Heb. 2:8 For You have put everything in subjection under his feet.

Hebrews 2:6-12 (click to view entire text)

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

“All things in subjection under our feet”; that is a mind blower, especially considering that for all our technological advancing, we are still morally stalled out at Sodom and Gomorrah. Were it not for the fact that God Himself declares that “all things” have been placed in subjection under our authority, one would have to view that statement as the observation of a blind and weak mind. But in actuality it is an observation from One Who sees more than we. It is a statement of fact, meant to bring us into the perspective of reality. The reality that we were designed to bear divine authority; an authority, which we have allowed to get out from under us.

When police are called to a home with criminal children, the parents are still held responsible, even though they have long since relinquished control to their delinquent kids. The authority has been placed under the parent’s’ feet, even though they aren’t exercising it. In fact, although their children have wrestled control from them, the parents still have the legal authority. Unfair as it may seem, God will not decide to remove the responsibility just because they’’ve lost the power.

Think about that rationale for a moment. God does not decide to give authority, responsibility and accountability to someone just because they are able to seize control. If that were the case then God would always recognize the authority of brutes, tyrants and usurpers. Whoever held power would hold legitimacy. But thanks be to God, Who is the Supreme Head of all authority, that in His infinite wisdom and goodness, He refuses to cede authority to the illegitimate. If He must turn the world upside down in order to return power to its rightful authority, He will do that before ever allowing one criminal to maintain control, just because he has it temporarily. God will never recognized the right of sin and Satan to possess the world, even though, for a season, they have run the house under the failure of weak parents. No amount of power, in the present grip of sin, will ever earn Satan the legitimacy he craves. God has sworn in His righteousness, concerning man, and He will never change His mind. But He will bend history through the hearts of men, by the grace of His Son, Jesus Christ, until all power is placed back under our feet!

Know this that the very responsibility for the condition of the world, which God lays at your feet, is itself the evidence that rightful power belongs to YOU. If God were to ever take away your accountability, it would be the fearful sign that power will never be returned to you.

These are considerable thoughts: thoughts for those questing for their rightful destiny in God. For those who keep rising from the canvas with an irrepressible cringe at the notion of sin ruling their life. The deep inner traces of regal authority and divine ambassadorship, yearning in the depth of your heart, cannot be wiped out by circumstance or bought off by indulgence. There is a fighting spirit in the hearts of many people who feel the call of God. It’’s a call from our ancient beginnings to our absolute destiny. Man was created by God to be His companion, and that call alone fixes our legitimacy, beyond the reaches of any lawless power. The right is ours alone to claim, and ours alone to lose. Through Christ, that right is placed back in our hand. And the placement of that right signals the inevitable end of the tyrannical reign of sin and its master, and the ultimate restoration of all things.

1 Tim. 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

More tomorrow so until then……

Stay On The Path!

Hebrews 2:6-12 (click to view entire text)

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The question that arises, out of awe for God’’s longsuffering and patient kindness, doesn’t’ focus on why God is that way, but rather, what is it about man that qualifies him for such special treatment. Most people live hard unattractive lives. Some live a mediocre existence sprinkled with a few highlights. And there are the rare occasional lives of virtue. But on whole, the human race is less productive with its moral abilities that mice are at breeding. So what is it about man that God finds so compelling that He yearns over us in patient expectation?

I like the way the question is framed in Hebrews, “WHAT is man…?” It drives us to look beyond our achievements and beyond our behavior and beyond our relation to the Universe. It forces us to consider our essential purpose of interest to the Creator. Just what did God make when He made man? Without building a bridge of reason or a trail of evidence, let’’s just take a quantum physics leap into the ultimate answer: God made us in order to bring us into Glory.

Heb. 2:10 For it was an act worthy [of God] and fitting [to the divine nature] that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory,…

For the moment let’s leave the term “glory” in the grip of your imagination. We’’ll define it later. But let’’s get locked onto the idea that YOU have a destiny. And it involves being brought into God’’s glory by Jesus Christ. God is VERY concerned about YOUR destiny. He has already prepared a “place” for you. And He hovers over your every waking day, looking for opportunities to introduce you to your destiny and hasten you along in its progress.

So concerned with you is He, that God is ever “…mindful of YOU…”.

Heb. 2:6 …What is man that You are mindful of him…?

And we thought that God was primarily concerned with our behavior. That’’s what religion teaches. But one has only to look at Jesus’ selection of disciples to learn that isn’t true. There is something far deeper in the heart of God towards you. Not you generally, but YOU personally.

Just one thought to punctuate this point before we pause until tomorrow…

Ezek. 22:30 And I sought a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.

Whatever this “glory” is, that God has destined for us, our place in it is so significant that just one man, standing in that place could turn away the righteous wrath of God from a wicked rebellious land! THAT is influence. That verse was written long before Jesus appeared, to bring “…many sons to glory…”. If God were to look today He would certainly find sons and daughters standing in His glory.

