What do you believe?

Lately the Lord has had me stay focused on chapters 10 and 15 in John.  This morning, John 15:24 stood out to me.  “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both me and my Father.”  These are words spoken by Jesus.  Throughout the previous text, Jesus had been ridiculed and criticized for “doing good works.”  Now, the good works that Jesus was doing were things like, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, revealing sin in lives and releasing them to “go and sin no more.”  Jesus knew who He was.  He was God in flesh allowing the Holy Spirit to heal, give sight, etc. 

In John 15:24, it says that if he had not done these works, they would have no sin.  I find this very interesting because basically, it was the Jews / Pharisees (the religious leaders of the time) who were criticizing Jesus … to the point that they wanted to kill Him.  John 10:31-33 (Hmmm … what about that commandment, “Thou shalt not kill??)

The religious leaders of that time knew the word.  They had it memorized.  They had it down.  But, when God in the flesh stood in front of them, they didn’t know Him.  They saw the good works He did and claimed that He had a demon.  But some said, “These are not the words of a demon, can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”  John 10:21

The good works that Jesus did an does seem to be a stumbling block for us. Why is that?  Why is it so difficult for us to believe that miracles do happen … everyday … great or small. ( as seen by human eyes. It’s just as simple for God to do a “small” miracle as it is a “great miracle.”)

Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Basically, Solomon is saying that history repeats itself.  It’s all been done before. Mankind will repeat the same things over and over again year after year, decade after decade, and millennia after millennia.  We shouldn’t be surprised when we see these things being repeated.  But, I believe the question is; “Do we even see when history is repeating itself … in religious leadership, in the government, in the work place, in our own little world … in ourselves?”  You see, I don’t have to look very far in my own life to see that history is repeating or has repeated itself.  I don’t have to look very far in my world, religious leadership near or far, or in the government to see that history is repeating itself. But, I have to look to God to give me eyes to see it.  And, I have to look to God to know how to make the proper changes.  History does repeat itself, but what can and should we learn from it to make changes at any and all levels?

Twenty years ago, I helped a single mom with a teenage child get her sight back from blindness due to fast growing cataracts.  God led us to an organization that took care of her issues one hundred percent!  She had lost her job due to literal blindness and was living on $350 a month.  I watched religious leaders turn their backs on her.  In fact, my pastor at that time told me that he didn’t give pearls to swine.  He really did say that! Unbelievable!! History repeating … Luke 10:25-37  Now, as I got to know this woman, she revealed to me that her dream was to have a soup kitchen for the lost and hungry.  I have to tell you, I encouraged this woman to follow her dream.  I didn’t discourage her because of her situation or what the world … or fellow Christians would consider her “status” to be in society.  That’s not for me to do.  Her dream is between her and God and it’s for her to work out with Him. 

Just recently I was out and about and saw an acquaintance that I hadn’t seen in about a year.  She asked how I was doing.  The last time she had seen me, I was in much emotional pain due to the recent announcement that my husband was divorcing me.  The divorce is now old news and I’m in a much better place … not where I want to be, but working towards it.  As I explained to her all that God had done and is doing, the countenance on her face began to change, not for the good, and physically she even backed up from me a bit … as though there was something wrong with me.  She then literally looked away and walked away from me as I was in mid sentence.  No, you see, there’s “nothing wrong with me.”  I’m simply working out God’s will for my life.  She had told me of God’s will for her life and I rejoiced with her.  I didn’t make a judgment that she was incapable of following the dreams that God has placed inside of her.  I certainly didn’t receive the same encouragement from her and I won’t let her unbelief discourage me, either.  Again, unbelief in God’s good works.

We, too easily, can know God’s word … inside and out … but, can get hung up on His good works.  If we believe that we know completely how God works things out, we are fooling ourselves, and basically, we are placing ourselves as God when or if we make a determination that someone is “incapable” of something.  That’s not our job and it doesn’t work that way.  God does what He wants, and it’s not always the way we would do it or even comprehend it.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither  are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9

Recently, I had a gentleman tell me that it’s not possible for us to hear God’s voice.  He found it necessary to tell me four different times in about a minute that he was a religious leader and that he had never heard God’s voice.  Again, a stumbling block.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He can and will speak to us whatever way He chooses.  We must be willing to listen.  See Numbers 22:21-39

We must be very careful.  Jesus said that if He hadn’t done those good works, they would not have sinned.  I believe that is very relevant for us today.  We must not allow ourselves to get caught in unbelief because of the good works that Jesus is doing all around us, through others who are willing to allow Him to work through them.  And, when I say this, I’m in no way saying that we should believe everything that we see, hear, or experience.  We must use wisdom, which God provides.  If any of you lacks wisdom, ask of God and He will give it without reproach. James 1:5

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again and again; many of us in the church have become dependent upon our own experiences and, knowingly or unknowingly, decided what is or isn’t of God.  Instead of being led by the Holy Spirit, many of us are leading with worldly head knowledge instead.  By doing that, we are, knowingly or unknowingly, placing restrictions on God … placing Him in a box.  You see, if we choose not to believe, we’re literally keeping the Holy Spirit from working in all the ways that He could. You can read about how Jesus was unable to do many miracles in home town in Matthew.  “He did not do many miracles due to their lack of faith.” John 13:58  Are we, as the Church, stopping God from doing many miracles due to our lack of faith?  Do we persecute those who do have the faith to believe in God’s very creative miracles?  Do we seek to stone them with our words, simply because we choose to not believe?

