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Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
A few years ago the then-governor of Minnesota made the statement that “Faith is for weak-minded people.” However, weak-minded faith is faith in something that isn’t true. Weak-minded faith is faith in a lie, a system, a human, a philosophy.
Faith in the one and only triune God isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength and courage. It’s faith with a capital ‘F’.
A person with this kind of Faith has the strength to face the challenges of life with the attitude that says I’ll do what I can to make my world better, knowing all the while that the success of my venture isn’t dependent on me but on God.
A person of Faith makes mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are huge. Sometimes those mistakes are willful choices to take the easy way. But in the end the person of faith is secure in knowing that they are loved by God. This person of faith, even when far from where he/she wants to be continues to battle back. Knowing all the while that their ‘righteousness’ isn’t based on their actions but on their hearts desire for a fulfilling relationship with God.
A person of Faith sees the social ills of the world around him/her and works to make them better all the while making the sacrifices needed to show the love and grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Even to those people who they disagree with. Even to those people who abuse the system. This person knows that true justice will never come to this world at the hands of mankind but still works towards that end.
A person of Faith looks at family and friends who are living apart from God and loves them back into the kingdom. They realize that restoration of the soul takes time and effort and prayer. They realize that relationship is more important than condemnation and that restoration is done better with gentle hands and patience than a sledge hammer and duct tape.
A person of Faith thinks before he/she talks. Puts themselves in the other person’s shoes before taking action to change things. Loves in the midst of hatred. Brings an attitude of calm in the midst of the storm. A person of Faith realizes that the still quiet voice based on Godly principles is much louder that a beating drum and blaring speakers or legalism.
PRAYER: Father God. I want to be a person of Faith. I’m so frustrated right now with where I find myself on the journey of life. I’m angered and frightened by what I see going on around me both on the world-wide scale and in my own corner of the world. Empower me with your spirit to practice strong faith. Faith that says no matter what happens I know you are in complete control. Help my actions be the change-agent my loved ones need. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. Luke 17:33
While going to Seminary I worked for one winter at a local downhill ski area. Most of the time my assignment was to ‘man the bunny hill’ tow rope. This was a pretty cushy job during the day because I could read while on duty.
This was also the hill where ski instructors would teach people how to ski. Their very first lessons usually started right in front of me. I’d never skied before in my life so I took this opportunity to learn the essentials by observation.
Since we were allowed free lift tickets and rentals on the day of our shift I decided to try skiing. Using the new knowledge I’d gained by watching the ski lessons I ventured out on the hills, starting, of course with my very own bunny hill. In time I graduated to the bigger hills and, although not an Olympic caliber skier by any means, felt pretty confident that I could tackle the big hills. I prided myself on the fact that I’d never fallen. Not once.
One night a group of friends invited me to go skiing with them and I took them up on it. I was a bit nervous on the first few runs but was pleasantly surprised of my own confidence…that is until the offer of ‘ski tag’ came along. The group decided to play tag on the slopes and invited me to participate. The object was just like regular tag. The person that was ‘it’ would have to catch up to and touch another member of the group.
The game required speed, some level of ability, and most of all…risk. Since I saw no way to refuse the offer and keep my male ego intact, I joined in on the game. That night I completely shattered my pride-filled record of ‘never falling’. Numerous times! However, I had never had as much fun skiing as I did that night.
Many times we approach life in the same way I learned to ski. Some of us never move away from the tow rope booth. We are content to watch from the sidelines. We gain knowledge on how to ‘do life’. We are even given opportunities to use that knowledge. But fear or lack of confidence keeps us warm and safe inside the guard shack.
Others of us take the opportunities to join in the game. We strap on the skis. We join the crowds. But we cautiously protect ourselves from any harm as much as possible. Maybe we’ve been hurt before and don’t want to risk hurt again. We could still harbor bruises from people who have been critical of us. We’ve believed the lies others have told us about our inability to pursue our dreams. Sometimes the loudest voices come from deep inside our own souls.
Be willing to take some ‘spiritual’ risks in your life. Do something you have always wanted to try but were afraid of failure. Dust off some of those dreams you have had in your past and ask yourself, and God, why you shouldn’t try to fulfill them. Then begin the process of pursuing that dream. It may not happen, but at least you have tried. Don’t let the fear of failure handcuff you. Don’t let the fear of failure or the words of others limit you. Jesus says that if we play cautions, protect all we have, and never be willing to take some risks in life, we end up never gaining the best he has for us.
PRAYER: Father God, I confess to you that I still struggle with stepping into the ‘game of life’ for you. I’ve let my past, or the fear of failure limit me for far too long. I ask that you would empower me to take some risks for your Kingdom. Empower me with confidence and wisdom to use the gifts you’ve given me for your glory. In Jesus name I pray Amen.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1
Imagine David on the hillside. Alone in the wilderness. Nothing but the sound of sheep snoring in the dark and an occasional twig snapping as some unknown visitor scouts the perimeter of his camp.
As the fire dies his attention is drawn straight above him. Around him is darkness, but above him is the splendor of heaven. Millions and millions of stars. Stars that looked like pin holes in black paper to him but were, in reality huge, energy emitting balls of gas billions of miles away!
I can’t help but believe that the time David spent in the wilderness alone was time spent learning about the majesty of God. His courage in fighting Goliath; his patience and grace in running from Saul; his wisdom in leading a nation and his acceptance of God’s discipline in the ‘Bathsheba Affair’ didn’t come from wrestling lions and bears or herding stupid sheep!
