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? 

Treasure Wisdom

"Does not wisdom call out?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

At the highest point along the way,

where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

beside the gate leading into the city,

at the entrance, she cries aloud:

'To you, O people, I call out;

I raise my voice to all mankind.

You who are simple, gain prudence;

you who are foolish, set your hearts in it.'"

Proverbs 8:1-5

There is much to value in this world:  An education.  Success.  Wealth.  Popularity.  Meaning.  While it is not popular to treasure godly wisdom, the farsightedness God possesses, His ability to see the big picture; there is a reason to hold as dear such a prize.

True Riches.  It can be tricky to pick out the valuable from the worthless.  My flesh leads me wrong every time, leaning me toward what seems so important like money in the bank, a full social calendar, or a well-respected and enjoyable career.  But will it last?  In the end, when I stand before God, will He count all I invest in as eternally dear?  Or will it be categorized as something that will pass away with the rest of the temporary (2 Peter 3:10, Matthew 6:19-21)?

Godly wisdom is considered as one of the eternally valuable possessions I can treasure.  Seeking advice from godly counsel, humbling myself to joyfully receive the hard words of discipline God often speaks, and desiring God's best for me even when it seems less than desirable at the time are all examples of how I can model my heart's desire to gain prudence and insight for living.  I will never be sorry I went after such treasure.

When I pursue wisdom and recognize it as truly valuable, I'll find when I get to the end of my life that it is worth more than all the gold in the world (Proverbs 8:9-21).

Preliminary.  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  (Genesis 1:1)  If I were to ask, "What was the first thing God created?" most of us would answer with great confidence, "Light." (v 3)  Unfortunately, we would all be wrong.

Wisdom was there first (Proverbs 8:22-31).  It was God's wisdom that created all things, and He first brought it forth into His creation before the first beam of light shone through the darkness.  Therefore, when God made all things, wisdom was already there, waiting to be sought after by man.  With such an important place in the order of all things, I must see that to respect wisdom and hold it as most appreciated among all He made shows I have an understanding of God's value system.

When I pursue wisdom and recognize it as truly valuable, I have shown my comprehension of God's priorities.

Life and Favor.  There are many philosophies which I can follow in life, a variety of viewpoints from which I can see my way through each day.  Some say to pay attention to daily needs and the rest will fall into place.  Others say to live right and it will come back to you threefold.  But only one says to seek after wisdom in order to find life and favor.

While I could simply look for what seems wise to my own eyes, I could also dedicate my days to following Jesus and paying attention to the lead of the indwelling Spirit to highlight what comes from Him.  When I do the latter, I'll find the abundant life Jesus came to give me and the favor of God I need to find His best for me (John 10:10, Psalm 5:12).

When I pursue wisdom and recognize it as truly valuable, I will find the life Jesus died for me to live and His unmerited grace overflowing in my life.

There is so much to value in this world, but as a follower of Jesus Christ my priorities must be different.  For one who is saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ, I can adopt God's value system.  When I do, I'll discover the true wealth that is found in His wisdom, that godly understanding and prudence existed before anything else was created and thus is the foundation of all things, and that the full life and favor of God I need comes from holding His knowledge and insight as dear.  When I treasure godly wisdom, I'll discover God's best for me.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to look for His wisdom throughout each moment.

When do I value worldly treasures more than I do insight for godly living?

How do I scorn biblical understanding as less than important as compared to success or financial security?

Seemingly Sweet, Deceptively Bitter

"My son, pay attention to my wisdom,

turn your ear to my words of insight,

that you may maintain discretion

and your lips may preserve knowledge.

For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,

and her speech is smoother than oil;

but in the end she is bitter as gall,

sharp as a double-edged sword."

Proverbs 5:1-4

Solomon is warning his sons of the dangers of adultery, the allure of the other woman, the danger in straying.  While his caution is timely and powerful, there is more that I can glean from his godly advice.  In my own life, there is much that lures my flesh away from the path that leads to life.  Therefore, I am wise to heed this important advice.

Keep Discretion.  It's easy to go with the flow in order to keep the peace.  The world all around me is headed in the wrong direction and it is tempting for me to join in, to adopt politically correct beliefs, to compromise under the guise of "love."  To do so, however, does nothing to win the soul of the lost.  Instead, I end up falling victim to the lies and lose my saltiness (Matthew 5:13-16).

