Category: Faith

The Most Dangerous Kind of Biblical Belief

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The apostle Paul stood before the Roman governor, Festus, and proclaimed the truth of Jesus from the Old Testament scripture. Paul emphasized Jesus rising from the dead in order to be the light of the world. The response of Festus is not unfamiliar to many of us; the governor accused Paul of being “out of his mind” (Acts 26:24). Paul quickly replied that rather than being insane, his words were true and rational. Then, in a winsome turn to King Herod Agrippa I, who was listening to Paul alongside the governor, the great apostle declared, “For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner” (Acts 26:26).

This was a quite a strategic move by Paul. He appeals to the actual historical account of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Certainly the king of Judea knows of all that has happened in his time and in his region. When God acts, He acts in real history and real geography. Having brought the true account of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection to the forefront, Paul makes a critical connection. For, what a person does with facts concerning God’s working in this world of ours is of a life-or-death nature. King Agrippa must acknowledge the reality of the existence, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Now, what He does with these facts will determine his eternal destiny.

Paul goes for the jugular next, so to speak, in the hope of the king’s conversion. Having established the historicity of Jesus’ life, the apostle now looks directly at the king and asks, “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe” (Acts 26:27). Paul is able to ask this question because he knows of the king’s loose connection with Judaism. As the Bible commentator Matthew Henry once wrote, “For everyone knew that Agrippa professed the Jews’ religion, as his fathers had done, and therefore both knew the writings of the prophets and gave credit to them.” The apostle appeals to Agrippa’s background and professed religious beliefs. As a Jew, how could the king discount the Old Testament prophets? Of course King Agrippa held to the tenets of the Old Testament scriptures; he could not deny the reality of Paul’s statement from a purely mental standpoint.

It catches us off guard that Paul says to an unsaved man, “I know that you believe.” Certainly, Agrippa was not a Christian. Despite the fact that he was in the line of wicked Herod’s and also was married to his own sister, Agrippa could have come to salvation. But he did not. He only believed.

What? Yes … he only believed. He only gave mental ascent to the facts of Jesus Christ and all the prophecies of the Old Testament that the Son of God had fulfilled. He only held these beliefs in his mind, as they could not be denied. He only read and knew the Bible verses to the point of head knowledge; never did he lay his life on the truth of Jesus.

We read in the very next verse of this “AGRIPPing” account (you can laugh there) these scary words, “And Agrippa said to Paul, ‘In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:28) There you have it. The king, although given a concise opportunity to connect the dots of true Christian faith, decided to reject honest salvation. He was willing to believe the facts with his mind, but He was not willing to give his life as a follower of Christ and be called – in the most genuine sense of the word – a “CHRISTian.”

Do you know the facts of the Bible and the life of Jesus? So do the demons and Satan. Read Matthew 8:29 and realize that demons acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and even understand that He has an appointed time in the future when he will torment them for their wickedness. I guess that is why James says in chapter 2, verse 19, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder!” But then James goes on to tell us that faith without works is dead. Head knowledge without life application is pointless in terms of our safety. We are damned if we only give mental ascent to the things of Jesus and His Word but do not stake our very lives on Him. To believe with your brain is one thing, to live with your heart is another.

Let the account of Paul and King Agrippa be an intense reminder for us. Answering the question, “Do you believe?” is not just a “yes” or “no” task. The answer needs to be more like, “I believe both with my mind AND my life.”

– By Shelli S. Prindle

Isn’t Everyone a Child of God Since He Loves Everyone?

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What do you think of when you think of love? Do you think of wishy-washy feelings? Do you think of something conditional – based on right behavior? Do you think of something hopeful, but not really grounded on hard facts? Do you think of an emotion instead of an action? When it comes to actual love, here’s a phrase from the Bible for you: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Rev. 1:5).

The Apostle John is writing here about the love of Jesus Christ. By the inspiration of the Spirit of God, he tells us that Christ’s love for us is inextricably tied to Christ’s action for us; and that, my friends, is the crux of the matter. The love of God is given by the action of God – and not just any action. This is the most critical and paradoxical measure of which we can conceive. God moves to make spiritually dead people alive by shedding the blood of His altogether perfect Son. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

