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Applying Faith ~Part 2 August 28, 2007

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How NOT to apply faith

As I noted in part one, merely going to the hardware store and buying tools , with no knowledge of how the tools work, is certainly a good first step (knowing that the tools in fact do exist), but requires additional knowledge and skills beyond merely having them.

A key to developing and applying faith  there are natural enemies or obstacles that must be recognized and acknowledged first, then overcome and defeated. Some of them are natural enemies and learned behaviors. The whole concept on applying faith is to prevail over unusual difficulties in order to appropriate God’s promises into your life. Obstacles must not only be recognized and confronted but subdued. First you must actually recognize that faith is a weapon of warfare and not just religious speak of the pious. It is not a slick way to rub the genies lamp to get your three wishes either. God is not a mystic genie.

First you must under one of the keys to applying faith is recognizng that actionable faith seeking a result is and will be under constant attack. The attacks are not only external, but also internal; m any times springing from your own heart and mind. Sometimes it is a combination of both internal and external. The forces of doubt fear and evil do not give up gained ground without a fight. Understanding this is one of the keys to faith. It is not to discourage you, it is the reality of the situation, especially if you have tried to exercise faith to receive a covenant promise before and have suffered a severe storm. It is not coincidental. When you exercise you faith in are in the process of advancing your faith and growing spiritually. This is why Paul instruct the Ephesian church that there warfare is spiritual and what the weapons of warfare out, not some nice poetic language or concept to quote 2000 years later. He was telling them how to use these tools and what the conditions would be when they did use them, along with how to arm themselves; very practical instruction.

There are five primary enemies to faith

  1. disobedience to Gods Word
  2. a distorted image of God
  3. being double minded
  4. impatience
  5. fear

Disobedience to God’s Word. Simply put we have a choice to obey or disobey God’s Word once we are Christians. The subsequent choice to obey is an act of faith and to disobey or compromise is an act of unbelief.

A distorted image of God. Just because someone is convinced about “their reality”, and just because they are in charge, does not mean they are right. The world has a tremendous influence on our ideas, thoughts and conceptions of reality. Many times believers adopt the world’s view of God rather than the biblical view and this distortion becomes an enemy to active faith, however well meaning “their reality” is.

Questions like this are common: If God really loves me, how can He allow this to happen? Or if He is love and all powerful , why is there so much evil? Or take a step in faith that didn’t produce instant results and people akd, wouldnt you have been better off if you didn’ follow Jesus?  None of these questions stem from the bible, they stem from the world and their view of God, not what God has told us about Himself. The enemy of faith seeks to distort our image of who God is. Don’t let non-believers or non-biblical rhetoric define your faith.

Double-mindedness. You must be clear what exactly it is you are trusting God for. Many are unclear even in what they are seeking or asking God for and doubt he is even going to grant it to them. This is indecisiveness, which is not faith but doubt. James puts it like this: “If any of you lacks wisdom , he should ask God, who gives geneourously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him. But when he asks he must believe and not doubt,because he who doubts is like a wave on the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.  James 1:5-8

Impatience. “Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:12. )  Quick answers to prayer or a long time to have a prayer answered arent a faith gauge of how much faith you have. Many things are in God’s timing. In our microwave society of instant everything , impatience is a great enemy to our faith today.

Fear. In the book of Hebrews many Jewish Christians wanted to go back to just being a Jew under the old covenant where it was much easier to follow the rules of it. One of the greatest fears what may be lost. Fear is a natural response to the unknown, but it is an enemy of faith, because it relies on the known alone.

One  must understand the things that are the natural enemies or the antithesis to faith as a basis to begin on how to apply faith and what to be conciously aware of in using this tool. It really is best to read the owners manual first when you have a tool that is not working for you to see what is being done wrong and how to correct it.

