Only as Firm as Your Faith

"If you do not stand firm in your faith,

you will not stand at all."

Isaiah 7:9b

God's message to King Ahaz was clear:  I've got your back, but you will never be able to keep from falling victim to intimidation unless you believe Me and My Word.

How am I the same?  There is much in today's culture that can intimidate me into shutting my mouth, keeping me from living my faith out loud.  If, however, I trust in God alone, I will see Him deliver me from evil.  My footing is only as firm as my faith.

Walk by Sight.  I often want to be aware of the plan, to know what to expect, to be prepared.  It's hard to walk blind through life, but this is what I'm called to do, to walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7).  It reminds me of the times I've tried blindfolding myself in order to experience what it would be like to be blind.  After stumbling around, feeling my way through the house, I decided I'd rather lose my hearing than my sight.  I value the ability to see where I'm going much too much to let it go!

If I am to please the Lord, however, I must trust Him implicitly and completely, leaving no room for doubt, no desire to control, no need to know.  When I instead walk by sight, depending upon my own limited resources and wherewithal, I end up whining and crying at the tragedy of it all, failing to see the big picture as God does.  Trusting God results in a more godly perspective.  And seeing more from His point of view than from mine changes everything.

My footing in a topsy-turvy world is firm when I walk by faith, not by sight.

Backwards Perspective.  If I'm honest with myself, I easily slip into the prideful habit of fearing man and what he can do to me.  I worry about my reputation, the consequences of bucking the system, the backlash of going against the flow.  I'm sensitive to others' feelings and will do almost anything to keep from offending them.  I end up playing the game to keep from rocking the boat or to avoid drawing attention to myself.

Meanwhile, little do I realize that in so doing I'm failing to fear God, to respect His sovereignty and acknowledge His might.  I'm denying that my failure to revere His character enough to realize man can do me no harm in light of His sovereign power, His wonderful plan, His righteous work is an offense to Him (Romans 8:31, Matthew 10:28).  While being worried about offending people I fail to consider the fact that my anxiety reveals my unwillingness to trust in God's abilities which offends Him greatly.  I've got it all backwards.

My footing in a topsy-turvy world is firm when I keep my perspective a God-focused one.

Treasure the World.  My heart is found in what I hold dear (Matthew 6:19).  Too often than I'd like to admit, I find myself treasuring the things of this world.  As a result, I put more emphasis on the temporary instead of the eternal.  I want to feel secure and comfortable and I end up being driven by these desires instead of by a passion for Christ and what He's done on the cross.  As a result, my heart is not at rest as I encounter difficulties.  I fear losing what I've worked so hard to gain.  I hold on to what I have, thinking it's what gives my life meaning.  I've lost sight of my true treasure:  Jesus.

When I value Him as the only thing worth fighting for, my greatest Love, my reason for living, I live differently than when I treasure that which is temporary.  I view life through Jesus-colored glasses and all that I strive to gain; the material goods, the success, the notoriety, all fade away and become like trash to be set out at the curb for pick up (Philippians 3:7-8).  I can do without it because I see how little I need it.  My once red-hot ambition fades away, the sense of discontent is replaced by satisfaction, and anxiety over securing my position is gone.  Treasuring the world breeds restlessness but valuing Jesus as He is meant to be cherished results in serenity.

My footing in a topsy-turvy world is firm when I treasure Jesus most of all.

The mandate God gave to Ahaz is no different than the one I must heed:  If I want to stand firm in this crazy world filled with intimidation and legitimate powers to fear, I must trust God. Living this way runs counter to my natural inclination to walk by sight, fear man and treasure the things of this world.  Therefore, in order to please God, I'll need to live by faith, revere God as above all things, and cherish Christ as my greatest treasure.  When I do, I'll see that my footing is only as firm as my faith.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God in all things, believing that He will provide all I need.

How have I forsaken God's sovereign power by trusting in my own resources?

How is my sight narrow, failing to consider the scope of God's domain? 

Never Hungry

"The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry,

but he thwarts the craving of the wicked."

Proverbs 10:3

God promises many things and He is faithful to keep each one of His words.  But this one has me wondering:  Is there more to hunger than an empty belly?

Righteousness.  There are many things I crave while living this temporary life.  I often drift toward selfishness, thinking if I could only find myself and figure out who I really am then I will be happy.  In my tendency to focus on my own needs and wants, I end up going after the things I think that will bring fulfillment and meaning:  success, pleasure, financial security, material wealth, social status (1 John 2:16).  In spite of my efforts, I never find complete gratification.  I'm always wanting more.