The love of God is not some feeble emotion that makes everyone feel that they are safe when, in fact, they are not. The love of God is not without activity – life or death activity. The love of God is not without immeasurable sacrifice. Most importantly, the love of God cannot be properly applied to a person’s life without also administering the blood of Jesus Christ. In all honesty, if you have not agreed to God’s covering of your sinful heart with the sacrifice of the blood of His Son, then you have not been made alive with the love of God. God loves you, but His love cannot save you or quicken you to real life until you apply the only thing that can free you from sin and death – the blood of Jesus.
All people are creations of God, but not all people are children of God. To be a child implies a relationship. A relationship with God can only happen when our sinfulness is covered and paid for by the blood of Jesus and God’s wrath against us satisfied by Christ’s suffering and death. We must believe in that sacrifice and apply it to our own life. Once our spiritually “dead” condition has been resolved, we are free to “live” as children of God. (Gal. 3:26, 4:4-5)

God’s love is massive and unconditional (no matter what you have done or where you have been), but it must be genuinely received in its reality and entirety in order to be effective for your salvation. Here is the reality: His love frees us from our sins by his blood. The greatest freedom that exists is the freedom from our sins and their guilt and penalty. Sin disrupts our relationship with God. It simply must be dealt with or we remain spiritually lost and outside of a relationship with our Creator.

Have you honestly received God’s love? It is expressed in the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus Christ. When you go to God by the way of Jesus, you can be saved by the love of God. You can be set free to be a child of God – in full relationship with Him!

– By Shelli S. Prindle

Curing the Grasshopper Complex

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Grasshopper
The promise of God was clear. The faith to claim it was weak. Sound familiar?

God has made many precious promises to His people, but we rarely walk in the strength of sheer belief. We get stuck in the natural – what we can experience with our five senses – rather than clinging to the greater reality of the supernatural. After all, “what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3, ESV). The obvious implication is that the invisible – the Word of God that created the universe – is infinitely more trustworthy than what was created. I can bank on God’s Word more than anything else in this vast collection of galaxies.

Enter grasshoppers. Yes, of all the unique illustrations to keep our faith on track, grasshoppers are easy to remember. Let’s explore what these little insects have to do with trusting in our mighty God.

The glorious promise God made to His people was repeated over and over to them. And it is an oath that we still wait to see unreservedly fulfilled at the return of Christ. Hear it succinctly in Exodus 6:7-8 (ESV, emphasis mine) in the response God gives to the Israelites regarding their desperate cry for deliverance from Egypt: “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.”

There you have it. Straightforward. Unequivocal. God’s people were to be not only brought into the Canaan land, but they were surely to take possession of it. In fact, when the Lord tells Moses to send spies into that enemy territory to observe the land of Canaan they are soon to inherit, He calls it the land “which I am giving to the people of Israel” (Numbers 13:2, ESV). We see unquestionably that the Creator, the Ruler of the universe, has given Canaan to His people. It’s a guarantee. Why then, the disbelief? The majority of the spies sent by Moses come back with this report: “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there” (Numbers 13:27-28, ESV, emphasis mine). Pretty negative assessment in light of the plain vow of God, right? They basically said, “The land is good like God said, but the enemies are strong and very tall like giants, and the cities are huge and well-protected. We don’t stand a chance.”

When Caleb, one of the spies and a man of faith, intervened by proclaiming, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30, ESV), the other spies quickly responded, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are … and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them” (Numbers 13:31, 33 ESV, emphasis mine). May we focus for a moment on that particular statement, because it summarizes much of my problem and yours in a memorable way? The bottom line was that God made a promise, and His people refused to see things from His true viewpoint instead of their own, skewed perspective. They felt so small and weak compared to the enemy (like grasshoppers to giants), and they, therefore, assumed that is how insignificant they also appeared to the enemy.

I often feel like a grasshopper – skittish and tiny – ready to jump at the step of a larger creature. And, sadly, I frequently assume that I really do seem like a grasshopper compared to the enemy of my soul. I know the promises of God, but I feel miniscule compared to the enormity of the problem in front of me. Do you?

Here is the answer for our “grasshopper complex.” When we ourselves feel like grasshoppers compared to the enemy – despite the clear promise of God – we need to be firmly reminded of who the grasshoppers really are – EVERYONE BUT GOD! Yep! Wrong perspective is feeling like a grasshopper compared to the difficulty standing in your way. Right perspective is understanding that everyone and everything shrinks to grasshopper status before God!

The Bible declares, “Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundation of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings prices to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.” (Isaiah 40:21-23, ESV, emphasis mine)

And there it is spelled out for us. It is wrong for me to feel like a grasshopper compared to my challenge or my enemy, because they are as grasshoppers too; it is right for me to feel like a grasshopper before God, because He is infinitely more strong than me. BUT, He is also infinitely more powerful than the problem and the enemy! The difference between me as a grasshopper and the enemy as a grasshopper is that THIS grasshopper has the promise of God on my side. I belong to Him, and He cares for me, and He cannot go against His own Word.

