1 Kings 18:43: "Go again seven times."
Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when His people are earnest in a matter which concerns His glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God, and never for a moment gave way to a fear that he should be non-suited in Jehovah's courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but "Go again." We must not dream of unbelief, but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel's brow, and if nothing is beheld, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not abashed: her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly blows are thus struck at our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are cleansed. The great danger is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing. Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and even so with you, the token for good shall surely be given, and you shall rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of like passions with us: his power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
What the Bible says about faith, pt. 5
THE POWER OF THE TONGUE
Many in the Positive Confession movement point to Proverbs 18:21, to prove the power of the tongue, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” They teach that negative confessions can result in illness, disease, and even death and that positive confessions can bring health, prosperity, and life. But is this really what this passage of scripture is saying?
When I was a child, a popular phrase was, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me.” How wrong we were. We now know that words can hurt. They can discourage and even cripple a person emotionally. With our words we can build each other up. With our words we can tear each other down. Paul warned the believers in Galatia, “…if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:15).
The book of James declares the destructive power of the tongue, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” (James 3:6-12).
“…and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Many a fellowship that has been the victim of a gossip have seen just how destructive the tongue can be. Churches have been split over the words of some. Many a pastor has left the ministry because of the cruel words of some. Many a work of God has been destroyed because of cruel, selfish words. Clearly the tongue has the power to destroy. However, the opposite is also true. How wonderful it is when a body of believers build up each other with encouraging words of life. How exciting it is when people come into a fellowship and find words of encouragement.
Many in the Positive Confession movement declare that there is power in the Name of Jesus. They are correct. However, the power is not in the Name, but rather, in whom the Name represents. The power in the Name of Jesus comes from acting according to the power and authority of Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:12 declares, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The salvation provided in the Name of Jesus is because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, His death for our sins. Only when a person accepts the sacrificial work of Christ on our behalf can he experience the power that is in the Name of Jesus Christ. Many use His name today in a vain and blasphemous manner. However, they have no benefit from using the Name of Jesus because they have not received His work on their behalf, and they will answer for how they use the Name of Jesus.
As we said earlier, the concept of words containing power has it’s origins in the occult and not in Christianity. Our emphasis is to be upon God and His power to answer our prayers according to His will. To have to weigh every word and thought is not freedom and prosperity, but rather, it is to live in fear and bondage.
A RETURN TO BIBLICAL FAITH
Faith is a simple matter. We either chose to believe God or we don’t. In exercising faith, we are believing God; taking Him at His word, no matter what the circumstance or outcome. Faith is only as good as the object it is placed in and our faith is always well placed when it is placed in God. Faith is never a feeling we “work up,” nor is faith believing in something that we hope to come true. Faith is our assurance that God will do what He has said. Faith is the inward conviction and necessary response of the believer in response to what God has revealed in His word.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith believes that “He is,” that he exists and that He alone is the power behind the Christian life. Faith diligently seeks Him and as a result, experiences the reward of diligently seeking Him, a life lived in fellowship with Him both now and forever.
Many in the Positive Confession movement point to Proverbs 18:21, to prove the power of the tongue, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” They teach that negative confessions can result in illness, disease, and even death and that positive confessions can bring health, prosperity, and life. But is this really what this passage of scripture is saying?
When I was a child, a popular phrase was, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me.” How wrong we were. We now know that words can hurt. They can discourage and even cripple a person emotionally. With our words we can build each other up. With our words we can tear each other down. Paul warned the believers in Galatia, “…if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:15).
The book of James declares the destructive power of the tongue, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” (James 3:6-12).
“…and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Many a fellowship that has been the victim of a gossip have seen just how destructive the tongue can be. Churches have been split over the words of some. Many a pastor has left the ministry because of the cruel words of some. Many a work of God has been destroyed because of cruel, selfish words. Clearly the tongue has the power to destroy. However, the opposite is also true. How wonderful it is when a body of believers build up each other with encouraging words of life. How exciting it is when people come into a fellowship and find words of encouragement.
Many in the Positive Confession movement declare that there is power in the Name of Jesus. They are correct. However, the power is not in the Name, but rather, in whom the Name represents. The power in the Name of Jesus comes from acting according to the power and authority of Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:12 declares, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The salvation provided in the Name of Jesus is because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, His death for our sins. Only when a person accepts the sacrificial work of Christ on our behalf can he experience the power that is in the Name of Jesus Christ. Many use His name today in a vain and blasphemous manner. However, they have no benefit from using the Name of Jesus because they have not received His work on their behalf, and they will answer for how they use the Name of Jesus.
As we said earlier, the concept of words containing power has it’s origins in the occult and not in Christianity. Our emphasis is to be upon God and His power to answer our prayers according to His will. To have to weigh every word and thought is not freedom and prosperity, but rather, it is to live in fear and bondage.