More tomorrow, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

True praise that God accepts, is that which acknowledges the virtues of His being, because it recognizes that He is real. True praise recognizes the Lord’s worth and expresses appreciation and admiration for His qualities, simply because they exist. And the truest praise is able to look beyond the immediate barriers of life’s trials and misfortunes, to see the ever-radiating goodness of God. Through downfall and the collapse of man’s ways, true praise KNOWS that God’s goodness still stands. Job, in the midst of a world turned upside down against him, says:

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

A man of distinction will recognize the unseen worth in things that others often overlook. He has a discerning eye and understands how valuable something is, when others may not recognize it at all. This kind of discretion comes from a thoughtful and insightful individual. It says something about you when you are able to observe and recognize and appreciate the higher virtues of God. It reveals a blessedness upon your life, when you are able to discern the great worth of the Lord Himself, and bow your knee to Him in humble adoration. The fact that you can SEE God’s virtues and praise Him for them, causes them to touch your life with their grace.

1 Chr. 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

There is a reflective “beauty” that true praisers of God experience. They stand and share in the light of the very glories that they humbly extol.

Eph. 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

1 Pet. 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

It is the very goal of every trial Satan raises against you, to rob the praise of God from your heart, mind and mouth. In doing so, he knows that you are cutting your own throat. He seeks to fill your eyes, ears and heart with the miseries of life, till you are turned away and blind to the glories and help of your Heavenly Father. Till PRAISE is dried up in your mouth. He seeks to fill it instead with the lamentations of the cursed world. If all you focus on is the immediate, then eventually cursing will replace the praises of your lips. Cruel crude laws will replace the beautiful graces you once looked upon. You will become an animal of the world instead of the child of God you were meant to be. Your feet will stumble only upon the hard roads of the world, and the path of Life will seem as a fantasy to you. This happened to King Nebuchadnezzar when, in his pride, he saw no reason to give praise to God. He fell from his throne in madness, and lived 7 years a beast of the field. But God opened his mind again and this time he knew where the true worth of praise was.

Dan. 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Anyone can say, “Praise the Lord for…(this and that).”, but true praise, that lifts you and causes His glory and beauty to shine on you; this praise comes from thinking on the goodness of God and praising Him for it!

Stay On The Path

Matt. 21:16 And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Psalm 8:2 contains a remarkable divine strategy which was later quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:16. The harassing accusations of the devil would be able to be silenced by the praises of God’s people. This strategy is so powerful that even young children could execute it with demon-binding effectiveness.

Note: the Psalmist declares that the purpose of praise is to “still the enemy and the avenger”.

Most Christians are completely unaware that their daily life is the center of controversy in the spirit realm. They don’t realize that their troubles often result from satanic conflicts, for which they hold the key. Feelings of obscurity and insignificance are part of Satan’s poisonous weapons-of-the-mind, designed to confuse you in battle, and keep you from realizing that you are at the center of a great struggle, and fighting in a crowded arena.

Satan stands against you and accuses you before God, raising challenges against your rights as a child of God.

• He continually points out your faults and by them, questions your right to the will of God.
• He always seeks to maneuver you into defending yourself on the merits of your own righteousness.
• This he hopes you will do rather than to rely upon your position of grace with Jesus, and overthrow the devil’s accusations with the praises of God.

But always remember 3 things:

1. Regardless of whether people notice your struggles, your actions have significant consequences upon beings that want to use you as a pawn.
2. Everything God’s Word declares about the children of God is true about you, regardless of your circumstances or how you feel.
3. You can silence the devil’s claims against you without ever having to defend yourself. Simply lay claim to your relationship with Jesus and give praise to Him as your Lord. You will slap the devil’s mouth shut every time.

Spiritual progress is a WAR; all else is the outcome of it.

Here are some facts to keep in mind:

You must wage the battle that YOU are at the center of.

2 Cor. 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

You are always on display.

Eph. 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Heb. 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,…

Your earthly struggles are the result of battles with spirit beings. The cause of trouble upon earth is conflict in the heavenlies

Eph. 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Until Michael the Archangel is ordered by God to expel Satan from the heavenlies (Rev. 12:7-10), Jesus has given the responsibility of resisting, binding and restricting his activity on earth, to you.

Matt. 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matt. 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Jesus came to earth, lifted us to citizenship in His Kingdom and placed His authority upon the Church. Now that the “keys of the kingdom” are with us, something you do on earth is going to have an impact in the heavenly realm.

Is. 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

To be ignorant of these things only exposes you to Satan’s harassing attacks, and eventual bondage.

2 Cor. 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are notignorant of his devices.

So a Christian, you go through your days giving little thought to how significant your life is. You seldom consider the impact you are having on the conflicts of the heavenly realm. Yet consider this, that God has arranged to have Jesus’ victory over Satan administered through your obedience and praise!

• Every time you choose God’s will over your own;
• Every time you lift praise to the Lord instead of complaining;
• Every time you trust God for provision rather than worry;
• Every time you turn to the Father’s mercy rather than remain frozen in condemnation……

…… you deny the devil his victory and you enforce the will of God over him. Good for you! Your simple acts of obedience to God give power to your praise of Him, and make you very dangerous to the devil.

