Faith

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

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have so much faith, while others have weak faith, and some have no faith at all?  Is God unfair?  No, God is no respecter of persons (2 Chronicles 19:7).  He has given to every man a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).

And so, what is faith?  Let me first say what it is not.  Faith is not positive thinking or optimism.  It is not a feeling that you can do something.  It is not a hunch or looking on the sunny side of the street.  Faith is getting a word from God and acting upon it.  You see, when you get a word from God and believe that word, it is belief.  But, when you act upon it, that is faith.

Faith is belief with legs on it.  Today is the day that you put your foot of faith upon the promises of God and say, "That promise is mine!"

Where are you resting?

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." -John 15:11

Do you depend upon Jesus Christ?  I mean totally depend upon Him?  Here's the way you can tell--are you resting in Him today?  You see, when you are totally committed to Jesus Christ, you rest in Him.  You realize it is necessary for Him to supply your every need.

Have you ever looked at a branch?  It has no other source of life than the vine.  If you asked that branch, "What's your secret for your healthy leaves and fruit?"  then it would say, "My secret is that I'm resting in the vine."  "But, what about your needs?"  you ask.  "I know I have needs, but that's not my responsibility.  My response is to rest in the vine's ability to provide.  I don't produce the fruit.  I just bear it."

Are you resting in the Lord today?

Jesus Christ as Lord

"For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell."  Colossions 1:19

Do you know why everything happens?  It is to bring glory to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  In fact, God's Word tells us Jesus Christ is to have preeminence in all of history.  All of history is culminating in this one thing. 

Do you know why the world was created?  Jesus.  Do you know why the Holy Spirit ministers?  Jesus.  Do you know why there is going to be a final judgment?  Because "every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:11).

Hitler and Hemingway will confess it.  Buddha and Mohammad will confess it.  None of us can change that fact--all of creation will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.  Next time someone asks you why something happens, tell them:  "for the glory of God."

Growing by His plan

"Let us go and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it.  Rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us." -Numbers 14:9

What is God's plan for you?  God wants to enlarge you, not indulge you.  God is not that interested in making you happy and healthy as he is in making you HOLY.  I want you to think about the times when you've grown most spiritually.  I can tell you that I have grown the most in my life during times of deepest despair.

Faith is like film, it is best developed in the dark.  The plan of God for your spiritual growth includes trials.  You will never grow spiritually until you eat the bread that God sets before you.  And most of the time, that bread is trouble!!!

What's your motivation?

"That I may know HIM......"

Do you know what is very sad today?  Is to have a full church filled with empty people.  Do you have a purpose for your life?  Paul did.  "THAT I MAY KNOW HIM..."  That was his motivation in life.  That is what drove Paul to be one of the greatest missionaries that ever lived.  His life was a purpose-centered and not a self-centered.  Today, most people are self-centered rather than Christ centered. 

Are you willing to say yes to Christ and "no" to self today?  If not, you don't have a purpose-centered life not in a Bible sense.  What is a purpose-driven life?  A life that is centered in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let your motivation be the same as Paul's.  "That I may know HIM....."

Delight

"Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live:  For thy law is my delight."  -Psalm 119:77

How does God unite a law book with a song book?  I'll tell you how.  With liberty and harmony.  God never intended His laws to be burdensome.  He meant for them to be a blessing.  The piano operates according to laws.  When a person masters those laws, the drudgery of learning turns to delight.  Piano practice enables a person to sit at the piano in perfect liberty and let the melody dance off the ivory keys.  Every law has a song written on the back of it.  And you will discover this when you keep the law.  Your duty will turn to delight. 

Deliverance

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."  -Psalm 34:4

The times that will most strengthen and enrich your life are those times when you go barehanded, armed with only the Spirit of God against the red lion of hell and prevail.  Like Samson, who killed a lion with his bare hands, then ate honey out of its carcass.

Whatever is hounding and threatening your life right now, you must hold fast to the Word of God that promises deliverance and hope, power and strength, wisdom and guidance.  Look beyond the physical evidence to the spiritual promise of God.  Problems are opportunities for God's power to be manifest in your life. 

Running your race!

Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  -Hebrews 12:2

What does it mean that Jesus is the "Author" and "Finisher" of our faith?  The Greek word archegos means He is the Captain, Leader, or Prince of our faith.  The Greek work teleiotes means finisher.  He is the Completer of our faith.

Jesus paid the price, so that you could be saved.  But He also is our example.  Do you want to know how to run the race?  Keep your eyes on Him.  He is the Savior who not only shows you how to run the race, but then He enters into you through the Holy Spirit, and runs the race through you.  Praise God--we are never alone!!  Not only did He author your faith by giving it to you as an umerited gift, but He also finished your faith by securing your salvation in the atoning blood of His Son!!!!

Surrendering!!

