Tag Archives: faith

HELP ME TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS – 3

Prayer, ,

The story that follows Jesus’ transfiguration, the disciples’ failure to dislodge a demon, poses the question, “What is authority”? 

“After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus had just had an altercation with His disciples. While He and His three closest companions were up the mountain, the other nine were tussling with a stubborn and rather nasty demon. On His return, He soundly rebuked the nine disciples for their unbelief. 

In a quieter moment, they asked Jesus why they had failed to budge the demon. His reply was mystifying unless we begin to dig deeper. 

In our modern context, I think the “deliverance ministry” is badly misunderstood. It is, therefore, misapplied, by “taking authority” over demons and ordering them to go, even if they are not demons but manifestations of “the flesh”, such as anger, rage, jealousy, etc. 

Jesus did not tell us to take authority over anything simply by speaking it. Demons take no notice of such foolishness. Having authority comes from something far deeper. 

Jesus claimed to have authority but how and where did He derive it? He said, “By prayer!”

Now let’s check out a story that clearly teaches us the source of authority and by association, the meaning of faith. 

“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This story is loaded with information about authority and faith. Did you notice how Jesus connected the centurion’s source of authority with his faith? Let’s unpack it. 

“For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

The centurion’s authority was derived from his submission to higher authority. This kind of authority demands humility. His role was never to act presumptuously or independently of his superior authority. His role was simply to relay instructions, trusting that his word would be obeyed because of the authority under which he spoke. If his underlings trusted the source of his authority, they would obey him. 

The centurion recognised Jesus’ authority under God by the results of His words. So, he declared his faith by saying, “Just say the word…”

What a simple explanation of the meaning and purpose of prayer! Prayer is first, settling the issue of authority. Who is in charge? When I, in prayer, surrender myself to the absolute authority of Jesus, when I listen to Him instead of babbling about myself, I recognise and authenticate my partnership with Him. 

An incident in King David’s life perfectly illustrates this principle. David was determined to build a temple for God. He expressed his desire to the prophet Nathan who encouraged him to carry out his plan. That night, God spoke to Nathan. David was a man of war. God did not assign to him the task of building the temple. His son, Solomon, would have that honour.

Instead, God made David a promise…He would build a house for him, a dynasty that would never end. Unlike the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel, who were wicked and whose dynasties were repeatedly cut off,  David’s descendants would reign in one continuous dynasty that would culminate in the eternal reign of Messiah…the son of David. 

David was overwhelmed by this promise. He went into his sanctuary to commune with God,  first expressing his unworthiness for such a great destiny and then worshiping the Lord. 

“ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ” Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation. Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ….“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.”

‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭11‬, ‭16‬-‭18‬, ‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In his words, “Do as you have promised”, David relayed to earth what God had spoken in heaven. 

The Apostle Paul also reiterated the same thought…

“It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak,”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now let’s connect all the dots, the process of prayer as Jesus lived it and taught His disciples…

  1. Listen to Him. Jesus takes centre stage in everything. 
  2. Through prayer, we establish and affirm our submission to Jesus as Lord, our Supreme Authority. 
  3. When He gives an appropriate promise or instruction regarding an issue in earth, we are to relay heaven’s will to earth by speaking His word by faith. 
  4. By His authority through us, His will is carried out on earth as it is done in heaven. 
  5. God’s word guarantees that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 

Finally, the guarantee…

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God will always do what He says!

HELP ME TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS – 1

Christian Life, ,

I remember reading, in my all-time favourite book, “Mister God, this is Anna”, the riveting account of one of Anna’s prayers. One night, Fynn, the author, awoke to the sound of Anna, his little “fellow traveller”, praying. Standing up on her makeshift bed, tears streaming down her face, Anna pleaded with Mister God, “Please help me to ask the right questions!”

It’s the right questions that produce profound answers. 

So, I have found, at a much greater age, that “Mister God”loves to answer questions, especially the questions that only He can answer. Of course, He has provided a book filled with answers but often His wisdom remains hidden in plain sight until the Holy Spirit, the supreme teacher, unlocks the truth to those who “ask the right questions.”

