Faith is Believing, not Seeing!

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."
Hebrews 11:8

There is a common assumption among Christians today that we need to have all the answers before we can interact properly with skeptics of faith.  Many will intentionally avoid discussing their faith because of their lack of knowledge.  The fact remains that if you have Christ you can share Christ.  We live in a day when education and knowledge are glorified like never before.  The trouble is, the Christian walk is does not hinge upon knowledge, but faith.  Our faith is according to knowledge, but true faith trumps facts every time.

Abraham is a case in point:  by faith he obeyed God.  The scriptures say in Genesis 12:1, "Now the Lord had said to Abram:  "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you."  Abraham didn't know all of the facts.  He didn't know where he was going or how the pieces of his life would fall into place.  He didn't know how he would water his flocks or if there were unseen dangers in the wilderness.  But all the things Abraham did not know was overshadowed by what he did know:  He knew God, and he heard God's command.  Based on his faith in God he obeyed Him.

In my current situation, this is a great encouragement to me.  Since I made the call upon my life in Australia known to people, I have been asked all kinds of questions I still have no answers for.  People desire dates, particulars, a schedule, how I will afford the move, how I will obtain a proper visa, if I have considered homeschooling, will I sell my house, on and on and on!  I have been faced with well-meaning comments like, "If you want people to support you with prayer and finances, you need to give them more information."  I have no idea how anything will be worked out in the end, even today.  But I know the One whom Abraham trusted and obeyed:  I know God, and I have heard the call to Australia.  God is worthy of all glory, honor, trust, and obedience.

I do not see it as any less than a divine miracle by God's grace that man can know God.  His ways "are past finding out," but He has revealed Himself to us through the beauty and order in nature, the testimony of our conscience, His infallible Word, the Law and the Prophets, Jesus Christ and His fulfillment of scripture, His love, teachings, sinless life, crucifixion, resurrection from the dead, and ascension, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit.  Because our God supplies all our needs, Jesus says in Matthew 6:25:  "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"  Life is more than food and clothing, but often we reduce it to that level:  physical needs and physical comfort.

God supplied the needs of the apostle Paul through his trade as a tent-maker and the contributions of the saints.  But to say that Paul received physical comfort in this life would be a bold-faced lie, seeing he was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned and left for dead, falsely accused, and his life was often threatened.  He ended up dying for his faith in Christ.  He writes to Timothy and us in 2 Tim. 1:8-12:  "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, [9] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, [10] but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, [11] to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. [12] For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."  Paul entreats us to share in suffering for the sake of the Gospel according to the life God has graciously granted us.  Paul knew whom he believed (God), and was persuaded that God had redeemed him from death and would keep him.  Paul didn't know all the facts.  But he knew God and that what God promises He is able to perform.

My temptation is to be in a hurry to have details concerning a visa or employment worked out and in so doing step out of the will of God.  Did you know Moses knew God had called him to deliver the children of Israel before the burning bush?  Acts 7:23-25 tells us, "Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. [24] And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. [25] For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand."  Moses would flee from Egypt and spend 40 years tending his father-in-law's sheep.  Then the Lord spoke to him through the burning bush and called him to return to Egypt for the purpose of delivering God's people.  Moses tried to help out in his own way by killing the Egyptian.  He tried to force things.  God needed to get the glory for the deliverance of the Israelites as a testimony for all nations of His power and might, not Moses.  God humbled Moses and granted him meekness for the task He had appointed for Him.

Joseph was another that God visited at a young age with dreams of being a great ruler.  He was hated by his brothers and sold into slavery.  He went from being the most loved of his father to being a slave in the house of Potiphar.  He was accused of rape and sent to prison.  During that time by God's wisdom he made known the dreams of two men which both came true.  Though Joseph asked the butler to remember him and help him be delivered from prison, he was forgotten entirely for two years.  A day came when Pharaoh had a dream and it occurred to the butler that Joseph could interpret dreams through the power of God.  Joseph was whisked out of prison, washed, dressed in proper clothes, and made his appearance before the ruler of all Egypt.  After interpreting Pharaoh's dream, he was promoted to second in command in all Egypt.  I'm sure this was not the way Joseph would have figured the dreams God gave him in his childhood would be worked out.  He knew God was faithful and that His plan was perfect.

