Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From, “Secrets Of Faith”:

There is nothing more essential to the Christian walk than faith. If you can operate in genuine God-like faith, then all Heaven is opened to you. If you can’t seem to get from blind wishing to focused faith, then all the promises of God’s Word will do you little good in this life. To speak with God you must know His language, faith. Every praise, plea, complaint and petition will be heard by God when expressed through faith. But the most brilliantly crafted legal case will fall on deaf ears if it’s argued before God without faith.

Way too many Christians are frustrated and confused about faith. They don’t understand the difference between believing in God and believing God. This simple focus will help:

God does not want you only to BELIEVE in Him but to FOLLOW Him.

John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Knowing what God wants does not bring joy. Doing what He wants does. Essentially, faith is what it takes to do what He wants. Faith is ACTING on the Word that you believe in. It’s one thing to believe God has promised to meet your needs. But it’s entirely another to live by Faith. That is, to seek after and follow the Lord, trusting in Him (His Word), praying and actively believing God for your provision. In this context you can’t have one REASON for living that’s other than pleasing the Lord, and then occasionally believe God and expect provision and answers from Him that lie outside of pursuing His will for your life. Real faith that receives from God always, always, always has God’s will as its REASON for believing.  Look carefully at 1 John 5:14-15 from the Amplified Bible.

And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.

And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.

It pleases the Lord and glorifies Him when He is able to deliver, answer and provide for His children as they follow Him and act upon His Word. Every time the faith of an obedient Christian is met with divine provision, God is glorified and shown to be faithful to His Word. Knowing that God is glorified by fulfilling His Word to you, through your obedience, is good enough REASON for you to believe God. Consider 2 Corinthians 1:20…

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

That is only one of many verses that tell us that God is glorified when we act upon His promises. Notice Paul said that God being glorified happens through us, as we believe and appropriate ALL the promises that are already approved for us in Jesus. Now there’s a REASON that faith will take hold of.

Here are a few examples of our REASONS for believing affecting our faith:

Mark 10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

Mark 10:36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?

Notice that Jesus didn’t turn them away for confidently approaching Him with their desire. Let’s continue.

Mark 10:37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

Mark 10:38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

Mark 10:39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

Mark 10:40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

Their request would be partially granted, in as much as they will sit with Him in glory. But the ultimate request must be postponed because God has not yet offered it. We must ask for things for which we can find offers from God in His Word. Those offers extend a REASON for asking.

Here is an example of a disqualifying reason that would keep your desire from generating real faith:

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Notice that James doesn’t say that the person asks for the wrong thing, or that he asks for some form of contraband. But that his motives, or REASONS, are for self-indulgence. Remember the basic rule:

Real faith that receives from God always, always, always has God’s will as its REASON for believing.

It is conceivable that God could bless another person with the very thing that this person was denied because of he is interested in his own will rather than the will of God.

Finally, from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 7, comes the remarkable story of the Canaanite woman, who sought Jesus for the deliverance of her possessed daughter. When Jesus pointed out that she had no basis (reason) to expect Him to answer her request, she responded with great humility and appealed to Him on the basis of His Lordship. That did it! Jesus said to her:

Mark 7:29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

The Canaanite woman came initially with her own interests. Unselfish as they may have seemed, she had no thought of giving acknowledgment or glory to Jesus. She got nowhere. Jesus was turning her away because there was no faith; no REASON that He could respond to.

You MUST see this point.

But when she acknowledged that Jesus was the Lord of healing, her request and deep desire made a significant connection with the Heart of God. Her petition now began to bear down on the fact that Jesus was God, and that he was good, and that He was willing, and that was exactly what her desire needed in order to release true faith that would draw the miracle provision from the Master’s heart. It was absolutely God’s will for healing to meet her faith. And once her REASON lined up with glorifying Jesus, like a great nuclear reaction, faith fired from her heart, and Jesus responded!

Plant your desires on the altar of God. Some of them may not survive. But any wrong motives or immature reasoning will be reproved and corrected, so that you will be able to make adjustments. Those adjustments will always be efforts to get you to truly live for God’s will. Then let the glorification of Jesus Christ and the acknowledging of His Lordship, be your qualifying REASON for faith.

