| Author | Message | ||
| Dale Registered user Username: Dale Post Number: 23 Registered: 4-2007  |
Carolyn and I have read the NT through a number of times recently. Every time we come to verses that jump out with new meaning. We have had many faith tests of late and we have decided to explore this subject with new vigor. It is exciting and very daunting. Consider the report of the 10 spies as recorded in Numbers 13 and 14. The 10 spies actually told the truth about the land. The “bad report” was “bad” in that they doubted what God said about their ability to conquer the land. Think again of Abraham. In order for Abraham to believe that he would have a son in his old age required him to disbelieve apparent reality. Time after time Jesus said things which force us into the same dilemma. Here are just a few: Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this? Jn. 11:25, 26. I wonder how many of us really believe what Jesus said in these verses! Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. Mk. 11:24. Is this promise working for us? If not, did Christ tell an untruth? Could it be that we, like the 10 spies, would rather believe our perception of realty than the Word of God? Perhaps it is our unbelief in the words of Jesus that make this promise seem so far-fetched to us and so unavailable in our own experience. And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:28 – 34 This text is frequently used by us at LAM in our prayers and meditations. Our faith is yet feeble but we can say that we have seen this promise work time and again. However, for me at least, when I look at the reality of our situation, I find myself moving toward worry. Now at least when I realize this I immediately go back to the naked word of God, read it again and claim the promise anew. I must confess God is true even though my “reality” says otherwise. Faith, I am learning, is trusting God’s word over my perception of things. Yes, these lessons of faith are exciting and daunting! But in this process I feel God is drawing me closer to Him. I feel God nudging me to move into new dimensions of faith. Am I going to believe God’s Word or my perception of reality? That is the fight of faith! | ||
| Agapetos Registered user Username: Agapetos Post Number: 1023 Registered: 10-2002  |
Dale, thank you for sharing this. It comes at God's timing when He is telling me to put away the doubts of what seems "impossible" and to trust what He has shown me in my life. | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1421 Registered: 9-2006  |
Peter I 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Peter I 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Peter I 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: Peter I 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: When my wife and I were first saved it seemed as if we were taken out of the fat and put directly into years and years of fires of trial in our finances and I looked in amazement at these scripture, we went for years on the edge of total break down, we had nothing of the worlds goods, what we had was the blessing of God as we followed him, just nothing I would do would work and yet I felt the hand of God on my life. Finally after years and years of this, we were living in Las Vega Nv. Where I had moved to thinking things maybe would get better. Finally it got down to the point to where we did not even have enough for fuel to go into the old car and look for work. I thought that morning “well, I have to do something, so I went to my brothers dealership where he was and had been doing great, he had the money for liquor and all the toys of this world, so I walked the two mile to his place of business and ask him that morning for help, he looked at me with a cold look and a sort of sneer and just walked away to catch his plane for a business trip to salt lake, never said a word just headed for his car. I walked back out on the sidewalk and the tears of humiliation and frustration and worry came and I felt as if I could not go on. As I turned up the side walk toward what home we had the Holy Spirit spoke to me very clearly “Now I will make you the head and not the tail” I thought “well Lord I appreciate you speaking to me” but I was so far down it didn’t comfort me much. I will make this story short and the details doesn’t make a difference and beside they have grown a little dim as to what exactly took place there. That very day we both got jobs and from that day we went on to living in a high rise apartment on the 11th floor, my living room and bedroom had each had a plate glass walls and we could see forever out over Las Vegas and all of it was furnished by the rich Corporations, I had no utility bills, no phone bills, under ground parking and a Jacuzzi to jump in whenever I felt like it. My day was done in four or five hours and so I could spend time on computer programming and things I had interest in. From that day forth we wanted for nothing, but I had no taste for acquiring anything beyond what I required for my own daily living, I didn’t crave the boats and the Cadillac’s, I had no taste for the high life of Vegas. From 1990 to 2006 I never looked under the hood of my car to see what was wrong because they were new cars and didn’t need anything, I would just think of something that I would like to have and it would show up. I am telling you all this, not for my benefit, but for your benefit, God can raise you up, he can do as he pleases and if you belong to him, there is not a thing you can do about it, he can let you go around and around that mountain until you learn whatever it is he wants you to learn from him. Today I have enough to meet my needs, but if it all goes away, I have faith in God, this world cannot take my faith. Faith is not a head knowledge it is a working, living faith and it don’t come cheap. When you ask for faith, it may come through hardship, faith may even be a product of hardship, it is for me. Yet I have looked on the lives of other Christians living the good life financially and able to give large gifts to the church and its needs while if I could give five dollars it was probably very near the last that I had. Seemingly from looking from the outside they had no concerns at all, but that is looking from the outside, his mountain may be different than my mountain, mountains don’t all look alike. If you stand in amazement at how your life is going, be assured Christian friend that God has your good in mind. We never stop learning from him. As a one last note to this story, my brother is grubbing for penny’s, his riches in access of a million dollars, gone, his marriage, gone, his health, gone, his drink is hard liquor. I pray for him and hurt for him though. He looked at my life in amazement as I went from having absolutely nothing to having more than plenty without putting much effort at all into it because it was not my effort. And I watched in amazement as his life went down the tubes and the riches took wings and left him penniless. You folks can pull whatever you can get from this testimony, if anything. The word of God is true but it don’t always take the form you think it should. River | ||
