Walking The Walk

" Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." ~1 Peter 5:7 When I preached my message last Sunday, I told a story that illustrates the difference between saying we believe something and actually believing something.  I found myself in a situation two weeks ago, where I was right in the middle of a sermon about trusting in God, when I had to do just that.  When I flipped the page on my I-Pad, I discovered the last three pages of my sermon notes were missing.  And I depend on my notes a great deal--I'm meticulous about preparation!  I had to wing it.  Trusting that God would give me the words.  And He did.  But what a test that was! There's a big difference between believing something, and being put to the test on that belief.  Just ask Peter. Every once in awhile, we will find ourselves tested on what we believe.  And what Peter was hitting on in this verse is really key in making through those tests. Knowing that God cares for us....

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." ~1 John 1:9 My wife and I have been watching a show in History Channel since 2015 called "Forged In Fire."  It's a blacksmithing competition.  They start with four bladesmiths each week, and through three rounds of competition where one is eliminated each round, one rises as "The Forged In Fire Champion " at the end of the show.  And the judges always have a twist.  Sometimes they're making blades out of metal from an old car, or sometimes rusty old bolts, or garden tools, etc.  Or sometimes they're making a specific kind of knife, or utilizing a particular forging technique. But forging is an art, and one of the skills necessary to be a good bladesmith is knowing how to correct an error or a flaw when one appears.  If a crack forms.  Or a flaw in the metal becomes known.  How do you go about fixing that potential weakness b...