Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

I was recently reading Acts three where Peter heals the lame man outside the temple. (Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. -Acts 3:6-8) I've always wondered--if we just had a little faith, could we do things like this too? Could we heal the sick, and make the lame leap? I've seen people healed like that, although in lesser ways (though I do know people who have seen and done things such as these.) It's not about "super-powers." Obviously, if we are only trying to glorify ourselves we will not have God's blessing, and if it's not God's will that someone be healed, it won't happen.
What I'm trying to say is that with just a little faith in God, big things can happen. If we trust that God can do something when we ask him, he will answer us in some way or another. "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act." -Psalm 37:5
On the other hand, if we don't really believe it is inside God's power to do something, we fail to place our faith fully in God: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." -James 1:5-6 Why is trusting God so difficult? He offers freely to help any of us in need. If we trust in God's provision, he will come through. Whether in our daily life or in prayer: "And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven." -James 5:15
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells his disciples "if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." If we have even the smallest faith in God's ability, we can accomplish anything. With God's help we can move mountains, heal the sick, and change the world. All we need to do is believe that God can work through us. What we can do through faith in God may not be anything we would consider miraculous such as what Peter did that time at the temple, but even with mustard-seed-size faith you'd be amazed at what you can accomplish, or rather what God can accomplish through you. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:13

Pride in The Merchant of Venice

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," but this really struck me while I was reading it. I know the play has many interpretations, but I thought it was interesting, so I wrote this about it.

At the play's climax, Antonio, Merchant of Venice, stands in court for failure to pay back the money-lender Shylock's three-thousand ducats. Antonio looks to be the victim in this situation, as he had signed a contract giving Shylock permission to cut off a pound of Antonio's flesh if he were unable to pay. The state he is reduced to undoubtedly weakens Antonio's self-esteem. Shylock's pride, on the other hand, is elevated--for it looks to him as if he now has power over Antonio's life. Shylock is merciless in his pride, and has every intention of exacting his revenge on Antonio. Then, with the verdict of the judge, the tide turns, and Shylock becomes the unfortunate one (the judge states that Shylock may have his pound of flesh, but no blood may be cut off, only flesh.) Antonio is given control over Shylock's fate, and after seeing the horrible effects of Shylock's consuming pride, elects for Shylock's life to be spared.

The trial can be seen as a metaphor for the trial at judgement day. Bassanio is the Jesus archetype in this case (pun intended)--Bassanio, who, earlier in the play showed his humility through his choice of the leaden casket which represents selflessness, rather than the golden or silver caskets which represented idolatry and pride. Noble Bassanio is willing to give Shylock the money even after he is condemned, but the judge objects saying "He hath refused it in the open court: He shall have merely justice and his bond." Shylock had his chance to take Bassanio up on his offer, but he failed to because of his pride, just as someone might fail to accept the free gift of Jesus out of pride, and stand condemned before the bema seat. "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful." -James 2:13a

How can we expect to be shown mercy if we ourselves show none?  We must humble ourselves and treat others as we wish to be treated rather than relying on our foolish pride.  We think we are so great, but what we really need to do is place others above above us.  It was pride that caused Satan to rebel--he envied God's power and wanted it for his own.  Obviously, pride can make us pretty blind.

"Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin." -Proverbs 21:4

Jesus had this to say:

"When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." - Luke 14:8-11

Do you sometimes place your own interests before the interests of others?  I know I do.  It's not all about me, it's all about God; and I (and we) need to show His love through my actions.  I feel like I have so much more to say and to learn about pride, but that's all I have to write for now.  I will definitely be revisiting this topic in the future.

John 18: Concerning Truth

When Jesus is talking to Pilate he says something really significant. (It even gets mentioned later in the epistles.) Jesus says: "for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth." Jesus came to testify to the truth. But what did he mean exactly? I think this is really important, because Jesus is revealing to Pilate the reason for which he was sent to this earth. In reply to this statement, Pilate asks "what is truth?" And whether or not he was being sarcastic, I think it's a good question.
A good definition of truth is "a correct view of reality". When Jesus said he came to testify to the truth he meant he came to help man see through the eyes of God instead of those of us, sinners. The world has created it's own version of truth. It's truth says that there are many ways to heaven, that there is not necessarily an absolute wrong or right, that you should just let everyone do what they believe is right and that everything will work out okay. It has been like this ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. The world is insane; that is, it has an incorrect view of reality. One tainted be sin, which when you think about it is based totally around lies (this won't hurt me, nobody's going to notice if I take this, etc.)
Jesus came to show us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (the real truth!). ;) He came to show us how we should live, how it was meant to be. God knew how devastating sin was, and wanted to show us the way out. Jesus said he was "the way, the truth and the life", and now maybe that verse makes a little more sense, maybe not. I just thought this was an important message. Jesus came into this world to testify to the truth, and to extinguish the lie.

In God We Trust

I wasn't sure where to start, but I've decided to post this devotion I wrote a few months ago. It's about trusting in God, which seems to be a very hard thing to do sometimes.  I know it's kind of long, but it's good stuff. If we put our faith fully in God, rather than focusing on the things of the world, we will have complete peace of mind. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

In God We Trust

Psa 56:11  in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Instead of placing their trust in the Lord who promised to meet all of their needs, most Christians trust in their investments, savings and possessions to ensure security and happiness -- only to find their hopes dashed when reverses deplete their assets. Many are wasting their lives trying to achieve security in a volatile world.

Our heavenly Father, on the other hand, wants us to enjoy a full, abundant life free from the cares and stresses that confidence in the world brings. Rather then trusting in a worldly system that cannot assure our welfare of relying on our own weak capabilities to provide for our own needs, He calls us to depend entirely on Him.

Jas 4:13  Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"--

Jas 4:14  yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

We shouldn't be tied up in knots emotionally and mentally, constantly worrying about what might happen. Instead, we should commit our future to Jesus Christ, and ask Him to help you trust it into His hands.

In hard times, just trust that he will pull you through.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Pro 3:6  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

God wants you to trust him with "all your heart."  That means totally, absolutely, completely, with everything that is in you.

"...lean not on your own understanding." That's the catch. The price tag for trusting in the Lord with all your heart is you must give up your trust in yourself.  We are trained from childhood to put our trust in ourselves or in other people.   We must forsake our pride and trust in God if we're to survive through hard times.

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No Doubt

We must commit our problems to God and trust him for all our needs.

Mat 6:25  "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Mat 6:26  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Birds don't worry about how they are going to make it, or what they are going to do the next day, like we often do, and God provides for them!

Mat 6:27  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

In fact being anxious will only waste time.

Mat 6:28  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,

Mat 6:29  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Mat 6:30  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

God will take care of you.

Mat 6:31  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

Mat 6:32  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Mat 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

 Similarly, Philippians 4:6 says:

Php 4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

James says:

Jas 1:5  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Once again, turn to God when you are faced with hard times.

Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Don't doubt that God will pull you through.

Psa 37:5  Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

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I Waited for the Lord on High

Isaiah 30:18   And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

Psa. 27:14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

Because of fallen humanity, we are prone to take matters into our own hands, to follow our own schemes. Yet, over and over again we are told in Scripture “wait on the Lord.”  If things don't go the way you want or the way you expect, don't worry because God has everything under control!

John 15:7 "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you."

As long as God's word remains in you, God will answer your prayer.  Take a step of faith!  Ask and trust God to supply your needs.  Simply wait and your prayers will be answered in some way or another, often in the way you least suspect.

Php 4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So hurry up and wait upon the Lord!