Therefore, it is important that I guard the godly knowledge I have attained, constantly honing my understanding of the Gospel and applying the truth of God's Word to every belief and worldview I encounter.  Instead of just swallowing messages I hear, I must chew them up, searching for the flavor I have come to recognize as the truth.  If I can't taste it, if it doesn't line up with Scripture, if it makes sense to my mind but raises red flags in my spirit, I would be wise to turn away and reject such messages.  It's time I stick to what is right.  

I am wise to heed the advice of Solomon to keep discretion in all my ways.

Cultivate Appreciation.  I live in a world where I am encouraged to strive for more, to look for ways to conserve time so I can benefit later, to scrimp today so I can splurge tomorrow.  While this may seem wise on the surface, the result tends to be a spirit of discontent.  When I'm always wanting more, focused on saving now for later, scurrying around so I can have some extra time at the end of the day, I fail to appreciate what I do have.  In order to have more later, I am not present now.  I'm so future-focused that I miss opportunities to connect with those I come into contact with as I'm rushing around, neglecting what I have in this very moment while I'm reaching further, higher and beyond.  

Therefore, it is important that I cultivate an appreciation for what God has given me, to pay attention to what is happening in the here and now.  In the words of Jim Elliot, "Wherever you are, be all there!"  It's easy to be so distracted by tomorrow that I miss out on today.  Whatever God has blessed me with in this moment, then, I can choose to treasure it.  The idea that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence tends to deceive me into thinking my own yard has no value.  It's time to be grateful for what is in my midst.

I am wise to heed the advice of Solomon and cultivate an appreciation for what I've been given (Proverbs 5:15).

Avoid Temptation.  As I go on my daily walk, there is a corner where my dogs catch a scent that captures their attention.  Each time we reach this part of our route, they use every tactic they know to pull us over to that enticing spot so they can add their scent to the collection.  Since we know this is such a temptation for them, we do what we can to avoid that place, making a wide berth around the tempting spot and picking up the pace as we go around that corner.  It's the same with me.   There are some areas in my life that are strongly alluring to me, that trip me up every time, that are too strong of an attraction for me to resist.

Therefore, it is important that I avoid temptation, making it as easy as possible to stay true to Jesus and to stick to the race He has marked out for me to run (Hebrews 12:1).  Instead of testing my resolve by exposing myself to that which easily lures me away, I would be wise to stay away from what is hard for me to resist.  It could be sensual entertainment, ungodly company, or obsessive pastimes.  Whatever it is that draws me away from my First Love, it is important that I stay far away in order to minimize the temptations I often face.  It's time to actively work to keep my life pure (1 Peter 1:13-16).

I am wise to heed the advice of Solomon and avoid the temptation that will lure me away from God's best for me (Proverbs 5:7-8).

There is much wisdom found in God's Word.  If I am to be considered as wise, I must realize the things that are seemingly sweet in my life may turn out to be deceptively bitter.  Therefore, it's important that I heed the warnings of Solomon and maintain a discerning mindset, nurture a grateful spirit for what God has blessed me with, and to keep far away from that which seduces me away from the narrow path.  These are the words of wisdom to which I choose to pay attention.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to guard the knowledge He has given me, turning away from what doesn't line up with His Word.

How do I compromise what I know is the Truth in an effort to appease those with differing beliefs?

In what ways do I deny the Truth to those who are lost and in desperate need of Jesus?

Influence of the Heart

"My son, do not forget my teaching,

but keep my commands in your heart,

for they will prolong your life many years

and bring you peace and prosperity."

Proverbs 3:1-2

Its easy to think its my mind that most influences me for God, that guides me to His ways.  But in reality, its the heart that matters most (Proverbs 4:23,Psalm 139:23).

Treasure.  If it's success, my focus will be on climbing up the ladder.  If it's financial security, my attentions will be directed toward making sound investment decisions.  If it's relational, I'll spend my time building close bonds.  If it's health, my heart will be inspired to do all I can to preserve my body.  Whatever it is that I deem as valuable will drive my life.  And along with this drive will come the expectation that the thing I'm holding up as my treasure will bring satisfaction, meaning and fulfillment.  Until success never comes, the stock market crashes, the love of my life leaves and cancer ravages my body.  Now what?  I think.  What is the purpose of my life?  Now that my treasure is gone, where do I go from here?

As Jesus said, ". . .where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)  The only secure investments of my passion and attention are the heavenly ones, so I would be wise to focus on the spiritual things of God, making it my goal to know Him more each day.  If I were to pray that He open the eyes of my heart, I would begin to see things more as He does, and find what is of eternal value that is worth pinning my devotion to (Ephesians 1:18).