A RETURN TO BIBLICAL FAITH
Faith is a simple matter. We either chose to believe God or we don’t. In exercising faith, we are believing God; taking Him at His word, no matter what the circumstance or outcome. Faith is only as good as the object it is placed in and our faith is always well placed when it is placed in God. Faith is never a feeling we “work up,” nor is faith believing in something that we hope to come true. Faith is our assurance that God will do what He has said. Faith is the inward conviction and necessary response of the believer in response to what God has revealed in His word.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith believes that “He is,” that he exists and that He alone is the power behind the Christian life. Faith diligently seeks Him and as a result, experiences the reward of diligently seeking Him, a life lived in fellowship with Him both now and forever.
What the Bible says about faith, pt. 4
FAITH IN FAITH? OR FAITH IN GOD?
The mistake many in the Positive Confession movement make today is to place their faith in faith. They declare that faith is a force and that words are the containers of that force of faith. So, if you speak forth in faith, the force of faith is released in your life. It is further declared that God used this force of faith when He spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1).
Those that propagate this teaching point to Hebrews 11:1 as proof of faith as a force: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The declare that faith is a tangible substance, the material from which God made the worlds. However, “substance” is properly defined as confidence assurance. The assurance we have in faith is the knowledge that God’s purposes and promise will never fail, even if we do not experience answers in our lifetimes. The confidence we have is that, “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
To validate their declaration of your confession releasing the force of faith in your life these often refer to Mark 11:23-24: “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” “See,” they declare, “you shall have whatever you say (or confess).”
Their emphasis is upon words. You must be careful what you confess. To confess negatively is to being down upon yourself something negative. If you declare that you don’t feel good today, you won’t feel good, because you will have what you say. If you declare that you feel good, even if you don’t, eventually you will feel good because you will have what you say. This is tragic. How terrible to live life having to weigh every word and thought. To live this way, is not freedom and prosperity, but rather, it is to live in fear and bondage to the things you confess.
The concept of words containing power has it’s origins in the occult and not in Christianity. The word “occult” is defined as hidden, and when we believe that words have hidden powers in and of themselves we are identifying with the occult and not with what the Word of God teaches.
One mistake that is made by those who use these verses to validate their declaration of your confession releasing the force of faith in your life is the failure to consider verse 22, “…Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22). Jesus said that the faith of the believer was to be in God, not in his words or in his confession. Never in the scripture are we told to exercise faith in anyone or anything other than God.
Many in the Positive Confession movement declare that God used the force of faith to speak the world into existence. The Bible does indeed declare that the world was framed by the word of God, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3). His words convey His power. There is power in His words because He is God.
How has God spoken? “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…” (Hebrews 1:1-2). God has spoken to man in visions and in dreams. With Moses He spoke face to face (Numbers 12:6-8). He has spoken through angels, prophets and teachers. He has even spoken to us through his Son. Today, God speaks through the Holy Spirit, as in Acts 13:2, “…the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’" (He spoke through the prophets who were in attendance). In every case (except with Moses) God spoke either through angelic agents or through human agents. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in our hearts, in circumstance, through others, and through the Word of God, the Bible. “…His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (II Peter 1:3-4).
God indeed spoke the worlds into existence. However, the point of this verse is that only through faith can we understand (truly know and comprehend) that God created the worlds.
Many in the Positive Confession movement point to Romans 4:17, “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”, declaring since God calls those things which do not exist as though they did, through Positive Confession we can do the same. However, we must consider the context. It is God alone who gives life to the dead; it is God alone who calls those things which do not exist as though they did. We do not have the authority or power to do so. This power is reserved for God alone. The context of the passage is that God called Abraham the father of many nations even though at the time he was without a child. God did this because He knew He would provide this child and that He would produce life out of death. Both Abraham and Sarah were physically unable to bear children, yet God in His power enabled them to do so, “…who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
The mistake many in the Positive Confession movement make today is to place their faith in faith. They declare that faith is a force and that words are the containers of that force of faith. So, if you speak forth in faith, the force of faith is released in your life. It is further declared that God used this force of faith when He spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1).
Those that propagate this teaching point to Hebrews 11:1 as proof of faith as a force: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The declare that faith is a tangible substance, the material from which God made the worlds. However, “substance” is properly defined as confidence assurance. The assurance we have in faith is the knowledge that God’s purposes and promise will never fail, even if we do not experience answers in our lifetimes. The confidence we have is that, “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
To validate their declaration of your confession releasing the force of faith in your life these often refer to Mark 11:23-24: “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” “See,” they declare, “you shall have whatever you say (or confess).”
Their emphasis is upon words. You must be careful what you confess. To confess negatively is to being down upon yourself something negative. If you declare that you don’t feel good today, you won’t feel good, because you will have what you say. If you declare that you feel good, even if you don’t, eventually you will feel good because you will have what you say. This is tragic. How terrible to live life having to weigh every word and thought. To live this way, is not freedom and prosperity, but rather, it is to live in fear and bondage to the things you confess.
The concept of words containing power has it’s origins in the occult and not in Christianity. The word “occult” is defined as hidden, and when we believe that words have hidden powers in and of themselves we are identifying with the occult and not with what the Word of God teaches.