The unbelieving spies in the days of Moses never set foot in the Canaan Land. But the two who believed in the seeming impossible promise of God – the two who had the proper grasshopper perspective – they entered the land. No wonder it was called the “Promised Land.” It was reserved for those who would take God at His powerful, unseen – but real – Word. It belonged to the people who believed that they were only grasshoppers when compared to God, and not when compared to the enemy. It was given to people who believed that they were protected and empowered by a God at whose feet every enemy power and problem will jump away like jittery grasshoppers.

Will you claim the Promised Land with me? Can we please enter in?

What Does It Mean to Believe in Jesus?

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The Bible is full of the promise that if a person truly believes in Jesus Christ, he will be saved. But what does that actually mean as lived out in real life? How can a person be sure she believes to the point of salvation?

Let’s use a simple – yet profound – analogy. Assume for a few moments that you are drowning in the deep waters of the ocean. There is no one around you for as far as your desperate eyes can see. The undertow begins to pull you down, and you have never been able to swim. Your strength is waning, and your hope is dissipating. When all of the sudden, a large boat appears and a kind person aboard that craft throws to you a life preserver. You see that preserver and think about how beautiful that red and white round lifeline is to you at that moment.

Now you have a critical choice. You must decide whether or not you are going to place the weight of your body onto that life preserver. You must resolve to actually grasp the device. To simply look at the life preserver – and even adore it to some degree – will not save you. To mutter words through gasps in the ocean waves about how much you appreciate and trust that round lifeline will not deliver you. You can even shout to the people on the boat about the importance of the life preserver and how thankful you are for it. But neither will that save you. There is actually only one thing you can do in order to be rescued; you must put your body on that ring. Until the weight of yourself – not just your mind – but your whole self – rests on that device, you will still drown.

Can you see the parallel here? So many people want to talk about Jesus and say they love Him with their brains and their mouths, but do those same people place the weight of their whole lives upon Him? We can be near to Jesus and near to people who trust Him, we can adore many things about Him, and we can talk of His goodness; but one question remains … are we placing the actual stuff of our own lives onto Him?

When I place my life onto Jesus, it is a different life. I am no longer separated from Him and only talking about Him; I am now talking with Him. My life is now steered by His guidance, not my own. I go where He takes me, into whatever action He deems right. I cling to Him for my life, arms wrapped around Him. This is not “religion” anymore; this is love and life. The moments of my days and the substance of my life have a Lord, and His name is Jesus.

Will you get on the life preserver, or will you only admire it from a distance? The choice is one between life and death. And the actual difference represented here is the difference between mere mental assent and true, saving belief. Will you believe?

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Grabbing Lions by the Beard on an Ordinary Day

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Young David – without armor – slays a 9’9″ tall enemy warrior in an amazing and unexpected upset. So what’s actually behind one of the most famous confrontations of history? Believe it or not, this one success can be traced back to an ordinary young man performing seemingly insignificant duties for countless days – but doing so with extreme devotion at great personal risk.

We usually hear preachers talk of or children’s books tell of only the face-to-face encounter between David and Goliath, and we rejoice in God’s underdog seeing victory. We think only of that glorious moment and neglect to consider the tedious preparation that led to the pinnacle experience.

For the full story, we need to take note of David’s response to King Saul when the king tried to discourage David from fighting Goliath since the giant had so much war experience and David had none (I Samuel 17:33-37a, ESV):

    And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has stuck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Let us not carelessly discount the importance of this section of God’s Word! Here we learn that David’s confidence – while ultimately rooted in the Person of God – was directly connected to his endless hours in fields with nothing but sheep for which to care. Although David could have perceived those times as rather unexciting and unimportant, he obviously chose to regard his shepherding assignment as a high calling from His Lord.

The young shepherd testifies that he would risk his life for sheep! He clearly explains that he would go after lions and bears that took his lambs, and David would deliver the sheep directly from the mouths of the beasts! In fact, he goes on to specify that at times he would take a lion by the beard and strike it and kill it. I don’t know about you, but to me, that kind of personal dedication and risk of life and limb for the sake of the job is remarkable … even … supernatural. David took most seriously his care of the sheep to which God had entrusted him.

As he walked the fields each day with his animals, David could not have known about the giant Philistine who he would one day face. His only concern was doing the right thing for the animals to which both his earthly father and his heavenly Father had entrusted him. In the mundane tasks of life, David lived with a God-given passion. And he obviously had a daily trust that the God who called him to watch over the sheep would enable him to protect the sheep, even if wild beasts were involved.