"He that findeth his life shall lose it:  and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."  -Matthew 10:39

We have nothing that God needs.  Think about that.  If I were to give God my riches, I couldn't make Him richer.  He owns everything.  If I were to give God my wisdom, I wouldn't make Him wiser.  He is the all-wise God.  If I were to give God my power, I couldn't make God more powerful.  He is omnipotent. 

God wants only one thing from His children--our hearts.  If we pray to God without giving Him our heart, we are mocking Him.  If we preach without giving God our hearts, we are preaching in ignorance.

God is saying to you today, "Give me your heart."  How will you respond?  What are you holding onto that keeps you from fully surrendering your life to Him?

Wisdom

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

Today's Scripture tells us if we lack wisdom, we are to ask God.  Let me tell you what it literally means.  If you lack wisdom, ask of the "giving" God.  Have you thought of God as the "giving" God?  What does it mean to you that God yearns to pour out His blessing upon you?  Do you say to yourself, "Oh goodie, goodie, let me see what I can get from God?"  Or does it humble you to know that the Almighty God who created the air you breathe, the ground you walk upon, and the body you are draped in...this God loves you and wants to bless you?  I pray it is the latter, for that is the heart of a child of God. 

Humble yourself before Almighty God and ask Him to create in you the heart of a child who longs for the Father more than anything else. 

Reconciliation

"Behold, How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"  Psalm 133:1

Do you know what God wants from you today?  Reconciliation.  That's far more important than singing in the choir, preaching a sermon, serving in the nursery, or giving an offering.  When we learn this, God is going to bring great revival to our churches.  Revival always begins when people begin to confess their faults to one another, pray for one another, and forgive one another.

Revival isn't raising the roof with a lot of emotion.  It is getting the walls down.  It is not just saying, "I am going to get right with God."  It is saying, "I want to get right with my brothers and sisters."  When we are reconciled, revival will come. 

And rejoicing will surely follow.  And not any kind of rejoicing, there will be Holy Spirit joy when you know there is nothing between your soul and the Savior and nothing between your soul and a brother.  Joy unspeakable!!

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

What a verse!  This is one of the most quoted verses in all the Bible.  I love to receive gifts.  Everybody does.  However, the best gift that was ever given was the Lord Jesus Christ.  This verse said "that he GAVE...." what a gift!

Have you thanked God for that most precious gift?  Jesus lived in the shadow of the cross.  He came to this earth to seek and to save that which is lost.  He could of called 10,000 angels to destroy the world and set him free.  But he died alone for you and me.  What a Savior!

It is finished

"It is finished."

Jesus cried out on the cross, "it is finished," before He bowed His head and dismissed His spirit.  The phrase Jesus uttered is one magnificent word in the Greek, tetelestai, which means "paid in full." 

If Jesus' day when a man was put in prison, a certificate of debt would be nailed to his prison door stating his crime and the penalty.  When the prisoner had served his time, the judge would write across this certificate, "Paid in full,"  and give it to the man so he could never be punished again for the same crime.  If anyone ever accused him again, the former felon could produce his certificate and say, "you can't touch me.  My debt has been paid."

So when the devil comes to taunt and accuse you for your sins, you can point to God's word and say, "you can't touch me because this is my bill of deliverance.  The debt for my sin has been paid by Jesus on the cross once and for all."   PRAISE THE LORD!!

Are you content?

"Not that I speak in respect of want:  For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  -Philippians 4:11

Paul came to a place in his life--not a physical place, but a spiritual place--where he felt divine contentment.  Most people think they know what this word "contentment"  means, but let me tell you what it means in God's Word...."self contained."

In the context of this passage, we learn that Paul was thanking people for their love gifts to him, but he wanted them also to know he was not dependent upon them because God had brought him to a place of sufficiency in Himself alone.  That is, Paul was able to say, "I have learned that I don't need anything or anybody else, but the Lord.  I have Him, and therefore, I am self-contained, not self-sufficient.  I can do all things through Christ."

Do you love Jesus?

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."  -Deuteronomy 6:5

I want you to reminisce about your spiritual journey for a moment.  Recall the early days of when you were first learning about God.  Remember the time you first understood how to pray.  Now, let me ask you:  Was there ever a time in your life, when you loved the Lord Jesus more than you do at this moment????  If there is, you are a backslider!!!!

Friend, if you don't love Jesus now with a burning, glowing enthusiasm, you need to remember what it used to be like and return your first love.  Don't get the idea that the love bug bit you and you can fall in and out of love with Jesus.  You choose to love Jesus ---every day and every way.

Worship

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:  for the Father seeketh such to worship Him."  -John 4:23

The Father seeks to commune with you in worship.  He is not looking for your money, your glory, or your strength.  He is looking for your heart.  C.S. Lewis said, "It is in the process of being worshiped that God communicates His presence to men."  If you are not worshiping God, but you are serving Him (or so you think), you are making a big mistake. 