One mistake that is made by those who use these verses to validate their declaration of your confession releasing the force of faith in your life is the failure to consider verse 22, “…Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22). Jesus said that the faith of the believer was to be in God, not in his words or in his confession. Never in the scripture are we told to exercise faith in anyone or anything other than God.
Many in the Positive Confession movement declare that God used the force of faith to speak the world into existence. The Bible does indeed declare that the world was framed by the word of God, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3). His words convey His power. There is power in His words because He is God.
How has God spoken? “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…” (Hebrews 1:1-2). God has spoken to man in visions and in dreams. With Moses He spoke face to face (Numbers 12:6-8). He has spoken through angels, prophets and teachers. He has even spoken to us through his Son. Today, God speaks through the Holy Spirit, as in Acts 13:2, “…the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’" (He spoke through the prophets who were in attendance). In every case (except with Moses) God spoke either through angelic agents or through human agents. The Holy Spirit speaks to us in our hearts, in circumstance, through others, and through the Word of God, the Bible. “…His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (II Peter 1:3-4).
God indeed spoke the worlds into existence. However, the point of this verse is that only through faith can we understand (truly know and comprehend) that God created the worlds.
Many in the Positive Confession movement point to Romans 4:17, “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”, declaring since God calls those things which do not exist as though they did, through Positive Confession we can do the same. However, we must consider the context. It is God alone who gives life to the dead; it is God alone who calls those things which do not exist as though they did. We do not have the authority or power to do so. This power is reserved for God alone. The context of the passage is that God called Abraham the father of many nations even though at the time he was without a child. God did this because He knew He would provide this child and that He would produce life out of death. Both Abraham and Sarah were physically unable to bear children, yet God in His power enabled them to do so, “…who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
What the Bible says about faith, pt. 3
A QUALIFIER IN PRAYER
Many mistakenly believe that they will receive anything the want in prayer simply because they ask for it. However, the Bible places a qualifier upon the prayers of believers. In Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed, “…not My will, but Yours, be done." In Matthew 6:10, Jesus taught us to pray “Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” Here in I John 5:14, John declares, “…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” And in Philippians 2:13, Paul declares, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Clearly, our prayers are to be according to the will of God. There are those teachers that declare that this qualifier is not for today, and to pray this way is a weakness upon the part of the believer. Chuck Smith writes in his book, Answers for Today, pg. 22: “’According to His will’ keeps a proper perspective between God and me. Any other way would remove the authority of God over my life. It would mean that I was the master of my fate, the captain of my destiny. My life wouldn’t be governed by God; instead it would be governed by me.”
Our salvation is dependent upon us agreeing with the will of God, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). What is the will of The Father? That we believe upon Him whom He has sent, Jesus Christ.
And, it is not God’s will that anyone miss out on the salvation that He has provided in Christ, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9; also see I Timothy 2:4).
How thankful I am that God has not answered all my prayers. (In reality He has, by answering no). Many were selfish and self centered. Many were offered in ignorance, because I did not have a clear picture. Many were misguided because I thought I knew best. The will of God for our lives is the absolute best for our lives. He sees and understands not only the here and now, but also what is coming down the road. We are nearsighted; we only see what is near. God sees the whole picture, near and far. How foolish it is for us to think that we know what is best for our lives. God always has our best interests at heart even when it seems to us otherwise. This knowledge give us great confidence as we deal with the circumstances and situations of this life.
We can see from scripture that the will of God for our lives is a wonderful thing. As a result, our prayers should, in faith, seek the will of God for our lives no matter what the outcome. Remember, “…it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
The results of asking according to His will is that , “…He hears us.” God hearing our prayer is not dependent upon our ability to communicate or articulate the right words. Nor is His hearing dependent upon the length of our prayers. (Consider Matthew 6:7, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words”).
If I must ask according to His will, how do I know what His will is? First, don’t let doubt keep you from praying. Even Paul expressed that we don’t always know how to pray as we should (Romans 8:26). Second, express your desires, than ask Jesus to qualify them with “…your will be done.” Third, search the scriptures for God will always make known His will through His word, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2). If we will take the time to know the will of God, then we can pray with confidence while we wait for Him to provide the answer.
Many mistakenly believe that they will receive anything the want in prayer simply because they ask for it. However, the Bible places a qualifier upon the prayers of believers. In Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed, “…not My will, but Yours, be done." In Matthew 6:10, Jesus taught us to pray “Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” Here in I John 5:14, John declares, “…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” And in Philippians 2:13, Paul declares, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Clearly, our prayers are to be according to the will of God. There are those teachers that declare that this qualifier is not for today, and to pray this way is a weakness upon the part of the believer. Chuck Smith writes in his book, Answers for Today, pg. 22: “’According to His will’ keeps a proper perspective between God and me. Any other way would remove the authority of God over my life. It would mean that I was the master of my fate, the captain of my destiny. My life wouldn’t be governed by God; instead it would be governed by me.”