Matt. 21:16 (Ps 8:2) And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise…,that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Stay On The Path!

Jer. 20:8 For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day.

Jer. 20:9 And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain.

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

In the previous 2 devotions we saw from Mark 4:35-41 that God holds back from revealing our impending collision with trouble, as we follow the Word with which He has directed us. Yet it is for our benefit that approaching trials need not be anticipated. Instead He has taken responsibility for our care, preparing grace for us to overcome, when we meet with troubles. When He spoke to His disciples to enter the boat and journey with Him across to the other side of the sea, there was in that order, the prophetic implication, that they would arrive at the other side. The storm that was hidden from them at the outset, was an unavoidable trial which Jesus had already provided a bridge over.

The Prophet Jeremiah provides a classic example for us, when we encounter the unexpected and harsh reactions of a hostile world against our obedience to God’s Truth. Here is some background. See if you can relate to the elements of Jeremiah’s situation.

• From his youth, God had called Him and revealed a strong prophetic Word to Jeremiah. He was called as a “Prophet to the Nations”.
• That sounded VERY promising. Surely Jeremiah expected a ministry that would be appreciated by ALL who loved God.
• But the Word of the Lord God had put in Jeremiah, was one of reproof and warning to God’s people, and they hated him for it. This was NOT the reaction he expected. And he was miserable as the more he obeyed God, the worse his treatment by his peers became.
• Now dejected and feeling trapped by the Truth he knew was real, and surrounded by deceived people who had no regard for it, Jeremiah protests. He lays out his case to God:

1. 1. God used His irresistible powers of persuasion to enlist me into Prophetic Ministry.
   2. He never told me it would be like this and I was unprepared.
   3. Every time I open my mouth, His Word comes out as a reproof against the backsliders; and they plot harder against ME because of God’s Word.
   4. I tried to decide not to prophesy the Word of the Lord anymore, but the flames of passion that His Word has caused in my soul, just burst from my lips. I can’t keep silent because I am so convinced by what God has shown me. I’m ruined for any retirement!

In reality, God hadn’t forced His call upon him. He simply persuaded Jeremiah with the wonderful purity of His Truth. In receiving God’s Word, it became a flame of passion in Jeremiah’s life, and he had obeyed God implicitly. Contrasted against a culture of self-delusion and moral betrayal, Jeremiah held God’s Word like a fire in his heart. It’s purity and righteousness was beautifully superior to the contrivances of compromise all around him. It was as though he was feasting off the finest cuisine while all other men were licking dirt. Yet, there was one huge result, which God had elected not to tell him, upon which he had not counted. And that was the total rejection that he and his Word would be met with. Now they were plotting to eliminate him because of his message, and Jeremiah was devastated.

The Word that God had called Jeremiah with was beautiful, like a refiner’s fire. Yet, just like that refining fire, it brought a separation between him and his peers which Jeremiah didn’t expect. Nor had God warned him about the severity of their rejection. But, by keeping the trouble concealed from him till it actually happened, had God really sent him forth unprepared? The question remains to be answered, in the next step, so……

Stay On The Path!

Mark 4:36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.

Mark 4:37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.

Mark 4:38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Mark 4:39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

Mark 4:40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

From part one, “Through A Glass Darkly”…

Life is a series of “crossings to the other side”, all within our one life-long journey to eternity. With callings, God is drawing us forward, into His will. If He knows that it’s important for you to get into the boat and cross over to the other side, then it’s often in your best interest not to tell you about the storm that will arise in the middle of your journey. Otherwise, you may not be so willing to get in that boat. Or your trip might be filled with such anxiety, that you’re ready to abandon ship with every gust or wave. If we knew the trials and tribulations life’s choices would bring us to, we’d likely never make them. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 Paul writes:

1 Cor. 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

God condescends to our weakness, leading us with limited views of His will for us, until we are strong enough to see the whole picture.

And now, “Grace Is There”…

If God hides approaching trouble; if He chooses not to tell us of the tribulations that are waiting for us, as we pursue His will; then He has taken the responsibility upon Himself to provide grace for us to overcome them. Some get angry with God, accusing Him of leading them into miseries for which they were unprepared. But are we unprepared? What could the disciples have done more, to be prepared against the storm that would arise upon the sea that night? Sure; they might have waited till morning, or taken the land route. But the Lord DID say, “Let’s take the boat overÖ” In reality, they had all they needed to weather the storm right there in the boat with them. They had Jesus. And surely Jesus hadn’t led them out there to die; although that thought did occur to them:

Mark 4:38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

The fact is, that there was grace already prepared for them to overcome the threat of capsizing in the storm. It was right there in the command Jesus had given them:

Mark 4:35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them (His disciples), “Let us go over to the other side.”

Jesus didn’t say, “Let’s TRY and get to the other side.” And He didn’t say, “There’s a storm on the sea, but let’s see if we can make it through”. And He certainly didn’t say, “Let’s go out there and drown in the sea.” He actually used the phrase “go over”. And the disciples had their assurance that Jesus intended to “go over” whatever was between them and “the other side”.