Then I remember that I was made for more than this.  In Christ I've been made right with God, the very thing I need to be able to enjoy His favor, to find His blessing, to prosper spiritually.  And when I truly value His better way of living, craving for all that He values like honesty, fairness in my dealings with others, kindness and obedience to His laws, I will find fulfillment and pleasure.  Finally, contentment will be mine as I walk in peace with my Shepherd.

God promises a happy and satisfied heart when I hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

Living Water.  She came to fill her jar with the life-giving liquid but came away with so much more.  No one valued her.  In fact, most saw her as worth little more than the grime between their toes.  She was despised by women and used by men.  Because of her station in life, she was constrained to visit the community well in the heat of the day to avoid the gossip and scorn of the other women.  Her heart ached for connection, for acceptance, for true love.

Then came the One who offered her Living water that will quench her deep-in-the-depths-of-her-soul yearnings.  Jesus gave her a new beginning as a woman who was seen and loved by the God who made her, and she received His gift of the abundant life with great joy (John 4:13-15).  

When I follow suit and receive the living water Jesus offers me, I will have everything I need flowing through me.  The indwelling Spirit of Jesus will quench my deepest thirsts, fill my empty places and heal my hurting heart.  He came to turn my worst nightmare into a great victory, not the kind of victory where I rise to the pinnacle of success or gain everything I ever wanted, but triumph over evil, worthless living and all that separates me from His love (Romans 8:31-37).  I am secure in His clutches, and this is the kind of success that lasts an eternity.

God promises to quench my deepest thirst with the living water that is found through faith in Jesus.

Bread of Life.  They saw their chance.  If they followed this charismatic and powerful teacher, they would never have to worry about food again.  Their days of hunger would be over.  Never again would they have to scrap for a few morsels to sustain their families.  Life would be good and they could focus on more than just survival.

Then Jesus brought them back to reality (John 6:25-34).  He came to give them more than just physical food to fill their bellies.  He came to fulfill every spiritual need as the Answer to every question they pondered, the solution to each problem they faced.  Jesus declared Himself the Bread of life that would deliver eternal and abundant life to those who believed (John 6:35).

I, too, am offered this full and thriving life as I look forward to life forever in my heavenly home.  When I trust in Jesus as my Savior, submitting to Him as Lord of my life, I will never lack for anything.  If, however, I stray away, looking elsewhere to supply my needs, to answer my questions, to offer solutions to my problems, I'll spend my days searching in futility.

God promises to satisfy my deepest hunger when I give my life to Jesus, the Bread of life.

The one thing I can count on in life is for God to keep His promises.  Therefore, there is no risk in seeking Jesus as my source of happiness, the Living water who will quench my deepest thirsts, and the Bread of life who fully satisfies my deepest cravings.  In Christ, I will never hunger for what really matters.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to be in charge of giving me what I need.

When do I look beyond Jesus to find meaning and purpose?

How am I straying away from my Shepherd who desires to give me what I most need?

Standing on the Promises

"And because of his glory and excellence,

he has given us great and precious promises.

These are the promises that enable you to share

his divine nature

and escape the world's corruption 

caused by human desires. . .

Therefore, I will always remind you about these things--

even though you already know them

and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught."

1 Peter 2:4,12 NLT

It's easy to forget.  This life is filled with troubles that tend to draw my attention away from the foundational truths upon which my faith is built.  My days are packed with activities, most of them beneficial; nonetheless they act as a distraction from what God has taught me.    Once I wake up in the morning, I'm off and running, working down my list of things-to-do with nary a thought of the great promises of God.

Therefore, I easily fall victim to fear.  Satan finds no resistance as He plants seeds of doubt or nuggets of lies into my defenseless mind.  Anxiety is my constant companion.

James exhorts me to yield to the Lord, placing myself under His leadership.  This means I must purposefully choose to let Him be in control of my life instead of wrestling the helm away from Him.  Secondly, it is necessary that I am on guard against the Devil's schemes, recognizing those destructive thoughts, hampering mindsets, and negative notions as having their origin with my enemy.  Once I realize the attack I am under, I can stand firm against his ploys, holding up my shield of faith against his flaming arrows. (James 4:7, Ephesians 6:10-18, 1 Peter 5:8)

As I resist the attacks of the Evil One, I can stand firm on the great promises of God.  When I remind myself that nothing can separate me from the love of God that is mine through Christ Jesus, the fear of abandonment subsides. (Romans 8:38-39) 

When I remember that God uses everything for my good, to grow my character and mold me into the image of His Son, difficulties will be transformed from something I avoid into a useful tool in the hands of a loving God.  (Romans 8:28-30)

When I recall that God will never leave me or turn His back on me, a new-found confidence grows despite my circumstances as I thrive in the eternal presence of my Father who loves me perfectly. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

When times of poverty come, as they always will, I can lean on the fact that my God will provide everything I need and will never let me go hungry. (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:32-33) Instead of feeling sorry for myself, then, I will rejoice in the opportunity God has given me to see His mighty hand at work in my life.

