Keep Praying

As they (the disciples) passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:20–25)

In a prayer time with others, we agreed that it often easier to walk by sight than by faith when it comes to praying. Each of us had long-term prayers that had not yet been answered. Sometimes God uses that kind of waiting to build our faith and patience. Sometimes He uses it to show us something we need to confess, like lack of forgiveness. But sometimes He is answering the prayer and does not show us the answer.

I heard the amazing story of a missionary in Africa who had been threatened by the natives who opposed him. However, they didn’t show up on the day they told him he would die. Much later, those natives became Christians and he asked them why they had not come when they said they would. He was told that they did come but the missionary and his co-workers were surrounded by a number of large “giants” and they fled in fear.

Much later, he was on furlough in his home church and told this story. Someone in the church asked the date that happened, then dug out the church records to discover that there had been a prayer meeting that day — attended by the same number of people as the number of giants his enemies had seen!

What can be said to that? Do I have any idea what God is doing because of prayer? Because of my prayers? 

There are two lessons in the words of Jesus. One is to keep praying without doubt in my heart. He hears and I cannot always see or even predict the outcome. 

The other is to keep short accounts. If I have any attitude or action in my life that is contrary to the will of God, He is going to deal with that first, not my prayer request. In other words, unconfessed sin means no answer or delayed answers to my prayers. Keep my life clean and who knows — God may turn my words into giants.

Lord Jesus, this story motivates me, not just to pray about the problems and needs that I can see, but for Your people at work in the world that I cannot see, anything or anyone that You put on my heart. Nothing is too hard for You and no problem or evil is unsolvable or impossible to deal with. You don’t need to show me what You are doing. Just keep building my faith so I trust that You are hearing and doing what needs to be done!

 
 

Exiting wandering, entering spiritual growth…

And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you (all your enemies). Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:10-17)

It is not likely that I would connect this event with Christian baptism, but one of my commentaries does. The link is in the details. Baptism enters believers into a covenant with God by a declaration to be dead to the world and alive to serve Him. For most, it is a turning point and a change of focus. Those who are baptized enter into a life of both blessing and warfare. At the same time, those who believe but do not take this first step seem to remain in wandering.

The commentary says baptism introduces us into new obligations and entitles us to claim the aid of God in our conflict with evil. In other words, it is the starting-point of our sanctification and this is God's work. He alone parts the waters for us to cross from the world into His kingdom. That world can drown all human effort, but declaring our faith enables us to have success in our war against our own and God’s enemies. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

This does not mean baptism gives us anything. This power is from Jesus Christ alone, not our actions apart from faith. Also note that before this event, the people were guided by a pillar of fire and a cloud. Now they would be guided by the Ark of the Covenant. The Law was dark and uncertain in them but faith in a coming Messiah gave light. Now our guide is the person of Jesus Christ, a “better hope.” (Hebrews 12:18-24) The humanity of Jesus reveals the One who is unseen and we can follow Him as we enter into His promises and experience His presence.

Crossing the Jordon when it was overflowing magnifies God's glory and my inability. He is like that — powerful to be with me when I need Him most. Yesterday’s sermon was one of those times. I’ve felt so inadequate in several areas and the preacher pointed to each one and to the adequacy of Jesus Christ and His powerful ability to deal with my enemies, such as fear and hopelessness. What joy to know that He knows just what I need.

The times of trouble are the times when He manifests His power. It is then that He makes His will most “plain before my face.” Both Churches and individuals are apt in their prosperity to say, “I shall never be removed.” But in adversity I run to God in humility, and He makes me a way through the deep waters. “The swellings of Jordan” abate at His presence. “The overflowings of ungodliness” are defeated by His word. When He speaks, sorrow and distress flee away. When I am grieved at life’s events, He makes “straight paths for my feet” to overcome my disappointments and despair.

Thank You, Jesus.

Living by Faith

One OT prophet asked God something that I’ve asked, as do many others. We watch the news on Saturday and hear of atrocities and realize some of the victims are God’s people. Then we go to church on Sunday and hear about the goodness of God and wonder the same question the prophet asked:

You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? (Habakkuk 1:13)

What is God doing when evil people abuse, persecute, and even slaughter His people? Habakkuk asked and explained his dismay then said, “I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.” (Habakkuk 2:1)

Habakkuk wrote about 640–615 b.c., just before the fall of Assyria and the rise of Babylon. God used Assyria to punish Israel and was about to use Babylon to punish Assyria and Judah. When this prophet understood that would happen, he was upset, yet he wisely waited on God for the answer. God did not have to tell him, but He gave an answer that is familiar to believers. It was repeated three times in the NT, each in a different context, but it fits everyone who has been justified by faith:

Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11)
But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:38)

I was given eternal life by faith, justified by faith, and of course must live by faith. This means ceasing from my own works and yielding to Jesus Christ who works in me to do what He wills for my life.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6–7)

I received Him by faith and not my own effort or claiming any worth or works, totally trusting Him. And so must I live, even when my sovereign Savior does things that I do not understand or expect.

