A Book That Has Changed Me

The last couple of days I shared with you excerpts from a couple of books that have impacted my life greatly. God has used these wonderful men to share some incredible insight with me. However, today I want to share with you from a book that no others can stack up against. Warning: The following is powerful!

John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 10:9-10,13, "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation...For 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"

Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

Galatians 5:1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us"

Jude 20-21, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

1 John 4:17, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world."

The verses listed above are just a sample of the many that God has used to speak into my life. While I am grateful for the insight of so many men and women, none can compare to the words of my Creator. Jesus took the words of God and gave them life: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." ~ John 6:63

The wonderful thing about the Word of God is it will lead us to an experience with Him. We can do so much more than just memorize verses/passages; we can actually participate with the Word of God through the Holy Spirit.

Be sure to take some time to put His Word into your life. But be warned: His words are POWERFUL!!!

Walking in Revival

Several years ago I read Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala (Pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle). This book was a fresh awakening for me in leading the people of PBC to conduct Wednesday night Prayer Meetings. Words cannot accurately describe how God has moved among us.

The following is an excerpt from Pastor Jim's book:

"Whether you study the Great Awakening, the Second Great Awakening, the Welsh Revival, the 1906 outpouring on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, or any other period of revival, you always find men and women who first inwardly groan, longing to see the status quo changed - in themselves and in their churches. They begin to call on God with insistence; prayer begets revival, which begets more prayer...

"The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prayer. Only when we are full of the Spirit do we feel the need for God everywhere we turn. We can be driving a car, and spontaneously our spirit starts going up to God with needs and petitions and intercessions right there in the middle of traffic.

"If our churches don't pray, and if people don't have an appetite for God, what does it matter how many are attending the services? How would that impress God? Can you imagine the angels saying, 'Oh, your pews! We can't believe how beautiful they are! Up here in heaven, we've been talking about them for years. Your sanctuary lighting - it's so clever. The way you have the steps coming up to the pulpit - it's wonderful...'

"I don't think so.

"...I have talked with pastor after pastor, some of them prominent and 'successful,' who have told me privately, 'Jim, the truth is, I couldn't' have a real prayer meeting in my church. I'd be embarrassed at the smallness of the crowd. Unless somebody's teaching or singing or doing some kind of presentation, people just won't come. I can only get them for a one-hour service, and that only once a week.

"Is that kind of religion found anywhere in the Bible? Jesus Himself can't draw a crowd even among His own people! What a tragedy that the quality of ministry is too often measured by numbers and building size rather than by true spiritual results."

While many people may disagree with this statement, I believe that we are walking in revival right now. It looks different than the Great Awakenings and other moves of God but it is real. This current revival is happening in the lives of individuals who have been moved in their hearts to seek God in everything. They are crying out for Him to extend His hand, reveal His goodness through their lives, and change their communities. The fuel of this move of God is prayer and worship. As we continue to experience His power, we continue to pray and seek the face of God.

The "Church" as a religious organization has no part in this revival. The church as the Body of Christ does. And as long as the Body of Christ continues to pray, I have no doubts that this revival can be sustained.

We as the church need to pray: "Lord, teach us to pray."

Commitment to Lordship

Romans 10:13, "For 'Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.'"

Dr. James Richards wrote a book entitled "Taking the Limits Off God." I would like to share with you from chapter 10 "Commitment to the Lordship."

"One of the main reasons there is such a lack of victory among Christians goes back to the way the gospel was first presented to them. Most new Christians are taught to call upon Jesus for salvation, but they lack commitment to His Lordship because the concept of Lordship was not adequately explained to them.

"Many people...know and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but that knowledge alone is not sufficient for salvation. There must be a commitment to His Lordship. Nowhere in the New Testament is salvation promised apart from His Lordship. The Bible does not teach us to call upon the Name of the Savior, but rather to call upon the Name of the Lord. Salvation is what comes from making Jesus Lord.

"There is even some confusion about just what it is we are to confess with our mouth when we get saved. Some people teach that we must confess our sins in order to be saved, but the Bible says we are to confess Jesus as Lord in order to be saved (Romans 10:9).