Tomorrow we explore another secret of faith. So until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From, “Secrets Of Faith”:

There is nothing more essential to the Christian walk than faith. If you can operate in genuine God-like faith, then all Heaven is opened to you. If you can’t seem to get from blind wishing to focused faith, then all the promises of God’s Word will do you little good in this life. To speak with God you must know His language, faith. Every praise, plea, complaint and petition will be heard by God when expressed through faith. But the most brilliantly crafted legal case will fall on deaf ears if it’s argued before God without faith.

Many people have beliefs without ever focusing any desire or exercising any passion for what they believe in. Their beliefs are more like immature expectations. In this series of devotionals we are not looking so much at what we believe in as we are looking into what we believe FOR. For example: you believe IN Jesus. But you seek and believe Him for specific things, such as: peace, healing, wisdom, provision, etc. In our discussions here, faith refers to what you are specifically asking and believing Jesus FOR. What I want to help you think about is, ‘WHAT specifically am I going at ask of God and have faith FOR; and HOW do I exercise my faith?’

David is a great example of faith. He was a common, young kid with an uncommon determination, when he began exercising his faith in God. The powerful ways that God used David and the answers to prayer that he experienced didn’t just fall out of the sky on him, because it was God’s weird, mysterious, unknowable will. The secret to David’s faith was very simple. So simple that every Christian today can walk in the same experience. It’s found in Psalm 27:4, where David said,

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

First off, David didn’t just believe in the Lord. He DESIRED to be close to Him. Secondly, David SOUGHT AFTER the thing he desired. He didn’t just expect it to happen or wish for it. And because David sought after what he desired (which was to KNOW the Lord), he LEARNED about God by pursuing Him. That sharpened David’s faith because he studied God’s Word to learn about God. He learned it inside and out. He LOVED God’s Word. The entire Psalm 119 is perfect for seeing how David felt and acted towards God’s Word. But verse 24 in particular, show’s David’s heart towards the Word of God:

Thy testimonies (Words) also are my delight and my counselors.

He let God’s Word tell Him what to cherish and how to think about life. David learned about God specifically from His Word. He didn’t allow the culture around him to tell him how to think, act and live. But he took God’s Word as his advisor and counselor. God’s Word is His voice; and David let God talk to him through the Word. He took the time to meditate upon it and learned to understand God through His Word. Then as he applied what he learned in his own life, he gained experiences that helped develop his faith. Here is what David said in Psalm 19:7-11, about his own study of God’s Word:

The teachings (the Words) of the Lord are perfect.

They renew the soul.

The testimony (the Words) of the Lord is dependable.

It makes gullible people wise.

The instructions (the Words) of the Lord are correct.

They make the heart rejoice.

The command (the Words) of the Lord is radiant.

It makes the eyes shine.

The fear of the Lord is pure.

It endures forever.

The decisions of the Lord are true.

They (God’s Words) are completely fair.

They (God’s Words) are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.

They (God’s Words) are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb.

As your servant I am warned by them (God’s Words).

There is a great reward in following them (God’s Words).

So you see, David’s faith started as a simple seed of belief, just like yours and mine. But David’s faith grew because he pursued God’s heart. He pursed it, not in a wishful, immature fashion. But he was disciplined and persistent enough to study God’s Word for the sole purpose of learning what God thought about things. He studied and fell in love with God. And God said David was a man after His own heart.

Your faith is the hand with which you receive provision and blessing from your Heavenly Father. Think of faith as the language that God speaks. Remember from the example of David, that faith is believing God for things that you have come to expect through reading His Word and acting upon it. So if faith is the hand that receives from God, then you must see that, simply wishing for God to do things, or expecting them to happen because you believe in God, is not faith. That’s actually more like asking God to prove Himself. There’s no desire for God on your part in just having beliefs and expecting things to happen because you do. But when you begin by nurturing a love for the Lord, and you pursue getting to know Him through His Word, then faith will begin to build on that foundation.

Gal. 5:6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed andworking through love.

More on faith tomorrow. So until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // 1 Comment »

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From, “Secrets Of Faith”:

There is nothing more essential to the Christian walk than faith. If you can operate in genuine God-like faith, then all Heaven is opened to you. If you can’t seem to get from blind wishing to focused faith, then all the promises of God’s Word will do you little good in this life. To speak with God you must know His language, faith. Every praise, plea, complaint and petition will be heard by God when expressed through faith. But the most brilliantly crafted legal case will fall on deaf ears if it’s argued before God without faith.

