Character building with God

The proactive message of Jesus

Who among us is not aware of the message of the Lord replete with all the wisdom for interpersonal relationships? Yet, sometimes, we view HIS words as ‘historic’ or we respond in ‘reaction’ when hearing the Holy Spirit dropping scripture into our mind for prayerful consideration. Firstly, if you contemplate the scripture beyond your Church services or Bible study, then you should be applauded! But if you do -- you understand the relationship and responsibility of your consecration via your baptism both by water and Spirit. As you contemplate the WORD and understand its application in every facet of your life, do you allow yourself to enjoy the excelling peace that comes with it? Here are a couple of character building thoughts from Jesus’ mouth.

“So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” [Matthew 5:23-24]

All things, therefore, that YOU want men to do to YOU, YOU also must likewise do to them; this, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean. [Matthew 7:12]

The first citation addresses the person’s sanctimony who may feel ‘right with God’ because they went to Church or Bible study and ‘offered’ God some of their time while embattled with another. Jesus instructs us if while we are at Church, Bible Study, prayer closet, praise and worship service, whenever we ‘offer a sacrifice to God’, if while we are offering we remember someone has something against us we must make it right and then come back with a clean conscience before God. Remember, God said: “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” [Romans 13:8]

The second citation manifestly indicates if you want to be treated nicely, be nice. If you want to be treated with respect, respect. If you want to be well regarded, regard others. Earlier in the same chapter of Matthew Jesus shared the best possible relationship and comportment counsel, especially for those you regard as close as a ‘brother’.

In the world today it is difficult to navigate the waters of doublespeak. Society has spared no effort to create language that means one thing to one person but quite another to someone else. Dissembling speech is contrary to the advice above and is cautioned against in Proverbs 6:12. How can we be free of ‘accusation’ – a standard of leadership -- as is called for in scripture if we allow froward speech to come from our heart, soul or spirit via our mouth?

As we move into our prayer closet to be one on one with the Grand Designer of Life let your hearts be free of discord, your soul be free of perverse intent and your Spirit be free of contrivance that you may continue on your eternal journey of ‘renewal’ both in heart and Spirit.

In closing: Please remember Jesus confidently established in Matthew 19:26: “…with God all things are possible.” When you fully understand the gravity of those 6 words you will know “…the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Homework: Think upon the words and attitude of King David as he invited God: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if [there is any] wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.” If you can stand the scrutiny and confess your dependence on God then this homework is self explanatory.

Faith - the definition

The Spirit of GOD guided the following words to be written and preserved for us to read many centuries later: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. " [Hebrews 11:1]

Can you let your mind ponder this? Another version of the Bible says this: "Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." How and what does one exactly hope for with assurance with no evidence of which is not necessarily manifest? I have pondered the first part for some days now. The greek for the word 'assured' or 'substance' according to the Greek Lexicon:

1) a setting or placing under

a) thing put under, substructure, foundation

2) that which has foundation, is firm

a) that which has actual existence

1) a substance, real being

b) the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing

c) the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution

1) confidence, firm trust, assurance

So let's look at those words again: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. "

Faith = foundation of what we 'hope' for. What is the foundation of that faith? The rest of Hebrews 11 gives an itemized accounting of different familiar instances where people from of old were asked to do or believe in something we would consider 'out of the box' and where there was no recollection or knowledge of said action or belief having any 'foundation' in actuality. Yet, time and time again, from the request for Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac to Elijah's raising the dead long before Christ, we see what seems impossible is done as requested. Writing of Hebrews is attributed to Apostle Paul by some and it is my opinion they are correct. My reasons may be fodder for another post, but for this one suffice it to say just reading Hebrews 5 and 6 and the 2 Corinthian letters in the Bible reflect the same circumspect author. Paul was surely one who was called upon to think outside the box though clearly the 'light' went on in his mind when he encountered the Lord on the road to Damascus.

Paul enumerated the various accounts of faith inspiring people of the past to build a body of evidence in how to define 'faith'.

I ask you, if you move a switch and a light comes on and vice versa, and you do it often, is faith at play? Is it really? If you look outside and see the sun each day, is that faith at play? Seems to me once you have lived long enough to see and understand the sun will come up then it is just knowledge from empiric example. But, when you read in the Bible there is a time in the future the Sun will be darkened; or, in the past the Sun was said to have stood still for a day, then it requires faith to believe what you know to be truth -- the sun comes up and goes down -- could be altered in any way. Yet, we are asked to believe in God's Word and clearly one of the things that is said to come to pass in the future is the Sun, the Moon and the Stars will be darkened. Not that there will be some occlusion but they will be darkened, in other words, total and absolute darkness! That is a scary contemplation. There are many today who could not even imagine total darkness. To pray for such a time to come 'in faith' seems counter intuitive. Yet, Christians often find themselves praying for God's Will to be done and such as it is God's Will includes all that is recorded as an eventful future when God's wrath shall be poured forth.

Not wanting to get off topic, discussing future or prophecy, but using this as an example of taking something like the rise and fall of the daily cycle of light both diurnal and nocturnal, which we fully understand and asking us to accept God's WORD that there will be a time in the future when for a time they will be darkened [Matt 24:29] is asking us to accept something in faith, or on the foundation that the same ONE who causes the sun and moon to rise and fall can cause it to go dark -- just as HE caused it to shine forth as light to begin with as recorded in the Genesis account.

Where am I going with this? Do you have something you are praying in faith for? What is the foundation of your faith? Is it an 'assured' foundation? What do you do with the part of scripture that says you may not see the evidence of your faith demonstrated?

It is just such FAITH which confounds the enemy, whoever and whatever that enemy may be! Your FAITH based on the foundation of God and HIS Son and HIS Spirit, though you may not see the realization of that for which you bear faith that protects you. Paul understood this kind of faith intimately. Remember, he lived a remarkable life and the last 3 decades of his life were simply unbelievable for any one man to have survived but for the accounts recorded and preserved for people down through time to bear witness. Remember, one develops faith by 'hearing' and Paul provides much for us to hear to reinforce our FAITH, most of which is about the ONE who provides us the foundation of that faith, Jesus the Christ.

Not wishing to speak in abstracts, but faith can be and must be actively employed in every aspect of our lives. Just as we believe our mother, father, husband, wife, brother, sister, son or daughter would never wish us ill and would always want the best for us, all the more as Jesus said would the Father in the Heaven, who is PERFECT. Whatever your need, circumstance or request, ask, seek and knock in FAITH. If you feel as though you lack understanding or wisdom in accepting this please feel free to engross yourself in research and prayer seeking to 'get it' so you can 'rest assured' in your faith.

Homework: What does faith mean to you?