I have, for many years, loved, studied, and practised prayer, slowly progressing from my pathetic, childish understanding to writing a book on prayer that I considered to be “quite profound.” How wrong I have been! O, there’s nothing wrong with my book, as far as I understood prayer then but, after asking what I think might be “the right questions”, more truth has come to light that has profoundly influenced my understanding of this mystical subject. 

I don’t think, for one moment, that our loving Father rejects our bungling efforts to commune with Him but, at the same time, Jesus has given us pointers to aspects of prayer that we need to heed. For example, we must not follow the bad examples of hypocrites and pagans who either use prayer to impress people or babble to be heard. 

We must also remember that prayer is not primarily the way to get our needs met. Our Father, who knows our needs before we ask Him, wants us to concern ourselves with His business first, His kingdom and His righteousness, and He will take care of our material and temporal needs. 

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

True prayer is the way we make contact with our Heavenly Father in the secret place where He knows us, where we have nothing to hide and can be completely open with Him. In the intimacy of prayer, the Father plants the seeds of His word into the “womb” of our spirits where it grows until the time of its birth. 

So, let me get straight into my “questions” and the revelations that have deeply challenged my heart. 

I have recently been working my way through Mark’s gospel, daily blogging on thoughts and ideas that have caught my attention. Then, the story of Jesus’ transfiguration came up. To me, the central focus of this explosive incident, for the disciples, was the Father’s words, interrupting Peter’s foolish suggestion to memorialise this event with three structures. The Father had to set the record straight, once and for all, that Moses and Elijah, as great as they were in the Old Testament dispensation, no longer featured in the New Covenant. 

“Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV

The impact of the Father’s words is quite clear. “Moses and Elijah have done their work. Now Jesus must take centre stage.”

This instruction was not only for them then but also for us now. “Listen to Him!” Jesus has much to tell us, and especially about prayer and in prayer. 

The first question, then, is…”What  is prayer?”

Let’s ask Jesus!

To be continued…

HELP ME TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS – 2

To continue our  question…”What did Jesus say about prayer?”

Since Jesus was in constant contact with His Heavenly Father through prayer, of all people, He is most qualified to teach us about prayer. 

First, He is our teacher by example. 

When we work our way through John’s gospel, Jesus and the Father surface in such close partnership that Jesus said or did nothing without first hearing from the Father. 

“For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.”

‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭49‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Does this mean that even every word He uttered was the word of the Father? Was He relaying the Father’s words from heaven to earth to bring about God’s will on earth? By being in constant contact with the Father in prayer, He was staying connected to “headquarters” from where He received His instructions. 

Jesus taught His disciples to pray…

“…Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How do we apply this example to our praying? I think the answer is simple. Let’s connect the dots. God has equipped us with a plethora of promises that express His intention. Whatever the need, there is either an equivalent promise or a pattern that expresses God’s will. 

Two Scriptures clearly declare this truth. 

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these, he has given us his very great and precious promises so that, through them, you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, first, God’s promises are His provision for our daily walk which clarify His will in detail, and were given to empower us to overcome our old sinful nature so that we became ever increasingly conformed to the image of His Son. 

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Second, Jesus has endorsed every promise for us. We, therefore, in partnership with Him, affirm His promises as and where they apply, so that earth joins heaven in bringing about God’s intention. 

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Third, the two ingredients in this process of bringing God’s will to earth are faith and patience. The first of these two requirements take up part of the answer to my next question… “What is faith?”

Let’s fast forward to my encounter with “authority” that will shed light on “faith”. 

To be continued…

HELP ME TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

The story that follows Jesus’ transfiguration poses the question, “What is authority”? 

“After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus had just had an altercation with His disciples. While He and His three closest companions were up the mountain, the other nine were tussling with a stubborn and rather nasty demon. On His return, He soundly rebuked the nine disciples for their unbelief. 

In a quieter moment, they asked Jesus why they had failed to budge the demon. His reply was mystifying unless we begin to dig deeper. 

In our modern context, I think the “deliverance ministry” is badly misunderstood. It is, therefore, misapplied, by “taking authority” over demons and ordering them to go, even if they are not demons but manifestations of “the flesh”, such as anger, rage, jealousy, etc. 

Jesus did not tell us to take authority over anything simply by speaking it. Demons take no notice of such foolishness. Having authority comes from something far deeper. 

Jesus claimed to have authority but how and where did He derive it? He said, “By prayer!”