Here is a key in detecting the grace God places in our circumstances:

Any command of scripture or directive from the Lord, is at the very same time, a revelation of your liberties and abilities in Him. Whatever He commands, YOU can do (through Him).

When He says, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” You have just been told what you are able to do. When Peter questioned Jesus about what they (the disciples) could expect as a result of leaving home and family to follow Him, Jesus responded by saying:

Mark 10:29 …Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospelís,

Mark 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

When Christians face tribulations in their cross-bearing journey with Jesus, the Lord has already built in a Word of Grace, promising family, friends and provisions. Though persecutions will be present, these blessings of grace are promised also.

So why should the Lord burden us with the details of approaching trials and tribulations, when He has already prepared us with the promises of His provisions to focus upon? He knows we will need them. So are we truly “unprepared” for unseen troubles, if we have been given His Word of grace in advance? The answer lies with our responsibility to pay attention to what He says.

Mark 4:40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The Lord had expected His disciples to mitigate their fears of the storm with His command to “cross over”.

In reaching the “other side”, there are unspecified trials, for which we have already been provided with necessary grace and deliverance. If we but only pay attention, the provision is in the very Word, upon which we commenced our journey.

More on reaching the other side tomorrow, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Mark 4:36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.

Mark 4:37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.

Mark 4:38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Mark 4:39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

Mark 4:40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Life is a series of “crossings to the other side”, all within our one life-long journey to eternity. With callings, God is drawing us forward, into His will. If He knows that it’s important for you to get into the boat and cross over to the other side, then it’s often in your best interest not to tell you about the storm that will arise in the middle of your journey. Otherwise, you may not be so willing to get in that boat. Or your trip might be filled with such anxiety, that you’re ready to abandon ship with every gust or wave. If we knew the trials and tribulations life’s choices would bring us to, we’d likely never make them. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 Paul writes:

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

God condescends to our weakness, leading us with limited views of His will for us, until we are strong enough to see the whole picture. He calls us to commitments of marriage, ministry, sacrifice and service. He gifts us with visions and anointings for high purposes. And He often withholds from us the frightening details of our mission’s encounters. God has calculated that, if trouble must be faced, it need not be anticipated. For he knows that He has hidden grace in each occasion, sufficient to overcome.

In Mark 4:35-41, His disciples are simply told:

“Let us go over to the other side.”

The terrible storm that nearly capsized the boat is kept from them. All they need to know is that they are travelling with Jesus, over to the other side. If we knew how often we’d regret marriage, or children, or choices in companions, vocations, churches or ministries. If we knew that in the midst of a commitment we made by the Lord’s leading, that we’d regret ever embarking on the journey; we’d have serious second thoughts, and in many cases, we’d never make the right decision. If God had to issue disclaimers and get us to sign off on waivers, rather than to trust Him, the fact is frankly speaking, we’d probably never really follow Him. The dread of tribulation and trials would be too much for us. If we knew that before it was all over we might lose friends, loved ones, social standing, popularity and acceptance, we’d probably never take those first steps in response to God’s call. The fear of loss would be too much to overlook, in order to see the greatness and glory of His ultimate purpose in reaching the other side.

But ask any Christian veteran, who has stayed the course of spiritual warfare through life’s journeys, and they will tell you the same story of God’s power and glory revealed in the midst of the storm-tossed sea.

More on Getting To The Other Side tomorrow, so until then…

Stay On The Path!

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

Since people tragically mess up their lives in the effort to satisfy their craving for acceptance, modern counselors have concluded that appeasing them, early on in childhood, with mega-doses of unearned affirmation, will saturate their insecurities and develop a well-adjusted adult. This tragically destructive ideology is indicative of Paul’s statement in Romans 1:22…

Rom. 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].

The reason that appeasement is a fool’’s solution to man’’s need for acceptance is that it bypasses the real need by simply eliminating acceptability from the equation. Life will not simply tolerate freeloaders who want credibility for being acceptable without having to prove anything. True acceptance requires maintenance not just certification. In simple terms, if you stop being acceptable you’’re going to run the risk of rejection. Now that may be too harsh a reality for our sensitive fragile culture to face, but you’’ll never change the truth of it.

In the post-modern western world we are in a heated battle where a culture-of-self, demanding carte blanche acceptance is clashing with the claims of God over acceptability.

This is exactly why anti-Christian forces are pressing for a stronger secular influence over our society. If they can quarantine God in religious institutions – and by extension, isolate the claims of acceptability – then people will be “free” to have a sense of full acceptance without any standard accountability. But that is never the way it works out, nor can it. Because people want to be accepted according to the standards they admire. In other words, you’’ll never get acceptance as a great athlete just because you show up in an expensive Nike outfit. And if you demand to be accepted as one without running the race – and winning a few – you’’ll end up being labeled the very thing you fear most: a poser.

So you have to do what you love and believe in, as unto the Lord, because you love and believe in it, and not for the acceptance of men. When you live and run your race truly for the approval of God you’’ll never be defeated for lack of acceptance, because there is just no love like that of our Heavenly Father. He supports you as His child without robbing you of your need for accomplishment by giving you false credit. His total love under-girds you while His Spirit challenges your efforts and compels you beyond your short falls.