"In the New Testament, the word Lord is used to mean an owner, master, or the one in control; in other words, the boss. If salvation is contingent upon making Jesus Lord, it is the obligation of the new convert to find the will of the Lord and do it. This process is not salvation by works: it is the fruit of repentance.

"What is the salvation of the Lord? The word which is translated as saved is the Greek word: sozo...Strong's Concordance defines sozo as 'to deliver or protect: heal, preserve, save, do well, be whole.' Thayer's Lexicon expands the definition to include: 'to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction, to make well, restore to health, to deliver from the penalties of Messianic judgment.'

"...We know that Jesus died to set us free from the results of sin so that we can partake in His salvation. We are obligated to receive every aspect of salvation. If Jesus is really our Lord, we do not have the option of refusing the abundant life. If Jesus is really our Lord, then we are under an obligation to reach the lost, to undo the works of the devil, to have the abundant life, and to do the things that He did (and greater!).

"You must believe God will fulfill His promises. You must actively pursue those promises, not out of greed or even need, but because Jesus is Lord. You must allow His perfect salvation to be made manifest in your life. Salvation is more than just a ticket to heaven. It is the sum total of what Jesus died to give us. It is the full, abundant life. Therefore, the abundant life should be the norm for every Christian. (It is the obligation, not the option, of every believer.)"

*Excerpts taken from pp57-59. "Taking the Limits Off God" by James Richards © 1989

The Secret Place of Prayer

Matthew 6:6, "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." ~ New Living Translation

Over the last few weeks, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to get into the "secret place" with the Lord. In case you are wondering, the secret place is where you and God meet together. It may be time in a prayer closet, out in the woods, in the car...it really doesn't matter, just a place where you and the Lord meet together in a time of intimacy.

Jesus modeled for every believer what it means to have this daily time of intimacy with the Father. The Bible is very clear about Jesus withdrawing to a place of prayer all by Himself. Making time with the Father was never an issue. He understood that being all that God had ordained for Him to be meant having the ability to always see what the Father was seeing, hearing what the Father was saying, and doing what the Father was doing.

Folks, making time for our Heavenly Father should never be an issue with us either. In fact, the issue should be making time for everything else. It's all about where we place our priority. If intimacy with the Father is what we want, it can only come in the secret place with the Lord. Jesus tells us plainly that if we will go into that closet of prayer that God will reward us. In fact, it is the best reward system available. There are plenty of opportunities to do things for God out in the open. But if we want to live the life that is truly blessed by God then we must find our closet, shut the door, and pray to the Father.

Why is this important?

1) The stillness of a prayer closet is a critical environment for hearing the Lord.
2) In a busy society we have lost the importance of rest. The secret place is a place of rest in Him.
3) Private worship and private prayer is the fuel for everything we do in the open.
4) The prayer closet is where we develop our own personal history with God.
5) Following Jesus means that we learn to follow Him into the prayer closet as well.

We live in a culture where everything is instant. Success can happen at any moment or any time. The "American Idol" mentality says that we can be a star right now. However, in the Lord, we learn the importance of abiding in Him. It is in the abiding that we allow the Lord to prune us, grow us, and have His life flow through us. Jesus said in John 15 that He was the vine and we are the branches. What God does in and through our lives is a product of our development in Him in the secret place.

David was considered a king before he ever took the throne.
Gideon was considered a mighty man of valor before he ever picked up a sword.
Abraham was considered a father of nations long before he ever had a child.
What was the difference? Who they were before the Lord in the secret places of their lives. God wants to do great things for us but He also wants us to learn what it means to be great in Him.

Take the time this week to withdraw to the secret place in Him. Allow God's dreams and visions for your life to become a reality. Discover what His heart is for you life as you pour out your heart to Him. And make the choice to never leave the prayer closet the same way you went in. Wait for the answers. Wait for the encounters with Him. Wait until you know that He has spoken.

Where Two or Three are Gathered...

Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three together as my followers, I am there among them." What if God's idea of "Church" is different than ours? Will it cause us to view things differently?