Now let’s check out a story that clearly teaches us the source of authority and by association, the meaning of faith. 

“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This story is loaded with information about authority and faith. Did you notice how Jesus connected the centurion’s explanation of his source of authority with his faith? Let’s unpack it. 

“For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

The centurion’s authority was derived from his submission to higher authority. This kind of authority demands humility, not presumption. His role was never to act presumptuously or independently of his superior authority. His role was simply to relay instructions, trusting that his word would achieve obedience because of the authority under which he spoke. The reality of his authority lay in the trust of his inferiors in him because he was relaying the will of his superior. 

The centurion recognised Jesus’ authority under God by the results of His words. So, he declared his faith by saying, “Just say the word…”

What a simple explanation of the meaning and purpose of prayer! Prayer is first, settling the issue of authority. Who is in charge? When I, in prayer, surrender myself to the absolute authority of Jesus, when I listen to Him instead of babbling about myself, I recognise and authenticate my partnership with Him. 

An incident in King David’s life perfectly illustrates this principle. David was determined to build a temple for God. He expressed his desire to the prophet Nathan who encouraged him to carry out his plan. That night, God spoke to Nathan. David was a man of war. God did not assign to him the task of building the temple. His son, Solomon, would have that honour.

Instead, God made David a promise…He would build a house for him, a dynasty that would never end. Unlike the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel, who were wicked and whose dynasties were repeatedly cut off,  David’s descendants would reign in one continuous dynasty that would culminate in the eternal reign of Messiah…the son of David. 

David was overwhelmed by this promise. He went into his sanctuary to commune with God,  first expressing his unworthiness for such a great destiny and then worshiping the Lord. 

“ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ” Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation. Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ….“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.”

‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭11‬, ‭16‬-‭18‬, ‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In his words, “Do as you have promised”, David relayed to earth what God had spoken in heaven. 

The Apostle Paul also reiterated the same thought…

“It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak,”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now let’s connect all the dots, the process of prayer as Jesus lived it and taught His disciples…

  1. Listen to Him. Jesus takes centre stage in everything. 
  2. Through prayer, we establish and affirm our submission to Jesus as Lord, our Supreme Authority. 
  3. When He gives an appropriate promise or instruction regarding an issue in earth, we are to relay heaven’s will to earth by speaking His word by faith. 
  4. By His authority through us, His will is carried out on earth as it is done in heaven. 
  5. God’s word guarantees that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 

Finally, the guarantee…

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

WHAT NARRATIVE DO WE BELIEVE?

Christian Life,

Bonzai Shongwe, a pastor and entrepreneur in my country, has taken to using YouTube to bring some discernment and sense to the events unfolding here and in the world. He uses biblical principles to help us put our circumstances into perspective in the bigger picture of God and His ways.

One of the principles in Scripture he has highlighted is the trality of functioning in the narratives we believe. This principle is clearly described in the following verse.

Romans 10:17 NIV
[17] “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Faith, as I have already written, is only authentic if it is rooted in truth. Here, then, is the principle that governs, not only the way faith works in us to activate the gospel message but also the way delusion works to activate the false narratives, spread by many leaders, that people believe.

The principle is simple. When we listen to a story and believe what it says, it begins affect our lives.

So, when we listen to the story about Jesus and believe that it is true, we will think and adjust our lives in keeping with the narrative.

We can apply this principle, not only to the truth about Jesus but also to the many lies that the devil has sown in the minds of people through false narratives. This is exactly what happened when the first human pair listened to the lies of the serpent in the garden of Eden, told in graphic picture language.

Genesis 3:1-7 NIV
[1] “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” [2] The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” [4] “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. [5] “For God knows that when you eat from it YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED , and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. [7] Then THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

God’s narrative was, “Do not eat from the forbidden tree. If you do, you will die.” Satan’s narrative was, “God is lying. You will not die. You will become your own god.” They believed the devil’s narrative and…they died! They died to God and they died to the possibility of eternal life.

What are the stories we hear from many sources…from government officials and international leaders, from the mass media, from pastors and teachers, from our friends and associates, in fact…from anywhere? Whichever story we listen to and believe, we will follow and be affected by what it says.

Politically-motivated leaders serve their own agendas by pushing personal prejudices and grievances from the public platform as though they were true. With narratives that stir emotions and draw a following for personal gain, many of them further their own ambitions rather than the good of others .