Another ingredient of faith is REASON.

“I believe that I receive _________ when I pray, BECAUSE__________________________.”

God has made us to be reasoning souls. Therefore real biblical faith will not operate without a legitimate reason. Faith must answer the question, “WHY?” before proceeding on to agreement with God. To secure a desire which faith can lift before God for an answer, it must have a reason that satisfies God’s willingness and your hunger. The reason for your desire of faith must certainly agree with God’s purposes, which are more vast and allowing than you might think. But your reason must also have the witness of the Holy Spirit in your own heart. That inner witness is the endorsement of the Spirit and will inspire real faith in you. Then the anointing can get under your desire and lift it with that faith and confidence before the Father. When this happens, Heaven’s answer is assured!

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1 John 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

When faith is given a proper course to follow in our lives, the awesome possibilities for prayer are staggering! Just take a moment in light of this thought and consider this verse from the Apostle Paul:

2 Cor. 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

The best ‘reasons’ to believe God to provide for a particular desire are always found in the Word. The more we understand the Lord’s purpose for us, and delight in it, the more clearly our desires will be supported by a clear conscience of faith. It’s one thing for you to see that Jesus provided healing for you in the atonement.

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24

But often times we still lack confidence that this promise is specifically for us, even though the Word clearly presents it.

example: You let personal feelings of inferiority or guilt, disqualify you as a candidate for healing. In short, your faith is shot down by your own misguided ‘reasons’. You let your feelings take precedent over the Word of God. So you now need to find a reason for WHY to believe for your healing. Even though you know academically, that God has provided it, you need a REASON. Here is where it’s so important to know God’s Word and have an understanding of His purposes. At this point, like a lawyer, you could piece together a case, siting the depth of your need and how deserving you are. The problem with that is simply that the anointing of the Holy Spirit within your own heart, is just not going to arise with confidence based on your own righteousness or need. The Holy Spirit moves in relation to one thing: Jesus’ glorification. So now, if you can find in God’s Word, where your healing will glorify Jesus, and get your mind around that motivation, you will see faith arise to receive God’s provision for your desire. Understanding that, what God has provided for you glorifies Him when you receive it, is itself a good reason to believe for it. Jesus carried your sickness and pain through 39 stripes upon His body, so that you could have access to His healing grace. Why then, would He endure such suffering, only to deny you access to the very faith He inspired in you? The desire to glorify the Lord by appropriating the covenant provision of healing he has made for you, is itself, the high qualifying reason that your faith is looking for.

Tomorrow we’ll continue. So until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

 

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From, “Secrets Of Faith”:

There is nothing more essential to the Christian walk than faith. If you can operate in genuine God-like faith, then all Heaven is opened to you. If you can’t seem to get from blind wishing to focused faith, then all the promises of God’s Word will do you little good in this life. To speak with God you must know His language, faith. Every praise, plea, complaint and petition will be heard by God when expressed through faith. But the most brilliantly crafted legal case will fall on deaf ears if it’s argued before God without faith.

The first secret of faith is DESIRE. You must aim your faith for it to be more than mere wishing. Faith will always look for a desire to focus upon. Jesus is Who you believe IN, but faith deals with what you believe FOR. You can believe IN Jesus, but if you’re sick, belief IN Jesus, will never bring healing. You must, through Jesus, believe FOR healing. That is faith. Faith seeks the object of your desire. God wants you to have desires. It’s how He leads you into His purposes.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

But not every desire will elicit true Bible faith. You may be surprised to learn that your faith is often disqualified, not because you have desired things that are against God’s will, but because they are not ACCURATE DESIRES on your part.

What is an “accurate desire” you might ask? It is the opposite of a shallow whim. It is a desire based in a thoughtful understanding of the need. It is a clearly reasoned desire. Think of it like this: often in life, people experience desires, even strong desires; but they ‘pop up’ and are not thought through, to see if they are genuine desires. Accurate desires are based in an understanding of one’s self and life around them. If you don’t understand yourself, particularly in the context of your relationship with God and life, then your desires will often be misdirected without leading you to any real satisfaction. God is very interested in answering your prayers for things that you desire, when you have those desires in the light of truth, reality, and an understanding of His will. You’d probably be surprised at how liberal and unafraid God really is, of “things” and prosperity. But He does not want to support deception, misunderstanding. Understanding is key in qualifying your desires:

Prov. 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Prov. 4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when you embrace her.

