Author: rbeaird

THE SPIRIT OF OUR DAY – (Continued)


Spiritual Blog -Mind

Ephesians 2:1-10 – “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  NKJV

  

If you remember, yesterday we discussed the “Spirit of Humanism” and now I would like to consider the other spirits the satanic spirit produces in our world.

  • SPIRIT OF ALIENATION.

This spirit creates an attitude and environment where the individual is far from being a productive member of a local congregation, community, and society.  It is especially true in the realm of the spirit where the individual becomes a loner, isolated from others and uninvolved.

The word “alienation” as used in the New Testament means, “To be estranged; to shut oneself out from the fellowship and intimacy; to withdraw the heart, affections; and to be a non-participant; to live as an outsider.”  Without going any further that should identify how this would hinder growth in a life.

In this state a person may be “Saved, but alienated and withdrawn.”  They may be “Saved, but maintain and independent attitude and lifestyle and fail to provide benefit to others or receive it for themselves.”  They will usually, “not be maturing in their spiritual life, at least to the degree God has designed and desired.”  Another problem is they may find themselves unduly influenced by the “former spirit” which impacted them before coming to Christ.

What contributes to this spirit?  It has been my observation that it is often due to “unresolved offenses” or “unresolved conflicts.”  The Bible speaks of this condition as a “Sign of the Times” in Matthew 24:10, “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.”  In this condition, people exhibit great “distrust” and will, at times, pursue one another with bitterness and hatred.

Taking OFFENSE is problematic and the word “Offense” comes from the Greek [Skandalizo and Skandalon].  It means, “To spring forward and back to slam shut.”  The image is a trap being closed where there is no escape.  In trapping, there is a “bait stick” used to lure the prey into the trap and Satan is a master at this tactic.  In human terms and relationships, it could be identified as “An obstacle on the path over which one falls, stumbles or is hindered.”  It is something that causes moral or spiritual ruin and often causes one to suffer injury or feel pain and results in the individual developing a strong attitude and sense of “distrust” and they frequently abandon or desert the one whom they ought to trust and obey and find it virtually impossible to recognize and submit to proper authority.  Unresolved offenses lead to strained relationships, produce distrust and skepticism, and brings about isolationism where roots of bitterness spring up and defile many.  Any of those attitudes left unchecked will have an incredibly negative impact on the individual and local congregation and the result will be deterioration and stagnation.

Once again, time constraints prevent me from going further so we will pause and pick up here in the next devotional.  God bless you richly is my prayer!

 

 

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THE SPIRIT OF OUR DAY…


Spiritual Blog - War

Ephesians 2:1-10 – “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  NKJV

 

In our day, it is quite evident that there are two spirits at work – The Holy Spirit and the satanic spirit.  One of the best means of identifying the counterfeit is to recognize the genuine and the best way to know which spirit is in operation is to know the Holy Spirit as revealed in God’s word.  One significant manifestation of the satanic spirit is “The Spirit of Humanism”.  I am convinced that the satanic spirit produces at least three spirits that affect individuals, churches, communities and nations in a powerfully negative fashion.

  • SPIRIT OF HUMANISM.

Have you ever been a religious corporate gathering where the presence of God was powerful and yet you could sense a current of “doubt” and “skepticism”?  I have and frequently could connect the dots to this spirit of which I speak.  The spirit of humanism has more impact on our lives than most would like to believe.

[Humanism Manifesto 1933] – – “We consider the religious forms and ideas of our fathers no longer adequate.  The quest for the good life is still the central task for mankind.  Man is, at last, becoming aware that he alone is responsible for the realization of the world of his dreams, that he has within himself the power for its achievements.  He must set intelligence and will to the task.”

