Faith

It’s impossible to please God apart from faith.  And why?  Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 MSG)

Everyone has faith.  How about when you go to the doctor?  He gives you a prescription of which you cannot pronounce the name or even understand its ingredients – yet you take it – that’s faith.  How about when you prepare for the next day?  You lay out your clothes; write out your to-do-list; then go to sleep – expecting to wake up – that’s faith.  Everyone has faith.  However, not everyone has the type of faith that pleases God.  That type of faith is real faith.

Real faith is two-fold.  First, we must believe that God exists.  In his book The Root of the Righteous, A.W. Tozer explains Faith is seeing the invisible, but not the non-existent.  In other words, our faith is not wishful thinking.  It’s not based on the non-existent.  Real faith is based on the actual and factual, even though invisible.  God is invisible (Col. 1:15, Romans 1:20, 1 Tim 1:17), but he is not non-existent.  Not only must we believe that God exists, we also must believe he will respond to us when we pray.  We must understand what this really means.  Faith expects God to respond.  That is it.  Faith doesn’t demand that whatever is being asking - be granted.

Matthew 7:7 has often been misquoted.  It says Ask and it will be given to you (NIV).  In context, Jesus is talking about not judging others and discerning the shortcomings in our own lives (v. 1-6).  Without the disciples asking the questions – How will we be able to accomplish this? - Jesus answers: ask and it will be given to you.  What will be given?  Any and everything I want?  No!  Jesus is not giving us a blank check here.  If we read further, he talks about parents giving good gifts to their children.  The good gift Jesus is referring to, concerning us, is the Holy Spirit, who gives us right judgment and discernment.  This is made clearer in Luke 11:13, which tells the same historical account with a bit more detail. Jesus says: If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (NIV Emphasis mine).

Faith then is to believe that God exists and that He cares enough to respond to us when we pray.  So if you have prayed, and God has not given you want you wanted, this does not necessarily mean you lack faith.  And it certainly does not mean God does not care about you.

Today, take a moment, go back to God and pray again.  He will respond.  It may not be the response you expect, but your real faith knows it will be the response that is needed.

A Life Centered on God

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. (Genesis 12: 1-2 KJV)

How often in your day, or week do you think about God? And when you think about God, what do you feel? Guilt, fear, challenge, worship, belonging, love?  Being centered on God may bring out all of these responses at different times.  A response only has power if you give it power.  You have the power to build up or tear down.  God has given each of us free will.  What will you exert your energy on.  Surely, it should be on God and as you focus more on God, you will move toward worship, belonging and love.

How can we become more centered on God? One way is to focus on His promises in scripture.  The Lord made some astounding promises to Abram in this passage, but with the promises came commands for immediate action.  So what did Abram do? He packed up his belongings and did all that the Lord said. Abram did not fully understand what God had promised Him but he knew that a promise delayed would not be a promise denied nor would God have Him leave something for nothing.  When God instructs and guides He also provides. 

Centering on God takes mental and physical work.  We can discipline our minds to turn often to God.  We can meditate on His promises to us.  But then we need to get up and move, obeying all that scripture commands us to do.  Live a life centered on God, listen to hear His voice and go where He is instructing you to go.  There lies the blessing.

Divorce Fear

Mark 5:36c

Jesus said 'Do not be afraid, only believe

   Have you ever heard someone say, “The only person who can really stop you is you?”  I have, and as I think about it, I’m not one to intentionally stop myself from moving forward and accomplishing what I hope for.  However, if it is true, I have ask the question, how?  How am I hindering myself?  One of the greatest opposition we face is the opposition of fear.  Fear will lead you to completely neglect your potential and cause you to focus on a negative perceived possibility.  

   Mark 5:21-43 gives the account of how a man named Jairus was confronted with opposition while following Jesus on the way to heal his sick daughter.  On the road, Jairus was confronted with news about his daughter’s death.  Jesus was on the way to Jairus’ house to heal his daughter yet the news about her death created an opposition which led to Jesus giving Jairus a simple message, verse 36c “do not be afraid, just believe.”  In doing so Jesus gave us a key principle in overcoming fear and getting out of own way.  Our ability to focus on what we believe, empowers us with a mindset that causes us to disassociate ourselves with fear.  If we are going to really access what God has for us, it’s going to require us to overcome the opposition of fear.  As we divorce the idea of fear, what we believe become a clear path to what will possess.  Today, I challenge you to really divorce the idea of fear, believe on God, don’t be afraid, just believe and watch how God moves.  

God Thinks Precious Thoughts about You

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  They cannot be numbered!  I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!  Psalm 139:17 (NLT)

First of all, God thinks about you.  You can be wonderfully certain of this!  Even when He is far from your thoughts – you are never far from His.  Think about that.  God is thinking of you right now.  Not only is He thinking about you – His thoughts of you are precious thoughts.  How amazing is that!  God will never give up on you.  He will never stop loving you.  Why?  The reason is He is always thinking the best of you and about you.

If you are having a hard time believing this, perhaps you are confusing your thoughts with God’s thoughts.  Maybe you are projecting the image you have of yourself onto the image God has of you.