Col. 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Col. 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Paul the Apostle makes one of the strongest statements in the Bible on the subject of acceptance, when he says…

2 Cor. 10:12 Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.

Paul knew the enslaving traps of living with an eye towards the acceptance of man and under the fear of his rejection. In this statement he cites the “ministry” for becoming polluted with comparisons – and all because men want validation and endorsement from each other. And they believe in their hearts that they can’’t succeed without it. What a tragedy of faith. What a betrayal of love. If you’’re affected by the need for acceptance, I urge you right now to find a trysting place with God, and redirect your need to Him. Don’’t stop until you’’re free. Don’’t leave a shred of your inner need left dangling in the world. Lay it upon the altar where Love knows you best and helps you the most.

Mic. 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Stay On The Path!

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

The principle is simple really: Acceptance is based in Acceptability. If you want to be accepted learn to be acceptable. The problems arise when you begin to sort out just whom you want to be acceptable with. If you always try to be accepted by people I hope you’re a chameleon, because you’ll need the skills. Your safest bet is to find out what it takes to be accepted in God’s eyes and let everything else find its place behind that relationship. That way the Lord will set the standard for your acceptability. You can survive without acceptance from people but you can’t survive rejection from God. And if you’re acceptable in God’s eyes then you’ll be also in the eyes of those who matter. When you do this, then acceptability focuses you upon your need for transformation, development and maturity. Then you place your need for acceptance in God’s Hands, Who has the power to extend true credibility to you. Since you are seeking to please Him, Who is just, compassionate and merciful, your acceptance will be meaningful and fulfilling.

Okay then, just what does the Bible say about acceptability in the eyes of God? I thought it would be a good idea to just list a few of the verses that mention what God views as acceptable. There is more, but this will give you a good start and you can research the rest through a simple word study of the scriptures.

A heart that is humble and right before God will always have a tongue that speaks acceptably…

Prov 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

To act with justice and discretion is more acceptable to God than trying to make up for sin…

Prov. 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

A true heart seeks to have its thoughts and words to be acceptable to God, and not just its actions…

Psa. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, beacceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

One seeking to be acceptable to God knows it is only reasonable that his body, with its abilities and strengths, belongs to God…

Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

It is acceptable to God when we live the truth and righteous standards that we profess, believe and proclaim…

Eph. 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Eph. 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Eph. 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Making it a priority to pray for all people and those in authority, is an acceptable practice with God, especially in light of our propensity for complaining…

1 Tim. 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

1 Tim. 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1 Tim. 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

It is acceptable with God for widows to receive support in their time of need, from the family members they have nurtured…

1 Tim. 5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

It is acceptable with God to show humility rather than retribution when you are reproved for your errors, seeing that God knows the truth…

1 Pet. 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, thisis acceptable with God.

God has made us to be accepted in Jesus (without our having to earn it). Ttherefore we should live to show forth praise for that gracious gift…

Eph. 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made usaccepted in the beloved.

You have a choice. You can waste your life being hung up on getting acceptance and falling under the modern misconception that you have a basic right to it. Or you can focus your efforts on being acceptable before God and have the fulfillment and satisfaction that it brings to your life.

Stay On The Path!

Welcome To The Light-Washed Path,

As relational beings we naturally seek acceptance. Acceptance is an indicator of many things, not the least of which involves knowing we are loved and gauging our performances. So it’’s understandable that people look for acceptance.

But the need for acceptance creates serious conflicts in the lives of many people, and it also presents opportunities for great manipulation in our society. There is a growing sentiment that because the need for acceptance is so intertwined with our behaviors, that it should be viewed as a basic human right – i.e. people should have acceptance extended to them without having to earn respect. As this philosophy gains traction among educators we see its influence over public policy, particularly with regard to child development. Increasingly the focus of the classroom is affirming children rather than challenging and educating them.

Today people crave, even demand acceptance without consideration of the basic concept of acceptability. Acceptance that is extracted by force - that is, without consideration of acceptability – is worthless. If we advance a child through 12 years of schooling without ever holding him or her accountable for the knowledge required to graduate, all because we want them to feel good, then we have betrayed them, and prepared them to fail in the real world. Giving quick passing acceptance to someone without any regard for credibility, is a way of quickly getting rid of someone who you have so little regard for, that you don’’t want to waste the time to engage them. You simply give them the nod of acceptance they want and let them quickly pass by. To practice this charade of cordiality in any meaningful relationships is dangerous, and deceptive.

If you crave acceptance beware how you go about getting it. According to the wisdom of God’’s Word there is only one legitimate way to acceptance and that is through the requirements of acceptability. When I was young our society was then influenced by a very simple principle that every child heard at home and every student had reinforced at school: Respect must be earned.