When David arose from the ordinary stream of life to an extraordinary moment such as the battle with Goliath, every ordinary moment’s purpose suddenly became evident. The trust in God that grew each time David saved a sheep from a lion with his bare hands now culminated as David saved the Israelites from the Philistine giant and his whole evil army.

What David practiced daily in the trivial enabled him to succeed in the pivotal, because – actually – the small things are the big things. Our character is formed in the trenches of everyday living and our hope in God is built in the daily grind of life.

Interestingly, David compares those wild beasts that attacked his sheep to the man Goliath who was now attacking Israel. Recall that he said, “Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for h has defied the armies of the living God” (I Samuel 17:36, ESV).

I think one reason David makes this comparison is that even though the lions and bears were only attacking various sheep (which seem of little value in the scheme of things), they were attacking what David was called by God to protect. This defiant giant is no different really; he is attacking what David is called by God to protect … the reputation of His Lord!

And so the trivial is inextricably tied to the pivotal. Living out “regular” days for the reputation of our God produces supernatural victories. We must remember, however, that living with God-given zeal will not be easy. It is costly. It requires great faith. And any time you need a boost, picture the shepherd, David, grabbing the beard of a lion for the sake of a sheep. Then remember that one day he took down a giant enemy of God for the sake of God’s people.

But for the greatest inspiration, we look to Jesus. He willingly chose the title, “Son of David” (Matthew 1:1). One reason I believe Christ chose to associate so closely with David is because of something particular they had in common. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd … I lay down my life for the sheep” (Matthew 10:14-15, ESV). Do you see it? Each time David risked his life to care so much for a little lamb, he was foreshadowing the selfless love of Jesus in dying for us – his sheep!

David functioned as both shepherd and warrior. He was shepherd first, and then became victorious in battle. In the same way, Jesus came first as our shepherd to give His life for us, and He will come again to be the victorious Warrior against our greatest enemy and all his evil army! (Revelation 19:11-21, 1 Corinthians 15:22-25).

I am thanking God today for recording the history of the life of David … and its connection to our Jesus. I am also thanking God for the ability to grab the lion by the beard in the course of everyday living.

Questions for Reflection and Application:

1. What is the “field” in which you work for countless days that makes you feel your life is insignificant?

2. Will you ask God to help you see how your dedication to His calling in these daily tasks will enable you to promote the reputation of God to the world?

3. Though our “Goliath” is ultimately Satan, what “lions and bears” are you facing? Do you see how God empowers us to grab those lions and strike them down?

4. When we care for what God has entrusted to us, we are reflecting the heart of Jesus in His care for His “sheep.” For what has God called you to care deeply and self-sacrificially?

5. Will you rest ultimately in the promise that Jesus is not only our Shepherd, but our Warrior? We will see the conclusive victory with Him!

Believing God is Greater than the Obstacle

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Sometimes what you see can really get in your way. And I mean it can slow you down and discourage you to the point of near destruction.

There comes a time to determine to look past what is visible, obvious, and looming. God works in an unseen realm that is infinitely more powerful than the immediately evident.

Take for our example, Moses. Though standing clearly in his way was both the anger of the most mighty earthly ruler and the obvious temptation to stay in Egypt and enjoy tangible riches beyond measure, Moses left Egypt. If circumstances dictate defeat, but God has promised victory, it becomes critical to fix your eyes on the invisible One and refuse to be tripped up by the noticeable. Hear it in God’s own words, “By faith [Moses] left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27, ESV, emphasis added).

Let the words resonate in the core of your soul, “He endured as seeing him who is invisible.” Another version declares, “He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27b, NLT).

Will you “keep on going” despite the major obstacles and foreboding details of your life? You can … If your eyes are focused on the unseen. Undetected by the physical eye is the awesome capacity of God who created the universe out of nothing and supports its foundations with His own hand. God is calling you to pray and believe that His invisible power is far greater than both what you can see that is trying to hold you back and what is stretched out before you as an obstruction.

It all goes back to the beginning. Hebrews 11:3 (ESV) proclaims, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” EVERYTHING came from the UNSEEN. By FAITH, we grasp that fact. By the SAME FAITH, we endure NOW. The invisible God who made it all in the beginning is the One making your life what is should be today. The Creator is the Sustainer. Your belief in Him as your Keeper should be as strong as your belief in Him as your Maker. The dynamism that enabled Him to form galaxies out of nothing but His Word is the power that enables Him to accomplish His purpose through your life.