Now consider the word of our text in verse two:  “Where in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience…” 

Before we gave our hearts to Christ and became Christians, we walked after the spirit of this world.  We were heavily influenced by the prince of the power of the air (Satan), whose fallen spirit seeks to mold the people of our day into his own image.  The Bible makes it clear that the devil’s major problem was SELF?   If you examine Isaiah 14:12-15 you will discover the “five” I will’s of the devil and easily realize how they fit in the expressed attitude of today.  There is the “Spirit of Self Will” where people have a desire and drive to live for self.  “What’s in it for me?”  Then there is the “Spirit of Independence” where people seek to be their own masters and accountable to no one.  Then we see the problem that is the product of this spirit “Ego” and “Self”.  Many want no roots, no commitment, and in many ways live isolated and detached lives.

Time prevents me from addressing the other spirits I wish to unveil so I will hit the pause button and open back up in the next devotional with more information for your consideration and examination.  Until then, God bless you and may you walk in the fullness of His blessings, power, and love!

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MEETING OR BEING ASSEMBLED???


Spiritual Blog - Builder

Hebrews 10:23-25 – “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”  NKJV

 

I had someone ask, “Do you believe a person can be a Christian and not attend a local church?”  The short answer is, yes.  The follow-up question is why would you not want to attend?  In the answer to the second question we possibly find more revelation as to the root than in the first question.  Some would answer NO to the first and may become agitated with me because I am willing to leave the determination to the LORD rather than allowing my own preference to rule.  I have had some say, “Well, the local churches offer nothing of substance, the people are hypocrites, so why attend?”  I understand the attitude but disagree with the conclusion.

            What is the purpose of the corporate gathering or church service?  If it is simply a religious exercise then I could agree that attending might have little benefit.  If it is something deeper and with a greater purpose I cannot.  Our text suggests something that I have contended for years and been told that I am completely wrong.  The writer says that we are to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.  Is that simply meeting for a service or does the word ASSEMBLE carry a deeper meaning?  The word is understood as “gathering” but when we read the entire text could it suggest something more especially when linked to 1 Corinthians 3:10-17.  Paul speaks of the “Wise Master Builder” and then we read of the explanation of the purpose of the gift ministries in Ephesians 4:11-16 how can, we not see one of the purposes of the local congregational gathering as BUILDING A HOUSE, which we are individual members of.  Then in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 we understand that we are all individual cells in the Body of Christ and although we function independently we are connected by the Blood collective and each part contributes to the whole.  Therefore, if one of the functions and values of the corporate gathering is ASSEMBLING the parts into a building and body it carries incredible benefit both for the individual, the congregation and the kingdom.

            Another benefit of the corporate gathering is contending with or warding off DEGENERATION.  What, in nature, does not degenerate over time if left alone and unattended?  If a house is not painted and occupied it degenerates.  If an automobile is not serviced regularly the engine and other parts will degenerate.  If relationships are not maintained they degenerate.  I believe that also applies to the local church and to the individual believer.  We provide our natural bodies with proper diet, exercise and care to keep it functioning properly and yet too often neglect our spirits.

I considered the spiritual health of the people over whom I gave oversight one of if not my most important responsibility.  In Acts 20:28, Paul exhorted the overseers or pastors to care for ALL THE FLOCK.  One of the daily questions every spiritual leader should be asking is, “What is the spiritual health of the flock?”  There are many LAWS in the natural and spiritual and one of those is “The Law of Degeneration”, which Jeremiah addresses.  Jeremiah 2:21, “Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a seed of highest quality.  How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?”  Everything in the natural and spiritual goes through stages of growth.  In the natural plants require care, fertilization, moisture, sunlight, and, at times, pruning to grow, mature, and produce.  The same is true in the spiritual. We need to have the “good seed” of the Word planted in our spirits and through ministry, guidance, teaching, preaching, and example our spirits are nurtured so that we can grow, develop and produce spiritual fruit.  That is a purpose of the corporate gathering and something that makes it valuable.  One of the problems is that we come to gatherings with wrong expectations.  We should come to receive and give and allow the Spirit of God and God’s appointed leadership and gifts to mold us and assemble us into a whole functioning body and house.

