How Much Faith Do We Have?

 "...some people brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a bed. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the paralyzed man, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."

Matt. 9:2

Matthew 9 contains the insight mentioned above, where Jesus heals a man that is paralyzed. While this in itself is amazing, there is another amazing thing that we can witness from this event.  The man who is paralyzed has friends who care enough for him that they want him to be healed by Jesus, and go to great lengths to get him in front of Jesus. 

Faithful people share their faith. Today’s verse comes from the story in Matthew 9 about the friends of a man who was sick and paralyzed. They wanted him to be healed, so they brought him to Jesus by lowering him on his mat through an opening in the roof. When Jesus saw these  friends and what they were doing, Matthew records, "Jesus saw how much faith they had.."  

A good question to ask ourselves, is how much faith do we have?  We might answer, "I have great faith!  I come to church on Sunday, I'm busy in the community and spread good deeds. I give regularly and pray often!" God may then turn to us and ask, "But have you brought your friends to me?"  Just like this man, we too have friends who are paralyzed and can’t get to Jesus. They may be paralyzed by fear, guilt, doubt, pain, or maybe even resentment over being hurt in the past by someone professing to be a Christian. They can’t get to Jesus on their own.

Are we going to be faithful enough to bring them to the Lord?  

We need to take care in coming to the point that we quit "being about the Lord's business."  Serving God is more than "church" and pretending to be religious. The moment we say in our heart that we do not need to grow anymore, we're saying they don’t care about the world.  When we get to this point, God’s blessing is removed because God does care for the world (Jn.3:16).

When we continue to bring people to Jesus, God will bless not only our church family, but also our real families, our businesses, and our lives. God honors the faith of those who share their faith, and not only do you receive a blessing, you become one. 

Jim

Elvis Has Left The Building!

"Elvis has left the building..."

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

When you say things like, “There’s something I'd really like to do for God, but I don't think that I can do it," congratulations!  You have just graduated! You're absolutely right - YOU can't and God knows this. That is why God supplies us everything that we need (2 Tim.3:16,17) and works in you and with you to give you the power and means to do what He asks you to do (Ph'p.4:11-13).  

The famous phrase "Elvis has left the building..." tells us a lot. We cannot stay in the realm of  “I can’t” or "I don't know how" and expect God to reward us for the effort of just thinking that we can.  This is what Paul is trying to get across to us in Ph'p.4:13, that God gives us the strength to move past these types of things. When we stay in the realm of "I can't" it quickly changes into "I won't." We actually become less likely to even try great things for God because we are content to be a "one talent man (Mt.25:24)."

God pours his power into your life and gives us HIS strength and HIS grace (2 Cor.12:9) to do what he’s called to do. Quit speaking about faith, and do something about faith (Jas.2:18). Faith is acting in confidence that God’s power is active within you and through you. Faith is trusting that God’s power will be YOUR strength to do everything through him.

Its time to leave the building! Its time to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every individual." Its time to get our big boy/girl workpants on and understand that God is not asking you to live life under your own power or through your own strength. That would limit what you can do. God’s power and strength are unlimited and it is HIS vineyard, HIS world that he calls us to work in.  Its time to get past going to church like we're going to school and understand that we have graduated! You've got your degree - now get out there and get busy!

God is calling you to an open world. His power is available to you: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT). The question is - will you let him take you where HE wants you to go?

Jim 

Macedonians Calling

Last Sunday Evening, our study revolved around "The Cost of NOT." Relating the story from Jonah about the cost of NOT doing what God tells us to do. Further to the last post I made, we asked what was it that Jesus sought to build in His "church?" The answer was - a Spiritual place guided by heavenly standards and spiritual values!  The apostles were charged to go into all nations and teach them, make disciples of them (Mt.28:18-20).  This post will look at one of those incidents, where Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus), now carries the gospel into Macedonia.

The story begins in Acts 16:9, where Paul receives a vision of a man of Macedonia (we call it Greece) beckoning him to come and bring the gospel to them, to "help them."  Paul takes the journey, and from this journey ventures into Philippi (modern Fílippoi), Thessolonica (Modern Thessoloniki), Berea (modern Veria), Corinth (still bears same name), and Athens (still bears same name). The conversions of Lydia and her household, of the Philippian Jailer, the noble Bereans who searched the scriptures, Dionysius and of the church at Corinth all take place within the story of Paul's going to Macedonia. 

But -- what if Paul hadn't?  We sing in the song "Send the Light."  "we have heard the Macedonian call today - send the light!"   But what if Paul hadn't heeded that call?  The obvious answer is that God would have chosen and sent someone else - and that is true. Yet, there is just as likely a chance, that those we mentioned above, may never have heard the gospel if Paul hadn't gone.What a loss that would have been!

Let's now think a moment. We are spoiled. Like it or not - that is a truth!  We now have churches almost every 3 miles in some areas of our country, if not closer. We have every variety and facet flavor of "Christianity" that you wish to see or sample.  If we don't like one church, we just go to another one that fits our flavor.  Yet, there is not much difference in our own country than there was in ancient Greece of Paul's day.  There was still superstition, idolatry, immorality, and teaching of every flavor you could want.  Yet, God sent Paul a vision, of a man in Macedonia that was calling for help!