Endure. Do not focus on the challenge. Do not gaze at the hardship. Do not look back at what has been. Determine to see nothing but Him who is invisible and is greater than what seems obvious.

“To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (I Timothy 1:17, ESV, emphasis added)

Can You Be Sure?

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Belief in a vague idea of Heaven and Hell is one thing, but confidence in the place to which you are personally headed is another, as I experienced in a recent encounter.

God never meant for our destiny to be unclear in the least. He intends for us to have assurance of the outcome of our lives, and I believe that is one reason the devil tries frantically to steal from humans a true understanding of their eternal condition.

Have you ever heard someone say falteringly, “I hope I make it to Heaven” or “I’m trying to be good so I can go to Heaven”? Those who say such things demonstrate a hesitance to declare with boldness a truth about their future … and their present.

After getting a refill on my iced tea at a local restaurant, I paused at the table of an older gentleman with whom I have tried to have several conversations about Jesus. This dear man struggles with guilt about many things – including his service in Vietnam. In the past, I have assured him that we are all on equal ground as sinners and that I am no better off before God than he is. We all have selfish hearts and are corrupted at the core. The only difference is that I have trusted Jesus to be my righteousness for me, because He bore the penalty of God’s wrath against me at the Cross.

On one particular afternoon, this man was sharing a conversation he had just had with a cardiac nurse who was trying to discern whether or not he understood the seriousness of his condition. He told me that he proudly declared to her, “I am not afraid of dying; everyone has to die.” Then he said to the nurse, “The only thing we have to be afraid of is where we go after we die … and no one can know that ahead of time!”

Wow. This confused gentleman actually had the first part of his idea correct to some degree; for Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body [Satan and his followers] but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him [God] who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28, ESV) Obviously, there is validity to a healthy fear of our soul ending up in Hell.

It is the second part of this man’s thought that I had to immediately and gently confront, for it was way off base. His real fear was in the not knowing that he could know where he was headed.

I looked at him, addressed him by name, and said, “Yes you can know where you are going. I know. I know because I believe in Jesus and trust His sacrifice for my sin.” I could have added, “And I have trusted His life for my living”! However, my hurting friend soon changed the subject – still not ready to deal with the main issue of his soul.

The Bible is unequivocal in its assertion that we can know our destiny. The Apostle John proclaims I John 5:12-13 (ESV), “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Notice – amazingly – that our assurance of our place after death is directly related to our current status of life. Those who are certain of Heaven in the future have that confidence based on the reality of Jesus’ life in them presently. If a man, woman, or child has the Son of God as the source of their forgiveness and hope, then that person already has life. Eternal life is a continuum. It begins with true, life-changing belief in Jesus (not simply mental assent) that continues drawing us closer to Him and His will, and then it culminates in the reality of Heaven.

Do you have the Son of God? Really have Him? For you who want the promise of Heaven, He cannot simply be a mental concept or a part of your life. He must be your life. That life He gives you is eternal. He gives it now, and He sustains it past your death and into an infinite future. Amen!

The Swaying Roller Coaster’s Lesson In Trust

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Click, click, click, click, click. I stood in line for the roller coaster, hearing the steady beat of the large, oily chain that pulls the carts up the first hill of the track. As one cart slowly carried its excited riders to the apex, another cart zoomed around the sharp turns. As people flew down hills and around curves, I heard screams of thrill. I also carefully observed the vibrating beams and swaying poles of the ride. Of course, a coaster of such motions and speed must be designed to have “give.” The entire structure must be resilient – allowing for all the wild dynamics of the roller coaster experience.

As I waited beside the coaster for my own adventure – watching all these movements – I began to think of the extensive planning and calculation required to build such an edifice. No doubt, engineers work with necessary precision, being careful to employ the timeless truths of mathematics and physics. In fact, a visit to a website, library.thinkquest.org, highlighted what I had been pondering:

    Complicated engineering goes into construction of a modern roller coaster. A single coaster may cause its engineers and designers to produce thousands of layouts, plans and blueprints. Then, scale models are built from materials such as wood and Styrofoam. Designers must check and re-check the forces that are exerted on the cars, tracks, and most importantly, the passengers.

What amazes me about the whole concept of roller coasters is our willingness to ride them. Despite the screams of the people, the shaking of the beams, the swaying of the cables, the velocity of the carts, the steepness of the hills, the fallibility of human operators, the decay of metal and wood, or the room for human error in design and maintenance; we still wait in line for the thrill of the coaster! (Well, at least many of us do!)