One thing I have found in the natural and spiritual is that DEGENERATION is never “sudden” but is always “gradual.”  Tragically, by the time, some realize it has begun it has progressed to the point the spirit man is in deep distress and disrepair.  God did not bring us into the kingdom to see us degenerate into a non-productive plant or cell in the Body of Christ.  He wants us to have, be, and enjoy ABUNDANT LIFE manifesting as well as representing Him.

My hope is this will move the needle in your attitude toward the corporate gathering and as you allow yourself to become ASSEMBLED with the other members of the local congregation you will become stronger and thereby strengthen the body as a whole.

           God bless you as you go through this wonderful day in Him!

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DO YOU FIND IT HARD TO WAIT??? – – Continued


Spiritual Blog - Waiting

Psalm 62:1-8 – “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. 

3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah 

5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.  7 In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. 

8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”  NKJV

            We discussed the need to “Wait for God to direct our Steps”, and to “Trust God for our Needs” in the process of developing patience in our relationship, walk, and warfare spiritually.  I have found that WHEN we wait for God to direct our steps, HE DOES.  I have found it to be true that WHEN we trust Him to meet our needs, HE DOES.  It may not be in the timing or along the pathway we would have chosen but HE DIRECTS and PROVIDES.  Now we come to another KEY in Learning to WAIT, spiritually.

  • WE MUST LEARN TO WAIT, IN STILLNESS… 

Notice in he says, “My soul waits in silence…” (v.1) and “My soul, wait in silence…” (v.5)  The songwriter said:  “Speak, Lord, in the stillness, while I wait on Thee; hushed my heart to listen, in expectancy.”

            I have found some of my best and most powerful times of prayer are times when I wait in silence for hours.  I have discovered, those times, when I stop speaking, simply focus that word that I’m reading or have been hearing and allow it to soak in deeply in my spirit.  I listen deeply.  I listen for guidance and reproof. I listen for HIM!  It is in that moment that the Holy Spirit takes over and directs our hearts pointing us to God.  It is there that the Holy Spirit gives directions.

It would be well for each of us to reread Revelation 2:1-7.  The letter of our Lord to the Church at Ephesus.  On the surface, everything seemed fine but something was amiss, they had left their first love.  They were incredibly orthodox and predictable.  They were solid to the core doctrinally and stood for truth, but, they lost the fire and fervency of their FIRST LOVE.  Someone said, “They fell out of love with Jesus or they began to take Him for granted.”  Oh, they still honored him as LORD and believed He was the Christ but the depth of the love has been crowded out by something.  The LORD tells them, UNLESS they return, He would remove their lampstand from its place and take the light away.  They would be nothing more than an empty shell going through the motions with a sign on the door or a marquee identifying they were a church.

Isaiah 40:31, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”  In that verse, the word WAIT means “to twist or to stretch in order to become strong.”  In the noun form it means, “a line” or “a rope.”  It is the idea of stretching and twisting strands of hemp so that, in the process, far greater strength comes to the whole.  This is where we trade our weakness for His strength.  This is where we take our little stand and wrap it around the steel cable of His strength.  This is done in the waiting process and then my strand is as strong as His character.  I exchange my weakness for His strength and His strength never fails!

In WAITING ON THE LORD there are three particular things we should always remember, found in the words of the prophet regarding those who WAIT on the LORD.

  • They will mount up with wings like the eagles.
  • They will run and not get tired.
  • They will walk and not become weary.

             The Hebrew indicates a place in God where we can soar above the problems and cares of life and run the race set before us without the sense of carrying a piano on our shoulders as we run, and we can walk through the normal and routine cares of life without it tiring us out.

Why?  Because we are WAITING.  We are not going in our own strength we are going in His and God never gets tired.  If we remember that He is our ONLY deliverer, our ONLY security, our ONLY hope, and our ONLY true refuge we can relax, trust Him and wait.  To wait we must TRUST. To wait we must PRAY.  To wait we must REST in Him.  One thing we dare not omit is PERSEVERANCE.  The one thing I leave you with is that we MUST NEVER QUIT.