We sit in our pews on Sunday, and sing "we have heard the Macedonian call today - send the light" and then promptly close our Bibles and song books and go home. This isn't to say that there are not those involved in taking the gospel to other places. But, I am not speaking to them - I am speaking to the 90 percent of us that sing the words of a song and think we're doing the work of God.  We spend 90 per cent of our time going to church, tending to a building, fretting over politics or in some case even devouring one another (see the Corinthian letters) - and all the while there beckons a person out there that says "come help us."  Is this what "Jesus built?"  If it is, then no wonder that the majority of people that we talk to don't want any part of it.

Maybe its time we got back to what Jesus built, and hearing that Macedonian call and then getting off our spoiled backsides and doing the work Jesus has left for us to do -- "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." (Mt.28:18-20; 2 Tim.2:2).

Jim

BOOK REVIEW: The Hole In Our Gospel by: Richard Stearns

BOOK REVIEW: The Hole In Our Gospel by: Richard Stearns

I must admit, that when I received this book, I did not know what to think. I opened the pages and found it compelling and addressing an issue that has become more and more prevalent in our "mega-church" society. Many churches in our society find themselves or their members find them selves in a pursuit of wealth, comfort, and self-centeredness. Stearns holds no punches, calling people to address this and to understand that being a Christian is more than just forming "a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world.”

The Hole in Our Gospel explores a variety of topics. I found various sections of it interesting and thought provoking. I have always had an interest of how people have come to know God and their journey. He talks about the gospel and his own journey of faith. What I found most compelling, were the many challenges that he states that the poor of the world face and drills down with details, statistics and stories that brings these facts to life. What I found most convicting, is that he also shows how self-absorbed tendencies of people in "developed societies" turn blind eyes to these needs. Very impacting and convicting. In fact, I found pieces of the book (at least in my view) something that I felt that our politicians should read. The latter part of the Hole In Our Gospel is full of practical advice on how to begin addressing poverty and need among us.

What I found a little disappointing in the book, is that it addresses mostly the "mega-church" oriented groups. I belong to a small group in a small town. While I found its advice practical and have put to practice some of the things it mentions, I was left wondering how for instance a church of mostly elderly retired people living on fixed incomes would approach this. Perhaps it is because Mr.Stearns is President of World Vision, that I found most of the things he addresses to be involved in the world at large. What I did not see, was more written on how to address these things in our own small communities that are drying up because of unemployment.

All of this said, overall it is a good book, an interesting read, and full of practical wisdom. I commend him for relating his story of setting aside success for something far more significant. I commend him for taking the Lord's word to heart and putting it to practice and challenge others to follow his example. Read the book, you will not be disappointed. In fact, you may find yourself challenged as I did, that we can always do more than we think that we can.

Fishing

I live in an area where fishing is a key sport. We have both Salt Water as well as Fresh Water fishing, and even tournaments - you should see the beach when that happens. You would think you were stuck in LA Traffic at rush hour.

Jesus invited the disciples to "come and I will make you fishers of men." An interesting concept. We love to fish for fish, but mention becoming a fisher of men to someone, and instead of flocking to the beachheads, people scatter like a bear has just dropped into the middle of a picnic. Why?

I think people are afraid to commit for fear of failure. And here I speak of myself. I find myself, telling myself that I need to do this, and then the other side of me finding reasons why I shouldn't, or reasons to put it off. So, how do I commit? The same as with any kind of fishing - you never will catch a fish until you cast the net or the line to do so.

This brings me to the second reason that we do not want to do this, and that is what do we do with them once the net or line has brought them in. In real fishing we know we have to clean and dress the fish, to prepare it for cooking and the table. But what do we do with the "spiritual fish" that our nets have brought in? This is where things gets complicated. I actually have to engage the individual(s). But with what? Evidently they are interested in the Message, or they wouldn't have come into the cast net or have taken the line. Jesus gives us some insight on this in Matt.9:35-37.

• Once teaching has caught the interest of someone and their interest is piqued, then vs.35 shows us that continued teaching is required. Explanations of things such as salvation, the kingdom of God, fidelity to the Lord are needed things.
• Vs.35 also shows us that Healing is a needed thing. Jesus healed physical ailments, and most certainly this behooves us to be aware of the physical needs of those we teach, and to do what we can to help them. Yet, healing also has a spiritual side. When we encounter people with further teaching, many discover that they need spiritual healing of one sort or another. Many will discover that their hearts are "cut" (Acts 2:37) and that they need the healing of Christ's blood (Acts 2:38). Others, will discover that old scars and wounds have reopened (1 Jn.1:9) and that they need the healing balm of forgiveness.

Why then are we afraid to engage people to "fish for men" when we already know of the salvation of Christ, and of the Forgiveness he gives in Grace as we continue to walk with Him?
Perhaps we are not convinced that we are truly saved or forgiven? Perhaps we are not appreciative of the grace that has been given to us? Perhaps, we just don't want to?

To my knowledge, discipleship and helping to aid into the effort to generate disciples is not an optional thing (2 Tim.2:2). We go fishing because we want to, we enjoy it, and we like the rewards. Spiritual fishing is equally enjoyable once you know how, and the rewards are far better. So, let's get the tackle and nets ready. Its time to go fishing!