For years and years we have trusted the mechanics of these monstrous structures. We place our well-being and our lives on the line each time we ride. We trust the designers and maintainers of the coasters. We believe they know what they are doing and do it well.

How much more should we trust the One who designed and maintains the world! Yes, there are times I step back and observe the swaying beams of life. I watch important parts of my world seem to shake. Oh, but these things are only part of the “give” God has built in for a universe tainted by sinfulness. The swaying is proof that He built our lives to last; God can handle our travels through the complicated “ups and downs” and “twists and turns” of life.

Do you hear the “click, click, click” of the old and oily chain about to pull you up a steep hill? Is the wind blowing through your hair as you descend at a speed that makes your stomach tingle? Do the sharp turns give the sensation you might careen off the track? It’s okay. Our sovereign God is the Ultimate Mind. He knows exactly how to build everything – and just as perfectly manage it. The world He created and your life that He so carefully designed have always been in His able hands.

We trust human ingenuity and mortal constancy every time we ride a roller coaster, automobile, or even an elevator. How much more should we trust divine design and God’s faithfulness as we ride through life?

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness: I will take you by the hand and keep you . . .” (Isaiah 42:5-6a, ESV)

For by him all things were created, . . . and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16a-17b, ESV)

Don’t Shrink Back

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“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” – Hebrews 10:35-39 (NIV, 1984)

“Do not throw away your confidence,” “You have need of endurance,” and “We are not of those who shrink back.” These three phrases packed into a small passage of five verses remind us of a need to persevere. God here brings to our immediate attention the fact that utter discouragement is a very real possibility. Our defense against this weariness is to look forward to the coming future that is completely ensured by our God. Rather than a magical formula or a work of sheer human effort, God’s Word provides the Truth on which to stand. Though currently unknown and presently not experienced by us, we will receive the ultimate promise if we hold on.

“Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay.” Though we wait for the Lord’s return and the justice He will bring, He is actually coming without delay. His timing is impeccable, and He does all things right. Though it feels long to us humans, the time until His return is short – just a little while. With that in mind, be warned by the next phrase of God’s Word.

“But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” Shrinking back is an action of fear. I shrink back from big spiders and powerful thunderstorms and scary noises in the night when my husband is travelling. However, shrinking back from my faith in Jesus Christ is unacceptable. He is one hundred percent reliable. Furthermore, my shrinking back from faith in Jesus causes God Almighty to have no pleasure in me. Now, none of us likes for any particular person to avoid us because he or she finds no joy in relating to us. But multiply that feeling by infinity to apprehend what it would be like to know that God finds no pleasure in you. The one Person I want to rejoice in my existence is my Maker, Provider, and King. If He does not rejoice over me, I am doomed.

This is precisely why the distinct and direct connection is made between shrinking back and being destroyed. “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed.” If I walk away from my confidence in Jesus, I walk directly to my doom. True faith is equated with my preservation. Therefore, despite hardship, I will endure. Come what may, I desire to do God’s will now in order to receive what He has promised. In just a short while, I will see Him . . . If I don’t shrink back.

Autumn Reminders of an Eternal Kind

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‘For “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.”‘ – I Peter 1:24 (NIV – 1984)

Fall. It is a season that reminds us of endings. Once thriving leaves now drop from their branches bursting with color, but dying. Beautiful summer flowers have lost their grandeur and now succumb to hues of brown and gray. Colder temperatures flow in and bright, long days full of sunshine move out. We are inundated with change. We are regularly reminded of our helplessness to stop the flow of God’s creation. We are caught between summer and winter in the fleeting uniqueness of autumn. Though the season brings its own joy with fabulous scents and colors of orange, yellow, and red; we know it is the end of summer and the start of a period of dormancy and cold.

As we enjoy the changes of fall, let it remind us of a vital truth. I believe God intends for us to see with physical eyes something that points to a lasting, spiritual truth. When you look at a fallen leaf or disintegrating, summer flower; think this thought:

    “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” (I Peter 1:24, NIV, 1984)

Let crinkling leaves and fallen blossoms remind us of something God wants always at the base of our thinking – we are finite and fallen and soon to pass. Any glory we claim to have is as transitory as summer leaves. We live and we die. We seek to accomplish much, but in the end we disappear from this earth. We cannot prevent our own demise. We stand helpless before our “fall.” Except for one thing!

Notice the severe difference God highlights between people and His Word. People wither and fall as the grass. God’s Word stands forever! God’s Word never bends, stoops, or loses its glory. Its beauty never fades; it’s “color” never wanes. No season comes that stops God’s Word. It endures, and endures with full dignity – “standing,” as it were! No weather pattern knocks God’s Word down. No disease causes His Word to waste away. No disaster or tragedy causes His Word to twist or weaken. Through every change, through every heart break, through every earth-shattering event, through death itself; the Word of God stands!