I remember a time where I used to look at houses churches through a lens of skepticism. In fact, I was often critical. However, over the last few years, God has softened my heart to these dedicated believers. I have been able to understand the biblical model for church life and accept these house fellowships for what they truly are: the church.

Jesus told His followers very plainly that wherever they gathered together in His name, He would be in the midst of them. Throughout the New Testament we read about the church gathering in homes, in buildings, or on the beach. It really didn't matter where they met, Jesus was always with them. It's important to note that the church is about the community of believers who have gathered together for a specific purpose. It is my opinion that this is why we can visit with some "churches" and never sense the presence of God among them. It was never God's intention that the church become a religious establishment or another religious tradition. The church is the body of Christ that is composed of fellow believers who gather together for His glory.

I have been in the homes of believers who gather together for the purpose of edification, encouragement, and worship. There have been times that the presence of God was very strong in their midst. It is because of their heart to join together in fellowship, share the love of God with one another, and be the body of Christ that makes all the difference. Over my lifetime church has been associated with a building and was never considered "legal" unless it had a denominational name attached to it. You can imagine the surprise when "non-denominational" churches began to pop-up across our landscape. Who were these people and why couldn't they commit to a certain group?

Now that I have gotten to know many of these church members, it's easy to understand why they do what they do. They simply want to be known as followers of Christ. They may be non-denominational but they adhere to a belief system that is agreed upon in the group. For many of them I have witnessed a strong commitment to their fellowship. They are active believers who live out their faith in the community. They share with those in need and seek ways to minister as a group. They love the Lord and want to grow in the relationship with Him.

Why am I sharing all of this? The reason is very simple. I want us to consider why we join together. I want us to think about the reason we have joined with a particular group of believers. I want us to understand that every time we gather together as His followers, He is in the midst of us. We carry His presence and we must learn to practice His presence among us. It doesn't matter if we are meeting together with another group of believers in a house setting or an established church building - He will meet with us. Every time we get together is an opportunity to enjoy His presence together.

As the weekend is upon us, take these thoughts into your gathering place. Practice the presence of God among your brothers and sisters in Christ. Worship Him with all of your heart, share His love with every one around you, and enjoy your time in the Body of Christ. Remember that He is among you.

Setting Your Mind

Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." The focus of a believer needs to be on the things of heaven. This doesn't mean that I sit around dreaming of heaven, or holding on till Jesus comes. It is a deliberate setting of the mind on kingdom principles.

2 Corinthians 4:18 puts it this way: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Everything in the natural is temporary. Jobs, possessions, etc. are all things that fade away. The things of this earth is what the world pursues. There is a focus on having the right job, building/buying a nice home, riding around in the best vehicles, having the latest fashions, or talking on the newest phone. What we discover in this type of life is that it is an empty pursuit. Our focus in not on earthly gain but in heavenly influence in the earth.

When I set my mind on heavenly things, I learn to live by heaven's values. Jesus told us to pray "Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The will of God was to reveal Himself to us through Jesus. Now He reveals the Son through us. For Jesus to be made manifest in our lives means that we have the same exact mindset that He possessed. We learn to live from Heaven's provision, love from the Father's heart, do the things that Father is doing, and display His goodness throughout the earth. But when we are focused on earthly things, we struggle to carry the joy and peace that the kingdom of Heaven provides.

Consider this with me: You can have an amazing week until a hot water heater goes out or you have to pull the pump out of the well. Ever been there? All of a sudden, money becomes an issue. Or how about when the car goes down or an unexpected bill comes in? This is where the struggle begins. Are we going to be earthly focused or heavenly minded? Will we continue to trust in the Lord's provision or are we going to try to bail ourselves out of a situation?

I know...I know...we were raised in this world's system. And in this world's system, we know how to get things done. There is credit available, loans we can sign up for, and even "cash for titles" (YIKES!!!). What or Who am I going to trust in these situations? Am I going to bank on my ability to pull myself out of a hole or will I have the faith to believe that God is my Heavenly Father with all the provision I need?