Jesus went about doing good.  Acts 10:38. He had an unlimited supply of the Holy Sprit, as do we, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit like Jesus was.  John 3:34  And we, as followers of Christ and co-heirs with Him, have the same Holy Spirit.  All we need to do is simply believe.

There was a man in the Bible whose son was taken over by a demon.  He sought Jesus to heal him.  Jesus said to the man “If you believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  The man said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”  Mark 9:14-29  Jesus then cast out the demon and the boy was healed.

I believe there are many in the church who don’t even believe that casting demons out is necessary in this day and age.  This is very far from the truth.  I, myself, was a part of a group of women who cast demons out of a lovely young woman who had been greatly abused in her short twenty-one years of life.  We watched her transform from being bipolar, depressed, anxious, and on medication to a whole person, free from the demons (and medication) who had controlled her life due to situations beyond her control.  This is the healing power of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior!

Do you believe?  Do you need help for your unbelief?  I have to tell you that in my own life, I pray that scripture often at times … especially in the past two years.  I have been in situations where I didn’t understand why certain things were happening or sometimes even what was happening.  I trusted God because I believed Him.  But, I prayed for Him to help any unbelief that I had within me, as well.  I’m very grateful for that scripture.

As the Church, the Body of Christ, we need to take our hands off of things more and allow God to work through us.  We need to ask anew for eyes to see as God sees, ears to hear clearly what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us, and help for our unbelief.  Having unbelief about certain things isn’t necessarily a bad thing because we’re human.  We need God’s help.  If we didn’t need help with unbelief from time to time, there wouldn’t be a story about in in God’s word, and we wouldn’t need God.

Ultimately, we need to see God’s good works for what they are.  We don’t need to fear them and, in turn like the Jews of Jesus’ time did, deny them.

God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8  He is in control, not us.

We really don’t want to repeat the things that the Jews of Jesus’ time did … ultimately denying the good works of God, do we?  Let’s not let history repeat itself on our watch. There are so many lost and / or hurting in the world, and the church, as well.  Let’s  take our hands off and with wisdom, embrace God’s healing and restoring powers.  Let’s choose to ask for help with any unbelief we may have so that we don’t hinder God from moving in our lives or the lives of those around us.

He is God. We are not. 

Let’s not allow unbelief to keep us form God’s best for us … keeping us from fully impacting the world around us for the advancement of God’s Kingdom! 

Ninety-nine or one?

One came for you when you were lost. Are you seeking the one who is now where you once were?

Jesus came for us.  He sought us when we were wandering and lost.  We are to mirror what Jesus does.  Don’t hesitate to help someone simply because you “feel” uncomfortable, incapable or unqualified.  Those very reasons are exactly why God can work through us the best.  Isn’t it 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 that declares that when we are weak, God is strong in and through us?  “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-11

So, how is it that most of us help lead others to the Lord?  I’m sure we all do things here and there to personally speak to others to show the love of God. But, to me, and maybe I’m wrong here … it seems entirely too much like it just easy for us to give money and believe that our job is done.  Now, please understand that I’m not trying to discourage us from giving.  No, that’s not the point of this. Don’t stop giving.  But, what I am attempting to do is to get us to look at things in a different light.  My question here is:  Are we giving only and not stretching ourselves in other ways … like going to the “one” in our world who is lost?  Is it easier for us to give money because we don’t have time to “go after the one?”  Maybe, just maybe, we’re so busy “making money” that we don’t actually make time to stretch ourselves to be more like Jesus … choosing to go after the one.

Who in your world crosses your path on a regular basis and you choose to not reach out or show them the love of Christ because of inconvenience, lack of time, or feeling unqualified?

I believe in our world where the popular saying is “time is money,” we have given too much power to that belief.  Is it money that matters the most?  Is it time that matters the most?  Or … is it people who matter the most?

What if that person we neglected to speak to or pray for died only moments after we decided that we didn’t have time … or we were uncomfortable about it?  I don’t say this to condemn or shame us in any way!  I say it to open our eyes to view things from another angle … a wider, broader angle … attempting, in our humanness, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to see what God sees … instead of our narrow, limited, humanistic vision.

In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells a parable about the Good Samaritan. He said there was a man who had been physically attacked, robbed and left on the side of the road for dead.  Now, after this had happened, a priest and and Levite passed by the injured man.  These two religious people were so busy about their “religious busy-ness” that they chose not to show love to this injured man on the side of the road.  Later, a Samaritan passed by.  He not only stopped to help the man, but he paid a local innkeeper to take care of man … because, like every one else he was busy also.  The difference is love.  The Samaritan man stretched himself in this situation and he showed love.