When you take the time to consider your desires in the light of wisdom and understanding, you will then focus your desires on those things that youunderstand will bring you to where you truly want to be. God is not afraid of the desires in the heart of people who govern them by wisdom.

Psa. 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Our Heavenly Father is the God of purpose. He wants us to want His purposes for us rather than to serve Him out of detached religious formalism.

Psa. 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Faith is the spiritual language through which God speaks. It’s the current that He rides upon. The spirit of faith will only be present where true accurate desire exists. Where there is no desire there is never any faith. Faith is regulated by the level of our desires.

So what is it that YOU want? Remember, think deeply about what you truly want. The man who has had 5 jobs in 2 years and lost them, and is now unhappy in his present job and trying to believe God for a new job; he is probably not focusing his desire accurately. God may be perfectly willing to provide him a new job, but that is not really going to satisfy the man. What he truly wants is to understand why he’s been losing his jobs. When he focuses his faith on desiring wisdom for his situation, his faith will arise and meet God’s provision.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

When you focus your desire on the things above…

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Col. 3:1-2

…that’s when you will have faith for the things of God in your life. When Jesus is your highest desire, believing His Word will be your easiest work.

Tomorrow we look at the second secret of faith, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // 2 Comments »

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From yesterday’s devotional, “Secrets Of Faith”:

There is nothing more essential to the Christian walk than faith. If you can operate in genuine God-like faith, then all Heaven is opened to you. If you can’t seem to get from blind wishing to focused faith, then all the promises of God’s Word will do you little good in this life. To speak with God you must know His language, faith. Every praise, plea, complaint and petition will be heard by God when expressed through faith. But the most brilliantly crafted legal case will fall on deaf ears if it’s argued before God without faith.

The secrets of faith are found in WHAT, WHY and HOW you believe.

Let’s begin with “WHAT”.

What do YOU believe for? The question isn’t, ‘what do you believe in?’ but, what do you believe FOR. Assuming that your faith is IN Jesus, the question that faith must begin with is, “What do you WANT?” The secret to faith begins with DESIRE. What you believe in never has any bearing whatsoever in this world, nor does it threaten the citadels of Satan, until it influences what you believe FOR. Beliefs are for establishing memberships, but Faith is for MOVING mountains!

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

God is a Being of purpose and not simply a mindless formula or universal function. He has made us in His own image and we too, are purpose driven, and not simply human animals, grazing our lives away. Therefore both God and we are desire driven. We are beings of choice and sort our pursuits according to our desires. God has very clearly revealed Himself in priorities; and in doing so, He has wooed our desires. In short, God is not interested in responding to our correctness but rather to our genuine desires and passions for Him and His righteousness. Therefore, faith must begin with true focused desire.

Faith is not some ambiguous seeking of good luck at a divine wishing well. God does not want His people praying and believing for things that never come to pass. Everything in His Word tells us that He delights to answer our prayers and demonstrate His faithfulness through our faith. But too often we try to believe for things for which we have not made soul-searching consideration of. To often our failures to receive what we believe for are the result of shallow interest rather than reasoned desire. Lack of passion and commitment to our own requests disqualifies our faith as mere wishing in disguise. True faith presses in to see the mountains move because it can settle for nothing less.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1 John 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

God is looking for passion from His people, instead of competition with shallow cravings. The divided heart cannot hold onto faith. Faith requires a firm, focused grip. The heart that distills it’s desire down to ONE THING, rather than trying to juggle 10 competing interests, will form one hand with which to receive from God. The first secret of faith is, learn to aim your desire. What God wants is of little benefit to your faith, (which is waiting to be launch by your desires), until it becomes WHAT YOU WANT.