I believe God purposefully showed us the drastic difference between our glory and His Word here in I Peter to remind us to stay focused on Him and not our own selves. I believe one of the reasons for autumn is to demonstrate through His creation an important reminder about human nature when compared to God. Our Lord graciously desires us to live with a constant awareness of our impermanent nature and His eternal nature. Of our failing attempts and His trustworthy ways. Of our sinfulness and His holiness. Of our dependence and His self-sufficiency. Of our need for His Word at the deepest and broadest levels.

You see, God reminds us at the end of I Peter 1:25 (NIV, 1984), “And this is the word that was preached to you.” This is no small or incidental statement! The Word that stands forever can be accepted into your own heart! The seed of God’s Word can be planted in your soul so that the death of you is certainly not the end of you!

God expresses this hope very succinctly in I Peter 1:22 (NIV, 1984), “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” Do you see it? We can be born again of an imperishable seed through God’s Word! When I put my hope for forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ, I am born of a seed that cannot be abolished – a seed that lasts forever and ever. The enduring Word of God gives me eternal, unbending life. Come seasons, winds, storms, difficulties, even death itself; but I will survive and live forever because the everlasting Word of God has been preached to me. And I have gladly and humbly accepted!

Standing Before Monsters

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Sometimes, in order to get to the promise, we have to stand before a monster. The path to the sacred and wonderful place God wants to take us is not one of least resistance. We gaze forward, and we see monsters looming on the horizon – circumstances, individuals, problems, and heartaches that appear too big for us to handle.

So it was for God’s people when He called them to take over the Promised Land. Just about to enter the fields of blessing, the Israelites were reminded of this life’s harsh realities. “Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities fortified to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of Anakim, whom you know and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?'” (Deuteronomy 9:1-2, NASB) What a difficult thing to hear! God clearly explains that His own people are about to come face-to-face with mighty giants. The enemy is bigger than them and stronger than them. Not only so, but the reputation of the enemy is well-known across the land so that many ask, “Who can even survive and stand before these monstrous people?”

A similar question often rings in our own hearts. How can I survive the monsters in front of me? I see them. I hear them. I know that they are real. Others confirm that they are real. They are bigger than us. They are stronger than us. By all logical thinking, we are doomed. The job loss should ruin our finances. The illness should destroy us. The circumstantial setback is one from which we should not recover. The troubled relationship should ruin our family. The human enemy should do us harm. The burden should drive us to insanity. The grief should completely stifle us. The unanswered questions should keep us up at night.

But, they don’t. Even though the monsters are bigger than us, they are not bigger than our God! He is a “consuming fire.” Nothing will stand in His path against His will and be able to remain. He consumes the giants that would consume us! Listen to the resounding answer given to the threat of looming giants on the horizon, “Know therefore today that it is the LORD your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the LORD has spoken to you” (Deuteronomy 9:3, NASB).

As you look longingly for the “land of promise,” what monsters stand on the border – threatening your demise? Does all common sense declare these giants are mightier than you? Do not fear. They are mightier than you, but they are absolutely helpless compared to God. He goes before you, defying all scary reports and difficult realities. He is a consuming fire, eliminating the monsters that cruelly threaten His people.

Child of God, you will enter into the promise of God for your life because you Lord is infinitely strong and wonderfully alive. He consumes what stand against His children – no matter how ominous the giants appear. We will stand before the monsters, but the consuming fire will lead the way.

The Truth of Noah’s Ark: Faith Without Works is Dead

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By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. – Hebrews 11:7 (NIV)

Faith is defined for us in Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” God then goes on to give us many examples of men and women of history who lived by faith. One particular case is that of Noah. Because he is such a well-known biblical figure – and because his life so concisely demonstrates the concept of “faith without works is dead” – we will explore his experience more closely.

First, understand that our culture’s typical rendition of Noah’s ark is inaccurate. Often, we are shown pictures of a small, wooden boat floating easily on calm, blue waters. A few giraffes or elephants may have their smiling heads popping out the top of the ark. Sometimes Noah and his wife are pictured waving contentedly.