To verify the truth of any narrative, we must first identify its source and its motive, and then check the evidence.

For example, the world is listening to the stories coming from our country, and some leaders of other countries are believing them and acting accordingly, without verifying the the authenticity of their source, the reason for the story, or the evidence of the truth of what they are saying. The result? Some drastic outcomes, for power and attention.

This principle is so important that,, to safeguard our own responses, we must be careful to verify what we believe before we act. How can we know which stories to believe? Check the source! Who tells the story? Motive! Why are they telling the story? Evidence! Look for the evidence of truth or lies in the content of the story…and beware of deliberately perpetrated false information.

Let me illustrate.

The religious leaders told the story that Jesus was a dangerous man, a blasphemer and a revolutionary…So, all the people demanded His death at the instigation of their leaders. Who was peddling the narrative? Their own religious leaders! Why? Because Jesus challenged their hypocritical “righteousness” as leaders and their power over their people.

Luke 23:18, 20-23, 25 NIV
[18] “But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”…
[20] Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. [21] But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” [22] For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
[23] But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed…
[25] He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.”

Among the crowd, there must surely have been many people who had been healed, set free from demons, and blessed by Jesus’ ministry and yet, despite the evidence, they believed the narrative of the religious leaders.

Terrible things happen when unscrupulous people publicise false narratives devoid of evidence, loudly and persistently enough to capture the public imagination. In response, people mindlessly do unimaginable things because they believe the narrative and don’t check the source or the evidence!

Here is a case in point, told graphically in Acts 19.

The lie and false narrative, verses 26 and 27…

Acts 19:23-27 NIV
[23] “About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. [24] A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. [25] He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. [26] And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. [27] There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

The silversmiths believed the story…

Acts 19:28 NIV
[28] “When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”…

The people of Ephesus joined the riot according to what they heard and believed…

Acts 19:32 NIV
32] The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there.”

Injustice happened, based on a false narrative from a false witness…

Acts 19:29-31, 33-34 NIV
[29] Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. [30] Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. [31] Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater…
[33] The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. [34] But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

This entire fracas was based on a lie peddled by a liar based on a fabricated idea!

Many liars are publicising false narratives in mass gatherings to sow choas in our country. Many liars are selling false doctrines from pulpits across the world to lead people astray.

I appeal to you, my readers. Test the story. Check the source. Check the evidence. Believe the truth. Your future, your life is at stake.

For us, the undesputed truth is that Jesus is Lord. Follow Him.

THE GOSPEL IN HEBREWS – 18

Bible Study, ,

Hebrews 11:1-3 NLT
[1] “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. [2] Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. [3] By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

Faith! What is faith?

Our writer gives a definition that is sometimes difficult to understand. Simply put, faith is confidence in God that He will do everything He said He would do. Our hope is what the end results of His promises will look like.

He said we will be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. That’s our hope. So, we believe that everything we are called to suffer now is moving us towards that goal. He said that, if we endure, we will be with Him in glory. So, we persevere through thick and thin because our hope is to be with Him forever.

Faith, then, is the gossamer thread of trust, confidence in God that joins us to Him and His intentions for us. Faith grows stronger every time we push through a trial, a test that strips off another layer of suspicion, mistrust, or doubt that clouds our vision of God’s faithfulness to see us through to the end result.

“Absolute trust is freefallimg into the arms of Jesus, knowing that He will always catch you. “

Hebrews 11, known as “the faith chapter” is a summary of the lives of Israel’s heroes of faith. Many triumphed, some suffered because they had faith in God to do what He promised. Together, they form the “great cloud of witnesses” to the value and merits of trusting God through good and bad. Beyond earth’s experiences lay a life in God’s presence in His eternal city prepared for them, too marvellous to know now but as sure as God Himself.

Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT
[13] “All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. [14] Obviously, people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. [15] If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. [16] But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

It is said, “To be heavenly-minded is to be of no earthly use? ” This is a lie and and contrary to the Scriptures. It was because the witnesses of which our writer writes had their hearts and minds set on heaven that they acted in faith at God’s command and endured the often terrible consequences of their obedience.

Without the vision of an eternal reward for faith and obedience, life is nothing more than aimless wandering in a barren and howling wilderness.