| Snowboardingmom Registered user Username: Snowboardingmom Post Number: 334 Registered: 11-2005 |
That is so true, Dale. I've been coming to experience that new dimension of faith as well. There have been so many times recently where I find myself in a situation (either business, family, spiritual, etc.) where I sense God directing me to move forward in an area that just doesn't make sense when you see the "reality" of what He's asking. But praise God that He's not confined to our "reality"! It definitely makes the adventure exciting!! Thanks for sharing your testimony, River. Last summer, I memorized that passage in 1 Peter (including vs.8 and 9). It was an assignment in our women's summer study class to choose a passage in Peter to memorize, but unknown to me at the time, I would come to lean on this text I had chosen over and over throughout the coming year. I love that passage, but especially love vs 8 and 9 (that inexpressible joy is so true!). vs. 8 and 9: "Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, recieving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls." God is so good! Grace (Message edited by snowboardingmom on September 05, 2007) | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6728 Registered: 12-2003  |
Dale, thank you. Yes, we are certainly walking with you in this ongoing discipline of faith! I like what you said, River—"God can raise you up, he can do as he pleases and if you belong to him, there is not a thing you can do about it, he can let you go around and around that mountain until you learn whatever it is he wants you to learn from him." Since Richard was fired 15 months ago and we have been working in this ministry, we have had to depend on God's promises in a way we never had to before. Matthew 6:25-34 have become more than a theoretical declaration of God's provision. We have had to actively decide to trust what He says and believe He will keep His promises. After all, if He is faithful to bring the Seed promised to Abraham and secure our eternal salvation, why would we doubt that He will provide both the strength and faith for us to seek His kingdom and also to provide what we need to live? It's easy for me to think, "Oh, yeah...God is in the business of providing salvation. Of course I can trust that!" But when it comes to paying Nathanael's tuition bill, or buying food and paying utilities...somehow I'm tempted to think it's presumption to expect God to provide! How crazy is that? But in spite of my early education which taught me to doubt that God was in the business of providing life's details, He is faithful. And as River said, He'll keep us going round and round the mountain until we learn what we must learn, trust Him in hew and deeper ways, and discover that it's not about us: all this faith, provision, and equipping is for His glory! How awesome that He gives us a role to play in His story! Colleen | ||
| Patriar Registered user Username: Patriar Post Number: 410 Registered: 3-2005 |
Colleen: I've recently been doing a study on the nature of the believer. Do they have one or two natures? I have come to believe that we have one nature and that the old nature is circumcised as Col. 2 states. There are different opinions on that and it's not my point anyway. After my study on the natures of man, I was left with a lingering question because I knew someone would ask it and I wanted to have a solid answer. Why? Why is it that we're still here; our true selves held captive by this flesh? About the same time, Ramone posted a thought on 2 Cor. 4 so I was reading that passage to try and gain some perspective about what Ramone said and I ran across WHY it is that we are still saddled with the flesh. I found that it is for the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God in the face of Christ! It really is ALL for His glory. Once again, I am reminded of the paradigm shift from our upbringing. This understanding really does create a chasm between our family and friends still within Adventism, that only God can bridge. It's so radically different... Anyway, you're comments about the glory being for God made me think of that! Patria | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6812 Registered: 12-2003 |
Patria, I've pondered that same thing. I agree—it's all for His glory. I've realized that our salvation occurs in the same "order" as our fall. Adam and Even died spiritually, but their bodies didn't die until many years later. We are born physically living (although mortal) but spiritually dead (Eph 2:1-4). When we are born again, our spirits come to life, but our bodies are not redeemed until the resurrection. Even so, Ephesians 3:20-21 states that God will do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine according to His power that is at work in us, and that in Christ and in the church will be glory to God forever and ever! Somehow our learning to trust Him while still in mortal tents is part of how He glorifes Himself. It strikes me as very interesting (alhtough I can't completely explain the significance) that we live and move on earth as living beings, interacting with and externally indistinguishable from dead beings. We all physically move and live and die. The living move among the dead and are the fragrance of life to those who are being saved and the stench of death to those who are being lost (2 Cor 2:15-16). It is the paradigm shift of moving away from humans being the center of and ultimate value of reality to God Himself being the focus and ultimate value of reality. It is truly a chasm between those who are stuck in a false gospel and those who are alive in Jesus. Colleen |