            God bless you as you go through this beautiful day in Him!

 

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DO YOU FIND IT HARD TO WAIT???


Spiritual Blog - Waiting

Psalm 62:1-8 – “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.   2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. 

3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; they delight in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.  Selah 

5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.  7 In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. 

8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”  NKJV

            Verse one of this Psalm should never be read superficially but meditated upon and studied prayerfully.  The literal Hebrew reads almost backward from the English translation.  It reads:  “Only for God in silence does my soul wait.”  The word translated SILENCE comes from the Hebrew verb that means:  “to whisper softly.” This carries the idea of whispering a secret to someone you love but not loud enough for others to hear.  In this case, it is only for God to hear or speak.  The word ONLY appears six (6) times in this Psalm which cries out to me that, for David, there is no one else but the LORD!

I ask you to consider the following in our discussion of WAITING.

  • We are to WAIT for God to direct our steps.

The Psalmist says, “My soul waits in silence for God only.”  Never run ahead.  WAIT!  A red light means “wait and watch carefully.”  You cannot run and wait at the same time.  The ability and strength to run come after and through waiting.  We all know the story of Ahimaz begging Joab to let him run although he did not have the green light.  He even outran the man with the message Cushi and when he reached the King he was turned aside.  God told Moses when standing at the Red Sea with the army of Egypt coming fast from behind, “Stand Still and See the Salvation of the LORD!”

In verse one, we find David’s declaration and in verse five we find his command, “My soul, wait in silence for God only.”  We would do well to note that David is talking to himself.  He is directing his will and instructing his inner man – – WAIT FOR GOD!  He will direct my steps.  This is not easy when we are impatient and anxious to run.  We dare not forget that Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice and know Me.”  It is imperative that we learn to hear and know the voice of our Great Shepherd.

  • We are to TRUST God to provide our needs.

“From Him is my salvation,” is the continuation of verse one.  Then, in verse two we read, “He only is my Rock…”  The directive is simple, we are to wait on Him, trusting Him to provide.  The only question is, “Are We Doing That?”  Many of us, who have been around church for any length of time have heard, “Wait for God” or “Trust God to supply your needs.”  Some seem to act as though they have outgrown that.  Some things are only learned through experience and time rather than teaching and books.  When we consider the record of God we quickly realize HE DOES NOT FAIL.  Therefore, we can TRUST Him confident that He is El-Shaddai.  He will, in due season, provide the green light, open door, and provision.

When we wait on God to direct our steps – HE DOES.  When we trust God to meet our needs – HE DOES.

God be with your guarding and guiding you as you proceed on the planned path of this day! 

 

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IMAGINATION – Good or Bad Biblically? – Part II


Spiritual Blog - Imagination

Genesis 6:5 – “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”  NKJV

Now to address the question, “What Is God’s Attitude toward Our Imagination?”  I believe the Bible speaks to this in many ways.  We know from scripture that God wants to make us free of every thought that brings distress, anxiety, doubt or fear.  The Imagination is a powerful tool in helping us make tremendous strides in our advancement in God and His purpose for our lives.

A strong word of caution – – We MUST keep our Imagination under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and consistent with God’s written word.  Imagination’s purpose is not manipulation but faith.  As our text declares, God says the imaginations of man’s heart and they were evil. This is speaking of fallen man’s corrupted imagination which caused the world to be destroyed by a flood saving only Noah and his household.  When the flood ended, God was giving mankind a second chance but God cautioned Noah in Genesis 8:21, “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”  Man, in his depraved state, was subject to the deception of the devil and the perversion of his ability to imagine and dream dreams.  If you recall the Tower of Babel incident in Genesis 11:6 where God said, “Now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do.”  In Deuteronomy 31:21 we read, “Many evils and troubles have befallen them… for I know their imagination.”