Tomorrow we delve into the world of Desire, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

There is nothing more essential to the Christian walk than faith. If you can operate in genuine God-like faith, then all Heaven is opened to you. If you can’t seem to get from blind wishing to focused faith, then all the promises of God’s Word will do you little good in this life. To speak with God you must know His language, faith. Every praise, plea, complaint and petition will be heard by God when expressed through faith. But the most brilliantly crafted legal case will fall on deaf ears if it’s argued before God without faith.

Here are some important facts about faith:

God has given Every Christian.

Rom. 12:3 …according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Your faith can grow.

2 Th. 1:3 …your faith grows exceedingly

Your faith can increase with use.

Luke 17:5 Lord, Increase our faith.

Faith can come to you by hearing God’s Word.

Rom. 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Through faith ANYTHING in God’s Word is possible to you.

Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Without faith you cannot possibly please God.

Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God

Faith based in Jesus, God will honor.

John 6:35 he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:47 He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

John 12:46 whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

John 14:12 He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do…

When all these statements from God’s Word are considered together, it becomes apparent that faith is a quality of the Spirit of God; and that it is produced by the effect of God’s Word upon a receptive heart. In short, the status of your faith can change dramatically from day to day, all depending upon the condition of your heart, relative to God’s Word. Two things are certain:

Number one: Apart from faith you will never relate with God. And,

Number two: In the face of all that God has provided, giving us access to His Spirit and Word, there is no excuse for the lack of faith.

With these things understood, let’s now begin to explore the Secrets of Faith. Here are a couple focus statements to help bring our attention to a point of proper reason:

Faith is not believing that ’something will happen’.

And…

Faith is not believing that ‘things will turnout OK, because I believe in Jesus’.

Instead, faith is asking God for something that you expect Him to give you, and are prepared to trust Him for.

In all fairness to reason, how could it be faith if we have no expectation? We may leave our minds open to the Creator’s provision, but to expect nothing is an indication of the absence of faith.

True biblical faith, the kind that Jesus asked us to have, and said would move mountains and obtain answers from the Father, is not unfocused, irrational wishing. But true God-like faith is the specific exercise of our covenant relationship with the Father through His Son Jesus. Simply put, faith is believing and acting upon the Truth. God loves to be approached with faith. The greater the faith, the greater His joy in responding. Our exploits of faith bring glory to Jesus, and further demonstrate His claims to have made us sons of God.

The secrets of faith are found in WHAT, WHY and HOW you believe. We are going to look at WHAT you believe for, WHY you believe it, and HOW you exercise your faith. We are going to take a walk through the science lab of faith and begin to examine what the secrets to successful faith are as well as what they are not.

To keep the all-important perspective, let’s remember, faith is the key to successfully talking with God! Tomorrow is Lesson One, so…

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Faith & God's Promises // Add Comment »

Is. 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Is. 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

If there is anything true of this world, it’s the fact that strife and conflict are an inescapable part of life. And in a world of conflict, half the battle is knowing the real source of trouble. The other half is having the power and will to deal with it.

They who neither discern the source of conflict nor possess the power and determination to defeat it, have no business talking of peace. Because all they do is talk about it, but they cannot produce it. Man cannot achieve peace because he is forever fighting symptoms and failing to discern and attack the true source of trouble.

From families, the cell social, to the greater community of nations, we see the failure of man to secure peace for himself. Every generation picks up the fallen banner of their forefathers efforts and zealously charges up that hill of human conflict, assured they will succeed where their fathers have failed. And just like the generations before them, they all make the same errors in discerning the source of strife and choking at the will to face what must be done.

Families, embittered with internal strife, attack the inability of their members to accommodate, the one with the spirit of manipulation and control. They attempt impossible strategies for peace, by laying its responsibility for it on the wrong shoulders; demanding that its members appease and accommodate the troublemaker. They exist in a state of paralysis, unable and unwilling to do what it takes to bring peace to their home…

Prov. 22:10 Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.

Reluctance to confront the source of trouble produces a strategy of appeasement. And appeasement and accommodation are not tools of peace but of procrastination. Kicking the can down the road – postponing the fight for someone else to deal with, is a politicians idea of accomplishing peace. Postponing a fight is not achieving peace. It’s simply a calculated decision to accept strife and leave it for someone else to deal with. God has always had this contention with His people.

Jer. 8:11 ”And they heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, Saying, Peace, peace, But there is no peace.

