Those of you who know me know that this blog is an assignment the Lord gave me to do during what has turned out to be a very long season of preparation. I thought I would have a position somewhere by now. However, one look at the time stamps of this blog will show you: I haven't been doing my part. So, with my son screaming in yet another attempt not to go to sleep at bedtime, I embark on my assignment once more.
What many of you also know about me is that I am not a big fan of using quotes. I have grown weary of listening to sermons and teachings that use an excessive amount of others opinions, while using far too little of the only One's Words that really matter. It will surprise you, then, to see that I start of today with a quote. I have recently been "re"-reading (OK, going back and actually finishing for the first time) a book I was assigned back during my sophomore year of college. It is the out-of-print book by Alan Redpath called "Victorious Christian Living." It is an old book that walks the reader through the Book of Joshua. Don't tell my professor that I'm actually reading something now, it will only disappoint him. In the Introduction (that's right, before he even started teaching), I was struck by this phrase:
It has been my profound conviction for some years now that the greatest need of the Christian Church is the revival of the standard of New Testament living. There seems to be a very wide gulf between what we believe and how we live, a marked contrast between our position in Christ and our actual experience.
Forget studying Joshua; let's work on that!
We claim to believe so many things about the Bible. Yet, our lives look markedly different than what God declares in His Word. I haven't been able to shake those words over the past few weeks. "A very wide gulf" is what he said. I think that sounds about right. So the question becomes: do you actually believe what God says about you? Do you actually believe the promises He has given to each of us? And, if so, why doesn't your life reflect that?
Don't be discouraged by those questions. They are meant to cause a shift in our thinking. The problem that we all have is that what we deem to be our "faith" isn't really faith at all. We are still sitting around wondering when and if God is going to do something for us. That's not faith. Faith says, "I receive that. Thank You, Lord." With that in mind, I want to point out a few places from the Word that the Lord has been showing me where the gulf between promise and experience is too wide.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." ~John 14:12
Jesus - the Master - told us that if we believed in him we would "out-do" Him, for lack of a better term. Do you see very many people "out-doing" Jesus' ministry? You should. In fact, we all should. Unfortunately, very few Christians are at a place in their spiritual maturity where they can function in the fullness of this Biblical promise. As a result, we have made the classic error: we have re-written this Bible verse. I have heard too much commentary on this passage that goes along the lines of this - Jesus meant that we all collectively would do more than He did, because no one man or woman can do more than Jesus.
Cowards.
Go read the sentence again. Jesus uses singular language when He speaks. He means that if one person would believe in Him, then that one person would do more than He did. Why? Because Jesus went to the Father - and sent the Holy Spirit to empower you and I to do all the works that He prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus only operated on the earth for three years. You and I have more time than that, so we should be doing more. We shouldn't be wondering why God isn't doing more in our lives for the Kingdom; we should be asking, "Do I really believe in Jesus as much as I say I do?"
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:19
Here we find the classic teaching of Paul on God's provision. Why are so many of us scrapping just to make ends meet? We should have more than enough. Jesus said He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). Certainly part of an abundant life would include enough to live on. The Scripture tells us that God desires to give us sufficiency in everything and an abundance to every good work (2Corinthians 9:8). Were we supposed to use it on everything but our food and light bills? Galatians 3:13 says that the Blessing is on all those who believe, and Proverbs 10:22 says that Blessing makes one rich. What happened to "He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2Corinthians 8:9, emphasis added)? I guarantee you that Scripture does not mean Jesus became financially poor so that we could become spiritually rich. He became financially poor (at the cross), so that you could become financially rich; and He became spiritually poor (at the cross), so that you could become spiritually rich.
So why am I broke?
The Scripture is very clear about how we are to deal with our finances. The single most important aspect of a Christian's finances is the Tithe. Modern-day Biblical scholarship is finding ways to cheapen the Tithe. I have heard it told that "New Testament Christians didn't practice the Tithe." True, they didn't... They sold there houses and brought the check to the Church. Shall we call the Deacons and have them stop by tomorrow? I jest, but you get the picture. Biblical Blessing and prosperity is linked to financial giving. Paul's declaration in Philippians 4:19 is in direct correlation with the Church's financial partnership with his ministry. So, perhaps we need to look into our own attitudes concerning the Tithe and/or giving. Or, perhaps we need to learn to be grateful for what we have (remembering that gratefulness is not the same as complacency). Or perhaps we need to raise our level of expectancy. Whatever it may be, there is a very wide gulf between God's promises for financial Blessing and the impoverished state of far too many Christians.
