IS MY FAITH HIDING, OR IS IT MANIFESTING ITSELF IN ME AND MY LIFE?

SCRIPTURE:
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, 
we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, 
because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 
(1 John 3:21-22)

MEDITATION:
The Bible teaches us that faith will manifest itself in at least five ways.
It will manifest itself in our hearts (we will have a heart for God; a 
desire to know Him better and a will to obey Him in an increasing frequency).
It will manifest itself in doctrine (in what we believe).

It will manifest itself in worship 
(our communion with God and the fellowship of the church).
It will manifest itself in morality (the way we live and behave).
It will manifest itself in confidence 
(our confident expectations of God to answer our prayers).

In summary....
when we have a desire to obey God and to know Him better, 
when we have a proper belief in the right things, 
when we frequently communion with God and other believers, 
when we live and behave in accordance to God’s guidelines and commands, 
....then we develop a faith that confidently prays to God with expectations.

The Bible also teaches us that salvation 
is the beginning of faith and not the end of it.
Faith continues maturing and growing in strength.
It may be weak at first, 
but it will become stronger as we begin to read the Bible, pray, 
go to church, and experience God’s faithfulness in our Christian life. 
We will learn more and more of how we can rely on the Lord to supply every 
need, to guide us through every circumstance, and to help us in every trial.

ACTION:
Praying with confidence can be challenging, can't it?
It means you believe that He hears your prayers, 
that He will answer your prayers, and that you can accept 
the fact that His answers might be different than your expectations.

Do you pray with confidence that God will answer your prayers?
If not, what is missing in your life from the manifestations listed above?
In order to have expectations of God, 
you need to fulfill His expectations of you.
How could you have confidence in answered prayers, if your selfishness 
prevents your faith from being fully manifested in your life?

Pray,
“Heaven Father, thank You for Your Word that teaches me how You desire 
for me to rely on Your love and strength. Forgive me for not allowing faith 
to be manifested in me due to my selfishness, which keeps me from obeying 
your commands and doing what pleases You. Whether others know it or not, 
Father, You and I know of my disobedience and refusal to please You and 
interact with other believers as You have clearly outlined in Your Word. 
Teach me to allow faith to manifest itself in me and my life, so that I may 
have an increased confidence of answered prayers when I pray.”