Dealing with the source of strife takes real leadership and often results in little cooperation from others. Even resistance fro those oppressed and living without the benefit of peace. Truth be known, most people would rather live without freedom and the peace it brings, than to involve themselves in difficult and unpleasant business of removing hindrances to peace. Because those hindrances are usually in the form of bullies and brazen self-servers. It’s much easier to gather a committee, form a dialog, and say that at least you worked for peace, after consensus fails to secure it.

The Nasty Truth About The Wicked……

Countries whose national and foreign policy is based in consensus can never win and never sustain peace. Because consensus allows the wicked to have a voice. The U.N. will never produce peace anywhere in the world, because the wicked sit on their councils. The global pickpockets and thugs who sow international discord are being asked to resolve conflict and bring peace.  And the fox guards the henhouse. This is why the House of Man is without peace and divided.

Matt. 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

Matt. 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

Matt. 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Matt. 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Matt. 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Matt. 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children castthem out? therefore they shall be your judges.

Matt. 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Matt. 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong mans house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Matt. 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

The Failure Of Consensus……

The reason Jesus is called the Prince of Peace is that peace, true peace, cannot be produced by consensus, but by the One in whom there is the power and will to overcome the enemies of that peace. The concept of consensus is based in the ideas of democracy. And the weakness of democracy is that it grants a say-so to those who should never have the stewardship of peace, because they lack the understanding and will to maintain it. This is why the Founders of America abandoned the idea of a pure democracy in favor of a Republic – representative democracy. They recognized the need for the best and brightest citizens of freedom to make decisions for peace, in the behalf of the citizenry. Rather than leaving it in the hands of a consensus mixed with ignorant and self-serving people. The republic could not survive without a public, well educated and uniformly committed to hold its laws to a high moral standard; coupled with the will to elect only worthy representatives. Once selfishness prevails over our legal system and public standards, peace will be impossible to maintain, because men will vote their self-interest over the common good.

And so its been said that consensus is the absence of leadership. And that is why man still seeks “peace on earth” through committees, dialog and consensus. It keeps the futile process going and masks the dismal reluctance of man to face his real enemies for what they are. This is why no government of man will ever maintain peace on earth until it is mantled by the Monarch of Heaven.

Is. 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Selfish Desire…s Threaten Peace…

Jesus as the Prince of Peace, demonstrated His ability to locate the real source of conflict and point the way to peace, in the story of Martha and Mary.  As Mary sat at Jesus feet listening to Him teach, Martha busied herself with preparations for dinner. All was fine until Martha began to get annoyed at the fact that she was working alone. It ate at her soul until she was convinced that an injustice was being perpetrated against her. Quickly Martha transformed herself from a servant to a victim, as she zeroed in on the “wrong” that Mary was committing against her.Her peace and joy in serving disintegrated into animosity.

Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Martha thought that what Mary was doing caused her lack of peace. But Jesus showed her that she lacked peace because she made her attitude a hostage of Mary’s behavior. This caused her to blame both Mary and Jesus. Whenever we decide to let someone else’s actions determine whether we will have joy in our own good deeds, we forfeit freedom and the peace it brings. Most bound, addicted and enslaved people have made themselves such.

The world holds out a false concept of peace that most people universally hold to. It maintains that everybody in the world becomes elevated to a higher moral conscience resulting in harmony tranquility. But this ideal fails to take into account “the wicked”, who have only hate and murder within them, and will never be pacified. They are the undoing of every peace-plan. So real peace must deal with the untamable wicked. It is hard to fathom, but some people are hell-bent, and no amount of reason or grace will ever turn them from their pernicious nature. If God concludes that to be the case, how arrogant is man to believe that he can succeed to pacify the wicked.

Is. 48:22 ”There is no peace for the wicked,” says the LORD.

The truth about peace is that it is impossible without conflict and unsustainable without force.

This is why Paul wrote…

Rom. 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Jesus is The Prince of Peace because He alone has the ability to go to the root of strife and deal appropriately with it.

