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“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

What if we really believed what we say we believe?

A few years ago I wrote a song that tried to describe what faith looks like in real life. It’s called Without Faith…

Faith is the assurance of the things you’re hoping for;

Faith is when you act upon the facts you can’t ignore;

Faith is when you wait upon the future that’s in store;

Faith is when you pray because you’re in a holy war.

Refrain:

And without faith it is impossible

To please our God who set us free

And those who say that they love Jesus

Must live and follow faithfully.

Faith is when you stand against the fears that are within;

Faith is when you’ve fallen down but rise to stand again;

Faith is when you boldly stand beside a fallen friend;

Faith is when you stand alone while others choose to sin.

(Refrain)

Faith is when you’re watching for the coming of the King;

Faith is when you lose your grip on all your worldly things;

Faith is when you’re not afraid of what tomorrow brings;

Faith is when you feel depressed but still you choose to sing.

A few questions to ponder:

• It’s one thing to say that you believe. It’s quite another thing to live what you believe and to EARNESTLY seek Him. Are you an earnest seeker?
• What does “faith” look like in your life?
• What about your life right now is causing you to “walk by faith and not by sight”?

 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:5-6)

Why are these verses foundational to our faith? Because as believers we are charged with influencing the world with the gospel. That means that we must deal with people. And people aren’t always easy to deal with. Paul is talking here about how to deal with people who are outside the church and disengaged from the gospel.

We must be wise – Wisdom is more than knowledge. It is the application of knowledge. But there are some things that are generally true about people that we need to keep in mind so that our actions can be wisely informed:

• People need hope
• People need encouragement
• People want to live with purpose and joy
• People are sinful

The more that we can understand people the better we can be at demonstrating the love of Christ to them.

We must be opportunistic – Pastor Mark Batterson says: “People who live in prayer mode see opportunities that other people don’t notice. People who don’t live in prayer mode are opportunity blind…. Prayer has a way of helping us recognize that what we might dismiss as human accidents are really divine appointments.” We must be prayerfully on the lookout throughout the day.

We must speak carefully and intentionally – We want what comes out of our mouths to draw people to Christ not repel them from Him. We forget sometimes just how powerful words are. Words can be inspirational. Words can change the course of history. Words can refresh the soul. But words can also devastate and kill. Speaking with grace and using language that is “seasoned with salt” means that we are being careful and intentional to use words in ways that move people to engage the gospel and find hope and joy in Christ.

We have what people need. Let’s allow our actions and our words to both speak loud and clear so that the gospel might triumph in our city and around the world.

36) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37) Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38) Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:36-38)

These verses tell us a lot…

About People– Jesus was surrounded by people everyday. But, to him, they were more than just faces in a crowd. They were individuals who had hurts and burdens and stress and worries. They were people that needed encouragement and comfort and hope. He described them as “harassed and helpless.” I think that is an apt portrayal of people in our world today. The dysfunctionality of so many families, the number of people who are dealing with addictions, the plethora of folks who suffer from depression – are all indications that we are a society of harassed and helpless people.

About Jesus – Jesus was compassionate. It was compassion that compelled Jesus to suffer the humiliation of the incarnation. It was compassion that compelled Him to feed the hungry and heal the sick. It was compassion that drove him to the cross. Compassion is more than feeling bad about someone. It is a gut wrenching feeling coupled with a constraining desire to make things better.

A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read “Puppies For Sale.” Signs like that have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner’s sign. “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked. The store owner replied, “Anywhere from $30 to $50.” The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. “I have $2.37,” he said. “Can I please look at them?” The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that little dog?” The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. “That is the puppy that I want to buy.” The store owner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.” The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger, and said, “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.” The store owner countered, “You really don’t want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.” To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. The boy looked up at the store owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!”

We ALL need someone who understands! That’s Jesus and that’s why He  is a magnificent Savior. But it is not only Jesus…

About Us (His disciples) – Jesus is looking for followers who understand, who recognize the plight that people are dealing with, and who are impelled to do something about it. He is looking for laborers. He wants followers who are willing to be proactive. He wants ardent advocates who are willing to be part of a courageous vanguard that is not content to stay within the walls of the church but must take the risk of going out into the fields where the harvest is. He is looking for people with compassion!

He is looking for me to step up and step out. And perhaps He is looking for you as well.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

This was a promise that was given to God’s chosen people Israel. It is not a promise for those who have not been chosen by God.  In other words, unbelievers have reason to fear and tremble. When they see craziness happening in the world they have reason to be scared. When their lives get turned upside down they have reason to be anxious. When they anticipate standing before the Almighty Righteous Omnipotent God they should be terrified.

But not those who know the Lord. This verse gives us several reminders why we can endure whatever comes our way with faith rather than fear.

