Faith, From The Air of Heaven

Christian faith is total confidence in God. We do not just think that He will do what He has promised. We know He will. By faith we submit all that we are into His care. We trust in the blessed assurance of His faithfulness.

Christian hope is not like ordinary hope. Ordinary hope expects without knowing. Christian hope is certain because of Whom we hope in. It is hope that enables us to sing even in the valley, putting wings to our souls.

Christian love is the love of God in us. By His love we are able to care for the unlovable, recognizing that we were once just as undeserving. In love He tells us to ask, seek, and knock. He knows that each time we ask and receive, or seek and find, or knock and have the door open before us, our faith grows. In the same way faith grows our love. The more we recognize His answers, the more we love Him for His efforts towards us.

So we expect confidently that He will redeem us from the dead, knowing that He loved us even while we were yet lost in our sins, and invite the lost among us to know the joy of belonging to the One in Whom true hope dwells. So that in love by faith through hope we please the Spirit of God in us, and serve our Father in Heaven as little children should.

. . . but the righteous will live by his faith . . . ‒ Hab 2:4

Belonging to Him means living by faith. Drawing near to Him is by nature a faith building experience. James tells us that faith without works is dead (Jas 2:17). That's because real faith moves us to action. If we truly believe that God is in control and a keeper of His promises, then we will live like we believe it.

Like Noah we will build a boat on dry land when no rain has ever fallen. Like Abraham we will offer up the only son we ever hope to have. Like Moses we will dare to stand before powerful leaders with nothing more than a walking stick by our side. Like David we will attack our Goliaths even when we have nothing but a bag of stones to throw at them. Real faith doesn't sit on the sidelines hoping someone will come along and move the mountain. Real faith tells the mountain to get up and move itself.

"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him." ‒ Mar 11:23

How many times have you actually expected God to lead you? Understand, if you did act like you expected Him to do so, you did not actually believe He would. Here's another one: How many times have you spoken to the mountain in your way? Most just don't. They don't because they don't really believe this promise. We should believe, though, because this is the Lord speaking. Some may discount His words, but I believe He choose them carefully.

Then the disciples came to Yeshua privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you." ‒ Mat 17:19-20

This promise would not be in the New Testament if it were not intended for us. If we can't live like we expect God to honor His promises, what can we do? Think about it. We are to be His light in this dark world. What kind of light are we really shedding if we do not live like His promises are real to us?

This is the danger of ignoring the supernatural effect of God on our lives. When we don't believe that God still speaks to us, that the gifts of the Spirit are still available to us, that we can ask and receive, etc.; we also do not believe that God can or will move our mountains. We have ruled out the supernatural, and mountain moving is supernatural. Then we look at the world around us and assure ourselves that things are the way they are because God wants it that way. No, the Lord expects us to believe Him

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in My name, and I will do it. – Joh 14:12-14

Where are our greater things? We are happy with mediocre. We don't have "greater", because we're not willing to have that kind of faith. Yet, even obedience comes from faith.

Through Him and for His name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. ‒ Rom 1:5

If you think about it, this actually fits, because we have tolerated disobedience like it was a calling; rather than, condemning it for the failing it is. If we don’t have the faith to obey, we certainly won’t have enough faith for greater things.

Too often we want to have just enough faith to squeak by. Yet, the Lord Himself urges us to greater things. He did supernatural things. The disciples did supernatural things. The Spirit does supernatural things through those who give themselves over to Him. All these things were and are done to the glory of God. Yet, today many are afraid of the supernatural! I believe some think this way because they have bought into the idea that acting in the supernatural is about the servant. It isn't. No, living as though we truly believe God is about His supernatural attributes and glorifying Him.

If I touch you and you are healed, I have not healed you. No, that healing would have had to come from God. If I speak blessings on you and you are blessed, I would not have blessed you. How would I do that? No, God would have to bless you through me. I am just a woman. I have no power to bless. Only He does. (Obviously, I'm talking about the kind of blessings we get from God; rather than, just making you feel better.) Again, if I were to speak to your mountain, and it were to remove itself; I would not have moved your mountain. No, God alone moves mountains.