FOCUS!!! Live from the resources of Heaven. Learn to claim the inheritance that we have in Christ. Find out what it means to live from God's value system. Trust me when I say that He will allow us to make our own decisions and learn from our own mistakes. The good news is that He never condemns us but chooses to walk with us even when our focus is all out of whack.

Matthew 6:33 from the Contemporary English Version: "But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well." God has not abandoned us to a worldly system. He has promised that when the Kingdom of God is our focus, He takes care of the rest.

Are You Ready to Share Jesus?

Mark 16:15, "And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Jesus makes it very clear: We are to share the good news of the kingdom with everyone. And you never know who may be ready to listen.

Vance Havner told of a church equipped with a sing that said: JESUS ONLY. One night, a storm smashed out the first three letters, leaving US ONLY. Unfortunately, too many churches think only of themselves, their needs, their convenience, their comfort. As a result, they become keepers of the aquarium rather than fishers of men.

As followers of Christ, our mission is every person. It doesn't matter what color of skin, what nationality, what gender, or what background. Every person must hear the gospel message. I like what Paul Powell said in his book "Building An Evangelistic Church": "Not every person can be a great thinker, writer, student, preacher, singer, or speaker. For those who are color blind, the loveliness of art means little. And for those who are tone deaf, the glory of music is lost. One thing is sure, though: every human being can know Jesus."

Rather than spend a lot of time talking about the necessity to share Jesus, I want to share an encouraging story with you. We had a member of our church that took the message home with them this week. I had preached about the Body of Christ and the need to "BE" the body. All week long, this church member had been presented opportunities to share the gospel. With my sermon still ringing in his ears, and the Holy Spirit moving upon his heart, he shared faithfully. God gave him one person in particular this week that he was able to share with at great length. He had just told me about this yesterday. This morning I received a text telling me that the person he had been sharing with accepted Jesus!!!

Sharing the gospel with every person puts us in a position of greater rejoicing over the salvation of the lost. Sure...there may be times that it seems a little awkward. We aren't promised a quiet room with just you and the other person. However, if we are willing to be a little inconvenienced, we may get to be a part of another person's testimony. There is one thing for sure: this church member will never forget that he was a part of the salvation of another human being.

Be willing to share the gospel. You never know who is ready to listen.

Trusting the Character of God

Malachi 3:6, "I am the Lord, and I do not change..." Isn't that good news? Isn't it good to know that you can trust in the character of God? Although we may encounter many variables in life, God is constant in His goodness.

Here's what I am continually discovering: The only way that I can truly rest in Him is by trusting in the character of God. While most of us would not admit to it, we have struggled over this very thing. Any time we debate the unconditional love of God, the goodness of God, the grace of God, or any other attribute, we are actually debating the integrity of God. We must have our heart "fixed" in this area or we will never be settled in our relationship with Him.

What does the Bible say about the character of God?
He is Good
He is Holy
He is All-Powerful
He is All-Knowing
He is Everywhere Present
He is Merciful
He is Love
He is Truthful & Faithful
He is Full of Grace
He is Patient
He is Our Defense
He is Peaceful
He is Righteous & Just
He is Beautiful
He is Fully of Glory
*And these are just a few of the attributes and characteristics of God that we find in Scripture.

What do we believe about Him? Well...depending on who you talk to...you might hear that God is loving but don't cross Him. You may hear that God is forgiving but you have to earn His love and acceptance. There's no doubt about it, God is misunderstood. We struggle in our understanding of Him because we have not settled in our heart who He is. I heard a preacher the other day who said that he grew up in a church where they believed that God loved you but if you went to far then He would just kill you. I began to wonder if we went to the same church (LOL!).

More often than not, when I get into this type of discussion, people want to debate the differences between God of the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament. The New Testament tells us that Jesus came to reveal the heart of the Father. What do we know about Jesus? What do we see in the life, ministry, and sacrifice of Jesus? What did we learn about God through Jesus? We learned that God is good, God is loving, and that God is willing to sacrifice Himself to redeem the world. We learned that God was personal. We learned that God is merciful. We learned that God wanted to restore a relationship that had been lost. Jesus has to be the foundation of our understanding of God. Jesus is perfect theology.