It’’s true that on many levels there is an instant acceptance that is extended to people. Like the new neighbor who is welcomed into the community, group, school or church. But then a certain implied standard must be maintained or that acceptance can turn to rejection. There is a direct correlation between acceptance and standards of acceptability. If acceptance is given on credit then it must be maintained or lost. To tamper with this balance is to overthrow the very premise of justice and order. Even in the principle of forgiveness based on mercy – which is given freely without being earned – acceptability is a factor. Because reinstatement is extended as a result of repentance, which is acknowledgement of failure and expressed desire to recommit to the requirements of acceptability. Even then the law of acceptance and acceptability is left in tact. For instance, if a marriage is violated by adultery the offended spouse can choose to forgive. But is the offender is welcomed back without submitting to the demands of acceptability then the acceptance is worthless and the offense will likely continue.

Gen. 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you….

In our text Cain’’s sacrifice was wrong and Able’’s was right. Understandably Cain was upset. But it was the way he handled his emotions that turned him into a cursed killer. God told him to simply offer the ‘acceptable’ sacrifice and he’d be accepted. In other words, be acceptable and you’ll be accepted. Simple. But Cain was a product of the same twisted reasoning that pollutes our culture today: “I want acceptance and I’’ll kill the achiever if I can’’t get it.” Goofed up parents are forever in the Principal’’s Office (sometimes with a lawyer), demanding that their misbehaving child be extended the same privilege of acceptance as the achievers. So rather than amend his offering, Cain went out and killed his brother, thinking this would even the playing field, with competition no longer an issue. Cain was wrong and for his actions he received rejection as a murderer. He got what he earned for himself.

Cain was blinded by the craving for acceptance instead of being motivated by the desire for acceptability. But there is a positive spot in this story. When Cain’’s performance was unacceptable God didn’t automatically reject him. He simply explained the needed correction and gave Cain a ‘do-over’. God desires to accept us and sent His Son Jesus, to bless us with acceptance. He did this by performing the ‘acceptable work’ that was necessary on our behalf – that which we could not do for ourselves. We have but to acknowledge and accept it. He then empowers us to live acceptably. And when we fail, His acceptable work on our behalf is ever available.

Eph. 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Tomorrow we’ll share more on this truth, so until then……

Stay On The Path!

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,

True faith is not inactive. When people in the Bible were moved with real faith there was ALWAYS some manifestation of it. Faith usually wants to express itself through some corresponding act or profession. Let me quote a statement from my devotional, “Faith Is Not Invisible”:

Belief can run deep and quiet, but faith declares the glory of God. People who are under the influence of faith and in a state of believing God for something He has promised, usually make some kind of statement by their words or actions.

To bottle up your profession of faith is to stop short the work of God, which He would do on your behalf and for His glory.

Matt. 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

You have beliefs and may be very sincere about them. But it’s possible that you could never act upon what you believe. Many people believe that Jesus delivers but when they get into situations they always handle things in a typical carnal fashion, and simply “wish” or hope that God would deliver them. They never actually seek God for deliverance, exercising their faith to act upon His Word. Faith ALWAYS has its eyes on the answer instead of the trouble. So then faith will ALWAYS want to respond to the negative threats of a bad situation, with a positive act or profession. Since faith comes from God, it is godlike in character and will NEVER sound defeated. It will always, always, always insist upon expressing zealous confidence in God’s answer to the threat. So sharply distinct is the positive response of faith to the fearful reports of bad news, that faith often sounds crazy in light of circumstances. Consider Jesus’ advice to Jairus upon hearing that his daughter had died:

Mark 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Mark 5:38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

Mark 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

Mark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn.

The mourners thought Jesus was mad. Yet Jesus would often direct people to perform certain acts in connection with receiving their healing. These acts would have no apparent role in producing the healing, yet like pathways for faith, they became roads that led the seekers right into their deliverance:

In 2 Kings 5 Elisha told Naaman the leper to dip 7 times in the Jordan River and he would be healed, and he was.

In John 9 Jesus made clay from spit and dirt, stuck it in the eyes of the blind man and told him to wash at the Pool of Siloam; and he was healed.

In Matthew 14 Peter saw Jesus walking on the water. He asked permission to leave the boat and join Jesus. Emboldened by Jesus simple invitation to “Come”, Peter climbed over the side and began striding towards Jesus on the water. Proving that faith in the word from Jesus, “Come” was really what was holding Peter up, he instantly sank when he looked at the circumstances and began to sink.

If people’s faith was hampered by pride, fear, anger or unbelief, a reluctance to perform the corresponding act or profession of faith would hold the person back, and they’d fail to receive. Consider this story from 2 Kings ch 13, of King Joash seeking God’s deliverance from the Syrians, through the Prophet Elisha.

2 Kings 13:17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The LORDís arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria! For you shall fight the Syrians in Aphek until you have made an end of them.”