Our salvation is dependent upon us agreeing with the will of God, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). What is the will of The Father? That we believe upon Him whom He has sent, Jesus Christ.
And, it is not God’s will that anyone miss out on the salvation that He has provided in Christ, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9; also see I Timothy 2:4).
How thankful I am that God has not answered all my prayers. (In reality He has, by answering no). Many were selfish and self centered. Many were offered in ignorance, because I did not have a clear picture. Many were misguided because I thought I knew best. The will of God for our lives is the absolute best for our lives. He sees and understands not only the here and now, but also what is coming down the road. We are nearsighted; we only see what is near. God sees the whole picture, near and far. How foolish it is for us to think that we know what is best for our lives. God always has our best interests at heart even when it seems to us otherwise. This knowledge give us great confidence as we deal with the circumstances and situations of this life.
We can see from scripture that the will of God for our lives is a wonderful thing. As a result, our prayers should, in faith, seek the will of God for our lives no matter what the outcome. Remember, “…it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
The results of asking according to His will is that , “…He hears us.” God hearing our prayer is not dependent upon our ability to communicate or articulate the right words. Nor is His hearing dependent upon the length of our prayers. (Consider Matthew 6:7, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words”).
If I must ask according to His will, how do I know what His will is? First, don’t let doubt keep you from praying. Even Paul expressed that we don’t always know how to pray as we should (Romans 8:26). Second, express your desires, than ask Jesus to qualify them with “…your will be done.” Third, search the scriptures for God will always make known His will through His word, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2). If we will take the time to know the will of God, then we can pray with confidence while we wait for Him to provide the answer.
What the Bible says about faith, pt. 2
THE BELIEVER’S CONFIDENCE
The Apostle John, in I John 5:14, declares for us the believers confidence in prayer: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
Confidence is the Greek word parrhesia (par-rhay-see'-ah). It is a compound Greek word from two Greek words; pas, all, rhesis, speech. It is defined as the absence of fear in speaking boldly, hence, confidence, cheerful courage, boldness. I am grateful that I can come before my Heavenly Father with an absolute lack of fear; that I can boldly (with reverence and respect) declare to Him my requests as well as requests for others. I find it difficult to imagine God other wise. The scriptures declare that believers have been adopted as sons. As a son, I have no fear in coming before my Heavenly Father. In fact, even when I need His mercy, I am told to, “…come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).
Someone once said that this confidence is an absolute lack of reserve that marks true friendship. We can come before our Father and tell Him anything. He will never condemn us; He will never think less of us; He will never make fun of us; He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
This confidence we have is towards God. If we do not know the right words to say, or if we say something incorrectly or wrong, we can still expect Him to hear us and to answer our prayers. Our emphasis is never to be upon what we say or how we say it. In fact, sometimes we do not even know how to pray. It is at times like that that we depend upon the Holy Spirit’s intercession for us, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27). Our confidence is always to be “in Him.” Never is our confidence to be in our words. Our faith is always to be placed in Him and in His ability to answer our requests.
Ask is from the Greek word aiteo (ahee-teh'-o). It is defined as, to ask, and frequently suggests the attitude of a suppliant, the petition of one who is lesser in position than he to whom the petition is made. Our attitude in prayer is one of dependence; dependence upon God and His power to accomplish what we are asking. Never in scripture are we told to depend upon ourselves or our words.
The Apostle John, in I John 5:14, declares for us the believers confidence in prayer: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
Confidence is the Greek word parrhesia (par-rhay-see'-ah). It is a compound Greek word from two Greek words; pas, all, rhesis, speech. It is defined as the absence of fear in speaking boldly, hence, confidence, cheerful courage, boldness. I am grateful that I can come before my Heavenly Father with an absolute lack of fear; that I can boldly (with reverence and respect) declare to Him my requests as well as requests for others. I find it difficult to imagine God other wise. The scriptures declare that believers have been adopted as sons. As a son, I have no fear in coming before my Heavenly Father. In fact, even when I need His mercy, I am told to, “…come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).
Someone once said that this confidence is an absolute lack of reserve that marks true friendship. We can come before our Father and tell Him anything. He will never condemn us; He will never think less of us; He will never make fun of us; He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
This confidence we have is towards God. If we do not know the right words to say, or if we say something incorrectly or wrong, we can still expect Him to hear us and to answer our prayers. Our emphasis is never to be upon what we say or how we say it. In fact, sometimes we do not even know how to pray. It is at times like that that we depend upon the Holy Spirit’s intercession for us, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27). Our confidence is always to be “in Him.” Never is our confidence to be in our words. Our faith is always to be placed in Him and in His ability to answer our requests.
Ask is from the Greek word aiteo (ahee-teh'-o). It is defined as, to ask, and frequently suggests the attitude of a suppliant, the petition of one who is lesser in position than he to whom the petition is made. Our attitude in prayer is one of dependence; dependence upon God and His power to accomplish what we are asking. Never in scripture are we told to depend upon ourselves or our words.
