Since God created man in his own image, we can look at certain aspects of our being to help explain characteristics of God. One quick example of how we are made up of three parts is that we have bodies composed of Matter, Energy, and Soul. We’ll talk more about that when we discuss creation. For now, lets look inside our minds for a different idea.

While you read this, there are three portions of your consciousness active. I label these as the speaker, the listener and the actor. When you think to yourself the speaker is the “voice in your head”. What you would mostly consider to be the seat of intelligence is the listener. The actor gets involved when you do something.

We’ll go through a short example to show how this works. You are talking to your friend. As the listener, you hear and understand what they’re saying. They ask you a question. The speaker makes up one or more responses. You, the listener, approve, and the actor is engaged to cause the body to give the answer to your friend.

If you’ll consider what’s going on inside your head when your engaging in any activity, you’ll see how these three parts work together to form your personality. Sometimes the speaker will come up with an off-the-wall idea. The listener acts as a filter to keep things in check. Without the actor, we’d all just sit around and never do anything. All three are required and inseparable, and yet distinct.

Of course, one can take this analogy too far. I wouldn’t presume to assign these roles to The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. That’s one mystery we’ll have to take on faith.

Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

As a believer, your faith is not of this world, but of the world to come. Therefore, it doesn’t pay to get too wrapped up in what happens here. Whether we abound in worldly blessings, or are abased in godly humility, we should be content. If the Lord has chosen to give us riches, then we are to remember that they come from him, and seek the purpose for which he’s given them. If we are experiencing hard times, we should know that we’re going through this to strengthen our faith, or to give God an opportunity to show his power. In all things, remember to give God the glory.

If we keep our mind on God and the future, nothing on Earth can move us. If you know that your home is in heaven, and anything else is temporary, you can be content in any circumstance.

Being content is the opposite of suffering. A lot of people will argue this point, but suffering is a choice. You may not have a choice as to whether your broken arm hurts, but you can choose to either let it get you down and lay around the house, or you can choose to fight that natural inclination, go out and enjoy life. If you can do this, you’ll feel better, and medical evidence also proves, you’ll heal faster and be more healthy in general.

To be content is also a choice. It doesn’t matter how much you have in this world. If you’re not content, it won’t make you happy. Many people seem to have everything. Inside they are filled with unrest, greed, and unhappiness. They tell themselves “If I can just get this one more thing, I’ll be happy”, but they’re fooling themselves. Happiness doesn’t come from having what you want, but from being content with what you have. Otherwise, you just move on to the next thing you want on a never-ending treadmill.

When God comes into your life in the form of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, you are given a clean slate. You can make new choices, and end the end, come out with a much better result. By focusing on God and what lies ahead, you can shake off the setbacks and overcome the obstacles.

God gave us his word, in the form of the Bible in the hopes that we would read, study and pray, and therefore be led to him. God does not want us to be outside. Satan tricked Eve and separated God and Man. God gave us his Word, Jesus to lead us back.

Romans 1:17   For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Having enough faith to be obedient to God’s word is the test of salvation. Living by faith means we trust God enough to follow him, no matter how things look. When everything is at its darkest, God is getting ready to reveal himself. God expects us to go a certain distance, but he wants to use us as examples to show his power to unbelievers. If we’re in a situation where there’s nothing we can do for ourselves, God will (or should) get the glory when you pull through.

No one is free from sin. We are all human. It doesn’t matter if it’s the addict in the street or the pope in the Vatican. We all live inside these bodies of flesh and bone, and we all sin. It doesn’t matter if the sin doesn’t show on the outside. We all know what we are on the inside. God knows too.

That’s why he sent his Son to die on the cross. By believing that God did this for us, we have access to what really moves God, faith. Even in the old testament, when the law was all man had to believe in, God said he would forgive those who had sinned, but had asked forgiveness and had returned to the law.

All God asks is that we believe in Him, and be obedient to what he says. By sending Jesus, he provided something simpler for us to understand. If we believe God did this for us, and ask in faith, our sins will be forgiven and we will find eternal life. 

Once this happens, we will have the desire to repay God by changing our ways.

It’s not always easy. The last thing satan wants is to see a soul saved. God has given us access to his strength through Jesus, and all the weapons we need can be found in His word, the Bible.

Faith in God the father and Jesus his son gives the Christian power. If you have enough faith, these verses are literal. If you doubt not, you could speak to a real mountain and it would be cast into the sea.

Unfortunately, none of us have that much faith. We have to interpret the verse figuratively. Whatever obstacles are in your path, if you believe and have faith, God will move them aside.

This aspect of faith can help you get through your daily struggles. God expects us to work, but he also wants to help us. We have to take things far enough so that we and everyone else can see that it’s God that’s doing the real work.