2 Kings 13:18 And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped.

2 Kings 13:19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times.”

The Prophet had already pointed out that the arrows represented the King’s victory over the Syrians. But then when he told him to take action, by striking the ground with the arrows, though the Prophet had already defined the significance of the arrows, King Joash wimped out, and reluctantly struck the ground 3 times. But God knew that just as it would take more than victorious battle over the Syrians in order to defeat them, He also knew that King Joash simply lacked the faith and zeal to receive the victory. We don’t know if he felt too foolish, was too fearful, or just where his lack of faith came from. But whatever it was, he let it keep him back from ACTING IN FAITH. The carnal mind says, ‘That’s foolish. I don’t have to do that to be healed.” Yet what the carnally minded fail to realize is that, while it’s true that the “acts of faith” aren’t necessary for God to do His work, THEY ARE NECESSARY FOR OUR FAITH TO DO IT’S WORK!!

It should be evident that people shouldn’t run around just dreaming up silly symbolic gestures of faith, thinking that these will make God move on their behalf. I knew a man who tried to walk on water during his lunch break at work. He got wet up to his neck, in front of all his co-workers. Yet more common is the danger of overly sophisticated thinkers, who are “too reasonable” to take the steps the Lord leads them to take, because they seem silly. However remember what the scriptures say about the first miracle Jesus performed, turning water into wine at the wedding feast:

John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

The rational thinker would argue that Jesus, being God, can simply turn water into wine and doesn’t need our help. He could make it squirt from fountains in the ground or just appear in their glasses. We don’t have to do anything to help Him. Yet that first miracle of Jesus began with this:

John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, DO IT….

John 2:7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

John 2:9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine…

God’s faith, residing in you, is a lot less concerned with what seems rational, than it is with, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, DO IT“.

Stay On The Path!

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,

The Douay and the Geneva Translations of the Bible renders Mark 11.22 as,

And Jesus answering, saith to them: Have the faith of God.

The Bible In Basic English (BBE) translation says,

…Have God’s faith.

While most translations agree with the King James, “Have faith in God.”, some translators have brought out the idea of actually possessing and using “the faith of God”, or “God’s faith”, in the meaning of Jesus’ words. It is certainly true that we are to put our trust in Jesus and make Him the object of our faith. But it’s also correct to say that we are to use faith that HE GAVE US with which to do that. In other words, God expects us to use the faith which he has supplied us with, when it comes to believing Him for His promises. For everyone who has ever had trouble believing God for His provision, whatever it is, THIS is something you NEED to hear!

You cannot receive the promises of God’s Word, and benefits of the Covenant, with your own humanly devised faith. You must use faith that originates with God Himself, which He Himself has given you to use!

Consider these verses in light of the previous statement:

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

Gal. 2:20 …And that I live now in the flesh: I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and delivered himself for me.

Heb. 12:2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leaderand the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].

Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing”. If faith “comes”, where does it come from? From God. Romans 12:3 is clear: God give to each one “the measure of faith” with which to believe.

Now believing isn’t so difficult when you learn to develop and use the “faith of God”. Our human ability to believe is overrun and swamped by the staggering promises and grants of the God’s covenant with us. Yet, if you learn to look to Jesus and His Word, HE will “develop” and hone the faith He has blessed you with (Hebrews 12:2). His faith operating in you, has no problem believing the Word. Helping you to believe and act upon God’s Word is exactly why the Holy Spirit gave it to you.

Jesus is called the High Priest of your profession of faith, in Hebrews 3:1.

Heb. 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Heb. 3:1 …give thought to Jesus the representative and high priest of our faith; (Douay)

Jesus is active, as your High Priest, according to the words of your mouth. What you say from your heart is very important to God.  Jesus is the source of your faith, your heart is the home of your faith and your tongue is the tool of your faith. We either create access or resistance to Jesus’ ministry as our High Priest, by what comes out of our mouth. He is the “High Priest of our confession of our faith”. Think about it; you open or close the door to the Lord’s ability to bless and help you with your tongue. No wonder the Psalmist said:

Psa. 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

True faith will ALWAYS declare the reality of a situation as God sees it rather than just reporting on the circumstances. In order to get Abraham to agree with Him, God not only gave him a Word and vision promising that He would make him the father of many nations, but He also changed his name to “Abraham, Father of many nations”. This way, Abraham would have to confess what God had told him, every time he gave his own name: “I am Abraham, Father of many nations”. In describing this, Paul said of God in Romans 10:17,

“…(God) calls those things that be not as though they were.”

The fact that Jesus is Lord will never be successfully disputed ever, anywhere. Yet whether or not He is able to exercise all the benefits of His Lordship, on your behalf; blessing you with healing, comfort and provision; will all be determined by the flow of faith or unbelief from your lips. Declaring that Jesus is Lord is one thing, but letting His faith fill your heart and overflow your lips will lead to demonstrating His Lordship.

Another step of faith tomorrow, so…

Stay On The Path!

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,

True faith is not blind faith, and neither is it dumb or invisible. When people in the Bible were moved with real faith there was ALWAYS some manifestation of it.

Matt. 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

The most common way that faith is manifest is through some verbal profession. In the Bible these were not religious affirmations but spontaneous expressions. The believer’s heart would be filled with faith, usually upon hearing Jesus or the Word of God. Then faith, as it rose up in them, would inspire them to act or speak accordingly. Then their words or actions were like staking a claim to a treasure.