In the past few weeks I’m hearing God say many things about His power to use evil for good. He even used all Satan’s plans to fulfill His Redemption plan. His power overrides all evil and uses (and even plans) calamity for His purposes… always because of His great love for people and His opposition to evil. In this, I must trust Him. Walk by faith, even though I cannot see or understand. Just trust Him. Endure in faith. Be filled with His Spirit and rejoice that He is in control and that He wisely knows what He is doing.

His wisdom, power, and righteousness are all engaged for His people. I trust Him for eternal life and must have that same trust when He takes any believer out of this world, no matter the method. We have an eternal hope. So did Habakkuk, and this is why God could tell him to walk by faith. He could do it because he was made just before God by faith.

PRAY: Jesus, I know that walking by faith is for those who have been saved from sin by faith. Trusting God when I watch the news would be impossible without the faith You granted me at salvation. Denying what my flesh tends to want (proof) or believe (only what I see) yet faith enables me to be dead to that and alive to trusting You in this messed up world. You remain on the throne and remain the One to trust no matter what is going on around me. I’m so grateful for the gift of faith.

When Faith and Sight Intersect

Yesterday we experienced an answer to prayer, a prayer we trusted God to answer in His time and will, yet when the answer came, our reaction was great surprise and joy. It reminded me of the story in Acts where Christians were praying for Peter who was in jail. God released him and he went to the prayer place. The woman who answered the door was so surprised that she left him at the door to run and tell the others. We believe God hears and answers, so why are we so surprised!

The Bible tells me to walk by faith, not by sight. That is, don’t rely on what I see but on God who can change things that I see. Our prayers are not about seeing but trusting, yet when He answers and the answers are visible, we are surprised. Perhaps surprise is more about human nature than faith? I’m not certain.

Today’s devotional is about four ways God reveals His will to us. They are through: Scripture, circumstances, convictions He gives to other advisers, and that inner ‘voice’ of the Holy Spirit in our minds. All these will agree if the Lord is indeed speaking. The world, our old nature, and the devil may not, but God's voice will always be in harmony with itself no matter how many different ways He may speak.

The Scriptures come first, so knowing the Word of God is vital, not just knowing what it says but rightly interpreting it. This will be in harmony with the Holy Spirit for He is the One who reveals truth to us. That is vital, but so is our receptivity. For instance, we need to be like little children. As one pastor said, the distinctive nature of a child is receptivity:

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; (Matthew 11:25)

Of course that means being a child that is in His family. That happens through relationship. Jesus said that eternal life is knowing God (John 17) and that happens also by revelation:

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

God also reveals what I need to know so I can be transformed. That happens as He reveals Jesus to me and as I gaze at Him, I am transformed into that likeness.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. (Romans 1:17-18)

These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10)

(God) was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; (Galatians 1:16)

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:15)

In these verses, faith does become sight. That is, when God reveals Jesus to me and I am changed, and those changes are meant to be visible and like Jesus. When He tells me what to do and I obey, His revelation is seen in my obedience. If I have a contrary idea and He reveals that to me, the resulting change is seen in my talk and walk. Even so, those changes happen because I’ve believed God.

In other words, a life of faith is not only about what is believed but the visible results that are a result of believing what God reveals to me. As James says:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14–17)

PRAY: Jesus, I can see how that well-known statement, “walk by faith not by sight” is talking about my life. Trust is not based on what I can easily see, but on who You are and what You tell me.  However it is clear that a ‘walk by faith not by sight’ is effective because that walk can be seen by those who watch me or anyone else whose faith governs how they live. May I faithfully and visibly display Your grace and goodness.

Walk by faith, not by sight or…

Since having pneumonia, changing to a Mac instead of a PC (learning curve) and having challenges come at me one after the other, I’m realizing a helplessness that is important to Christian living but I’m not enjoying it very much. Being dependent on Christ alone is not as easy as the words to many of our hymns and songs claim it to be.

Today’s devotional says many Christians sing words like: “Thou, O Christ, art all I want, More than all in Thee I find” but the author doubts if we could honestly say those words express the reality in our experience. I get that. Recently being several times in situations of helplessness, I’ve felt like being in a foreign land where I don’t know the language, have no one to guide me, and the map isn’t making sense. Lost, no routine, not even a friendly face.