Rom. 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Gal. 5:17 For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

At the root of all conflict is the nasty little secret that peace is always lost because of what someone wants. In every family that’s been afflicted with strife, in every community torn by unrest, in every nation boiling with turmoil, there is someone or some people who are destroying the peace with the pursuits of their wicked desires. Because our desires have driven us from our God, human desire is the root-problem with the loss of freedom and absence of peace.  And broken fellowship with God is broken peace. This is why Jesus alone is the only One qualified to produce peace. He knew that the fallen will of man would always desire things that destroyed our peace with God.  Deep within the spirit of man, his greatest enemies – sin and death – have robbed eternal peace from every person that enters the battlefield of life.  Though man is the only one who can defeat these enemies, he is powerless against them.  But God left His throne in glory on a mission to become a man and win for us the victory we could never gain. For this reason Jesus is called the Prince of Peace - the One in whom there is both the will and the power to bring final peace to earth.  

Col. 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Col. 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jesus peace is based in making the Fathers will our own desire. Jesus peace was a position He maintained in the center of the Fathers will. People who resolve their own inner conflicts with “Jesus peace” – who live the not-my-will-but-yours-be-done creed - are best suited to live at peace with others. Their peace is a Prince named Jesus.

Col. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Stay On The Path!

Tags: A list of devotionals by chronological order, Our Identification In Christ // 3 Comments »

Josh. 24:15 “And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Josh. 24:28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance.

(this devotional was written Christmas 2005)

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Let’’s begin by establishing the truth that there is nothing in scripture requiring Christians to celebrate Jesus’’ birthday, on whatever day is chosen to represent it. However, if we were looking for an event to honor, Christ’’s Advent, coming into the world, certainly qualifies as a worthy observance. So Christmas is more than the observance of Jesus of Nazareth’’s birthday, it’’s acknowledging the significance of God coming into the world to bring us the gift of forgiveness and Life. Whether that happened on December 25th or July 4th is immaterial. But the fact that a day has been universally chosen to celebrate the Advent presents an opportunity for all believers to acknowledge their faith.  And now it also presents a target for all anti-Christians to attack. Like it or not, Christmas is no longer simply a holiday.

Let’’s also acknowledge the fact that by instituting events we create the opportunity to commercialize them and dilute the significance of their meaning. This is the occupational hazard of institutionalism. For example, the Pharisaic order arose to lead a revival back to faithfulness to God, hundreds of years before Christ’’s birth. Yet that revival became galvanized into the institution that rejected Him when He came. And so Christmas is also filled with holiday activities which conflict with its true meaning.

A war on Christmas has also arisen from among secularists, progressives and atheists, who want to see all references to God erased from public life in America.  ACLU lawyers are threatening schools and public institutions all across America with litigation, if they don’’t remove all references to Christmas and Christ from their pageants and displays. So the Winter Holidays and Winter Trees are becoming the new reason for giving thanks. Secularists are attempting to force Christianity into a private underground, and create a judgment-free society, free from any accepted criteria that sets moral standards and thereby condemning bad behaviors. And now the anti-Christian ACLU has chosen Christmas, as a symbol of Christianity, against which to focus these attacks.

These are pretty complex issues which are now rallying around Christmas, and many believers would be tempted to simply say, ‘”Take Christmas, we don’’t need it”. Our worship is in Spirit and truth, not holidays.’ 

But the fact is that the anti-Christians aren’’t attacking Christmas as a point of worship but rather as a symbol of our right to influence the world. 

It is the right to introduce the Gospel in American culture that is being attacked. And that is a reason to defend our celebration, regardless of its commercialization.

Now add to this battle, the fact that several large mega-churches (as well as others) have decided to close their Sunday services on Christmas Day, in order to avoid being an imposition on families’ plans for gift-giving and big meals. How far have we drifted from our mission as Christians, and from the purpose of the Church? If an accommodation must be made, why isn’’t “serving God” given the greater consideration? Rather than believers serving Christ as members of His Body, many churches are run as a service for individualism.

This brings us to my text out of Joshua 24. At the end of Joshua’’s life, after having led the Israelites into the Promised Land he delivers this final address.

Josh. 24:15 “And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

After numerous battles to drive out the enemies and dividing the land to the tribes, Joshua reminds them that they have been led there by God to SERVE Him and not just to live there as His people. This is the critical error we make today. We view our churches as settlements granted by God for our purposes. Thus the Church serves the needs of people, while they slide into self-service.

Josh. 24:28