The next debate: The Book of Revelation. I have heard people question the love of God because of what they read in this particular book. However, Revelation does not cause me to question the goodness and love of God for several reasons. 1) Where is the church during all of this? 2) What is the purpose behind the judgment that comes upon the earth? 3) How does it all end? *The fact is that the church is called out of the earth during the tribulation (Yahoo!!!). The purpose behind the judgement is to purge the earth of everything that is not in keeping with the glory of God. It's a continuation of the restoration that God started after the fall of man. In the end, we see a earth that is full of the glory of God, man fully restored, and Jesus crowned as King of Kings & Lord of Lords. This book was never intended to cause us to question the character of God. It's intended to bring hope to the Body of Christ.

I realize that many people will continue to debate the character of God. I don't expect my blog to change this problem for everyone. However, I do hope that you will learn how to trust in the character of God. This life is full of ups and downs, but you can know someone who is unchanging. May it be said of the church that it is "In God We Trust."

Take Another Look...

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:19 NLT) I want us to take another look at the love of God. May this thinking refresh your spirit.

Not so long ago, I shared with you how knowing the love of God will bring us into the fullness of God. I want to take this a step further. After reading in Banning Liebscher's book "Jesus Culture", I was reminded of something: "Experience is the key to fullness because it brings revelation. Without the revelation knowledge that comes by experience, we are limited to operating with only information. Most Christians have the correct information. In the majority of churches, if I were to ask, 'Do you believe Jesus loves you?' I'm certain that 99 percent of the congregation would respond with a sincere yes...But are you responding out of information or revelation?"

Information alone is not enough. Do you know what most of us do with information? We argue about it, debate it, and try to figure out if we can trust it. I hear people do it all the time. I can share a message about the unconditional love of God and almost immediately people will begin to question it. The discussion can play out in a Sunday School class, out in the foyer, or in the car on the way home. And even in the midst of our discussions we may be convinced of God's love but have we been moved by it. Have we experienced it to the point that nothing will ever separate me from it in my mind?

Here's an example (also borrowed from Liebscher's book):
When Evander Holyfield, former heavyweight boxing champion, was in his primed, people would talk about how hard he hit. You could listen to interviews, watch the fights, or read articles about the subject. However, until you laced up the gloves and experienced a shot to the jaw, you will always operate out of information. Unfortunately, this is how many believers operate in their beliefs. We may be thoroughly convinced in our thinking but are we operating out of experience?

The good news for us is that God has made His love available to us. If we want to experience His love then we must take the time to get into His presence. The question is whether or not we will make/take the time. Am I willing to set everything else aside? Am I willing to obey the prompting in my spirit? Am I willing to go through the door of Jesus and come to the throne of grace? I am completely convinced that God wants for us to experience Him. Information about Him is not enough. Doctrine alone will not suffice. He's longing for His people to burn with a passion for Him and that passion comes through an experiential relationship.

Jesus has promised to manifest Himself to us. But reading alone will not bring it.
God has promised that we can experience Him. But prayer alone will not make it happen.
It's about seeking Him...getting into His presence...longing to experience Him above everything else...and waiting for God to move. Is that what you want?

This is an invitation to something intimate...something real. Is there anything in your heart that is saying "I want more than just knowing about God"? Is your spirit crying out saying "It's not enough that I can talk about Him"? Are you ready to experience God? Then you must take some time to talk with Him, worship Him, and listen to His voice. Make His voice the loudest voice in your life. Make His presence the most important part of your day. Determine in your heart that you are going to encounter God today.

Want a "NOW" move of God?

Ephesians 5:18, "And do not be drunk with win, in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit." Have you ever become content to live on the experiences of the past? You can experience of move of God in your life today.

You don't have to own a vehicle very long to realize that eventually you will have to put gas in the tank. Or if you drive an electric vehicle, you will have to recharge it. A car can only run on fumes for so long. In the same way, if you and I are simply living in the experiences of the past, we will run out of steam. How long can we make it on the fumes of last years experience? Only you can answer that question.