David’s character was built spending time in God’s creation communing with him in solitude and worship. It’s appalling to me to realize that one Sunday a year some churches ‘celebrate’ Darwin’s lie about origins. People who claim to believe in the God of the Bible applaud a system of belief (evolution) which discredits what the Bible says about God creating everything we see as well as the unseen world.
David would have been horrified at the thought! He’d say to us, “Look at the heavens! How can you possibly doubt a God who made all this!”
Life can be hard sometimes. Relationships fail us. Sleep evades us. Children/parents disappoint us. The darkness of our sin or the way we are treated by others surrounds us and fills us with fear and despair. When that happens, look up! If God can make the millions of stars in the sky he can handle whatever you are going through.
There is no sin too great that he can’t forgive. No illness to harsh that he can’t heal and/or comfort. No relationship he can’t mend. It was in the darkness that David formed a character that gave him the title of “A man after God’s own heart.” It is in the darkness that each of us must grow our character as well. We don’t develop character in the light of day and the comfort of a palace. We learn character in the darkness of a hillside wilderness.
PRAYER: Holy God. As with David, I ask that my eyes would be drawn to the heavens. Help me to see your power and majesty in the world you have created around me. Empower through your Holy Spirit to have the courage to believe in you as I endure the struggles that lay ahead of me. Just as the heavens declare your majesty, may my character declare your grace and power to love others and live for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12
Here’s a math question for you. If a train leaves Philadelphia traveling east at 55 miles per hour how long will it be until it gets there…to the east that is? Don’t spend too much time thinking on that one. The answer is easy. It won’t make it. East just keeps going.
You can go north but eventually you will reach a point where you are going south. You can go south but, again, only for time and then you are going north. We have a north pole and a south pole to designate the furthest possible point we can go in that direction. We don’t have an east and a west pole because they never, ever meet!
That is the word picture the Psalmist wants each of us to have when it comes to our sin. Some of the sin in our lives is the result of intentional acts against others. We sin in the things we say without thinking. We sin by not doing the things we know we should do. We sin by making well thought out choices and by making flippant choices without thinking of how they will affect others, or ourselves.
Sin happens. And with each sin, each wrong choice, each rebellious act we take, there are consequences to our sin. Some of those consequences are physical ones which will affect us our whole lives. Some affect us relationally and can destroy marriages, friendships and careers. But all sins affect us spiritually.
Our Father in Heaven loves us dearly. But much as he’d like to, he can’t have a relationship with us if there is sin in our lives. It drives a wedge between us. That’s why he sent Jesus. Jesus came to remove our sin as far as the east is from the west. But the east and the west can never meet. They are forever the same distance from each other. In the same way our sins and their punishment are removed to an eternal distance by his mercy and grace. We may carry some of the consequences of wrong choices with us, but our punishment has been forever removed!
Fly as far as the wings of your imagination can take you. You can never find the place where a trace of your sin in God’s mind. It’s gone! Since your sin is so far removed you need never fear that it will be brought back to haunt you. You are free!
Don’t let the enemy try to get you to think differently. Don’t let others drag the memory of your sin before you to accuse you. Don’t let your own mind feel defeated because of your past. Live in the freedom of Christ’s eternal forgiveness.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I make so many mistakes. It seems like every time I turn around I’m hurting someone by my words or actions or doubting your promises to provide or taking matters into my own hands and making bad situations worse. Thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you that my sin is eternally removed from your mind. You are a great and wonderful Savior. Amen.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Have you ever noticed those advertisements that boast about how good life can be? They sell a product that can take away those extra pounds in a just a few easy weeks. You can earn thousands, even millions of dollars with this ‘proven method’! You can look younger, smell better, love more often, get the house you always wanted and have more toys than any of your neighbors if you just follow a few simple formulas.
Now, have you ever seen the people who make the claims? How do they look? Tired? Worried? Overweight? Do they look clean-cut or homeless? How do you think they smell? Taken a shower lately or been nowhere near water or soap for few weeks? Are they missing any teeth or showing any signs of bruising?
Most likely your wondering what is going on in my head. The answers to those questions are, “Of course not!” (That is unless you’ve seen some advertisements I’ve not yet seen!) The people that push this product or that product to make our lives completely comfortable and worry-free are well groomed, happy looking and successful. You certainly wouldn’t want to buy something to make your life better from someone who looked sad, depressed, angry or suicidal.
If the Apostle Paul were to do an info-mercial, most likely no one would take him seriously. When he wrote his letter to the Philippians he was old, tired, beaten up, not in the best of health and behind bars. Imagine someone like that telling you, on camera, how good God is and how he can give you joy and freedom!
That’s precisely the message he give us though. Most of the time when we are sick or worried or angry or in physical pain, we focus on our pain, not on happy thoughts. But Paul tells us to keep our mind focuses on the good things God has done for us. Sometimes we have to look hard for the silver lining, but it’s always there. Grace tells us that our outlook on life isn’t based on what is going on around us; it’s based on what is inside of us. Our outlook on life will be one of peace and joy only if we turn everything over to Jesus.
PRAYER: Holy Father, I worship you today for the fact that even though I am enduring many struggles in my life, you are in control of all of them. I worry. I get angry. I try to find someone to blame for all the bad stuff that happens to me. Empower me by your spirit to focus on all the blessings you’ve given me and not on the pain I’m in. I resolve from this day forward to have the attitude of joy that Paul speaks of in Philippians. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 