Thus, we clearly see God’s attitude toward the misuse of the imagination and that is emphasized in Proverbs 6:18, listing a heart that devises wicked imaginations as one of the seven abominations God hates.  Jeremiah 23:17 God speaks of the negativity of those who walk after the imagination of their own heart.  The Holy Spirit will always nudge our hearts to remember that we should never use our imagination to picture things God has forbidden.  The demonic suggests, “If it feels good or looks good go for it.”

In pursuit of our question about God’s attitude toward man’s imagination we come to another question, “Why does God hate an evil imagination?”  Our ability to imagine is connected with our original creation.  “Let us make man in our image…”  God created an image and as a result, the power of God is in us.

We have to recognize the power of the imagination in reviewing the scientific accomplishments of man in just the past fifty years.  Men see things and then invent them.  Our minds are battlegrounds and the imagination is a trophy to be won!  The imagination is one of the tools or vehicles God uses to enable us to picture what He is doing or wants to do.  Directed by the Holy Spirit it is valuable to the Kingdom.  Directed by lust or the flesh is puts us in direct conflict with the purpose and principles of God’s Kingdom.

Let me explain it this way.  The devil did not try to force Eve to disobey God.  He simply maneuvered her into thinking about it.  He suggested the benefits she should consider and she pictured them in her mind.  Eve thought about the proposed benefits and as she looked at the forbidden fruit she did so with a new interest and perception.  IT LOOKED GOOD.  Remember the fruit had not changed one iota but her thoughts had.

There are those that proclaim, and I have been guilty, that “we are only responsible for what we do with our thoughts and we cannot control what thoughts come to our minds.”  I want to declare that is false!  Now before you toss me out, let me go further.  We are taught in scripture to bring every thought into immediate captivity to Jesus.  We are responsible for our thoughts.  Psalm 139:23, “Search me, O God and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts… and see if there be any wicked way in me.”  1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man; I put away childish things.”   If we are to bring every thought “captive” to the obedience of Christ how can we not be responsible, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, for our thoughts?

 

 

That is spiritual progress and maturity.  We need to renounce the idea that Christians cannot control what they think.  We can and must cut off thoughts before they find a lodging place.  We may not be what we think we are but we are what we think.  Our Lord demonstrated His ability to know the thoughts of His hearers as evidenced in Matthew 9:4.  Jesus held them responsible for their thoughts not simply what they did with them.

Romans 8:6 – “For to be carnally minded is death: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Philippians 2:5 – “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Was Jesus’ mind perfectly pure?  Joshua was instructed to MEDITATE on God’s Law and that shaping of his thoughts would bring success.  God has given us authority over our thoughts and we do not have to allow the devil to attempt to sow seeds of doubt and deception.  You do not have to accept thoughts that are contrary to the word of the covenant of God.  The carnal mind is an enemy of God as Romans 8 declares and we need to allow the Holy Spirit to purge our minds so that the mind of Christ is in us and then we can use our Imagination for God, good and the kingdom.

God bless you as you go through this wonderful day in Him!

 

 

 

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IMAGINATION – Good or Bad Biblically?


Spiritual Blog - Imagination

Genesis 6:5 – “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”  NKJV

 

I readily concur with those who would caution about “imaginations” but is there a place for using our “imagination” biblically, rightly, and in a way that is encouraged by God and scripture?  There is a tremendous cloud of suspicion over any thought or suggestion of using our IMAGINATION because of the abuse and misuse by followers of the New Age philosophy and in much of postmodern thought.  This word falls into the same category as “mediation” because of some Eastern Religions.  Let me ask, are we as the Body of Christ to be robbed of something God has given that can be and is good when rightly used and applied because of the existence of perversions?

God has given each person the POWER TO IMAGINE.  Our minds are like computers and every thought that flows through it, and every image you create is indelibly inscribed on the cells of your brain.  You can sit now and recall events of years past and see them with clarity and even feel them.  Your mind plays them back like scenes on a motion picture screen.  Often, they are so vivid you almost believe them real.