One of the ironies of biblical faith is how we set it so much apart from regular life. We do not find it unusual that just because someone has a ball and a bat and knows how to swing a bat, that not everybody  knows how to hit just because they have a bat. We understand that it takes practice. We understand the concept of keeping the eye on the ball and following through and letting wild pitches go. In fact, we acknowledge  this is one of the keys to become a good hitter, understanding the mechanics of batting.  We also understand that if you ignore them, or try to hit a homerun every pitch, or doubt you can hit a pitcher, fail to wait for a good pitch or are afraid of being hit by the ball, chances are you don’t really understand the mechanics enough to operate as a good hitter.

Yet, when people start talking about faith in God and the instructions laid out in the covenants, instructions laid out in the bible, the promises, the warnings and the proper applications of faith and making it work, it seems this is an area that people don’t believe needs exercised, but should just come natural. That is not what the bible teaches, it is what the world tells us. Applying faith requires knowing what the owners manual says what impedes it, as well as what makes it a working faith

Applying Faith ~Part 1 August 28, 2007

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Standing on God’s Word

There are at least five specific ways to apply authentic biblical faith. In part one we will look at Standing on God’s Word. God’s Word is full of promises for the believer awaiting both our discovery and application.  For instance, I can be unaware of the existence of a tool designed specifically for or intended for the task I am performing , but it does not negate the existence of the tool.

On the other hand, I can find the tools in the hardware store and even buy the tools, but if I use them wrong or never try to use them, or don’t understand what the tool proper use is for, the tools doesn’t do me much good. In fact it could provide me with a false sense of ability that I do not even have  when I go to use the tool!

Once we understand the Word’s intent , desires, safeguards and promises we have the basis to trust implicitly in its truthfulness. To stand on the Word means to believe it’s promises for your life. Recognizing the covenant promises and provisions are realized by adhering to the will of God and the covenantal terms as expressed in Scripture surrounding the promises. It is reading the owners manual to the promise. It is almost always based in submitting to the government and will of God over your own. This is what it means to stand on the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:2  teaches that “For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.” Trusting in God’s Word is how faith is applied. The command to read and be knowledgable of God’s Word is not a task, it is understanding what it is God has promised you and also what he expects.  Let me be clear, this is not legalism-this is keys to applying faith in life and how the bible instructs us how to apply the promises and the conditions of the covenantal promises.

Once you are aware of a covenantal promise or warning, quickly surrender your own perspective and adopt the view God prescribes. Once you understand the promises and see the unfulfilled promises in your own life, seize it! Follow the covenantal conditions and trust God for it to be infiltrated into your own life.

Preface to Applying Faith Series August 28, 2007

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Just like learning to drive a car, or teaching your child to drive, classroom training is great but the only way you learn how to drive is first by observing it for a period, than reading about some of the technical details, and then you get your permit to drive with someone. After a period of being escorted, you finally get your license to drive on your own.

You already know from experience there are good and bad drivers, some who you trust and others who scare you and don’t obey the law. You know there are others who are so overly cautious they block up free flowing traffic and are a hazard.

But you never learn how to drive until you do it yourself. I can try to impart to my daughter so much, but realize that she will only retain so much and how she actually drives will come from when she does it herself and the habits she develops as she gains experience and confidence in operating the vehicle.  Faith is pretty much the same principle. Many of us are in “drivers ed” all of our lives and never take the road, but know every rule of the road, but are afraid to actually get the gospel bus on the road for fear of forgetting something or making a mistake.

Before I posted part two, I wanted to say that this is road tested stuff that is being relayed but you must road test it as well. Faith is active and applied, not just a mental assent or a mystical experience. The demons believe in God and shudder, yet do not have saving faith. Our faith is not only a knowledge of what we believe, and a belief itself ; it  alos involes trusting in the author enough to operate in it. This is the kind of faith James was speaking about.

The Role Of Persistence In Faith August 28, 2007

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The power of faith is not solely for appropriating God’s promises or for getting our needs met, but also to preserve our values, morals and ethics. Full assurance of faith is a combination of our decision to stand in faith AND the Holy Spirit working in our lives giving us grace to believe .