What the Bible says about faith, pt. 1
INTRODUCTION
Faith as used in the Bible is the Greek word, pistis (pis'-tis), and is defined as, “firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing.” It is always used in the New Testament of faith in God or Christ, or things spiritual.
There have arisen teachers, however, that deny this orthodox definition of faith. They teach that faith is a force, with a positive and negative side, and that words are the containers of this force of faith. They teach that your confession, whether positive or negative, shapes your world and determines, among other things, your physical health and even your material wealth; all is dependent upon your use of the force of faith. This is often referred to as “Positive Confession.”
Is faith a force for us to use to manipulate our circumstance or situation? Or is faith contingent upon the object it is placed in, namely for the Christian, faith in God? In this paper we shall examine the true place of faith.
Faith as used in the Bible is the Greek word, pistis (pis'-tis), and is defined as, “firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing.” It is always used in the New Testament of faith in God or Christ, or things spiritual.
There have arisen teachers, however, that deny this orthodox definition of faith. They teach that faith is a force, with a positive and negative side, and that words are the containers of this force of faith. They teach that your confession, whether positive or negative, shapes your world and determines, among other things, your physical health and even your material wealth; all is dependent upon your use of the force of faith. This is often referred to as “Positive Confession.”
Is faith a force for us to use to manipulate our circumstance or situation? Or is faith contingent upon the object it is placed in, namely for the Christian, faith in God? In this paper we shall examine the true place of faith.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Prayer Friday
Please pray for the following:
Carolyn, cancer
Carol, cancer
Jimmy, cancer
Sherri, lost her aunt to cancer (her aunt's salvation is unknown)
Rachel, moving, last minute details, stress
Maryb, peace and safety
Our nation, as God is allowing us to fail so that we will turn back to Him
Our troops, in Iraq as well as Afghanistan
Barack Obamma, John McCain, Congress, President Bush
Please pray for the following men in the ministry:
Steve Brown, finances
Bill Walden
Jon Clayton
AEA
Bill Holdridge, new church
Jim Bomkamp, both he and his wife need jobs
Reuben Mills
Ryan Couch
Okie Preacher, new work in Choctaw, Oklahoma
Carolyn, cancer
Carol, cancer
Jimmy, cancer
Sherri, lost her aunt to cancer (her aunt's salvation is unknown)
Rachel, moving, last minute details, stress
Maryb, peace and safety
Our nation, as God is allowing us to fail so that we will turn back to Him
Our troops, in Iraq as well as Afghanistan
Barack Obamma, John McCain, Congress, President Bush
Please pray for the following men in the ministry:
Steve Brown, finances
Bill Walden
Jon Clayton
AEA
Bill Holdridge, new church
Jim Bomkamp, both he and his wife need jobs
Reuben Mills
Ryan Couch
Okie Preacher, new work in Choctaw, Oklahoma
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Saturday Spurgeon
"I will rejoice over them to do them good."
Jeremiah 32:41
How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in His saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened; conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God's people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us. We do not read anywhere that God delighteth in the cloud-capped mountains, or the sparkling stars, but we do read that He delighteth in the habitable parts of the earth, and that His delights are with the sons of men. We do not find it written that even angels give His soul delight; nor doth He say, concerning cherubim and seraphim, "Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee"; but He does say all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves, debased and depraved by sin, but saved, exalted, and glorified by His grace. In what strong language He expresses His delight in His people! Who could have conceived of the eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, "He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." As He looked upon the world He had made, He said, "It is very good"; but when He beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus' blood, His own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should not we utter our grateful response to such a marvellous declaration of His love, and sing, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation?"
Jeremiah 32:41
How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in His saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened; conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God's people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us. We do not read anywhere that God delighteth in the cloud-capped mountains, or the sparkling stars, but we do read that He delighteth in the habitable parts of the earth, and that His delights are with the sons of men. We do not find it written that even angels give His soul delight; nor doth He say, concerning cherubim and seraphim, "Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee"; but He does say all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves, debased and depraved by sin, but saved, exalted, and glorified by His grace. In what strong language He expresses His delight in His people! Who could have conceived of the eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, "He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." As He looked upon the world He had made, He said, "It is very good"; but when He beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus' blood, His own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should not we utter our grateful response to such a marvellous declaration of His love, and sing, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation?"
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Internet Saints
It has been my privilege to meet some wonderful saints in the Lord since I started blogging. You are aware of our trials and you have been right there, praying for us. Our hearts overflow with gladness at your love and care for us. Most of you I will never meet in this life, but how I look forward to meeting you in His Kingdom!
Thank you! I thank God that He has brought you into our lives and forever you will be in our hearts.
Thank you! I thank God that He has brought you into our lives and forever you will be in our hearts.
Pastors...
All you ever hear in the news is about pastors who have blown it. It is sicking, yet that is the mentality of the world. Well, since we have resigned from the church we used to pastor and have started a CC here in Choctaw, Oklahoma, Calvary Chapel pastors have come out of the woodwork to encourage and support us in prayer. some have even offered to send support, although the Lord has provided graciously for us.
