this day forward, to live by faith in God alone, so you will be able to walk by faith, and not by sight!

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God's Servant,

Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD

 

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