faith... pt 6

In our journey, part of the excitement is self-discovery. Tuning into God is the key to uncovering our steps. Anything laid out completely becomes a process and develops into a religious movement, I don’t want that for me nor for you. So let’s enjoy our time together and explore faith a bit further.

Enduring times cause a different measure of faith to be tested. In scripture, we find numerous examples of individuals that had long-suffered with their seed of faith. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews highlights: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, and others. These saints are the pillars of faith that we often draw strength and relevance from. “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (James 1: 4).”

Faith can be identified in each of the individuals mentioned above. Their actions spoke to their beliefs, and hence, their testimony was still being shared to encourage new and old believers in Christ. They were identifiable by their faith. “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions (Matthew 7:20).” The pillars had a walk that matched their talk.

Still, sometimes an enemy can sneak in an wreak havoc. Whether it be subtle and discreet, or flamboyant and boisterous, something is designed and implemented to limit our measure of faith. Often the tactic is to divide you from the rest. Then once the believer is isolated, the attacks come and are designed to minimize the fruitfulness of the believer. Matthew called these types false prophets and wolves in sheep’s clothing (7:15). They usually come in under a smile and leave with a heavy handed spike that seeks to control or manipulate the believer. I use the expression, “my way or the highway.” Hope is churned into judgmental antidotes that make some sense but also leave an incomplete narrative. The speak is designed for a purpose, a ‘predetermined context.’ It pulls away the nutritious fertilizer or mulch and causes the root or trunk to be exposed and unfed in the soil of the garden.

The enemy prowls around looking to devour (1 Peter 5: 8)., and that is what the false prophets and wolves do. They have little to no concern for the individual, except that the believer submits to their ways and accepts the tether or ‘bit and bridle’ that they offered. David warns us of this: “do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control (Psalm 32: 9).” Because God is faithful to fulfill His Word, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life (Psalm 32: 8).” He has given us His Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, Holy Spirit.

Even though Jesus came to earth and returned to Papa, Father God, He did not leave us as orphans. No, He did not abandon us to lawlessness and fruitlessness as in the days of Noe, in fact, He has given us the Comforter, Holy Spirit, that will stay with us forever (John 14: 16). His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11: 30). By this you will know it is Him and He will lead you into all truths and tell you and I of things to come (John 16: 13). It is for this reason guide stones or mile markers are provided for the journey and not a strict set of steps for those who travel along as was mentioned earlier. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14: 6).

Make no mistake, the Lord Jesus plants the good seeds, but the enemy of our faith is lurking to slip in some weeds with poisonous roots that will defile the ground (Matthew 13: 24-29). We are warned by the writer in Hebrews to guard against any bitter root that would seek to divide (12:15). It is the fruit that is created by your faith that you will be known by. A false teacher or wolf will have a track record of bad fruit. It will be bitter and divide. This style of fruit tree is a thistle or thornbush with poison berries. It does not bear good seeds (Matthew 7: 15-20). At harvest this particular version will be gathered with the tares and thrown into the fire.

Christ came to set the captive free. He went back to His Father but before leaving Jesus admonished our understanding and to believe in Him if only because of the work He did (John 14: 11). Jesus’ faith was evident based on the actions He displayed for the world to see. “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds (James 2: 17-18).’” The good deeds of faith are the fruits of the tree.

Can you imagine Jesus being full of faith, knowing who and what He was, not doing anything? What if He had just sat back on the river side, spoke a few beatitudes, and dismissed the people? Never placing His hands on the little children and blessing them; never praying for the sick; never speaking to the possessed; never feeding the crowds. If Jesus did none of these things who would have believed? False prophets and wolves often talk a good talk but have little to no walk to back it up. I would say they are the whitewashed tombs the Lord spoke of. They have a good outward appearance and chatter, but inside they are hollow and shallow (Matthew 23:27). Jesus was the complete package from the Father. He knew who He was as early as a young lad telling His earthly parents, ‘didn’t you know I must be doing Papa God’s business (Luke 2: 49)?’

So today, as we continue our journey of faith, we need to be sure to walk our talk. If we can quote 10 scriptures, but don’t follow it up in love aren’t we just gongs clanging together? Steady is the path before us, but prowling around are the devils, wolves, and whitewashed tombs trying to enslave our progression. Steady on and “…may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen (Hebrews 13: 21).”

Godspeed, The Journeyman

Ps. Today is a continuation of the faith journey. We must be vigilant to seek the Lord through prayer time, reading & listening to the bible, singing songs, and thankfulness. Each piece is a part of the walk and ways in which we grow. Gobble gobble and Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalms 32: 8-9 NLT “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.’”

Matthew 7: 15-20 NLT “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”

Matthew 13: 24-29 NLT “Here is another story Jesus told: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.’ The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ ‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. ‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. ‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do.’”

Matthew 23: 27 NLT “What sorrow awaits you teachers religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.”

Luke 2: 49 NLT “‘But why did you need to search?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?’”

John 14: 11 NLT “Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.”

Hebrews 12: 15 NLT “Look after each other so. That none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

Hebrews 13: 21 NLT “may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.”

James 1: 4 NLT “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

James 2:17-18 NLT “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’”

I Peter 5: 8 NLT “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”