God gives us grace to become fully assured about His promises and His plan, but not necessarily our plans and our desires; as they may conflict. Being fully assured about God’s faithfulness to bring about His promises and His plan in our lives does not come to the casual seeker.

It takes a combination of both perserverence and persistence to inherit the promises God has birthed through our faith. Read the last sentence again.  This means if one door closes, YOU have to knock on the next door and the next and the next until God opens a door.

I know of and have heard many people who say, “if you rally have faith, you need only bring it up once and God knows what you want. Some brothers believe you don’t need to even bring a need up at all. But while theologically I understand where they are coming from (been there, done that) ; this is not a mark of faith, it is a lack of persistence.

You need to keep bringing your requests before God as long as these unfulfilled requests are on your heart. As an example, I had a mother who prayed for me every night at length until she saw we give my life to the Lord. I was raised in the ways of the Lord, and she claimed that promise and then persisted and perservered in prayer. It wasn’t rubbing Aladdin’s lamp once or saying I did my part in raising him , it was heavy on her heart.

The pray once mentality is contrasted by Jesus Christ’s  teaching and practice. “Once more he went away and prayed the same thing”(Mk. 14:39) . This is an indication that Jesus repeated his prayer request because his heart was consumed with the matter. Paul indicates praying multiple times about the same issue. The Lord’s Prayer, prays for the Kingdom to come and for His will to be done, our needs both spiritual and physical, and praise to Him and is how he taught His disciples and us to pray as a model.

Real biblical faith is a persistent faith. Notice Jesus told his disciples to keep on esculin and the gift would be given. This is not repetition or psycho-babble. Our words and requests should be with wisdom and courage-note the use of the words seeking and knocking are given as an example of persistence. Persistent prayer demonstrates faith.

Saving faith and living faith August 17, 2007

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Sometimes we get so wrapped up in soteriology and how God operates we miss out on a large portion of the Christian faith.There is plenty to celebrate for any new Christian  coming to saving faith. In fact Jesus taught in Luke 15:3-10  (see also Matthew 18:12-14)

 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance…10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

If your primary view of Christianity is simply to get to heaven, then there is hardly a compelling reason to press on . However, God’s plan and purpose only begin there. Saving faith grows into living faith in which you learn to trust God  always and in every circumstance.

People who have been consistently growing in their living faith have a quiet confidence that is unshakable  in the face of obstacles, opposition and delays. With regard to God’s promises in their lives, it is more than just believing or hoping; it is an inner knowing,  This is what Hebrews refers; “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen” (11:1 NASB)

God’s plan and purpose for each of us is that we develop living faith and grow in our living faith. This is a choice and something we must choose to do. All soteriological debate ends here because the Bible is clear once one is saved then he needs to do certain things, not for salvation, but to fulfill their purpose in His Kingdom. He left His people work to do, far beyond debate.  (In fact, he even mentioned that we are not to be quarrelsome among ourselves)

Living faith is an active choice that each and every Christian is called to develop. How many times have you seen the “seasoned saints” whom it seems nothing shakes them, not trail or circumstance will change their demeanor nor change their inner countenance?  To them the conviction of things not seen is as natural to them as seeing the tangible world is for the rest of us. You don’t just wake up one day and have this type of living faith, it comes after a process of time of trusting the Lord with all things and having the faith described in Hebrews 11:1. A working faith, not a mystical one.

Mark 4 and the storms of life August 17, 2007

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There are four things we can learn from this passage

1.There is always another side

2.You cannot take everyone with you

3.You should expect storms

4. Jesus speaks to us in the storms

1. When you realize there is “another side”, it means you do not have to stay the way you are. You do not have to accept everything that comes your way. You do not have to be a victim. You do not have to live with your dreams and God’s promises unfulfilled

He will enable you to do things that are more meaningful in your family, in your ministry, in attaining your calling. There is always another side, a better side, replete with promises that can be attained. That is the theme of Hebrews which teaches that in Christ we have a better covenant, a better promise  and a better inheritance.