Whether because of your life right now or the uncertain days in which we live, now is the time to place our faith in God and His plan.  It is not about my life, but about God receiving the glory, honor, and praise He deserves from this breath.  Only God could make such a conversion!  I still do not know the times or seasons which God has in His own power, but I want to be obedient.  I know God, and I know what He has said.  He will never leave me or forsake me.  Don't be deceived to think you must have all the facts in order before you proceed.  Trust God, for His is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than you can ask or think that His name would be lifted up throughout the earth.  Where you are going is not as important as who you follow, for God will lead the way.

Dinner at the Landman's

For a little change of pace, I put together a video about spare ribs, a Landman specialty.  The taste of South Africa in Australia!  Dinner was a special treat, and there were "Ribs for All!"  I thank God for the Landman family and for his remarkable provision. 

Finishing God's Sentences

During a church service recently, I was disappointed with the pastor's handling of scripture.  He began his sermon reading carefully through his notes, and it was 20 minutes into the message before he made the first (yet veiled!) scriptural reference.  When he finally did reference a scripture, a power-point presentation displayed the scripture behind him on the wall.  Some of the verses from the Bible he read through all the way, but on two of the longer passages the reading was prefaced with, "You all know this..." and then he proceeded to skim the portion, not reading verbatim or entirely.  But do we know these verses, pastor?  We might have heard it before, but do we understand it?  Do we live in complete submission to the Word, or do we skip a little, and finish the scripture with "blah blah blah?"  There was a hint of apology in his voice which said,  "I'm sorry this isn't as interesting as what I have to say."  He didn't summarize his sermon--just the scriptures scavenged to prop it up.

I am certainly not perfect, for I have been guilty of skimming through verses to read the commentary following.  The pastor's mashing of familiarity with understanding and equating it to personal practice is common for believers.  We think because we've heard it, we know it.  If we know it, we must understand it, right?  Of course not!  I can hear people speak in a foreign language and perhaps mimic what I heard back to them, but it is not with understanding.  I have successfully answered countless math problems in high school and college that I didn't understand.  I had no comprehension of the fundamental concepts of how or why the process worked.  I couldn't explain it!  But like a monkey wearing clothes and riding a pushbike as he had been trained, I copied the process.  It should be no wonder a sermon lacks power when we skim over the Word of God which is the employed by the Holy Spirit to be fruitful in our lives.

A habit I find repulsive (because I used to do it, of course!) is when people finish sentences for others.  If I sense someone is going to finish a sentences for me I will pause, and then say something different from what was said by my assuming friend.  It's how I work on my vocabulary!  If we can predict the words of our fellow believers, it follows Christians can get into the habit of doing the unthinkable:  finishing God's sentences.  Go to any church service on a Sunday (and I have been guilty, absolutely) and observe as the pastor reads a familiar passage.  Hushed throughout the sanctuary people can be heard finishing the passage under their breath before the preacher  Perhaps out of habit, perhaps to show their Bible mastery, people parrot the Word of God as if they are repeating lines from a movie.  When we finish God's sentences, we rob ourselves of the ability to hear God speak because we have stopped listening.

The same problem can be seen among familiar stories in scripture.  Because we've heard the story, we think we know all there is to know about it.  Last night in Bible study we talked about when the paralytic was lowered through the roof and was healed by Jesus.  You may not have considered it, but how do you think the falling debris and rubble affected the meeting inside?  As Jesus preached, there was loud scuffling and hammering sounds on the roof.  As dust began to rain down, a bang revealed a patch of sunlight through swirling dust as the hole grew wider and wider.  Bit by bit roofing material was pulled away and more dirt dropped down on the occupants.  Once the hole became large, a body was lowered down through the hole.  The meeting was officially disrupted by a paralyzed man suspended in air.  Then Jesus spoke.  What did He say?  I wonder if you can remember what He says.  What He says is not what I would expect to hear!  If the suspense is killing you, read the whole story in Mark chapter 2.

My prayer is this post would radically change the way you read the Word of God.  It should not to be handled casually, like fiction novels, movies, or a video game.  Every word is loaded with significance.  We cannot afford to take anything God has preserved for us in His Word for granted.  We must read critically:  not to criticize, but to carefully mull over every detail and apply the lessons personally.  How many times have we been guilty of reading, not understanding, but continuing on?  We are the loser!  Remember how many times the disciples came to Jesus to ask Him to explain what He was talking about?  I wonder if we are willing to humble ourselves and do the same.  Listen to the words of Christ to His disciples in Luke 8:10: "And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'"  To us it has been given!  But many have not received.