I would be wise to pay attention to what I treasure, and learn to value heavenly things above all.

Desire.  "My heart is just not in it."  How many times in my life have I said this?  Too many times to count.  I do things out of obligation, but I'm not really into it.  I dot all the i's and cross all the t's but there is no joy in doing a good job.  I spend my time crossing things off my to-do-list, but I wonder what I've really accomplished.

I have come to this conclusion:  if my heart is in it, I'm all in.  If I'm somehow disconnected, it won't last.  It reminds me of the years I devoted to homeschooling.  Many people who were considering taking the plunge asked me for advice and I always said the same thing, "Make sure you have a calling to homeschool.  If you don't, when the going gets rough, and it will get rough, you will not have the commitment to see it through."  In other words, if your heart is not in it, it will not last.

The same is true with anything.  I have to ask myself, what is it that I want out of this?  Is it all about quenching some personal, fleshly thirst, or is it from God?  Is this what I want, or is it what God wants?  Does this line up with God's best for me, or am I settling for something less?

I would be wise to pay attention to my desires, and let God change my aspirations to line up with His.

Yield.  For years I agreed with the Gospel, but I didn't surrender control of my life to Jesus.  I knew that I was saved but I failed to trust Jesus as Lord.  I wanted eternal life but didn't want to give up control.  It took many years before I yielded to Jesus, letting Him have His way in my life.  Up until then I was what is called a "carnal Christian," looking just like the rest of the world in the way I live my life and the values that I hold yet identifying myself as a believer of Jesus.  

It's in the heart that I either resist God's attempts at transforming me from the inside out, or I cooperate (Romans 12:2).  I can learn all I want about God, but until I give my heart to Him, trusting Him wholeheartedly, it will never go deeper than the superficial (Proverbs 3:5-6).   If I'm always striving for what I want and never give up and let Him lead me toward what He wants, I'll never find contentment and peace (Psalm 46:10).  It's in the heart that I either yield to Him or resist Him.

I would be wise to let God have His way in my life, yielding my heart to Him.

I spend a lot of time focusing on knowledge and wisdom, but it is in the heart where my faith is really determined. Therefore, it is important that I cultivate a heart that is dedicated to God, treasuring the heavenly, desiring the godly, and yielding to Him.  When I do, I will realize the influence of the heart as my life song sings for the glory of God!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to yield to His loving hand of discipline and guidance.

When do I resist Him?

How do I neglect my heart, thinking it is what I know that most influences the direction of my life?

   

Swimming Upstream

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,

set your hearts on things above,

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:1-3

I awoke with the memory of a strange, disjointed dream plaguing my mind.  As I lay in bed, allowing myself to become fully awake, my thoughts turned to things I needed to do, then to people I needed to see and what I should say when I see them.  Trivial things.  A still small Voice beckoned me but my thoughts distracted from His call.

As a child of God, I belong with Him in my heavenly home, but I temporarily live down here in the world.   The good news is that I am still able to enjoy a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  The bad news is that I am encircled by all sorts of things that distract my heart and mind from Him. 

Herein lies the struggle of every follower of Christ; how to live in the world yet keep focused on my Savior.

My Heart

Jesus teaches that, “Where (my) treasure is, there (my) heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)  There are many things I treasure on this earth: my marriage, my family, my friendships, my hobbies, my pets, my writing to name a few.  If I ask myself if I treasure my relationship with Jesus, I hesitate.  Yes, He is important to me.  Yes, I value His redemptive work on the cross.  Yes, my life depends on Him.  But do I treasure Him and my bond to Him?

Sometimes I’m afraid my attitude is more of a casual friend who comes and goes instead of a devoted disciple whose very existence depends on His grace.  Maybe I’m too cavalier in my position as His follower.  If I truly treasured Him, wouldn’t my heart be inclined toward Him at all times?  Wouldn’t I wake up desiring nothing more than to converse with My Savior?

If Christ is my greatest treasure, then the world and all it’s distractions and influences will fade away and my heart will dwell with Him.

My Mind

The greatest battlefield in my walk with Christ resides in my mind.  My thoughts consistently fall to insignificant yet urgent tasks to be done, problems to be worked out or past events to be analyzed.  I am highly distracted from the heavenly by the earthly!

Isaiah recorded a praise in chapter 26 verses 3 and 4 that shows the importance of keeping my mind on the Lord.  He sang praises to God, saying, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” 

A steadfast mind is one which does not waver or falter, but is persistently trained on God.  And a mind concentrated on the Lord is showing faith in Him.  It follows, then, that when I am distracted from keeping my mind on things above, I am not trusting God with my life.  Instead, I am trusting myself and have become my own savior.