"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." ~John 8:36
That is pretty self-explanatory. However, too many pastors and teachers talk about freedom as some sort of drawn out process that we all have to go through. I have grown tired of hearing about God walking us down the long road to freedom. I am even more tired of listening to the religious contradiction that God supposedly frees people from bondage instantly, while leaving others to go through a long and weary trek to spiritual release. That's a lie if ever there was one. The devil has been infiltrating that kind of demonic thinking for centuries, and it needs to stop. We need to have the mindset of the Apostle Peter, who said "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality" (Acts 10:34). That puts a stopper to the idea that God may not actually be willing to free of from oppression or addiction. I learned this in my own life. Battles with depression and pornography have been conquered by changing the way I think from "God, will You ever help me" to "I'm free right now!"
The way you feel has absolutely no bearing on whether or not Jesus has moved on your behalf. This is why I have been instructed to write this over the past few days. In the same way that we receive or salvation by faith, we must receive our freedom from oppression by faith. In other words, you may not "feel" saved, but you know that you are because you believe the Scriptures concerning your salvation. You know that you will be welcomed at Heaven's gates one day - that your name has been written in the Book - even though you have never seen your name in golden ink written in the Book. The same holds true concerning your freedom from sin and oppression. Just because you don't "feel" like you are different doesn't mean that you aren't a new creature in Jesus right this very moment (2Corinthians 5:21). What we all need to do is learn how to operate in that freedom and newness of life that is already ours by right. God's not slowly walking us out of prison. The cage door is wide open; the chains are already lying on the ground. We must do what Romans 12:2 instructs us: renew the mind. Renew the thinking. See ourselves as the righteous, the just, and joyous and the free. Indeed (sorry, couldn't resit that last bit).
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." ~James 4:8
Have you ever known someone (or been the someone) who has claimed that God is sending them through an intention dry-period? Have you known somebody who has claimed that God is being intentionally silent, in order to make sure they really wanted to hear from Him? I have. As a young man, I believed that kind of lie. Recently, though, I have learned better. So when I see people declaring that God uses silence to sanctify, or hear teachings about God intentionally withholding something from a person in order to make sure they really desire something of Him, I get really angry. That is in no way the heart of the Father. This is another "gulf."
If I intentionally withheld myself from my son, most people would consider me a really bad father. How can I possibly withhold my time and attention from him in order to make sure he really wanted me? How conceited! God is no different. He went through everything in order to establish relationship with each of us. He gave the only thing that cost Him something - Jesus - to reestablish intimate relationship with His creation. how many sermons have we heard about God wanting to be more intimate with us that anyone? Pastors will be quick to point out that the word the Scripture uses to describe this intimacy is the same word used for "intercourse" between a husband and wife. If God really desires to be that intimate with us, if Jesus is really "Emmanuel, God with us," then how can He possibly be withholding His presence and voice in order to teach us a lesson? Lie, lie, lie.
Our issue is not that God isn't speaking, it's that we do not know how to listen. We must learn to spiritually "tune in" to the voice of God. When we are not living uprightly, then we hinder our ability to come before the Throne and hear clearly from the Lord. Sin separates, repentance restores. Once we are sure that we are right before Him, we must learn to sit quietly with Him. This is my biggest slip up. Being silent in the presence of God is a challenge is this noisy, fast-paced, "ADD" generation. We do not know how to be still and know He is God (Psalm 46:10). We do not know how to detect that still, small voice (1Kings 19:12). And often times, we are waiting for something God never said He would do. Your not getting a burning bush. You are not getting the supernatural vision. If you need to "see something," then you never will. When you sit down for prayer, get right before Him. Then know that, since you are drawing near to Him, He is sitting in your midst drawing near to you.
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"A marked contrast between our position in Christ and our actual experience"
We are promised so much in the Bible that we are not tapping into. The Book of Ephesians shows us that God "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (1:3). That means that those of us who are in Christ are Blessed with everything Heaven has to offer. This isn't a "when we get to Heaven" Scripture. It means that everything Heaven has to offer us is at our disposal when we are in Christ. We just have to believe for it and learn how to receive it and operate in it. Jesus informs us how to pray by saying, "whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them" (Mark 11:24). There is no disclaimer there. Believe it, get it. What do you believe?
“Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” ~Matthew 8:13
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