You guys are the best; my heart overflows with gladness every time I get a phone call or an email. Truly, in the midst of something Satan could of used to destroy, you have been there for us. Those of you who attend these churches know who you are and you know that really, we could expect nothing less from your pastor. Pray for him; support him; give him a great big hug for us. You are blessed to have these men over you; love them in word and in deed, for you are indeed privileged to have them serving Jesus by serving you.
Paul's' words reflect my heart towards you all: "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:3-11).
You guys are the best; my heart overflows with gladness every time I get a phone call or an email. Truly, in the midst of something Satan could of used to destroy, you have been there for us. Those of you who attend these churches know who you are and you know that really, we could expect nothing less from your pastor. Pray for him; support him; give him a great big hug for us. You are blessed to have these men over you; love them in word and in deed, for you are indeed privileged to have them serving Jesus by serving you.
Paul's' words reflect my heart towards you all: "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:3-11).
Sunday, September 14, 2008
God is my defender...
Genesis 15:1: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
With this God freed Abram from defending himself. What a wonderful gift God has given us, the freedom from defending ourselves. All too often, men attack us and say things about us that are not true. Their reasons are too many to count. But all too often it is because they seek to harm us. Sad that there are those who are not happy unless they are harming others.
It used to make me mad and seek to "set the record straight;" however, God defends me. Who would dare dispute Him? The obvious answer: Only a fool.
Psalms 62:1-7
"Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.
3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies;
They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God."
With this God freed Abram from defending himself. What a wonderful gift God has given us, the freedom from defending ourselves. All too often, men attack us and say things about us that are not true. Their reasons are too many to count. But all too often it is because they seek to harm us. Sad that there are those who are not happy unless they are harming others.
It used to make me mad and seek to "set the record straight;" however, God defends me. Who would dare dispute Him? The obvious answer: Only a fool.
Psalms 62:1-7
"Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.
3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies;
They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God."
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Nine Men Change America
Be warned, you rulers of the earth! (Psalm 2:10, NLT).
In the mid-20th century, all by themselves, nine men brought a revolutionary change to America. These nine men were the members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
For most of our nation's history, the justices recognized that they were subject to a higher law found in God's Word. The Court viewed law as President Calvin Coolidge did when he declared, "Men do not make laws, they do but discover them. Laws must be justified by something more than the will of the majority. They must rest upon the eternal foundations of righteousness."
But in early 1947, an entirely new agenda gripped the Court. In Everson v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment erected a "wall of separation" between church and state which must be kept "high and impregnable." Astonishingly, the Court cited no precedent from previous rulings. The case was an official betrayal of America's Christian heritage.
In this landmark decision, the Court lifted the words "separation of church and state" totally out of context from a single Thomas Jefferson letter, not even an official document, changed his intent, totally ignored the context of the message, Jefferson's many other words, and the many utterances of other Founding Fathers and all legal precedents, and instituted this radically new concept in law.
Jefferson's letter was to a group of Baptists who were concerned about a rumor that another denomination was about to be made the official national denomination. He wrote to assure them that such would not happen because the First Amendment has erected "a wall of separation between church and state." This, however, was in the context of the entire letter, emphasizing that God's principles would remain in government, but that the government would not run the church.
The words "separation of church and state" do not appear anywhere in the U.S. Constitution or amendments. The First Amendment merely states that the Congress shall make no law that establishes a religion, or prohibits its free exercise. The purpose of the First Amendment was to prevent what the Founding Fathers had experienced in Great Britain: government control by a single denomination. In those days, the word "religion" was synonymous with the phrase "Christian denomination."
The record overwhelmingly proves that our Founding Fathers never intended for biblical influence and principles to be excluded from public life. Such a dramatic spiritual downturn in America began in 1947.
Bill Bright
In the mid-20th century, all by themselves, nine men brought a revolutionary change to America. These nine men were the members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
For most of our nation's history, the justices recognized that they were subject to a higher law found in God's Word. The Court viewed law as President Calvin Coolidge did when he declared, "Men do not make laws, they do but discover them. Laws must be justified by something more than the will of the majority. They must rest upon the eternal foundations of righteousness."
But in early 1947, an entirely new agenda gripped the Court. In Everson v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment erected a "wall of separation" between church and state which must be kept "high and impregnable." Astonishingly, the Court cited no precedent from previous rulings. The case was an official betrayal of America's Christian heritage.
In this landmark decision, the Court lifted the words "separation of church and state" totally out of context from a single Thomas Jefferson letter, not even an official document, changed his intent, totally ignored the context of the message, Jefferson's many other words, and the many utterances of other Founding Fathers and all legal precedents, and instituted this radically new concept in law.