Jesus told us in the model prayer that we should ask the Father to "give us this day our daily bread." There is fresh bread for today. And if there is fresh bread for today then I must refuse to live on the stale bread of yesterday or the crumbs from previous years. I must choose to be filled with the Spirit of God daily.

What does this mean? The Bible is very clear that when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives the Holy Spirit of God comes to dwell in us, seal us, guide us, and comfort us. Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? The answer is "Yes." However, to quote the great D.L. Moody, "The Holy Spirit in you is one thing. The Holy Spirit upon you in quite another." The conversion experience with the Holy Spirit alone will not be enough to carry you through this life as a believer. We must learn to drawn upon Him, be filled with Him, and walk in Him. And if you want a "NOW" move of God in your life, you must experience Him.

God is so interactive with His children. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. This promise is fulfilled through the Holy Spirit. You have the very presence of God within you. He's there to guide you in life. He's in you to remind you of the truth. He's there to give you the gifts needed to work in His kingdom. He's resident to comfort you, fuel the abundant life in you, and assure you of the goodness of God. Believers must awaken to the fact that we are not looking for something that is outside of us. We have everything we need!

So the question to ask is: How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
Ask (Does this sound familiar?)
Seek
Knock
If you desire to experience the filling of the Holy Spirit then all you have to do is ask. And Jesus made it very clear that God is more than willing that we experience the "much more" of the Holy Spirit.

I want to remind you that this isn't about getting more of the Holy Spirit. You have all of Him inside of you. It's about allowing Him to fill every part of your life. It's allowing the Lordship of Jesus to reside over everything. When I am willing to give myself to God, then He is more than willing to give me a greater awareness of Himself in me. He loves nothing more than His children come into the reality of who they are in Him. This is part of the glory that we are continually being transformed into, and when you and I are walking in this glory then we become the glory of God that is covering the earth.

The "NOW" move of God resides within you. The revival that you long to experience is waiting to be activated in your life. Be filled with the Spirit of God in excess. Learn what it means to abide in Him. There is so much for us to experience in the abundant life that Jesus promised. Let's go deeper in Him!!!

Heavenly Father,
I thank you for the promise of your Holy Spirit residing in me. I thank you that you did not leave us comfortless in this world. I thank you for taking up residence in my life. Jesus said that your Spirit within me would be like a fountain of living water springing up into everlasting life and that it would be like a river flowing out of me. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit. May this fountain of life spring up in me to overflowing. Thank you for allowing me to experience your presence every day. I choose to walk in the Spirit of God and operate in the gifts that He gives me. I choose to build myself up in this most holy faith by praying in the Spirit. And I look forward to partnering with your divine nature within me.
In Jesus name,
Amen

A Faith that Believes

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." {Hebrews 11:1} Some people may question my title. However, the way some people use the word "faith", the title makes perfect sense.

The writer of Hebrews makes it very clear to us that faith is something that is concrete. It has a quality about it that causes us to trust, feel secure, and live in bold expectation. If you read through the first few verses of Hebrews 11, then I think you will agree with me. We must be able to understand the power that lies behind the nature of faith, the testimony of faith, and the source of our faith.

The Nature of Faith:
Faith is Substance
Faith is Evidence
Faith touches what cannot be touched and see what cannot be seen. Possessing the faith to believe God is a particular area is enough faith to operate in. It gives you something to hold on to.

The Testimony of Faith:
If you go a little deeper into Hebrews 11, you read the testimonies of people who believed God in difficult circumstances. They were able to fully rely upon God for the needs in their life. When I read these testimonies, and hear of current testimonies of God's goodness and provision, it causes me faith to grow.

The Source of Faith:
Belief in God
Belief about God
Simply put, our ability to be strengthened in the faith is tied to our belief in the existence and nature of God. The writer states that everyone who comes to God must believe that He is AND that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. If I am sure of God's existence, and I am sure that He is good, then I will continue to pursue Him for everything in life. It is when I struggle with this understanding of God that I do not possess a faith that believes.