What is IMAGINATION?  Webster’s Dictionary defines it as, “The act of creating mental images of what has never been actually experienced.”  Now, let me ask, “What do you think God thinks about our ability to imagine?”  I want to conduct a quick experiment as an illustration if you will indulge me.

“Imagine a beautiful lake with the sun shimmering on the water, trees and flowers lining the shore.  Close your eyes, can you see it?  Now picture a garden filled with flowers of every color of the rainbow?  Can you see it?  Now, think of a giant tree that reaches to the sky like a skyscraper.  Then picture your favorite meal and you can almost smell the aroma it is so vivid.  Well, it is for most people.

             You may never have painted a picture and have almost zero artistic talent.  You may never have planted a garden, grown any plants or build any type of structure, yet in your mind, you can create them with perfection.  That brings us to some questions.

  • Why can we IMAGINE things?
  • Where does the power or ability come from?
  • Is it right or wrong, good or evil?

           You and I were created in the Image of God and we are His special treasures. He created each of us with far more talent and ability than we have ever dreamed.  Most of us have not tapped into the depths of what is found in the reservoir of our lives but it is there waiting to be tapped into. If you let your mind wander for even a few minutes you realize just how powerful your Imagination is.  I suggest that God values our ability to Imagine more than we because He created us with that ability for a reason and purpose.

Jesus, in His earthly ministry and life, demonstrated the control that God intended man to have.  Jesus could see beyond the natural.  He saw the coin in the mouth of the fish that Peter caught and took the coin to pay their tribute. He saw the pots of water becoming wine and saw the few fish and loaves multiplying to feed the masses.  Jesus, according to John 5:19 never did anything until He first SAW the Father do it.  Only when our ability to SEE gets linked with God’s power to CREATE do we see miracles and they happen because that is what God originally intended to happen.

Back to the beginning, “What Is God’s Attitude toward Our Imagination?”   What a wonderful place to pause until next time.  God bless you and may He guard and guide you go you go through this day in Him.

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GENUINE IMITATION FAITH – – Part IV


Spiritual Blog - Fake

1 Timothy 1:3-7 – “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia — remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”  NKJV

 

The obvious question at this point is, “What is Genuine Unfeigned Faith?”   In the Greek, the word translated faith is (pistis) which has a primary meaning of “a firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing.”  That is interesting and powerful.  Let’s delve into this a bit more.

I am convinced that something ALWAYS happens when faith, genuine faith is released.  When genuine faith is released there we find salvation, healing, deliverance, cleansing and obedience as it reaches into that unseen world and brings the visible evidence into the seen world.  Faith, as I find it in the Bible, is active and never passive! 

Remember when Jesus exercised faith, the fig tree withered from its roots, bread and fish were multiplied to feed the multitudes, blind eyes were open and deaf ears unstopped.  When Jesus exercised faith, the lame walked again, the dead came back to life, demons released their captives, storms were calmed and even water was turned into wine.  Jesus rode into a crowd of shouting people on an unbroken or untrained donkey.  In Him, we find a picture of Genuine Unfeigned Faith.  How could you fake such actions and results?

          Hebrews 11:1 declares, “Now faith is…”  A consistent truth can be gleaned from this.  Either now faith is or it is not.  You can repeat all the right jargon, go through the right rituals, and follow the right formula but you will never duplicate or replace Genuine Faith.  Faith alone accomplishes Divine results.  Mental assent, emotional stirrings, and zeal are sometimes substituted for Faith but they are not and will never be Faith.  The real test comes when these die away.

Let me urge you in realizing that “Faked Faith” is unnecessary.  God has already provided faith.  Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  Let me do it this way, “So then faith comes by hearing (reception and a positive response), and hearing by the word (Rhema) of God.”  The emphasis is on the spoken.  Consider it this way…

  • Faith comes from God’s Speaking.
  • God Himself is the only true source of this Faith.