Yes, that is an exaggeration, and I do realize that this is part of the sanctification process. I do want to honestly say God is enough, but my experience has been pushing me in many directions. I would like a constant realization of His presence, a sense of His love, and consistent answers to my prayers. Even so, I’m not sure what ‘Christ alone’ looks or feels like. Maybe David didn’t either when he wrote these words;

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. (Psalm 62:1–2)

It might be easier to describe what this means by what it does not mean. I do trust Christ alone for my salvation. Helplessness adds to the truth that in ourselves, we are not able to be godly people, never mind set ourselves on the way to heaven or gain eternal life. This is a given.

However, to say that God is enough is not about having sound doctrines. While having them challenged does not make them unsound, it does wipe any cocky confidence out of my heart. I cannot rely on every jot and tittle in my beliefs when helplessness also mocks them. If I know it all, why then do I suffer as if I know nothing?

God is enough is not about good feelings either, no more than I can rely on ‘my feelings, or on any righteous works, or fervent prayers, or earnest striving’ as the devotional writer says, because waiting on God can seem like building on the sand. He cannot be second-guessed. That means “God is enough” is not being sure about much of anything else.

At the same time, in all that uncertainty, I cannot put my trust in God alone because all else fails and there is nowhere else to go. I need to trust Him alone just because God is God — whether I can hear Him speak, or see Him at work, or know for sure that He is answering my prayers.

PRAY: Lord, it is easiest to trust You when You speak and when I can see You in action. Yet when I cannot, You have not changed. You are who You are and faith means knowing You will do what You do whether I am in on it or not. Keep me close.

I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:1–3)

God, You want me to do what?

 

It is so easy to rely on what I see, to walk by sight. Most people do. They read a story in social media and believe it, passing it on to others. The news on television shows the aftermath of a storm and because that one scene is devastated, we so easily assume that the entire city is in shambles.

Some children know that “everybody is going” will gain them permission to go too, so we easily rely on hearing too, things like rumors and gossip, stories told by others, a verbal news report, even the claims made by politicians and many posts in social media. Try to imagine what went through the mind of Joshua when God told him what to do with Jericho.

The Israelites refused to enter the Promised Land. Forty years they wandered in the wilderness. That unbelieving generation had perished and Joshua was given the task of leading a new generation into the land God promised them. The first obstacle was Jericho—a well-fortified city that was near the mouth of the Jordan River.

In those days, some city walls were wide enough at the top to allow two chariots to run side by side. Jericho’s walls could have been like that because of its location near enemy borders. This city also had a well-trained army. For the people of God, overpowering this city was an impossible challenge. They were fewer in number and untrained in warfare.

Imagine how they felt when God asked them to march around that fortified city once a day for six days, then on the seventh day, march again with the priests blowing their horns and at their final blast, the people shouting. This seemed ridiculous, not only to them but to us who read the story.

However, as the NT says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.” (Hebrews 11:30) From this story, the devotional writer affirms that faith is the key to spiritual conquest. What seems impossible, what looks and sounds impossible for us, is easy for God. In this event, He reveals His power and His people demonstrated their faith and humility.

I can imagine a bit of how they felt. At times, I’ve expressed faith in a particular thing and received looks of “really?” with raised eyebrows, or a look of pity for ‘this poor fool’ as if I am out of my mind to think God is going to do what I trust Him to do.

The Hebrew people were called upon to do something so odd, far from any typical military strategy. Yet the story reports what happened on the seventh day, after marching around the city seven times, with the priests blowing their rams’ horns, the priests gave one final blast, the people all shouted out loud, and the walls of the city collapsed. Faith reduced a formidable obstacle to a crumbled ruin and . . .

As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword. (Joshua 6:20–21)

I remember a time when God gave me ‘odd’ directions. Our son was being bullied at school. He was popular with the girls but the two other boys in his class were angry and threatened him. God told me what to do and I instructed him to “invite them to come and fight at our home, in the garage, with boxing gloves.” He replied, “But mom . . .” and I added that we were to offer them milk and cookies before going to the garage. He smiled in understanding. Those two boys soon became his friends.

Since then, confidence in the power and love of God keeps growing. Formidable walls come down. Satan’s strategies turn into victories for God’s glory as He teaches me to trust Him, no matter what others say, no matter what life looks like, no matter how thick the barriers. God is enough.

PRAY: Jesus, right now I’ve some responsibilities in front of me that are not enemies but still make me feel inadequate and unable to overcome. I need to remember Joshua and listen to what You say, not be intimidated by what I see on that to-do list. Your advice to him is also for me:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

PONDER: Think about the power of God and the reality that He never lets me down. He gives me great challenges at times, but also wants me to know that “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)