Mark 5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

Luke 5:19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling (the roof) with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

Luke 5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

Often, the words or actions that faith would lead us to express, seem nutty or irrational to those around us. But consider that even Jesus would tell people to go and do peculiar things in connection with obtaining their healing. The reasons were simple. He knew that faith needs to take action and not remain as unexpressed abstract belief. So Jesus would direct people in an action that would allow their own expectation to arise.

John 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

John 9:7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

Obviously there was no healing virtue in the waters of that pool, nor was there any special healing-activator in the water, for Jesus had healed many without using any water from that pool. BUT there was a kind of activator in the faith of the blind man, which evidently rose within him as he acted on the words of Jesus. Faith is NOT invisible or silent. It seeks for expression. That is why faith glorifies God; because it isn’t silent. Belief can run deep and quiet, but faith declares the glory of God. People who are under the influence of faith and in a state of believing God for something He has promised, usually make some kind of statement by their words or actions.

To bottle up your profession of faith is to stop short the work of God, which He would do on your behalf and for His glory.

Consider again our text from Mark 11:23

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 says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says.

Notice that Jesus mentions believing one time:

…but shall believe that those things…

However, He mentions saying 3 times:

…whosoever shall say unto this mountain…

…those things which he says shall come to pass…

…he shall have whatsoever he says.

True faith will ALWAYS talk crazy (by worldly standards) in the face of obstacles. God called childless Abraham, “The father of a multitude”. Jesus called unstable Peter, “a rock”. Peter told the lame man he could give him the power to walk and then pulled him to his feet. And yet, it’s not that faith works if you talk boldly, but rather that if faith is working you will talk boldly. Faith isn’t “fake it till you make it”, by just spouting brazen confessions. True faith doesn’t originate in the mouth but in the heart. Yet, it’s absolutely clear that when the heart is generating true faith the tongue MUST cooperate with the appropriate confession.

Rom. 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (saved, healed and delivered);

Rom. 10:10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (saved, healed and delivered).

To bottle up that profession of faith, or to fill your mouth with doubt-filled talk and complaining, will most certainly take the life out of your faith; and the mountain will just stand there and laugh at you. Remember that God is glorified through your faith because its profession from your lips let’s the world know Who’s doing the blessing on your behalf!

Tomorrow, another important step; so until then…

Stay On The Path!

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, “How Can I Believe?”:

The secrets to faith are discovered in the WHAT, WHY AND HOW to believe. We’ve covered, WHAT and WHY. If you’re solid on those points you can now look at HOW to believe and these principles will work for you. First let’s make a simple statement that will sum up the ‘HOW TO’ part of faith:

Fix your faith on something YOU CAN believe.

True faith is not blind faith. There is no such thing as believing that something will happen, without your faith stemming from some reasonable expectation. In other words, faith is NOT believing in magic. The true nature of faith is that you believeIN or BECAUSE OF something. It’s not believing without a reason. That is “wishing”, and wishing lies in the realm of fantasy, not reality. If faith were a science, this statement would be part of defining its function:

Your heart will not exercise real faith without being convinced of a credible reason for believing.

Spend a few minutes thinking about that. You will realize that there is no such thing as “blind faith”. Blind faith is believing without any reason for believing, or believing without looking at something. Jesus NEVER endorsed the idea that anyone should blindly believe; or believe without looking at something. He ALWAYS gave us something to look at, something to fix our faith upon. The problem that everyone has, who has ever had trouble believing Jesus, is that they don’t look at what He’s given them to fix their faith upon. Jesus has given us His Word, backed up with faithful demonstrations, for us to look at and fix our faith on, in order to believe. Picture this for yourself personally: Jesus sits in front of you, takes your hands, looks into your eyes and says, “I have come to take your sins, all oppression, disease and pains. It is your Heavenly Father’s perfect will, as His child, to be healed, well and whole.” Then consider that He has backed up that promise by demonstrating absolute faithful consistency in healing and delivering EVERYONE that ever came to Him in the Bible. THAT is what God wants your faith to look at and see! The Bible actually teaches (Hebrews 12:2) that your faith is developed while you LOOK away from all distractions and focus completely on Jesus’ Word and work:

KJV Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith

AmpB Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader andthe Source of our faith

GWord We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith

Consider then, what it takes to have faith, true “mountain-moving faith”. You don’t have to know how to make a mountain move. Just LOOK at Jesus; HEAR what he has said; UNDERSTAND it clearly without doubting, BELIEVE He has accomplished it, and then act upon it. God is the One Who will do the work. In most cases He has already done the work and made the provisions. They wait only for faith to appropriate them. So the only time faith is blind is when it’s not looking at Jesus, doesn’t see the Answer, and in that case it’s simply wishing. Faith is ‘blind’ when it looks at people or circumstances for the answer because it will never see anything that will give it life. But when you LOOK at Jesus and really hear His Word faith’s eyes will open and you will see healing, provision, deliverance and salvation. And when your faith sees it then know that mountains were moved that you might have it!

Tomorrow faith takes a few more steps.  So until then…

Stay On The Path!

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 at1 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!

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!