The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Breaking down the scripture further let's define a few words. Faith means complete trust or confidence and a strong belief in God based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. Substance means the real physical matter of which a person or a thing consists. Evidence is the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief is true; proof, confirmation, verification.
I offer that many of us have a substance abuse problem. We think we understand the meaning of the word substance when we read the scripture. But in fact what we have been taught and what we understand substance to be is something tactile. It's something we can touch or experience with our natural senses and so as a result we are looking for something tangible to anchor our faith in. So oftentimes what happens to us is we pray and we wait for a sign. We tell God what we want and then we go wait by the chimney for Santa to deliver our gifts or we give God our laundry list of desires and then we see answers in superstion and whatever will satisfy our own mind that we've heard from the Lord. But in fact the definition of the word substance that we have known our entire lives is not what faith is. Faith is not physical nor is it a thing that can be exprerienced by our touch, hearing, sight, taste or smell. The Greek word used in the verse above is "hupostasis." The meaning of it is a firm foundation. So in fact our faith is not based in the power wishful or positive thinking. It isn't in our thinking at all. Our faith is connected to our heart and it is a knowing that God did it before; therefore, He WILL do it again. It is a knowing that we experience in our spirit. We can encourage our mind by reading the Word and hiding the Word in our hearts, but what we cannot do is substitute the firm foundation of what our heart knows about our God for a flimsy, phoney, or flighty physical manifestation. The faith is the revelation that God's Word is yea and amen. Faith is the firm foundation of our hopes and it is the confirmation, verification and the proof of our beliefs.
Today let us renouce our substance abuse problem and let us elect to open our hearts and let faith find it's true resting place in the peace of trusting that God is real, He is not a man that He should lie. What He says He will complete and perform. His Word will not return unto Him void. As the older generation used to say, God said, I believe it and that settles it!
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Home Improvement
I awoke this morning with some concern. As I took my concern to the Lord, He lead me to Matthew 19:16 to 22, which reads:
16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what [essentially] good thing shall I do to obtain eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?” 17 Jesus answered, “Why are you asking Me about what is [essentially] good? There is only One who is [essentially] good; but if you wish to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Jesus, “Which commandments?” And Jesus answered, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony;19 Honor your father and mother; and love your neighbor as yourself”[that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others]. 20 The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these things [from my youth]; what do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered him, “If you wish to be perfect[that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” 22 But when the young man heard this, he left grieving and distressed, for he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God].
The basis of my concern is that complacency seems to be the norm. I find myself
becoming complacent at times as though I've done what I need to do and there's no need to labor further. I was also reading in Haggai and Zephaniah this morning regarding God's desire that people stop being complacent and get some gumption about themselves so that they may rebuild the House of the Lord. Lastly I read Psalm 127:1 which stated that except the Lord build a house, they that build it labor in vain.
All of this led me to the conclusion that oftentimes we believe we have done enough; after all I have my job, I have my house, I have my car, I tell people about Jesus at my convenience. I mean what else could I possibly be doing? And yet we sing songs like "I Need More." Signifying that we want Jesus to do more for us; to give us more of Himself; to pour out more to us. In fact hasn't He already done it all? What is truly needed is for us to do more; more to draw closer to Him; more to be less self-righteous; more to show that Jesus saves; more to minister; more to live a holy life; more to build the kingdom of God and on and on.
The significance of the story of the young rich man is that for so many of us we see ourselves as right on target. The young man came to Jesus not really seeking an answer although he asked a question. Jesus knew this, but allowed the situation to play out. The young man really wanted to inform Jesus about what he had already done and in his mind surely there couldn't be any more to do that he had done, I mean he was the ultimate servant, he kept all the commandments since he was a child. This young man really couldn't imagine what else there was to do. What he failed to realize the entire time was who he was talking to. He didn't see that he wasn in need of repair and that Jesus was the handyman. He didn't know who Jesus really was because he was so enthralled and entangled in his own ego and so entrenched in his own self-agrandisement. I mean after all he had it going on right?
We have the benefit of hindsight as we read this scripture so we can sit in a place of judgment of this young man. We can clearly see that he was lacking humility. We know that he went away sad because he treasured his possessions more than his relationship with God. But in fact oftentimes we are in much the same position as this young rich man because his real issue is that he lacked perspective. He didn't really know Jesus and so he could not comprehend what Jesus was offering him. His thoughts went immediately to the idea that something was being taken away from him and that made him sad.