To pray without worship is mockery.  To sing without worship is sounding brass.  To work without worship is an insult to God.  To teach without worship is ignorance.  To serve without worship is hypocrisy.  To witness without worship is perjury.  GOD WANTS YOUR WORSHIP!!

God is in it!

"According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue."  -2 Peter 1:3

A violinist stepped out onto stage one evening and drew the bow across his violin.  The room fell silent as out came the most glorious music the audience had ever heard.  When he finished, the crowd leaped to their feet and gave ovation after ovation. 

What happened next, shocked everyone speechless.  The violinist broke the violin on the podium into a thousand pieces.  He looked at the audience and said, "ladies and gentlemen, don't be dismayed.  This was only a $3.50 violin.  It is not so much the violin that makes the music as it is the man who draws the bow."  Little is so much when God is in it.  God can take a life that may be comparable to a $3.50 violin and turn it into a masterpiece. 

STORMS!

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee:  He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." -Psalm 55:22

Have you ever wondered why Jesus "constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side" (Matt 14:22), knowing that a storm was going to brew shortly after they set sail?  Why would He send them right into the teeth of a stormy gale?  Because He wanted them to know that He was sufficient for them.  He wanted them to worship Him. 

Your storm is nothing but a superhighway to bring you to Jesus.  It is the vehicle that moves you from a head knowledge to an experiential understanding that God is Who He says He is.  It was Andre Crouch who said, "For if I never had a problem, I would never know that God could solve them.  And I would never know what faith in His Word could do."

How are you walking?

For we walk by FAITH, not by sight.  - 2 Corinthians 5:7

In John ch. 4, we read the story of a nobleman whose son was gravely ill.  In this particular instance, Jesus chose not to go to the son to heal him.  Other times, Jesus went to lay His hands on the sick and they recovered.  Why didn't He do that this time?  I think for my sake and your sake He did not go.  There are so many of us who think if only we had the physical presence of Jesus, then we will have the blessings of Jesus.  We say to ourselves, "If only I lived back then."  Or, "Won't it be wonderful when Jesus returns."

We don't have to live in the past or in the future, wehave His WORD today.  And it's just as real and powerful as if He was here in the flesh.  Distance makes no difference.

What are you waiting on before you step out in faith?  It has been well said:  When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart. 

God's Word

"I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil."  -Psalm 119:16

Have you ever found a dollar bill on the sidewalk?  Did you just leave it there?  You probably picked it up, maybe asked people around you if it was theirs, and if it wasn't maybe you rejoiced a little.  Does that sound familiar? 

Now, what happens with your Bible?  You see it sitting on your desk and say, "Oh, the Bible is a wonderful book filled with good things for my life."  But, what good is it going to do to just say nice things about the Bible?  A dime and a gold Krugerrand are both of the same value when they are corroding on the ocean floor.  The promises in God's Word are of no value, unless you dig down deep and appropriate them into your life. 

Victorious Life

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee:  be not dismayed; for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."  -Isaiah 41:10

So many people want to know what the VICTORIOUS LIFE is, but let me first tell you what it is not.  It is not a life without ever committing a sin.  It is not life without ever having any failure.  It is not a life without ever having any doubt.  It is not a life without ever having discouragement.

Instead, the VICTORIOUS LIFE is the life of bringing our failures to the Lord Jesus and allowing Him to give us a brand new start.  Day after day I tell the Lord I need a new start, I need to be anointed with fresh oil today, and I need forgiveness.

I thank God that He is a God of GRACE, a God of GLORY, and a God of the second chance.  You're probably more prepared to serve God after failure and restoration, than perhaps at any other time in your life.

Have you recently failed at something?  There is no better time than right now to ask for His forgiveness for any unconfessed sin and ask Him to give you a new start.

What is sin?

He that believeth on Him is not condemned:  But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  -John 3:18

The world doesn't really know what sin is.  They think sin is lying, stealing, murder, adultery, or arson.  No, those are sins, plural.

Do you know what sin is?  Sin is the rejection of Jesus Christ that will damn a soul to hell.  You don't go to hell because you steal, lie, or kill.  I hear people say, "Sure, I lie every now and again, but God isn't going to send me to hell for that.  I might fry a few years in purgatory, but to die in hell for lying doesn't make sence."

When a man talks that that way, he doesn't understand sin.  Sin is high treason against a holy God.  Sin is a clenched fist in the face of God.  Sin says to God, "I will not bow to you.  I will not serve you.  I will not trust you."  That is sin!!

The great commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.  The great sin is not to.