We, too, will join that cloud of witnesses as we participate with them in this journey of faith that will take us through the dark valleys of testing and trouble to His eternal city. The great test of faith is to continue when nothing seems to be happening, when the way ahead is foggy and uncertain, when God’s voice is silent, and when the enemy closes in with doubts and fears that threaten us with loss and disappointment for believing in Him.

God’s promise of final victory over all the negatives of this life is for those who endure to the end because they have fixed their gaze on the heavenly and everlasting prize.

To be continued…

FURIOUS GRACE, AGGRESSIVE FAITH

Bible Study,

1. Am I a soldier of the Cross—
  A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
  Or blush to speak His name?

2. Must I be carried to the skies
  On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
  And sailed through bloody seas?

3. Are there no foes for me to face?
  Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
  To help me on to God?

4. Since I must fight if I would reign,
  Increase my courage, Lord!
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
  Supported by Thy Word.

In the name, the precious name
  Of Him who died for me,
Through grace, I’ll win the promised crown,
  Whate’er my cross may be.
https://www.hymnal.net

The words of a hymn like this makes us feel uncomfortable, don’t they?

I often sang this hymn in my youth thinking, “I feel like a hypocrite when I sing these words!”

Everything we do in life, in the end, flows from the way we treat God’s grace. How often we drift back to the idea that our obedience to Jesus puts Him under obligation to us. We give of our resources to help others, not because His furious grace provided and provides everything we need in this life but because we think He owes us.

No way is Jesus obliged to do anything for us. We forfeited that possibility forever, long ago, by confirming Adam’s choice in our own lives. Rebels we were and rebels we will always be but for God’s “furious” grace.

What do I mean by “furious”? Look at the dictionary definition.
“Full of anger or energy, violent and intense…”

How can we use this definition to describe God’s grace?

Was God’s grace full of anger and energy when He sent His Son to save us? Yes, it was!

God’s anger was directed at the sin that destroys us….so angry in fact that He turned His anger on His own Son. Jesus bore God’s wrath in His own body on the cross so that the Father’s anger was spent and satisfied forever. Since Jesus paid our debt, the Father is free to lavish His grace on His children.

Isaiah 53:5-6 NLT
[5] “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. [6] All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”

1 John 2:2 NIV
[2]”He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Is God’s grace “violent and intense”? Yes, it is!

Since through His grace, the Father made a way to forgive our sin and to restore fellowship with Himself, will He not also provide, through His furious grace, the power to maintain the fellowship we have with Him?

What is the use of a provision so costly that His own beloved Son suffered untold agony for us, only to leave us to our own devices to navigate all the obstacles to that fellowship He made possible by His grace?

Paul urges us not to waste the grace God has provided.

2 Corinthians 6:1 NLT
[1] “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.”

God’s grace in salvation is only the beginning of His supply. His offer of divine provision is part of the package. If we ignore His furious (violent and intense) grace when we step out in the morning, we have no excuse for the failures we accumulate in the course of our day.

When we humbly acknowledge our utter inability to live apart from Him,

John 15:5 NLT
[5]  “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing”…

Jesus assures us that grace steps in to provide every resource for us to move on unscathed by tests and trials.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
[9] “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

No only does God plough down the obstacles through us but, through His powerful interventions, He also shines the light on Himself.

“…so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

God’s grace is as many-faceted as the most intricately cut diamond that unveils its hidden beauty. The Bible calls it,

1 Peter 4:10 NIV
[10] “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its VARIOUS forms.”

The Greek word “poilikos”, translated “various” has the idea of “multicoloured” or many-faceted.

This reminds me of the octopus which has the ability to change its form at will to blend into its surroundings. Whatever the shapes and colours of its environment, so it takes on the same.

God’s grace takes on the form of the needs it meets. We become stewards of that grace as we use the Spirit’s gifts flowing through us to meet the needs of others.

God’s grace is not the gentle flowing stream we think it to be. His grace is a violent torrent of power we tap into by faith that sweeps us along with Him in our journey towards our eternal destiny. If we fail to avail ourselves of that power, we may be swept aside into the backwater of His purposes. We may be left to flounder in the shallows of grace and miss the of a life plugged into Jesus and the grace He provides.

To be continued…