If I make the effort to direct my attention toward God in my thoughts, the battle in my mind will be won.  I must remember, however, that this is an ongoing battle.  I cannot let my guard down, but must constantly train like an athlete in controlling my thought life. 

I am Dead

Without Christ as my Savior, my life belongs to me.  But since I have professed Him as my Lord, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)   As a follower of Christ, all claims I have to myself are to be surrendered to Him.

The thing is, there are many things to which I cling.  I desire to be in control, dictating my own plans.  I prefer to work out my own problems instead of turning to God first in all things.  I want to take credit for all the good things that happen, choosing to mark it up to my own hard work instead of the grace of the One who created me and keeps all things flowing.

If I surrender each desire as it hits me, Christ will be the one who is seen by those around me and God will be glorified.

Following Christ is hard work.  I cannot float along, letting the current take me wherever it goes.  Instead, I must sturdily paddle upstream toward Jesus, treasuring Him, waging war in the battlefield of my mind, and constantly turning over my natural inclinations so that He can reign in my life.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that this day, I will treasure Jesus.

How do I put other things or people above Jesus?

What area of my thought life demands the most attention?

Treasure

"For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19 

"Okay, let me get this straight.  You want me to turn off your satellite TV service, but you are not dissatisfied with the product and you're not trying to save money, but you simply don't want it any more?  Are you sure I can't offer you a lower rate with less channels?"

This is how the conversation went with the customer service representative of our former satellite TV provider.  He would not let me go without giving us a 6 month temporary suspension so I could easily restate our service once we realized we couldn't live without TV. He just couldn't fathom how we would be able to survive!  Well, it's been over a year and I have yet to make that phone call.

Confessions of a TVaholic  I would have never called myself an addict, but once we got rid of the satellite dish, I realized that I had been hooked on TV.  It took up alot of my time and determined our family schedule each evening.  "Hurry up and finish dinner because our favorite show is on in 5 minutes."  I rationalized that we were spending time together as a family, but what kind of quality time is spent watching mostly mindless entertainment?  Or I'd think, I'll just watch the news while I'm getting ready.  Fine, until I got to the point where I couldn't stand being in a quiet room with only my thoughts and God!  TV has always been important to me, so when God challenged me to let it go, it took faith. . and time to get used to the idea!  Now that I've done without, I can clearly see that I prized that small screen.  If I want to know what I treasure, all I need to do is take note of how I spend my time, and my money.

Time  When Paul wrote to the believers in Colosse, he told them that his goal, ". . . is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  True treasure comes from God in the form of wisdom and knowledge through faith in Jesus.  How do I show that I value my relationship with God?  Many times I would much rather be entertained than be challenged intellectually and spiritually with life-changing scripture study.  Spending time with God in His Word will unlock the mysteries of Him and His kingdom, but it takes time and effort.  I have never experienced such fulfillment than when I have taken the time to spend with my Father.  It sure beats an hour or two of mindless television programming!

Money  It's easy to fritter away my money, spending it on a pack of gum here, or a magazine there.  But are these things really needed, or could my money be better invested in God's Kingdom?  There are many Christian organizations whose missions are to provide needed items and the message of the Gospel to a suffering world.  If I say that I care about those who are suffering, but would rather spend my money on things that would increase my comfort, do I really care?  It is my challenge to spend my money in ways that show I love my neighbor as myself, not so that I can make myself look good, but so that I can glorify God through my finances.  When Jesus sent the twelve out to the lost sheep of Israel, He instructed them to tell the people that the Kingdom of Heaven has come near, to heal, raise the dead and cast out demons, but also that, "Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8b)  I am called to be willing to let go of what God has generously given to me in order to benefit others.

Christmas  This is a challenge during the Christmas season.  So much of what I do and spend at this time of year is based on fulfilling the American image of Christmas.  What if I spent more time focusing on other's needs instead of my own?  Who is alone this Christmas and could use a little time with a family?  Do the people on my list really need another book/sweater/gadget, or could that money be better spent helping someone with real needs?

Don't Just Talk About It  "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." (I John 3:16-18)  It is often said that actions speak louder than words.  Jesus gave his very life, thus revealing what He treasured: restoring my relationship with my Father.   Do I treasure this as much?

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will treasure my relationship with God.

On what do I place higher value than I place on my Father?

How do I cheapen my relationship with God in the way that I spend my time and money?