Now, in that day, Samaritans were not looked upon kindly by the Jews.  They avoided one another.  Oh, I just love how Jesus used the example of a Samaritan doing the right thing when the religious leaders of His own ethnicity chose to walk away.  Jesus not only gave us an example of how to treat others here, but He also showed us that salvation is also for the gentiles.  And, he used a Samaritan man to stir the people up … to make them think.  Jesus had a wonderful way of illustrating with words so that we all can learn how to be more like him.  

Symbolically (hopefully, not physically), have you ever been in the same position of the injured man?  I have.  And, I have, many times, experienced the busy-ness of the first two examples.  Often, my thoughts have been … “just go to church because you don’t have the time for me.” I remember I said it out loud one time and the look I got was incredible.  I then explained that these people were too busy with “church” that they refused to take time out to help.  I wasn’t asking for money or handouts.  I was looking to connect with another human being.  I needed help in dealing with a very challenging situation in my life.  I received no help whatsoever.

I have to tell you.  I didn’t let those experiences stop me from God’s will for my life.  Those people chose not to help.  But, I didn’t choose to stop pursuing God because of those people.  Don’t let that happen to you in your walk.  I see so many people  who look to imperfect humans to find God.  Yes, God works through human beings and we are able to see that.  But, we are imperfect humans.  We are not God.  Only God is God.  Don’t forget that.  And, because of these things that I have experienced, I have made the decision to pursue being the third man in the parable.  I don’t want to be the busy religious men who are lacking love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13  I want to be like Jesus, who leaves the ninety-nine.

With all of that said, I want to be the one who goes after the missing or hurting one in my world.  I know what it feels like to be “left on the side of the road, hurting.”  Now that I’m upright, healed, and walking, I want to be the one who seeks out the lost and hurting.  

Are you leaving the ninety-nine to seek the lost and hurting one? Or are you simply busy entertaining the ninety-nine?  There is a difference.  Matthew 18:12, Luke 15:4

At the beginning of this piece, I stated that many people choose to not reach out because they feel uncomfortable, incapable, or unqualified.  I’d like to address this a bit further.  We live in a world of Master’s degrees and PhD’s.  If we don’t have the proper “education,” we “cannot get a good job.”  Well, okay.  That seems to be where our world is right now … and … there’s nothing wrong with education … nothing at all.  But, again, I’d like to broaden our perspective.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. I Corinthians 3:19  If we are followers of Christ and we believe that He is who He says He is, don’t we know the One who knows literally everything?  I mean,  I don’t need a Master’s degree or a PhD to know and believe that.  Not only do I have direct access to God Almighty, I have an intimate relationship with Him!  James 1:5 tells me that If I lack wisdom, all I have to do is ask for it.  Our world is so hung up on education that many are missing the simplicity of who God is.  He is everything … which is so much more than any degree. (again, I’m not against education). If we feel uncomfortable about helping someone, we only need to ask Him to help us through a situation.  If we feel or are incapable of something we only need to ask Him for help.  If we feel unqualified, again, we need only ask.  “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:11-13. 

May I suggest that in many, many ways, we have become so educated that we have fallen into the trap that we believe that we have things figured out instead of fully relying on God?  I really do believe that many within the church believe that all that’s needed for a “successful church” is simply a good formula.  I literally had someone speak that to me within the past several weeks.  No … no … the only formula there is, is more prayer to our Heavenly Father.  And, I don’t need an education to know that prayer is the answer. 

Our nation claims to be a Christian nation.  I do believe that we are and that it was founded on Christian beliefs.  Otherwise, we wouldn’t be as blessed with all that we have been and been able to be a blessing to so many others.  But, I believe we are in that phase where the generations have become spoiled and perhaps a bit ungrateful for the prayer and hard work that has brought us to this point.  I believe many of us are coasting on the prayers, reliance on God, and hard work of generations long before us.

We need to change our perspective.

Perhaps that will take place from our knees … in prayer.

Don’t stop giving.  In fact, Lord willing, I encourage you to give more!  Step out of that box you’ve allowed yourself to be contained in.  Reach out to the “stranger” that you, in the past, have chosen not to reach out to for whatever reason. Allow God to be your strength and your wisdom.  Pray Luke 12:12 over your situations.  The Holy Spirit will give you what you need to say in the moment that you need it.  Allow God to work through you.  Let Him do things His way.  Remember, we don’t have all the answers, but, we know the One who does.  It’s not our job to save people.  Jesus already took care of that. It’s our job to make ourselves available.  More than likely, we won’t be perfect when we take these steps.  That’s ok, learn from the mistakes.  That’s how we grow.

So, in this new year, I encourage you to be courageous and go after the “one” wandering astray in your world.  And remember, One came for you, gave His life, and went the distance for you when you were the one who was wandering astray!

Make it an excellent 2018!  God bless!