We see this very thing in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).  Although the title and most of the narrative focuses on one son, the story is really about the relationship between a father and both his sons.  Nevertheless the youngest son, left home, squandered all his money, disgraced his father and his father’s name by the way he lived.  So when he finally came to his senses and returned home – he had a much different image of himself than that of his father.  His father still loved him.  His father never gave up on him.  His father welcomed him back home with his loving arms wide opened.

Today God is thinking precious thoughts about you.  No matter if you have sinned.  God’s loving arms are open.  He will forgive you, embrace you and continue to love you.

Trusting God When You Can't Trace Him

 

He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast trusting in the Lord (Psalm 112:7 NKJV)

Where do you place your trust?  In money? In other people?  In your education or family background or social standing?  All of these things can be swept away on the tides of changing fortune.  None of them is a solid foundation on which to build a life.  God is your only real security.

Our one sure rock to stand on in the shifting sands of time is God.  Jesus spoke about the one who built on the sand, and how the first storm that blew through knocked the house down.  He said that placing your security in God was like building a foundation on solid rock that would anchor your house of faith no matter what wind and waves of change might come.

This is especially important to remember when you feel most vulnerable and insecure.  No security system or police force can make you 100 percent safe.  No x-ray machine, armed guard, bank account, or government agency can guarantee that will be well with you.  True security has to be found in God.  Ultimate safety and destiny is in Him. You can trust God's kindness and good intentions, for He always follow through on His promises.  In the midst of fear and uncertainty, you can rest safely in your heavenly Father's care.

You might be worried about job security right now.  God says His plan for you is larger than your job.  God says you are His child, and He will take care of you.  Actively put your trust in Him, one day at a time.  If you are struggling with a relationship, trying to make things work out and wondering if the person cares any more, you need to remember that God always cares and will never let you down.  Let God be your security and His faithfulness will surround you.

Do you Feel or Do you Love?

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things; love never fails”

What is love? Is it the feeling I have within my body that causes my heart to race 100 miles per minute, is it the fact that I cannot stop thinking about this person or is it this pain I have in my stomach every time I see this person.  Emotions will take us in so many different directions and cause us to do many different things.  Many times we directly associate love with emotions, although they are at times similar, they couldn’t be more different.  Emotions will keep you doing what you feel like doing, on the other end genuine love will keep you doing what you need to be doing.  Emotions meets the feel, Love meets the need.  Many of us are so in tuned with the feels, we completely miss the need.  We can sit for an entire day knowing we have something to do, and do absolutely nothing because I don’t feel like doing.  Today is simple, reevaluate yourself, are you doing what you feel like doing or are you doing what needs to be done.  Our feelings will fade and change with conditions, but love will keep us on track and being consistent. Align yourself up with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a and really experience the power of love.  Ask yourself the question, do I love or do I feel?

Transform Your Life

... let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think... Romans 12:2 (NLT)

What if you were given a chance to change your life?  What if you were given an opportunity to become who God created you to be, but have yet to become?  Would you take that chance – that opportunity?  Would you allow the necessary changes to take place in order to be transformed?

To be transformed is like undergoing metamorphosis.  Most of us understand metamorphosis, especially as it relates to a caterpillar.  It is interesting to note that a caterpillar is born to fly, but as a caterpillar, it cannot.  It is only after the transformation into either a butterfly or a moth that it becomes what it was created to be – a flying creation.  Similarly, in order for you to become who God created you to be, you must undergo a transformation.

Like the caterpillar wraps itself in its silk cocoon in order to be changed, you must wrap your thoughts in faith and the Word of God in order to be transformed.  When your thoughts line up with Word of God, inevitably and remarkable you will then start to be transformed into a new person.

Today, transform your life.  Cast down any thoughts based on fear, anger or perversion.  Decided, however to fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8), and become who you were always born to be.

A Way Out

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV),

In a society where people are propelled onward by the concept of more, more and still more, excess rules.  The temptation to eat one more cookie, buy one more CD; watch one more movie is strong.  The temptation to flirt anonymously over the Internet, to take an extra half-hour for lunch, to sleep in when you promised to help your neighbor or co-worker set up for a big event.  Giving in to temptation often wins out over more prudent choices.

Temptations are all around you.  Sometimes they're easy to ignore, but usually they attract like magnets.  Paul made a bold statement, quoted above, about temptation in his first letter to the Corinthian church.  He said that God always gives a way out of temptations.  Notice that he didn't say God would erase temptation from your life.  Sometimes you will experience it at the buffet line and other times you will meet it in the particular striking profile of a friendly coworker.

The first step to overcoming temptation is to recognize it.  Do you feel compelled to do something you are not sure is a good idea?  That is the tug of temptation.  Temptation often comes disguised as a shortcut.  It promises an easier path to a desired result, but conveniently forgets to mention that the path is figuratively littered with broken glass, potholes, and land mines.

The second step is to listen to your conscience.  When you feel that you are being tempted, the hesitation you sense is a warning.  It's an opportunity to uncover the lie that informs temptation.  It's an opportunity to evade being taken in.

