Stepping out in Faith

Recently I have begun to struggle through the idea of stepping out in faith verses doing what I am “sure” is the right thing to do. On one hand there is the “feeling” the “sense” that my action is the right thing to do. It looks obvious. It makes sense. It looks like the logical thing to do. Sometimes it even looks like a step of faith. On the other hand there is the corresponding alternative that requires that I compare the situation before me with the solid, unyielding truth of the Word of God and move forward because it is the right thing to do.” One is the domain of the planners ... the CEO's … the visionaries and the dreamers. The other is the faithful obedience of God's man to the truth no matter what the circumstances or potential consequences. It is the difference between the leadership guru who says “Look at the numbers” or the flashy, charismatic leader who cries out, “God told me to ...” and the substantial, man of God that leads his family or his people fearlessly into the face of the unknown on the strength of biblical thinking and the commands of the written Word of God.

Hebrews 11:1-2 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.” We see examples of this kind of faith all throughout scripture. In Numbers 14 the Israelites said, “We can't take the promised land like God told us to. The people are too big and too many. But Joshua and Caleb said, in verse nine, “... do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us.” In I Samuel 17 Goliath said to David, “I'm going to kill you and feed you to the buzzards.” David said to Goliath, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty...” In Daniel chapter 3. Nebuchadnezzar said bow or burn. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Do you see the difference? The man of God doesn't need the charismatic personality of Ronald Reagan, a brain the size of Einstein or the bank roll of Bill Gates. The man of God follows the Word of God fearlessly and relentlessly. He goes wherever it takes him and does whatever it commands him to do. That's what it means to step out in faith.

Justification: Because of Jesus sacrifice God looks at me as though I have never sinned ... what an amazing truth

This week we were challenged to put the truth contained in Romans 5 in terms that someone without an extensive knowledge of the Bible could understand. This is how mine turned out. I hope it encourages you.
Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and so God looks at us as though we have no sin. The result is that God no longer expects us to pay the penalty for all the wrong we have done. In fact, because of what Jesus did, we are now considered His adopted children. It would seem like it couldn't get any better than that doesn't it?

But wait, there's more. When bad things happen to us we no longer get frightened or alarmed. The reason that we can be so calm is that we know that God is using those difficult times to develop persistence and determination in us. Persistence and determination help form us into people who think and do right even when the pressure in on. Persistence and determination cause us to be people who are confident that everything is going to turn out OK even when our circumstances shout that we should act in our own self interest. We know that it's going to be OK because we are sure that God loves us. We know that He loves us because He has gives us His Holy Spirit as a demonstration of His love.

Think about it. Jesus did all this for us even though we were willfully disobedient to Him. Face it. Most people wouldn't die for someone they considered to be a really exceptional person. But God showed us how much He loved us by sending Jesus to die for us even though we were guilty of being repeatedly and continuously disobedient to Him. Imagine that. Because of Jesus God released us from the penalty for all our wrong doing and invited us to have a close personal relationship with Him.

Let me explain. When Adam chose to disobey God disobedience became a part of the everyday lives of everyone. Death became part of our lives as well because we all chose to live lives that were disobedient to God. Now, it wasn't always called sin because there weren't any written laws that said, “Thou shalt” or Thou shall not.” However, you could still see sins effects everywhere you looked.

Take a moment and compare the results of Adam's choice to disobey with what Jesus did for us. Because Adam chose to disobey God lots of people died. By contrast Jesus' actions opened the door for all of us to experience the compassion of God. Adam's disobedience caused us to be sentenced to death but Jesus released us from the responsibility of paying the penalty.

Think about the incredible contrast between what was and what is. Disobedience and death used to be the destiny of mankind but now we have the opportunity to experience the joy of right living in this life and the wonder of eternal life with God in heaven when we die.

Religion or Relationship?

My quiet time was in Colossians 3:16-17 today. I won't bore you with all the details of how I studied this passage but I hope that what I gleaned from it will encourage you. The following is my paraphrase of the passage based on what I learned.

"Let your hearts be filled up with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Use those teachings to give people the truth and to warn them against what is false and/or evil. Let the truths that Christ taught fill you up as you sing scriptural songs with musical accompaniment, as you sing songs of praise addressed to God, and as you sing other kinds of spiritual songs. Let the truths that Christ spoke cause you to sing with gratitude to God for who He is and what He has done for you. In fact make sure that all your words and all your actions are done in honor of Jesus Christ and in thanks to God the Father."

I wonder how many of us are that connected to the Word and to the person of Jesus Christ. The passage helped me to understand better what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion says, "I must do so that I will be accepted by God." Relationship says, "I am loved by a living Savior and He has given me life giving truth therefore I will live every facet of my life for Him."

I love Bible study!

'What Motivates You in Your Walk With Christ? 

I am currently enjoying a refresher course in hermeneutics (bible study method) by Howard Hendricks. As part of the course I studied the story of Jesus and the ten lepers. Now I know ... on the face of things the story doesn't look like there is very much to study but consider the following questions. First, What was the underlying motivation behind the request that the ten lepers made? They of course wished to be rid of the disease that was slowly eating away their lives. However they were also eager to re-enter society. You see, a leper, by Jewish law, was forced to live outside of normal society. When Jesus sent these men to the priest it was so that the priest could pronounce them clean and able to go back to their families and communities.

That isn't too earth shaking is it? But now, consider a second question. Why did Jesus express dismay that only one of the lepers returned to thank him? The thoughts of the nine were fixed on what they were going to get. The Samaritan however looked past what he was about to gain and saw the Savior. When he did he was overcome with gratitude and rushed back to Jesus to fall on his knees and give thanks.

If we are honest we are often very like the nine. We look for what we are going to get if we obey Him. Even in our obedience to the Word we are often only motivated if there is something in it for us. We become like the people of John 6:14-15 who only followed Jesus because they had been miraculously fed by Him. The passage says, “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” We see it again a few verse later when Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (John 6:27-28)

True obedience is motivated by gratitude and thankfulness to God for who He is and what He has done for us. True obedience does not dwell on whether or not my wants or even my needs will be met if I obediently follow Jesus' direction for my life. True obedience does what is right and leaves the consequences to God. True obedience falls at His feet in thanks for the unconditional grace and love He poured out on us every day.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift. (II Corinthians 9:15)

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