The promises of God are numerous and can be counted on; I can trust God to do as He has said He would do.  Therefore, I would be wise to build my life on the certainty of His Word, constantly reminding myself of what He has said He is doing.  As I do, I will find the cares of this world to be of no consequence and the schemes of the devil will lose their power while my vision of God will grow larger and larger until He takes up my whole field of vision.  It is then that I can say I am standing on the promises of God!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can focus more on God and His goodness than on this world and it's troubles.

When do I let the cares of this world choke out God's amazing promises?

How do I trust only in what I can sense?

Choose to Listen

"Therefore say to the children of Israel:

'I am the LORD;

I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,

I will rescue you from their bondage,

and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm

and with great judgments.

I will take you as My people,

and I will be your God.

Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God

who brings you out from under the burdens

of the Egyptians.

And I will bring you into the land which I swore

to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;

and I will give it to you as a heritage:

I am the LORD.'

So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel;

but they did not heed Moses,

because of their anguish of spirit

and cruel bondage."

Exodus 6:6-9 NKJV

The days on the calendar stretched before me like a never-ending chasm, separating me from my husband and one-year-old daughter.  The bond I shared with our first-born was so strong that I couldn't imagine spending one night away from her, let alone dozens as the doctors prescribed. 

As an active young mother who relished the fresh air of outdoors, I savored my long daily walks shared with my baby-daughter in her stroller as we explored the area within our neighborhood or on the path circling the nearby lake.   Now, laying in the hospital bed at barely 24 weeks-gestation awaiting the birth of our triplet daughters, I fell into a state of discouragement.  How could I stay confined to this bed, alienated from the ones I love for the remainder of my pregnancy?

It was hard for me to listen to the doctor's orders when I was in such a state of discouragement and bondage.  It is similar with me and God.  Sometimes I cannot even take in His great promises because of the condition of my heart.

Discouragement

Grains of sand gritted against his skin, mixing with the tears that streamed down his face.  Rolling over to shield his eyes from the unrelenting wind, the solitary man was careful to stay within the confines of the narrowly shaded area of the thorny bush under which he lay.  A groan escaped his lips as his exposed leg met the unforgiving hardness of a pointy rock.  "Why can't I just die?  I'm as good as dead, anyway.  I've had enough, Lord!"  (1 Kings 19:1-4)

Elijah hit a low-point in his life, knowing that the evil Jezebel was out to kill him.  Thinking all hope was gone, the formerly brazen and faithful prophet became depressed.

Like Elijah, it is easy for me to become disheartened when things seem impossible.  When I'm focused on the difficulty of the circumstances, I tend to fall into the depths of despair, making it nearly impossible for me to hear God speak of His great promises.

When my heart is in anguish, it is hard for me to listen to the mighty words of God.

Cruel Bondage

Day after day he labored for his master's benefit.  Despite no wrong-doing of his own, he found himself enslaved to another in a foreign country.  He worked hard, living up to the teaching of his father without knowing if he'd ever see him or the rest of his family again.  Joseph's life was not going the way he had imagined it would.  (Genesis 39)

It is hard to see the goodness of God when I'm stuck in a situation I didn't anticipate.  Perhaps its the sudden death of a loved one, the end of a marriage, or the onset of disease.  Whatever the situation which burdens me, it can distract me from the message of hope God speaks into my life through His uplifting promises.

When I feel bound by difficult circumstances or unexpected tragedies, it is hard for me to listen to the great promises of God.

Choose to Listen

Whether I am sinking into a pit of despair or under the weight of an overwhelming load, I can choose to listen to the Truth of God's powerful guarantees as given to His people as they labored under the heavy hand of the Egyptians.

God promises me freedom from that which weighs me down, giving me a chance to live wholeheartedly for Him. (Galatians 5:1)  He also gives me the assurance of redemption from the jaws of death through faith in Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:14)  In addition, the God of love promises my adoption into His family based on His compassion for me as His child. (1 John 3:1)  And most importantly, I am brought under His lordship as the sovereign Lord of all creation. 

When I choose to listen, I hear of the wonderful promises God offers to me.

Just as I had a hard time heeding the voice of my doctors when they kept me hospitalized for the good of my unborn triplets, discouragement and bondage can work against the message of  hope God has for me.  If, despite the difficulties, I choose to listen to what God has to say, I will find the Truth that will bring a full, meaningful life; salvation from certain death; inclusion into His family; and submission to a God who loves me.  This is the message that comes from intentionally preferring God in the midst of the hard times of life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will turn away from discouragement and bondage and toward God.

How do I let my feelings of despair keep me away from God and His promises?

When am I held back in life because I choose to let my circumstances get me down?