Wait

"Wait on the Lord:  Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart:  Wait, I say, on the Lord."-Psalm 27:14

Do you know the story of Joshua and how the wall of Jericho fell down after the Israelites marched around it once a day for six days, then seven times on the seventh day?  Why not just walk around Jericho one time?  I think it was because God was testing their faith.

God was teaching them that waiting time is not wasted time.  God is never in a hurry, like we are.  We get upset when we miss a section in a revolving door.

God is never late.  He knows what he is doing.  Do you know what our problem is?  We've been aroun Jericho six times and we're ready to quit.  Say with the psalmist : "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him."

Are you free?

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."  -John 8:36

Living a pure life means surrendering to Jesus Christ.  But some people don't want to surrender because they say they want to be free. 

What if a train said, "I don't want to run on these tracks, I want to be free."  Then off through the field it would go.  What if the kite said, "I want to be free.  I don't want to be tied to a string."  The string breaks and down it goes.  What if a tree said, "I don't want to be planted in the earth.  I want to be free."  And it is jerked up from the earth and dies.

Everything that is truly free functions best when it functions as God made it.  God made you to know Him and to love Him. 

1 Peter 2:5

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Jesus is not only the Cornerstone of the church; He is also the individual building blocks through every believer.  Have you ever heard of someone being a "chip off the old block?"  That means he shares the nature of his father.  In a sense, every child of God is a chip off that block. 

By ourselves.... we are not all that much.  How many one-brick buildings have you seen?  One stone can be easily tossed around, but if you take a lot of them and put them together, there is strength.  Our Lord is building us together to gain strength from one another.  It is amazing what can happen when the body of Christ is unified. 

Step outside your comfort zone in sacrifice to the work of the Lord.  Reach across the lines and bring unity in the body of Christ. 

Are you hurting?

"And He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmaities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  - 2 Corinthians 12:9

There are 3 possible ways to pray when you are hurting:  First, you can pray that God will give you an escape from the pain.  That's normal- in fact, that's how drug strores stay in business!

Second, you can pray for God to give you the strength to endure the pain.  And that, too, is a natural response.  If we can't escape the pain, we can pray to endure the pain.

Third, the way we can pray is to ask God to enlist the pain in our lives for our good and His glory.  If we pray to escape our pain, then we see pain as our enemy.  If we pray to endure our pain, then pain is seen as a master.  But, if we pray to enlist our pain, we see it as our servant.

We are able to find God's grace to glory in our infirmities, that the power of God may be manifest in our lives.  Are you hurting over something that has happened in your life?  Ask God to give you strength to choose to enlist that pain for your good and His glory. 

Matthew 4:4

"But He answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." 

I believe many churches around the world are suffering a famine because their pulpits are not feeding heavenly bread to their flocks.  If you are not feeding on the Bible daily you are dying of spiritual malnutrition.  The only strength we have is found when we feed upon the WORD OF GOD. 

Job said, "I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."  In other words, Job was saying that if he had to choose between eating physical bread or spiritual bread, he would rather have the WORD OF GOD.

How I pray that people reading this would commit to a daily routine of exercising on their knees in prayer and feeding with the nutritious bread of GOD'S WORD....

Second place

You know in any athletic game, not to many people remember who came in second.  For example, many fans can remember who won the super bowl, however, only few can remember who came in second.  I know for me, I like to win.  Coming in second place is not that fun.

Did you know that Andrew is frequently identified in the Gospels as "Simon Peter's brother."  But Andrew didn't care about rank or recognition; his great concern was for others, especially bringing others to Jesus.  He may have been looked at as living in Peter's shadow. 

He was a very important figure.  Andrew did not care about fame, popularity or receiving any recognition.  All he cared about was bringing people to Jesus.  That is what it is all about folks.  Bringing people to Jesus!!! Who cares if people will ever notice you or even mention your name.  Matthew 6:19-21 comes to my mind. 

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Ambition

Ambition can be good or bad, depending on the motive.  Ambition is a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.  When I was in college, I had ambition to be the best second baseman I could be on the baseball team.  I work very hard day in and day out.  Ambition is a good thing right?  Yes, when it is pointed in the right direction.  My ambition cost.  What did it cost me?  It cost me serving the Lord Jesus.  You see, during that time, I did not attend church like I should, therefore; my fellowship with the Lord took a back seat.  Ambition is a good thing?? Right?

Lucifer, had AMBITION....His ambition was to be like the Most High.  If your motive is self-promotion and selfish gain, and if your method is deceptive and harmful to others, then ambition is WRONG.  But if our motive is to GLORIFY GOD and our method is to do His will and wait for His timing, then ambition is good. 

Philippians 2:3 says it all.  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit."  Thessalonians 4:11 says that we need to make our ambition to lead a quiet life. 

Let's us put aside all ambition that does not glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.  Remember, it is not about us.  It is all about HIM!!!

Have a great week!!!!
Brad Thompson