1) God is with us! – This is one of THE great promises of Scripture. It is a promise that the Lord reiterates again and again. It is a promise that we need to daily remember because, quite frankly, often life can be a bear.

2) The Lord is OUR God! – He is not God of the unrighteous. His promises are effective for HIS people, not for everyone in general. And as we review biblical history we can see how God has demonstrated His faithfulness to His people again and again – and take heart. And be encouraged. And be emboldened. And be reassured.

3) God will strengthen us and help us and uphold us! – Just as we can be sure that God is with us,  we can also be sure that life will be difficult at times, that tragedy will happen, that heartache will come our way. This is the effect of living in a fallen world. But we can also know that, without a doubt, God will be with us through it all. He will give us the strength to endure. He will comfort us when life seems more than we can bear. He will walk us through the valley of the shadow of death.

This is a BRICK worth pondering!

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

I readily admit that I enjoy life in this world. I would even say that I love my life in this world. I love my family. I love my friends. I love my house. I love Mama Linda desserts. I love a really good movie. I love naps. I love a captivating book. I love The Masters golf tournament. I love Chick-Fil-A.

I also love God. I love His Word. I love His Church. I love my Connect Group. I love authentic, soul enthralling worship.

So perhaps you see my dilemma. Does my enjoyment of this world mean that the love of God is not in me?

Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile asks the question this way and then answers his own question: “How do we know whether we truly love God instead of the world?  We know we love God and not the world when we deny our fallen motivations and desires and seek God’s way of living and God’s glory in everything.” He adds, “We cannot love the world correctly until we love the Father completely.”

In other words, until I love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength I will not be able to love my family as I ought to. Nor my friends. Nor for that matter Chick-fil-A. So if I really want to get the most out of this world and and enjoy it to the utmost then it behooves me to love God with a determined fierceness that makes my love for this world pale in comparison.

In John 14:15 Jesus says “If you love me you will obey my commands.” So I can actually gauge the degree to which I love God but my willingness to do what He says. If I choose to love and enjoy things in this world that God tells me not to, then I do not love God. But… if I seek God tenaciously, and doggedly pursue His will then I can enjoy the things of this world that He created in a way that I would not be able to otherwise.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Short. Crisp. To the point! As Paul is wrapping up his letter to the church in Thessalonica, he leaves them with a few bullet points about what they can do to make sure they are in the will of God. There are a lot things about God’s will that we have to discern along the way. But these 3 things He makes very clear. And my assumption is that if we are doing these 3 things then the other stuff that is not quite so clear will fall into place as we seek the Father.

• Be joyful always -“Life is difficult,” so says M. Scott Peck as he opens his book The Road Less Traveled. It is unpredictable. It is capricious! How do we find joy in a world that often brings despair, and hardship, and uncertainty? We do what we CAN do not what we CAN’T do. We can’t control our circumstances. But we can control whether or not we will obey God. And Scripture tells us that there is a direct correlation between obedience to the Lord God and to experiencing joy.  “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:10-11) It is God’s will is that you live a joy-filled, joy-fueled life. If this is not true for you then the first place to start is in areas where you are knowingly disobeying the Father.
• Pray continually – Why would this be one of Paul’s bullet points. I really like a quote by Pastor Mark Batterson in this regard: “People who live in prayer mode see opportunities that other people don’t notice. People who don’t live in prayer mode are opportunity blind….Prayer has a way of helping us recognize that what we might dismiss as human accidents are really divine appointments.” We should always be in prayer mode or else we are going to miss something that God wants us to see or do or be a part of.
• Give thanks in all circumstances – It’s easy to thank God for all the good stuff that happens in our lives. But what about the other stuff. Laura Story has a song out that helps to give perspective on this (click HERE to listen to it). Here are some of the words. They help us to understand how we can be thankful when we seriously wonder if what is happening could possibly be a part of God’s will.

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

It’s as if Jesus is saying to His disciples, “Look guys, get it through your thick heads, it’s not about you it’s all about me.” When we act independent of the vine we become fruitless Christians. But when we live out our “Declaration of Dependence” then we become believers who flourish and reproduce in abundance.

What are some signs that we are acting independently of Jesus?

When little time or attention is given to prayer – Most of us say that we believe in  prayer but do not actually spend much time praying. And especially we do not spend much time praying bold, robust prayers that implore God to move in power. Much of our praying has to do with asking God to bless things that we have already decided to do.

When His Word becomes a secondary source of spiritual refreshment rather than primary – We need to allow God’s Word to feed our souls. We need to learn how to read and ponder and digest Scripture. Books and devotionals are great tools to use but don’t let them take the place of the life-giving, soul-refreshing Word of God.