2. In crossing over to the other side of faith, you cannot force others to come with you. Many will not want to go. Yet your departure should not be based on the willingness of others. In our walk with Christ and our commitment to faith, we can not wait for a vote of confidence from others.

 3. The storm hit shortly after the disciples and Christ started to go to the other side. Sometimes when we decide to follow him to the other side, the better side of faith, we follow Him directly into a storm 1 Peter 4:12 tells us we should not be surprised.

4. Storms of life that try your faith drive us deeper into our relationship with Christ.They push you to a place you most likely wouldn’t go on your own. Instead of asking God to take the storm away we should ask, what should I do now, give me some wisdom and insight about what you are preparing me for.

The Three Ingredients of Faith August 17, 2007

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In Hebrews 11:1 we learn that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”.

In other words in Hebrews we are being instructed that everything about faith involves certainty which encompasses three areas, knowledge, belief and assent. Certainty is the Greek Word elenchos, which means proof, conviction or evidence.

Although the person employing faith has an internal assurance of things hoped for, this verse does not imply, nor can it be interpreted to mean, that the believing person can prove to others the reality of the unseen things they hope for.

By adding  the term “hope for” to the word “certain” the message conveyed is “the inner right of resting in the thing hoped for is established”  to the believer, according to Gerhard Kittel.  God gives an internal resolve , a confidence to the believer that it is right to rest in the thing being hoped for.

To have confidence, you must first have knowledge about the thing hoped for. Next, you must believe in, or trust in, the knowledge you possess. And finally, you must act on that belief in order to complete the expression of faith.   Knowledge+belief+assent=faith.

Spurgeon in his sermon entitled “Faith” used the example of a boy trapped in a fire in a second floor apartment.  He goes to run out the door but the doorknob is hot and smoke is coming in. He runs to the window intending to jump to safety, but looks out and sees the concrete pavement and reconsiders. He screams for help to the crowd below.

A strong man steps out and yells for him  to jump, saying” I’ll catch you son, Jump” Upon hearing the mans instruction he receives knowledge (that the man is willing to catch him).  But the boy is still not sure, so does not jump. His knowledge did not produce faith.

Help! Help! The boy screams again., even louder. “Jump, I’ll catch you” assure the strong man. ” Don’t be afraid , jump!” Upon further consideration the both believes the strong man is able to catch him But even knowledge of and belief in his claims did not produce faith to actually jump, and he retreated from the window in fear.

A few seconds later the boy goes over to the window a third time screaming for help, “Jump, son, I’ll catch you. Don’t worry, I’ll catch you!” yells the strong man.

This time the boy assents to (acts on) his knowledge of, and belief in, the strong mans words by leaping out the window into his arms. That is faith. The boy assented to what he had knowledge and belief about. The three together form faith.

Simple Truth August 2, 2007

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Once abolish the God, and the government becomes the God.” - Christendom in Dublin, 1933

Do we need another reformation? August 2, 2007

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Reformation is improvement, and refers to what already exists; but transformation means a change of being. There are many who have accepted the truth that by the grace of God they have been transferred from Adam to Christ, and that they are clear of the old man in God’s sight; yet they have no true understanding of what it is to be “transformed.”
In Romans 12:2, we are exhorted not to be “conformed to this world,” but to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This means a new mind, something altogether new; so that you are not to walk before men according to this world, but according to the mind of Christ, your life. Hence, at the end of this exhortation, the Apostle says, “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:14).

It is not a question as to whether the order of this world is good or not, but you are not to be conformed to it any more: you are to be “transformed” according to a new mind, and thus be able to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Everyone who knows anything of his own heart must know that he has tastes and desires connected with this earthly scene, and the more they are gratified the stronger they become. But as he walks in the Spirit he finds that what he likes most in the natural order of things is the very thing he must avoid: “No man . . . having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for he saith, The old is better.” Very slowly do we learn to be altogether non-conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our mind.

Which should we be striving towards , a new reformation or a transformation?