             God has never been nor will He ever be short on Faith!  The problem is that sometimes we are short or deficient in HEARING!  When we consider the components of Faith and realize that we cannot manufacture faith we move toward a tremendous Freedom in the Faith Realm.  Hear me carefully and clearly, ONLY GOD can produce this faith!  This Faith comes as God speaks!  Therefore, man’s efforts to create, produce and manufacture Faith only results in frustration.  It is fruitless and we become targets for the delusion and temptation of Feigned Faith.  God’s desire for us is GENUINE UNFEIGNED FAITH!

            1 John 5:14-15 – “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”  You have to hear that for it is powerfully liberating and encouraging.

  • Faith comes from God to man, not the reverse.
  • Faith comes as a result of Hearing God’s words.
  • Faith is demonstrated through acting upon God’s words.
  • Faith’s origin is Heaven,not earth.
  • Faith operates in the spirit, not the intellect or emotions.

             Let me state it this way.  When God speaks Faith is transmitted.  When a man hears Faith is received and when we act upon what we heard God say, Faith is released.  The key is that we HEAR HIM and TRUST HIM.  Yes, we know the promises but let God speak them to your spirit personally and they will live in His power and faith.  No wonder our Lord declared, “the works that I do shall you do and greater works than these…”  No wonder He said, “Ask and you shall receive…”  No wonder He said, “whoever says to this mountain be removed will see it come to pass.”

God speaks and faith is imparted.  A man hears and faith is received.  Man acts and faith is released.  God answers and the cycle of faith is complete.  It comes from God and returns to God and we are the flow through vessels.

God bless you as you walk in Faith, trusting Him completely at all times and in all things receiving His faith through His word and seeing Him fulfill His promises in your life and world.

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GENUINE IMITATION FAITH – – Part III


Spiritual Blog - Faith

1 Timothy 1:3-7 – “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia — remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”  NKJV

 

I am fully persuaded that Paul’s words in Romans 5:1-2 are deeply needed at this point in our consideration of Genuine Faith vs. Imitation Faith.  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  FAKING FAITH, very simply is utter foolishness and incredibly dangerous.  It can give false hope in a time when there is no time to “fake it ’til you make it.”

Once we have received the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives and He begins to direct our steps one thing He does is to work to produce “Genuine Living Faith” in our hearts that is manifested in our lives.  None of us should dare to attempt to function without it or try to bluff our way through in dealing with Jehovah-God.  That is exactly what the nation of Israel attempted in their history and it was costly.

What nation on earth can boast of more direct divine intervention and involvement than Israel?  They were delivered from bondage and established as a nation in one day by the hand of God.  God defended the nation, defined His Laws in them and their laws, demonstrated His power repeatedly in their progress, and devoted Himself to supply their needs physically and spiritually.  God designed a tabernacle where they could meet with Him, gave priests to assist them in their worship and even declare they were HIS PEOPLE.  They were totally dependent upon Him for everything.  They lacked nothing from the day they left Egypt’s bondage until they came into Canaan, nothing except “Genuine Unfeigned Faith.”

Deuteronomy 32:20 – “I will hide my face from the, I will see what their end will be, for they are a very perverse generation, children in whom is no faith.”

What an indictment!  When we consider the evidence that should have inspired and solidified their faith it is amazing.  How could they not be inspired by the miraculous deliverance, the miracle at the Red Sea, the sweetening of Marah’s waters, the daily manna, and the smitten rock where water gushed forth and they even heard the voice of God?  All should be incredibly faith producing and building.  They had evidence after evidence of God’s existence, person, power, and character and yet…

  • Ten times or more they were found murmuring in doubt.
  • They sought to go back to slavery in Egypt at the first sign of difficulty.
  • Built a Golden Calf to worship and pray to in violation to God’s commandment.
  • Took Egyptian idols with them as they journeyed. 