Whenever you feel temptation's tug, pray.  Ask God for wisdom.  Ask God for strength to face the temptation.  God promised not to set any temptation before you that you can't handle.  God will give you the strength you need to handle temptation.

Who's at your door?

Genesis 4:6-7 (NKJV)

So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it?”

I can remember when I was younger, I absolutely loved to have company, as soon as I would see someone pulling up at the house or hear doorbell ring, and I was standing by for company to come in.  We were very restricted and I knew whenever someone would come, it would open the opportunity for us to be able to do something.  Depending who was outside the door, determined if we were able to go outside and play.  If it was someone my parents didn’t agree with, we couldn’t go.  When some people would come around, my parents would even go as far as to telling us not to go to the door.  As a child I didn’t understand why we couldn’t play with certain people, however as I grew older, I began to understand all company isn’t good company.  Cain and Able both gave God an offering, with Cain’s offering God was displeased and as a result Cain grew angry.  In response to Cain’s anger God gave Cain a bit of advice (Genesis 4:7), but what stood out the most for me was the “c” portion of the verse, God said “sin lies at the door. And its desires is for you, but you should rule over it.”

                Bad company will all ways appear and in its appearance, it desires pull us from wherever we are, to rest where it is.  At the door of Cain’s heart was the spirit of anger, and instead of Cain listening to the voice of God telling him how to overcome its sinful desire, he kept company with it, ultimately resulting in him killing his younger brother.  There are many different desires that seek to influence us to oppose God, but even though those desire are present, God declares we have the authority within us to rule over those desires.  Today I challenge you to stand on the authority you have over all sinful desires and declare you will rule over it, it will not rule over you and watch and see how much stronger you grow in the spirit.  

Pursue Your Passion

 

God does not want us to be shy with His gifts, but bold and loving and sensible (2 Timothy 1:7 The Message)

 

 

Are you a man or woman of passion? Do you embrace life with your whole heart?  Do you love God with all your being? or do you hold back, lukewarm and afraid to fully commit yourself to the adventure of living?  Have you ventured out past your own community to embrace the beauty of the area in which you live?  For example, there are many who only live on one side of town.  Guests come from out of town and tour more than those that live there on a daily basis. 

 

Appreciate life itself.  Enjoy the details of God's creation.  Rejoice in the small things as well as the large.  Look around you and see how amazing and wondrous life is.  Seek out new experiences.  Live your life and never let it become a boring routine.  Always be open to learning something new.  Be active, not passive.  Don't let the parade of life pass you by.  Join in.  Don't sit back and complain.  Get up out of your seat and play.

 

Cultivate and create beauty as well as enjoying it.  Reach out to others.  Get to know people who are different than you.  Appreciate and enjoy the differences.  Really listen when you are in a conversation.  Give each person your full attention.  Be encouraging.  Through these small acts of kindness and adventure you may discover your passion.

 

Never be afraid to be passionate about your faith.  Love God with your whole heart, mind, body, and spirit.  He will be your never failing source of passion and zest for life.

 



It’s Not About Us

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering.  What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.  1 Corinthians 3:7 (NLT)

One sign that the flesh is at work is when we start to think more highly of people than we ought – when we think God’s purpose cannot be fulfilling unless specific people are doing the fulfilling.  You may have seen this happening in your own church.  When people don’t show up to service because their favorite minister isn’t preaching.  Or when one dance group isn’t supportive of another because they weren’t given the same opportunity to minister.  In our scripture today – Paul is reminding us that it’s not about us.  And if we want to grow beyond where we are today – we have to come to this realization.

Paul talks about two types of Christians – the carnal Christian and the Spiritual Christian.  Those who are carnal will always look to people and never grow beyond the limitations that are inherently in us.  Those who are spiritual look to God and grow beyond any expectation we could have ever imagined.

Today let us set our focus on God and not on those who are simply fulfilling what God has called them to do.  Let us start to grow beyond ourselves by first understanding that it’s not about us – but it’s all about God.

Who's the BOSS

Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls. - Proverbs 25:28 

After reflecting on this scripture, I’m reminded of a story. A family bought a luxury car, which the father loved. One day at a gas station the parents left their 3 year old son in the car, securing the doors.  While alone in the car, the child found a marker and began writing on the car. Upon returning, the enraged father, started hitting the child in his hands with great force, repeating “you’re going to learn your lesson.”  He beat his son to the point he had to take him to the hospital.

At the hospital, the parents were notified by the doctor, their son’s hands had been crippled and required amputation. Finding his father in the room in tears, the three year old looked up laughing and said “Hi Daddy, I learned my lesson, can I have my hands back.”

Your story may not be as graphic or extreme, but this story shows how the simplest thing can escalate into something of great magnitude and consequence.  Often times it may be as simple as not doing something we should be doing, because we don’t feel like it.  An inability to control our emotions will render us vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks with no way of defending ourselves, consequently resulting in our destruction.  Today I challenge you to reflect on your life and ask yourself the question, who is in control, me or my emotions?