Jefferson's letter was to a group of Baptists who were concerned about a rumor that another denomination was about to be made the official national denomination. He wrote to assure them that such would not happen because the First Amendment has erected "a wall of separation between church and state." This, however, was in the context of the entire letter, emphasizing that God's principles would remain in government, but that the government would not run the church.
The words "separation of church and state" do not appear anywhere in the U.S. Constitution or amendments. The First Amendment merely states that the Congress shall make no law that establishes a religion, or prohibits its free exercise. The purpose of the First Amendment was to prevent what the Founding Fathers had experienced in Great Britain: government control by a single denomination. In those days, the word "religion" was synonymous with the phrase "Christian denomination."
The record overwhelmingly proves that our Founding Fathers never intended for biblical influence and principles to be excluded from public life. Such a dramatic spiritual downturn in America began in 1947.
Bill Bright
Saturday, September 6, 2008
This is from Bill Federer (The American Minute)
"Rome fell SEPTEMBER 4, 476AD. In the century preceding, Rome was overrun with illegal immigrants: Visigoths, Franks, Anglos, Saxons, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, Lombards and Vandals. They first assimilated, many working as servants, but then came so fast they did not learn the Latin Language. Highly trained Roman Legions marched rapidly on advanced roads but were strained fighting conflicts worldwide. Rome had a trade deficit, having outsourced its grain production to North Africa, and when the Vandals captured that area, Rome did not have the resources to retaliate. Attila the Hun committed terrorist attacks. The city of Rome was on welfare with citizens given free bread. One Roman commented: 'Those who live at the expense of the public funds are more numerous than those who provide them.' Tax collectors were 'more terrible than the enemy.' Gladiators had provided violent entertainment in the Coliseum There had been injustice in courts, corrupt government bureaucracies, exposure of unwanted infants, infidelity, perverted bathhouses and sexual immorality as seen in the ruins of Pompeii. 5th-Century historian Salvian wrote: 'O Roman people be ashamed...Let nobody think otherwise, the vices of our bad lives have alone conquered us.'"
Our nation is in danger of the same fate if we do not seek revival in the church with all our hearts. The time for lip service is over - we must return to the Lord with all our hearts, seeking to deny ourselves and seek to know Him and to accomplish His will on the earth by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our nation is in danger of the same fate if we do not seek revival in the church with all our hearts. The time for lip service is over - we must return to the Lord with all our hearts, seeking to deny ourselves and seek to know Him and to accomplish His will on the earth by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Church Plant
We are in the process of planting a Calvary Chapel here in Choctaw, Oklahoma. Currently we are meeting in our home on Sunday mornings (10 am) and Wednesday evenings (7 pm) and have 6 people attending. Anyone who has ever planted a new church knows the work that is ahead of us, yet we know that unless the Lord builds the house, they that labor, labor in vain. Our desire is to see God glorified and His Word proclaimed.
I have assisted in starting churches in the Houston area when we lived in Texas, so the idea of planting a church is not completely foreign to me.
Anyone in the East Oklahoma City area who is interested in attending or assisting, can contact me at: okiepreacher@cox.net for more information.
Please pray for us as we undertake this new work in His Name.
I have assisted in starting churches in the Houston area when we lived in Texas, so the idea of planting a church is not completely foreign to me.
Anyone in the East Oklahoma City area who is interested in attending or assisting, can contact me at: okiepreacher@cox.net for more information.
Please pray for us as we undertake this new work in His Name.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Parable of the Fishless Fishermen - Ray Comfort
“They were surrounded by streams and lakes full of hungry fish. They met regularly to discuss the call to fish, the abundance of fish, and the thrill of catching fish. They got excited about fishing!
Someone suggested that they needed a philosophy of fishing, so they carefully defined and redefined fishing, and the purpose of fishing. They developed fishing strategies and tactics. Then they realized that they had been going at it backwards. They had approached fishing from the point of view of the fisherman and not from the point of view of the fish. How do fish view the world? How does the fisherman appear to the fish? What do fish eat, and when? These are all good things to know. So they began research studies, and attended conferences on fishing. Some traveled to faraway places to study different kinds of fish with different habits. Some got doctorates in fishology. But no one yet had gone fishing.
So a committee was formed to send out fishermen. As prospective fishing places out-numbered fishermen, the committee needed to determine priorities. A priority list of fishing places was posted on bulletin boards in all of the fellowship halls. But still, no one was fishing. A survey was launched to find out why. Most did not answer the survey, but from those who did, it was discovered that some felt called to study fish, a few to furnish fishing equipment, and several to go around encouraging the fishermen. What with meetings, conferences, and seminars, they just simply didn't have time to fish.
Now, Jake was a newcomer to the Fishermen's Fellowship. After one stirring meeting of the Fellowship, he went fishing and caught a large fish. At the next meeting, he told his story and was honored for his catch. He was told that he had a special "gift of fishing." He was then scheduled to speak at all the Fellowship chapters and tell how he did it.