They “faked it” but refused to admit they were FAKING IT.  The tabernacle services never stopped.  The daily sacrifices continued uninterrupted and the Feast Days were kept faithfully.  ALL IN PRETENSE…  They continued to perform as if they had faith but were hypocritically pretending.  They were FAKING IT.  In the text we see that Paul tells Timothy that LOVE must be out of a pure heart and FAITH must be genuine and not faked!  He even identifies three successive generations who possessed Genuine Unfaked Faith.  The word “unfeigned” means “unqualified, unhypocritical, and unalloyed.”  It is true and pure.  The faith which pleases God and moves His heart on our behalf is “Genuine Unfaked Faith.”  Faith that is undisguised and without hypocrisy.  Counterfeit faith is not and will never be accepted in Heaven and Genuine Faith is never refused.

Now before we move to additional thoughts on this subject we pause due to time and space constraints.  May the Lord be with you guarding and guiding you as you go through this day in Him!  Abundant Blessing is my prayer and desire for each of you!

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GENUINE IMITATION FAITH – – Part II


Spiritual Blog - Faith

1 Timothy 1:3-7 – “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia — remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”  NKJV

 

Back to the matter of FAITH or GENUINE FAITH vs IMITATION FAITH.  I have made some observations in life that are revealing.  I have observed that people are prone to “fake it” in life and that carries over into the realm of faith.  We practice “faking it” more than we’d like to admit.  I do not ascribe to “fake it ’til you make it” but rather, “trust and you do not have to fake it.”  Let me give you a few examples of our faking it or encouraging faking it:

  • I was in a school play in Junior High and the teacher directing the play told us “Relax, if you forget your lines, just fake it.” In some ways, that is what adlibbing is.  Pretending with the intent to deceive.
  • At Christmas, birthdays or other occasions you receive gifts you did not want, need or appreciate and you “Pretend Joy, Surprise, Excitement, etc.” You are faking it!  Your motivation is to save anyone from embarrassment so you fake it.
  • When unexpected guests arrive for a visit, guests you did not want to come you “Pretend to be happy to see them.” You fake it.
  • I can remember in college, one particular history professor telling us, “Don’t try to snow me. If you do not know the material I will know it and you will fail if you try to snow me.”  The first exam was an essay test and although I had studied, did not know the answer to the question so what did I do, I SNOWED HIM and got an “A”.  I faked it.
  • How about as a child not wanting to go to school or an adult not wanting to go to work? You faked illness.  I tried that once as a child and my grandmother broke out the Castor Oil.  Faking it had a price!
  • In sports, especially basketball, many become adept in “flopping” or “faking it’. A player bumps into them and they sprawl on the floor appearing half dead.  They fake it.
  • I can remember in High School and observe in watching sports that some players, after blowing an assignment, fake injury. I saw some that could not remember what was injured and would limp on the wrong leg.  They faked it.

We do that in relationships, business, and even in church.  We pretend and over time our pretense becomes a reality to us and we lose sight of the genuine and accept the imitation. In the realm of faith, faking it is not acceptable.  It is particularly tragic when people attempt to “fake it” with God.  If we lack a particular grace and attempt to “fake it” will produce nothing beneficial but will cause hardship and heartache in our lives.

I have found among many Christians an unwillingness to admit the absence or lack of faith.  I have long wondered why we would “pretend” or “fake it” when Genuine Faith is required.  Our pride should never come between us and the fruit of faith and another reason we are instructed to enlist the help of others to “agree” and “pray.”

A foundational truth in our relationship with God is FAITH.  If it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him without faith, what could be more important than discovering Genuine Faith and dismissing the Imitation?  We are told in Ephesians 2:8 that we are “saved through faith.”  In Acts 26:18 we discover we are “sanctified through faith.”  In Galatians 2:6 we read that we are “justified by faith.”  In 1 Peter 1:5 we are told we are “kept through faith.”  In Hebrews 11:33 we realize that “by faith we subdue kingdoms and obtain promises.”  And in verse 39 we “obtain a good report through faith.”    All the blessings and promises of God are entered into through the doorway of faith!

          Again, time and space require me to hold further thoughts until the next devotional. So, until then may God grant you His grace and guidance and lead you forth into the fullness and fruit of Faith.

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