When we neglect to be a part of an encouraging, gospel-centered community – By this I do NOT mean going to church. Rather, I mean being a part of a vital small group that is encouraging, challenging, caring for, and loving one another. When we divorce ourselves from such a group we are essentially saying “I don’t need the body of Christ. I can survive on my own.” Survive, maybe. Thrive, no way! We need other people in our lives lest we start veering away from the truth – which is easy to do in a world that has dulled our spiritual senses and is constantly lulling into a spiritual stupor.

When we make decisions because we “felt led” rather than being Spirit led – We have a tendency to let our emotions drive our decision making. We have been told over and over again, “just follow your heart.” The problem, of course, is that according to Scripture “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9) Therefore, we need to make sure that we are being led by the Spirit of God or else we run the great risk of making horrific decisions that could have tragic consequences. (Click HERE for an article on how to be guided by the Spirit of God)

If you are not being fruitful in your walk with God then perhaps you need to review your “Declaration of Dependence.” The things mentioned above can serve as some thinking points to help you evaluate just how dependent or independent you are as you seek to “remain in the vine.”

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 

“Turn my heart toward Your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to Your Word.” Psalm 119:36-37

Psalm 119 is a studly Psalm and it just so happens to be my favorite of all the Psalms. And these verses to me represent much of what the Psalm says.

The Psalmist has come to the point in his life where he realizes that the world will never give him the satisfaction and happiness that he so desperately craves. And he also realizes that his heart is far from God and he can’t do anything that will change the way he is. So he cries out to God.

He cries out and asks God to give him a love for and a longing for God’s Word. He cries out and asks God to change his wicked heart so that he no longer hungers for that which can NEVER assuage his empty soul. He cries out and asks God  to blind him towards those things that cannot compare to the priceless treasure that is of eternal value. And he cries out and asks God to rescue him and preserve his life according to the life giving, thirst quenching , soul nourishing sustenance of the Word.

This is a prayer that few would dare to pray. Or at the very least a prayer that few would really want God to answer. Why do I say that? Because we love this world and the things of this world. And we don’t want to admit that we are indeed selfish people. And we yearn for what this world offers us more than we yearn for God and, quite frankly, find our satisfaction in temporal things. But this is ONLY because we have not really tasted of heavenly fare. We have not yet had our soul satiated by that which God offers and which provides illimitable delights.

Maybe it’s time to seriously think about crying out to God and praying that He would fill us and fuel us each day with His Word so that we can experience and enjoy the eternal provision that is ours in Christ.

“Submit yourselves , then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

As believers we want the evil one as far away as possible… or do we. On the one hand we say, “Get thee behind me Satan.” But on the other hand we do nothing to create distance between us and him. This Scripture gives us 2 words that help us steer clear of the devil’s influence.

Submit – Submission is a word that has a very negative connotation in our culture. And yet it is a great word for believers to rightly understand because we are called upon by God to be a submissive people. It is a word that is used in Ephesians 5:22 where Scripture says, “Wives submit to your husbands.” When I counsel couples prior to marriage and explain the passage, the definition that I use for submit goes like this: submission is a wife’s willing response to her husband’s sacrificial love. Now let’s transfer that definition to James and it becomes: submission is a believer’s willing response to his/her Savior’s sacrificial love.

Submission is the grateful response to God for sending His Son to rescue us from our sin. When we thoroughly understand what Christ accomplished on our behalf on the cross then submission becomes a joyful act of obedience. It is not something believers grudgingly do but rather something that we gratefully do. Submission is an attitude toward God and His Word that says something like this: “Lord, today I want my life to be a reflection of Christ and I am willing to do WHATEVER your Word says and available to go WHEREVER you want me to go.”

Resist – Resisting the devil takes intentionality. If we do nothing he will weasel his way into our life. It will be a very subtle infiltration and before we know it we will succumb to his craftiness. So what are some practical ways that we can resist the devil?

1) Read and ponder and obey God’s Word – the Word of the Lord is the sword of the Spirit and the enemy cannot withstand the awesomeness of God’s Word.

2) Pray in the name of Jesus – you might want to think about what I mean by this. Too often we pray in our own name and for our own sake and then append the name of Jesus to our prayers – as if this magically makes what we have prayed an aromatic offering to God. Not so. Praying in Jesus name takes into account what God wants and not what we want. It is focused on His glory more than on our greediness. It results in an evidence of God’s power instead of an anemic display of our neediness.

3) Stay away from people and places that invite temptation – I have often wondered why Adam and Eve were anywhere close to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I mean they had the whole humongous Garden of Eden – why hang out around the one place that God told them to stay away from. And yet we do the same thing. We put ourselves in positions where we are very likely to be tempted. And then we wonder why we fall into sin. Resisting means not only saying “NO” to the temptations that find us but also avoiding the situations that are alluring to our sinful nature.

God’s promise is that when we submit and when we resist that the devil will have no choice but to flee from from us. So today is a good day to live intentionally for the glory of God – and a good place to begin is by submitting yourself to Him and by resisting the devil.