Much of the faith that I hear people talking about is like a trinket that can be worn around the neck. As long as I'm wearing the trinket, then I can believe. However, if you find me without my faith trinket then I will be operating in unbelief. Faith must become an abiding reality. Faith is what causes me to draw closer to Father God. Faith is what causes me to pray with full assurance. Faith is what allows me to trust in the goodness of God. Faith leads me to share the gospel, give of my resources, and walk according to the Spirit of God. Faith is vital to experiencing God in this life. It is a life of faith.

When does faith become something other than belief? Through EXPERIENCE. Once we have experienced God in this particular area, then we are able to draw upon a reality in our lives. We also learn to trust God in other areas. It's when we get into the realm of experience that we become a steward. We have trusted God, now God entrusts us. And when God entrusts us our relationship is elevated to another level.

Do you possess a faith that believe in the existence and nature of God?
Do you possess a faith that believes that God can do what we consider impossible?
Are you ready to move from faith to reality?
It is possible. All things are possible to him who believes!

The New Nature

2 Corinthians 5:17 tell us that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Immediately we are confronted with a question: If all things have become new, then why do people continue to struggle with what they used to do?

There has been great debate over the years about whether or not followers of Jesus have two natures. Many believe that we have a continual war of the old nature vs the new nature. That somehow the old nature is still hanging around just to keep us from becoming all that God wants for us to become. The problem that I have with this explanation is that it goes against the Word of God.

Galatians 2:20 (one of my most favorite verses), "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." According to Scripture, I have died with Christ. In fact, in baptism I was buried with Him and I rose with Him. Ephesians 2:1-7 talks about how we used to operate by the nature of the children of wrath but through Christ we have been made to sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus so that God can display His kindness and mercy through our lives. So...if I died with Jesus, rose with Him, and have been seated in heavenly places with Christ...where's the struggle? The struggle is in our mind.

More and more I am realizing that what I believe affects how I live. If I believe that the old nature is still hanging around then I can excuse my sin. If I believe that I'm a sinner (old nature) then I will act like a sinner. However, if by faith I believe that I am righteous (new nature) then I will act as one who has been made righteous. This is the power behind the renewed mind. If I have allowed my mind to be renewed by God's Word then I will experience the transformation that God has promised. The grace of God has changed my nature but it has also brought me into a position of freedom. And in that freedom I have greater responsibility...I have a choice. Will I operate in the new nature or out of the one I used to have?

Many believers I know are very quick to go back to the law when they blow it. In other words, if they do something that is contrary to the nature of God within them, then they try to right the ship. The only way they know how to right the ship is to do better. But the Christian life is not about doing - it is about being. By the works of the law, no flesh can be justified. Only by faith in what God has already accomplished can I enjoy the abundant life that Christ has promised.

Peter put it this way in his second letter to the church: "His divine power has given us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness...by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature..." (2 Peter 1:1-4). God has allowed to be partakers of the very nature that He possesses. It is through His nature within us - the divine power that what promised through the Holy Spirit - that we are able to live contrary to this world. What I have to understand is that it is not natural for me to sin because my nature has been changed. Sin is unnatural to a righteous man. Right? For me to live in unrighteousness is contrary to may new nature. I now have to go outside of myself to operate in the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life.

There's no doubt that there is a war going on in us, but that war is in our minds. That war is between our ears. Are we going to be ruled by the world's definition of who we are, the definition of other believers, or even the definition we have of ourselves? Or are we going to allow God's Word to define us and live according to His definition? The choice is ours.

Over the last few months, this has been the topic of much of my preaching, teaching, and blog entries. I feel like Paul when he said, "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you." (Phil. 3:1). Sometimes we have to be reminded over and over again of the same truth. We must get this teaching into our spirit or we will continue to struggle between two definitions. Who are we going to be? What nature are we going to allow to rule our lives? Which will we choose: works of the flesh or the grace of God? You decide.

Be Back Tommorrow

Greetings! Well...I'm back from Ukraine. The trip was great, saw several people saved, and we were able to build some great relationships for future work in the country. I appreciate all the prayers that went out for the team.

I hope to post some new blog material tomorrow. Thanks for your patience. It has taken me a little longer to catch up on things and I look forward to sharing with you again.

Stay tuned...