Faith, what do you do with it?  The Bible says that faith is the things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. And without faith it is impossible to please God. It also says that faith can move mountains, literally and figuratively.   So how do you get this faith?  Everybody wants the power of God operating in their lives. Let’s start from the beginning. God gives every one of his children the measure of faith. Ever wonder why new christians can do more than older christians?  It is simple they believe God without any doubt. They aren’t afraid to step out on the water and to go to Jesus. I have walked in some very scary places. Only because God called me there. It is The Valley of death. And there wasn’t anyone backing me up. It was just me and God. I would extend my faith and God would do the work. You know the Lord’s prayer?  Our faith is to bring God’s will from heaven to Earth. We have to be in the place of believing and trusting God. He will do the work for us.  This is the reality of Christianity.

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

Let’s Flash forward for a moment. In 2016 we were flooded out.  My home had a foot 1/2 of water in it for a week. We literally lost everything. My wife did not want to move back into the house. So we sold the house and look for a new one. We move to a small town next door.  God told me to go to a particular church. It was less than 50 people. God open my eyes to see what was there. The people were unassuming gentle and kind. But this church is alive and on fire. This church is doing more than larger churches in the whole area.  They support missionaries, have a food bank every month and have multiple out reaches throughout the year.  I’m blessed to be in this church. They are doing what God has called all of us to do to reach out to a hurting and dying world. Nobody will know their names or ever see them with the rich and famous. But their names are written down in God’s book. Jesus knows them by name. I’m blessed to know them and be part of this church. This is the reality of Christianity. 

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

The word of God says to study to show yourself approved of God. So I went to school. It was the University of the backside of the desert. In fact it is the same school the apostle Paul and thousands of others went to. This is where God is the schoolmaster. I began an intense Bible study that hasn’t stopped. Not only did I study, I prayed.   I put a fleece out before the Lord. I have always been shy. So I ask God to have people, even strangers, to come up to me and ask a question. When they did I knew that God had sent them. And I would share the gospel. What I did was to read The Bible, pray and do the gospel. I began to see people as God sees them. People began to see the fruit of the Spirit in my life.  Especially gentleness meekness and long suffering. My faith grew and grew.  I was seeing my prayers answered before me. I am always amazed at God’s miracles. My faith grew. In fact it is still being expanded by the gospel. My prayers have become conversations with God. I speak to my Father and he speaks to me. This is the reality of Christianity.

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

It’s not all fun and games. Yes there is joy. And joy will keep you and bring you through tough times. The light of God does one thing for us. It shines a light into our heart. Whatever is there will be revealed. Sometimes it’s not so pretty. In fact it can be pretty ugly. As you open your heart to God He will begin to cleanse your heart.  The Bible says the heart is the most deceitful thing. As God finds things in your heart it requires willingness on our part to let God work in us. This isn’t the easiest thing for us. But with God all things are possible. I open my heart and cried. Piece by piece God cleaned out my heart. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done. The Bible says that we love darkness more than light. I want to say that the process is over. But I can’t. My life is being lived with all the troubles and heartaches I can handle. So I am a work in progress. I want to say I am perfect.   But it isn’t true. I will be when I cross over to the other side. What the reality of Christianity is that I repent of my sins on a daily basis. 

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

I began reading The Bible because I wanted to know God. That strange and mystical person that everybody referred to but really didn’t know who he was or is. I had to walk in an area that I didn’t see anyone else going. I didn’t even hear preachers on the radio talking about knowing God. He seemed to be elusive even to his own children. I didn’t let that stop me.  The Bible says seek ye 1st the Kingdom of God and all the rest shall be added. The Bible also says seek and ye shall find,  ask and it shall be you shall Receive and knock and it shall be opened. So I sought after God. I ask questions and I knocked at heaven’s door until it opened for me. I wasn’t gonna turn away until I received my heart’s desire. My heart’s desire is to know my Father and Jesus.  I kept reading The Bible. Seeing what was new and exciting. Every time you read the word of God there is always something new. The Holy Ghost is my teacher.  He brings all things to remembrance. I began to see who this elusive person is. And what he looks like. So, I began to see God. Then my eyes were open to see who I am. This is the reality of Christianity. I see through a glass dimly now, but when I am there I will see clearly who God is.

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

We all try to live our lives the best we can. Some have more, some have less. God is not concerned with what we have, but who we are. God takes who we are and transforms us into the image and likeness of Him.   The process takes all of our lives. Then God shows us what we have is for ourselves and others. There isn’t anything that God has given to us that is just for ourselves. This is how God reaches the world. He will take what we have and share it with the world. One day Peter was walking to the temple and saw a man who was on a pallet. The man could not walk and was begging for alms. Peter looked at him and said, silver and gold, I don’t have but what I have I will give you. Peter reach down and prayed for the man. He  jumped up, leaping and praising God.  This is how God uses us in this world. During this Christmas season look around open your eyes and see who is in need. Let God use you and what you have for this world.  This is the reality of Christianity.

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

Joy, I have joy not happiness.  There is a great difference. I can be happy for a moment but my joy is forever. People search for happiness in everything they can. But it never satisfies them. So they have to take it to the extreme and still happiness never last. It’s a fool’s dream, a fool’s errand. Happiness never last. It’s here just for a moment and gone. But joy comes in the morning. Did you ever watch a child play with a Box?  It’s joy happiness and contentment. The child doesn’t care what happens next. But the child having faith that the next thing will be taken care of. This is what God is trying to teach us. That godliness with contentment is great gain. Jesus told his disciples that unless they became as these little children they wouldn’t enter into the Kingdom of heaven.  Joy and contentment may seem elusive but they are attainable. Joy is one of the realities of Christianity.

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

As I learned the scripture I saw that I was a servant in the house of God. I was completely satisfied with being a servant.  God love me and cleanse me of sin and set me on the right path. Did I learned I was a son. I became extatic. I am a Son of God and a brother to Jesus. As I learn the word of God I understood and grew.  God gave me dominion over all things in Jesus name.  The power of God flows in your life the closer you are to God. I was angry at the devil. Who had led me around by the nose. I was gonna do something about that. I went on a search and destroy mission. I could use the power of God to literally destroy anything. And I did. I routed devils wherever I found them. They fled before me. Then God stopped me and asked what I was doing. I said casting out devils.  God said no you are still following the devil. He said stop and follow me. You will cast them out when you find them in your way.  A truth I had to learn. The enemy still fleas from before me but I follow my father God.

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com 

The truth is, that when I came to God I basically knew nothing. I had to unlearn everything I knew about God. This is where my 2 dear friends helped me to learn. I went to their home every night for 6 months. I ate supper and they taught me about the reality of Christianity. They talk me what the scriptures literally and figurative meant.  They live their lives before me, besides teaching me the scriptures. I gained a firm foundation. To a lot of people the word discipleship is taboo. But what those friends did for me was the same as Jesus did for the disciples. Jesus discipled them. It is called discipleship. When is done right it produces a firm foundation in Christianity. I don’t think I could have done as much as I have without their help. As the word says they have part of my reward in heaven and they will not lose it. I began to see who God is. The picture of God was becoming clearer. The Bible is the picture of Jesus. As we read and study God will give us the understanding. He will open our eyes to see and I ears to hear. 

Crain Blanchard. 

Crainb52@juno.com 

Www.joseph1637.com