This young man needed some home improvement. When you live in a house for a while you begin to notice its wear and tear. Eventually some things need repair. As we walk this spiritual journey we ought to notice the leaks, the cracks, the broken down items and things in need of repair in our spiritual home. Jesus is the ultimate repairman. He presents to us the tools needed to firm up our foundation and to repair our broken places. He shows us the places that need repair and sends preachers, pastors, teachers and the like into our lives to assist us with the repairs. The interesting thing about the repairs that we must make to enhance our own lives is that the work is not just us working on ourselves in a vacuum. Instead it is us performing kingdom building and kingdom work that in turn serves to repair our leaks and fill in our cracks. Once we truly admit that we need repair and we're not just trying to show God how together we already are, because doesn't He know us?; Doesn't he know how raggedy we are? Of course He does. He knows that we are weak, this is why He sends us messengers to help us and to steer us into the right direction. This is why He sent Jesus. Now we have to let Jesus set the foundation and make sure that it is He in the building.
When we do this there is a chance that we can be used to help someone else. Today let's not become complacent and think to ourselves that we are doing what we need to do. Rather let's ask God for a paradigm shift so that we can do what He has called us to do. Let's improve our home by building the Kingdom of God, because as we take care of God's house He takes care of ours.
16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what [essentially] good thing shall I do to obtain eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?” 17 Jesus answered, “Why are you asking Me about what is [essentially] good? There is only One who is [essentially] good; but if you wish to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Jesus, “Which commandments?” And Jesus answered, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony;19 Honor your father and mother; and love your neighbor as yourself”[that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others]. 20 The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these things [from my youth]; what do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered him, “If you wish to be perfect[that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” 22 But when the young man heard this, he left grieving and distressed, for he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God].
The basis of my concern is that complacency seems to be the norm. I find myself
becoming complacent at times as though I've done what I need to do and there's no need to labor further. I was also reading in Haggai and Zephaniah this morning regarding God's desire that people stop being complacent and get some gumption about themselves so that they may rebuild the House of the Lord. Lastly I read Psalm 127:1 which stated that except the Lord build a house, they that build it labor in vain.
All of this led me to the conclusion that oftentimes we believe we have done enough; after all I have my job, I have my house, I have my car, I tell people about Jesus at my convenience. I mean what else could I possibly be doing? And yet we sing songs like "I Need More." Signifying that we want Jesus to do more for us; to give us more of Himself; to pour out more to us. In fact hasn't He already done it all? What is truly needed is for us to do more; more to draw closer to Him; more to be less self-righteous; more to show that Jesus saves; more to minister; more to live a holy life; more to build the kingdom of God and on and on.
The significance of the story of the young rich man is that for so many of us we see ourselves as right on target. The young man came to Jesus not really seeking an answer although he asked a question. Jesus knew this, but allowed the situation to play out. The young man really wanted to inform Jesus about what he had already done and in his mind surely there couldn't be any more to do that he had done, I mean he was the ultimate servant, he kept all the commandments since he was a child. This young man really couldn't imagine what else there was to do. What he failed to realize the entire time was who he was talking to. He didn't see that he wasn in need of repair and that Jesus was the handyman. He didn't know who Jesus really was because he was so enthralled and entangled in his own ego and so entrenched in his own self-agrandisement. I mean after all he had it going on right?
We have the benefit of hindsight as we read this scripture so we can sit in a place of judgment of this young man. We can clearly see that he was lacking humility. We know that he went away sad because he treasured his possessions more than his relationship with God. But in fact oftentimes we are in much the same position as this young rich man because his real issue is that he lacked perspective. He didn't really know Jesus and so he could not comprehend what Jesus was offering him. His thoughts went immediately to the idea that something was being taken away from him and that made him sad.
This young man needed some home improvement. When you live in a house for a while you begin to notice its wear and tear. Eventually some things need repair. As we walk this spiritual journey we ought to notice the leaks, the cracks, the broken down items and things in need of repair in our spiritual home. Jesus is the ultimate repairman. He presents to us the tools needed to firm up our foundation and to repair our broken places. He shows us the places that need repair and sends preachers, pastors, teachers and the like into our lives to assist us with the repairs. The interesting thing about the repairs that we must make to enhance our own lives is that the work is not just us working on ourselves in a vacuum. Instead it is us performing kingdom building and kingdom work that in turn serves to repair our leaks and fill in our cracks. Once we truly admit that we need repair and we're not just trying to show God how together we already are, because doesn't He know us?; Doesn't he know how raggedy we are? Of course He does. He knows that we are weak, this is why He sends us messengers to help us and to steer us into the right direction. This is why He sent Jesus. Now we have to let Jesus set the foundation and make sure that it is He in the building.
When we do this there is a chance that we can be used to help someone else. Today let's not become complacent and think to ourselves that we are doing what we need to do. Rather let's ask God for a paradigm shift so that we can do what He has called us to do. Let's improve our home by building the Kingdom of God, because as we take care of God's house He takes care of ours.
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