To comprehend God's Word, we need God to teach us.  Luke 24:45 tells us that Jesus explained the Word "And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures".  He has granted us the Holy Spirit, who will guide us into all truth.  But as long as we are convinced we know we will remain ignorant.  Oh that God would unveil His truth before my eyes!  May all pride and arrogance due to familiarity be crucified with Christ, that I might humbly receive the crumbs from His table!  We need not beg when our God has a seat for us reserved at His table spread with a banquet.  I tell you the truth:  those who are in the habit of finishing God's sentences remain spiritually starved and wonder why they even bother to open the Bible.

I praise God that we can familiarize ourselves with something so precious as God's Word.  We can hold it in our hands and learn truths that we do not deserve to utter, much less realize!  We can think about it all the day, and read it upon our beds at night.  But may it never, ever, become familiar to us.  May we never lose the wonder, excitement, and power of God in His Word.  One would never expect to see nuggets of gold lying in the street.  We must dig for them, and God will show us how to mine His truth.  It is more precious than the universe itself, for God's Word shall never pass away.

Insurance or Assurance?

More and more these days, insurance is a prime topic of discussion.  Medical insurance reform has been a hot topic in the States for years.  Emotions run high as people raise concerns about how reform might work against their personal and family needs.  No one minds "reform" as long it conforms to our benefit.  It struck me today that man can only provide insurance, not assurance.  People are willing to sell you an insurance policy for a premium cost, but that does not change the uncertainty of the future.  A man might have millions in his retirement accounts, but that doesn't mean he will be able to use it!  There is no insurance that can cover a man's soul.  All the insurance in the world cannot assure you of your stake in the future.  In fact, when we purchase insurance we bank on things going wrong!

By this introduction I am not saying that insurance is without value, or that it reveals a lack of faith and inherent weakness.  What I am saying is insurance has no ability to control your future.  It simply gives you help during your uncertain future.  You might be dumped the first time you make a claim on your homeowners insurance, or you might have a rate increase in your car insurance premium if you have an accident.  Medical costs may be denied if your insurer can prove you had a pre-existing condition, or if you do not report an injury according to their policy.  Insurance doesn't stop your water heater from flooding your home, stop car accidents from happening, or keep you from cancer.

One of the aspects I love most about God is that He gives assurance to all who trust in Him:  assurance of love, forgiveness, peace, strength, and provision.  God does not offer insurance, because that is based on merit.  God offers assurance by His grace.  Isaiah 32:17 says, "The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever."  The original Hebrew word for "assurance" in this passage defined in the Bible Knowledge Commentary is "a place of refuge; abstract safety, both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust)."  We receive the righteousness of God through confession of sin, repentance, and through faith in Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit regenerates us to live for the glory and praise of God.  A bi-product of this relationship with God is peace and an eternal refuge in our Savior.  Assurance speaks of unshakable security, an eternally binding covenant signed with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Listen to these quotes of Christ:  in John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Also in John 5:24:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."  John 6:47 states, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life."  The assurance of God is better than the insurance of men.  But which do you rely upon more?  Most times man will only receive the assurance of God when he is left without other options.  We are quick to look to our own abilities, and breathe easier when insured.  But insurance is no substitute for assurance from God.  It is God who has granted us breath, and only He has the power to save!

God has not only given assurance to the believer, however.  It is written in Acts 17:30-31:  "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, [31] because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."  The word translated "assurance" from the Greek in this passage means, "persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstract constancy in such profession."  What more does God need to do to persuade men to live for His glory?  Is He not trustworthy?  Should the commands of God be ignored by any, seeing as He has provided credibility of His Word through the resurrection of Christ?

The world may look upon followers of Christ with pity, seeing them as small-minded fools who are not capable of rational thought.  To the contrary:  it is better to trust God than men.  It would be better to be a fool for Christ and go to hell than to reject Christ and live forever on earth, for Christ is true, worthy, and right.  Has He not given assurance according to the power of His resurrection?  Has He not said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20)?  Speaking for myself, I would rather be in the presence of God in hell than without God upon the earth.  Psalm 37:16 says, "A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked."  Jesus says that it is the Father's good pleasure to give us (His faithful children) the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

Let us no longer be afraid of the uncertainly of this word, for we have the certain promises of God.  In my devotions this morning I read in 2 Tim. 1:6-7:  "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. [7] For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  May we walk in assurance of all that God has said, our confidence founded in the good Word of God and His exceedingly precious promises.  We know that what He has promised He is able to perform.  Man does not need insurance for life, but God offers assurance for eternal life!  Our future is secure in Christ, and we have ample assurance of that!