In contrast, the actual ark that God instructed Noah to build was 450 feet long by 75 feet wide by 45 feet high. Nearly five times as long as the Santa Maria of Columbus’ voyage and over half the length of the Titanic, the ark was huge and had three decks. Rather than animals sailing along in a fairytale environment, the historical scene at the outset was horrifying. When the rain actually started to fall and the waters rose, I am convinced myriad people began to run for high places, climb trees, and trek up hills with their children. Stunned at the fulfillment of God’s prophetic words to Noah, so many godless people now found themselves face to face with judgment and death. As the ark tossed on the rising waters, no doubt humans were screaming as the waves engulfed them. This was a scene of horror for those outside the formidable boat. We must keep the reality of the event in mind as we continue on in our discussion of faith and works.

After God defines faith in Hebrews 11:1, He explains the working of Noah’s own faith in Hebrews 11:7 (NIV), “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Clearly, God warned Noah about things Noah could not see with human eyes. God said in Genesis 6:17 (NIV), “I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.” This had to be difficult for Noah to comprehend, as he had never seen a flood before, and life as people then knew it had never been interrupted with sudden, deadly disaster. Yet, with sight unseen, Noah took God at His Word. Noah was warned, and he responded with holy fear. He thought deeply, was circumspect, and considered most seriously the promises and warnings of His Lord. Though the concept of a deadly, colossal flood was foreign to Noah, his faith in God was greater than his unfamiliarity with promised, future events.

Noah’s response of faith was one of action. He believed God, and so he “built an ark to save his family” (Hebrews 11:7, NIV). Building an ark of wood of this great magnitude was no easy undertaking in a world without diesel engines or readily available machinery. Working for perhaps 50-75 years, Noah, his family, and any other people he employed continued the immense undertaking of constructing an ark with three decks and all components necessary to house animal and human life. Under the sun by day and moon by night, the labor went on. Trees were chopped down, and cut, and formed into properly fitting boards. Rooms were constructed, and the boat was covered with pitch inside and out. Day after day, physical labor took place as an ark was formed. Noah’s faith resulted in the work of his hands. An ark would be the end result.

If Noah had not responded with action, his family would have perished in the flood as all other families did. God’s Word went to Noah’s heart, and Noah’s heart responded with action. Quite literally, Noah’s faith without the corresponding works would have been death. The waters would have taken him. How much clearer could the picture be of “faith without works is dead”? Noah’s spoken belief in the coming flood meant nothing unless that belief resulted in the work of his hands and life.

The concept of Noah’s genuine faith becomes even more important as we realize the connection Jesus Christ made between Noah’s day and the end times. Listen carefully to Matthew 24:36-42 (NIV):

    No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

Wow! Jesus Himself parallels the end of time to the days of the flood. He indicates that back in Noah’s time, people just lived life with no thought for coming judgment. They ignored Noah, the Lord’s “preacher of righteousness” (II Peter 2:5, NIV). Despite God’s Word being proclaimed by Noah, people just kept going about their daily business with no concern for God’s reality. Not until the flood hit and the ark’s door was securely closed did people truly believe God’s warning and promise. But it was far too late.

Similarly today, most people get up each day and go through the routine of life without real faith in the warning and promises of God. People brush their teeth, go to work, watch movies, celebrate birthdays, eat dinners and desserts, socialize, and care for so many possessions; and they do not consider God’s sure Word. They live as if life will always go on as it does, despite the corruption of the world and its accompanying deep-seated despair. And yet – without further warning – the end will come. Judgment will hit, God will close out this portion of history; the door of salvation will be shut. As judgment was by water the first time (In Noah’s day), so it will be by fire the second and final time (II Peter 3:3-7, NIV).

The question is, “Are you building your ark?” In other words, is your faith in God resulting in a life that is regularly, securely, and tangibly built on God’s Word? We cannot just say we believe; we must have belief that results in action, for only that kind of belief is real! Had Noah stood with arms crossed and said, “I believe the flood is coming,” but never actually started chopping down trees to build the boat, he would have perished in the waters. And we, too, will die in judgment if we only claim to have faith but do not demonstrate its genuine nature by the accompanying action.

It’s time to build the ark of safety! It’s time to demonstrate the reality of our faith by actually obeying the Word we claim to believe. We need to love unconditionally, serve without jealousy, stop gossiping, cease envying and lusting, share the Gospel in ways sincere and passionate, and shine the light of Jesus in the darkness of this world. We need to get our hands dirty and see some sweat drops pour down our faces as we work out this faith we claim to have.

Remember, Noah’s belief in God had to result in his building of the ark of safety. So, too, our faith must result in the building of our “ark.” If we truly believe, we will live out this life of holiness to God. The world will see our ark as we build it. They many mock us and look at us as if we are crazy, but we must build it in front of them. For, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26, KJV).