With all the speaking invitations and his election to the board of directors of the Fisherman's Fellowship, Jake no longer had time to go fishing. But soon he began to feel restless and empty. He longed to feel the tug on the line once again. So he cut the speaking, he resigned from the board, and he said to a friend, "Let's go fishing." They did, just the two of them, and they caught fish. The members of the Fisherman's Fellowship were many, the fish were plentiful, but the fishers were few.”
A recent study revealed that 95% of those who consider themselves evangelicals had never shared their Christian faith with anyone.
Someone suggested that they needed a philosophy of fishing, so they carefully defined and redefined fishing, and the purpose of fishing. They developed fishing strategies and tactics. Then they realized that they had been going at it backwards. They had approached fishing from the point of view of the fisherman and not from the point of view of the fish. How do fish view the world? How does the fisherman appear to the fish? What do fish eat, and when? These are all good things to know. So they began research studies, and attended conferences on fishing. Some traveled to faraway places to study different kinds of fish with different habits. Some got doctorates in fishology. But no one yet had gone fishing.
So a committee was formed to send out fishermen. As prospective fishing places out-numbered fishermen, the committee needed to determine priorities. A priority list of fishing places was posted on bulletin boards in all of the fellowship halls. But still, no one was fishing. A survey was launched to find out why. Most did not answer the survey, but from those who did, it was discovered that some felt called to study fish, a few to furnish fishing equipment, and several to go around encouraging the fishermen. What with meetings, conferences, and seminars, they just simply didn't have time to fish.
Now, Jake was a newcomer to the Fishermen's Fellowship. After one stirring meeting of the Fellowship, he went fishing and caught a large fish. At the next meeting, he told his story and was honored for his catch. He was told that he had a special "gift of fishing." He was then scheduled to speak at all the Fellowship chapters and tell how he did it.
With all the speaking invitations and his election to the board of directors of the Fisherman's Fellowship, Jake no longer had time to go fishing. But soon he began to feel restless and empty. He longed to feel the tug on the line once again. So he cut the speaking, he resigned from the board, and he said to a friend, "Let's go fishing." They did, just the two of them, and they caught fish. The members of the Fisherman's Fellowship were many, the fish were plentiful, but the fishers were few.”
A recent study revealed that 95% of those who consider themselves evangelicals had never shared their Christian faith with anyone.
Wisdom from Chuck Swindoll...
“So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, "Your servant did to me after this manner," that his anger was aroused. Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.” (Genesis 39:19-23, NKJV).
If anybody knew about unfair treatment, about a false accusation, about being an innocent victim on the receiving end, it was Joseph.
First, he received unfair treatment from his family. His brothers hated him, wanted to kill him, but sold him into slavery instead. Next, his circumstances were unexpectedly restricted. He became a slave in a land where he didn't even know the language. One minute he was a seventeen-year-old boy with his whole life before him, and the next he was totally at the mercy of---actually the property of---some stranger. Following all that, he was falsely accused. After earning the favor of his master, Potiphar, the master's wife tried to seduce Joseph. When he didn't submit to her wishes, she lied and said, "This slave tried to rape me." As a result of her lies, he was unjustly put in prison and abandoned.
Remember those words from Isaiah's pen as he repeats God's message?
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Look carefully at the contrasts. There is a vast difference between “My thoughts” and “your thoughts” says the Lord. “My ways” are not like “your ways.” They are higher; they are far more profound, deep, mysterious---and I would add, surprising.
Our human ways are based on what seems fair. We firmly believe that when someone does what is right, rewards and blessings result. When someone does what is wrong, there are serious consequences, even punishment. But that's our way, not necessarily God's way. At least not immediately. He's been known to allow unfair treatment to occur in the lives of absolutely innocent folks---for reasons far more profound and deep than they or we could have imagined. How slowly He steps in!
If anybody knew about unfair treatment, about a false accusation, about being an innocent victim on the receiving end, it was Joseph.
First, he received unfair treatment from his family. His brothers hated him, wanted to kill him, but sold him into slavery instead. Next, his circumstances were unexpectedly restricted. He became a slave in a land where he didn't even know the language. One minute he was a seventeen-year-old boy with his whole life before him, and the next he was totally at the mercy of---actually the property of---some stranger. Following all that, he was falsely accused. After earning the favor of his master, Potiphar, the master's wife tried to seduce Joseph. When he didn't submit to her wishes, she lied and said, "This slave tried to rape me." As a result of her lies, he was unjustly put in prison and abandoned.
Remember those words from Isaiah's pen as he repeats God's message?
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Look carefully at the contrasts. There is a vast difference between “My thoughts” and “your thoughts” says the Lord. “My ways” are not like “your ways.” They are higher; they are far more profound, deep, mysterious---and I would add, surprising.
Our human ways are based on what seems fair. We firmly believe that when someone does what is right, rewards and blessings result. When someone does what is wrong, there are serious consequences, even punishment. But that's our way, not necessarily God's way. At least not immediately. He's been known to allow unfair treatment to occur in the lives of absolutely innocent folks---for reasons far more profound and deep than they or we could have imagined. How slowly He steps in!
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