So, if I were to do all these things, it would not be me that you should glorify. No, we both should glorify and credit Him. It is by His mercy that God gives gifts to men and women, and not because we deserve it; but rather, by His mercy. Therefore, whatever wonders He delights to do among us, we must make absolutely certain to credit Him with.


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Yeshua Cleared the Temple

            When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Yeshua went up to Jerusalem.

            In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others

            sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all

            from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money

            changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves He said, “Get these

            out of here! How dare you turn My Father's house into a market!” – Joh 2:13-16

In today's Christian society this kind of Holy outrage would be considered "unloving". We would isolate the individual, label them unacceptable and seriously advise them to repent from their “obvious” lack of love. This is partially because we have mentally separated this incident from the rest of Scripture, categorizing it as merely “zeal for His Father's house”. Indeed, it was zeal, but the thing we need to realize is that it had a purpose. It wasn't just included in Scripture as an interesting side note. It was included to point out that even in the meekness of Christ the holiness of God is something to contend with. And there other areas where this holy fire is revealed.

The entire 23rd Chapter of Matthew is devoted to the Lord's rebuke of the religious teachers of the day. He doesn't make one gentle remark in the entire discourse. He does not waltz around their duplicity or attempt to cajole them into agreeing with Him. No, He nails them to the wall with precise clarity:

            “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the

            kingdom of Heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you

            allow those who are entering to go in.”

            “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows

            houses, even while for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you shall

            receive greater condemnation.”

            “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea

            and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice

            as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

            “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is

            nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.'”

            "You fools and blind men, which is more important, the gold or the temple that

            sanctified the gold?”

            “And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by

            the offering that is on it, he is obligated.’”

            “You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the

            offering?” – Mat 23:13-19

And that’s the abbreviated version. Lest we imagine He was alone in this approach, John the Baptist refuses to even baptize them until their repentance can be verified by their actions:

            But when he saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to where

            he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee

            from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with your repentance. And do

            not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you

            that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already

            at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut

            down and thrown into the fire.” – Mat 3:7-12

Again, today if we were to speak as clearly, we would be ostracized. Does anyone refuse to baptize or accept someone no matter how grievous their lifestyle or obvious their lack of regard? I don’t know of many who would even consider it. And yet, it was exactly what these hypocrites needed to hear. More importantly, it was what those coming in earnest needed to hear, as well, because there truly is a difference in the lifestyle of the saved and those who only feign repentance.

Here's the thing: the Lord was not crucified because people found what He said pleasing. No, He was crucified because He seriously offended the religious leaders of the day. Just in case you missed it, the same can be said for many Christian martyrs. Just look at the disciples. The fear that Christianity would overturn the government did play a part; but it was what came out of their mouths that moved their abusers to action.

Living in a “free” society we often fail to relate to the reality of a society where the leaders consider themselves “gods”. His truth cuts like a sword. That is its purpose (Heb 4:12) and it is what the Disciples were sharing. So, people were offended then and people are offended now. Yet, where would we be if our Biblical examples had not considered the truth so much more important than ‘feelings’?

I went off on a man yesterday. I don't usually do that, but he was defending the need to be nice over speaking the truth and I let him have both barrels. My spirit was just so offended that the rebuke just poured out. So, I was pondering that this morning – chastising myself really – and I asked the Lord, "What made me so adamant? What made it seem so important?" And He began to remind me of the things I have shared with you here.

Here's the thing: when we choose “nice” over truth, we act like there was no offense to the cross. Yet, it was the most degrading and socially unacceptable way to die of the time. People weren't standing around saying, “Oh, isn't that nice.” No, they were repulsed and offended. The Son of God gave His life for their sins and they loathed Him for it.

I tell you the truth we are worse than them. Our need to insist everything be approached with complete civility and preference for everyone’s feelings has caused us – who claim to love Him – to remain silent when we absolutely should be speaking. Heaven and hell weigh in the balance and we are focused on feelings. Our Lord hung on the cross in full view of the contempt of those He sought to save, and we are consumed with the fear of offending.

While I admit I was surprised at my outburst, I still think it far better to offend you in the hope of reaching you for the Lord, rather than placate you all the way to hell. And if we’re really honest about it, so did the Lord.