"Faith That Knows"

"In God we boast all the day long, and praise Thy name for ever. Selah." (Psalms 44:8) I get that; at least I think I do. So what are we to do, but praise God for what He has done? He knows our heart, and He knows what is required to get us to see things His way; which brings this prayer for protection into a whole new light of understanding. Usually when two sets of people are at war, it is because they have two totally different points of view; one has the way they see things, while the other sees things another way; typical for people of different origins to not see eye to eye. God's ways are totally different than our ways (Isaiah 55:8), as God's ways are eternal and holy, while ours are temporal and unrighteous. The party which surrenders to the other must be willing to change; so too, we that surrender to God must be willing to be changed, and in so doing, we welcome with gladness all that God brings us through in order to bring about that change He wants to accomplish within us. Unlike my example of one enemy surrendering to the other, with God, He loves us, therefore He is not our enemy, but is our loving Father that only wants what is best for our eternal life. Therein is the key, our eternal life! You think of all those people that Jesus healed; the blind that were given sight, the lame that were made to walk, even the dead that were brought back to life; how long did that healing really last? Not very long at all; not when you compare those few years they had remaining with an eternity in heaven. If we know where it is that we are going, then it changes our perspective on the way we view where we are at. If I know that I am going to be with the Lord in heaven, then I welcome the Lord to do whatever is necessary in order to prepare me for that place; taking my eyes off of this place, and setting them towards heaven... "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given him hath written unto you; as in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:11-18)