Faith - 1

Faith is a funny thing. The writer of Hebrews writes "Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see." (NLT) That's like looking into the future, and saying that something is definitely going to happen, while everyone else says maybe it will, and maybe it won't.

Then to give further insight, he lists several examples, to act as pictures of what faith looks like.

The first example concerns creation. Some people say God spoke, and out of nothing -- no matter, no energy, not anything -- brought into being everything that is. And some people say there was a bunch of stuff, and either the stuff exploded, or the stuff crashed to together, and the resulting "mish mash" resulted in everything that is, purely by chance. 

Which makes me want to ask the question: where did the stuff come from? Seems to me, some people believed there was stuff, that there was an explosion -- as the result of a collision, or the result of an internal reaction -- and the got rearranged in some way that it generated light, water, an oxygen rich atmosphere, and finally, life. Sounds to me like evidence of things we cannot see. Sounds to me like faith.

No one was there in the beginning to witness how it happened. People, the world, and the universe exist. So, they got here somehow. But no one really knows how. They can only theorize how, and believe one of the theories.

And it cannot be a scientific theory. The scientific method requires an observation, a theory, and a test, or experiment, that demonstrates the truth of the theory. And the experiment can be repeated a million times, and get the same results. Can we repeat exploding a bunch of matter, and the universe, and all of life is created? I am sure that someone has tried on a small scale to repeat the big bang creation. But no matter which system, creation must be understood, and accepted, by faith.

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I will probably look at all the examples myself. I don't know if I will share my thoughts about all of them here. I will certainly share several of them.

Jesus' Prayer - 3

We are looking at Jesus' prayer, when he was with the Twelve, right before his arrest. His primary concern, and focus, was those who would give him their allegiance. The Twelve, and those who would respond to the gospel through the Twelve.

There seems to be two things he brings to the Father, concerning his followers. The first is the Truth. He was. And  concerned how they saw, kept, and were committed to the Truth. We looked this in the previous post.

Second, he was concerned about the relationships his followers had with one another. And he described that relationship as being united.

Unity is usually a bond formed around agreement in the same issue. In God's family, unity is formed around agreement about Jesus. Who he was. What he did. Who he did it for. And what our response should be.

Jesus knew there was going to be a learning curve after he returned to the Father. Jesus knew there was going to be issues, misunderstandings, and maybe some out and out fights. But he also knew his family needed to stand together, and behind one another.

Now Jesus did not use the word "unity." He said, "May they be one, as we are one." He prayed that the connection in his family would be as strong, as complete, as the connection with the Trinity, within God himself.

All those, who have allegiance to Jesus, should stand with, and behind, those who have allegiance to Jesus. Whoever. Wherever. However. Reformed. Baptist. Charismatic. Cru. Intervarsity. Navigators. India. Africa. Asia. America.

We need to have the same commitment to Jesus' children, as Jesus does. Practically, this is hard to do. Parts of God's family have a particular focus that they believe is really important. So, there are divisions in practice, in emphasis, and how they operate. It is easier to stay within the borders each group has set for themselves.

But there are two things in Jesus' prayer that he said, that we need to be aware of.

One, the unity of God's people demonstrates that God sent Jesus. Unity is a weapon of the gospel. Unity amid all the diversity of God's family proclaims the truth about Jesus. The connection, and commitment, of God's people to one another is a loud bell, or siren, that say this is new, and different. Pay attention!

Two, the unity of God's people demonstrates God's loves for his family. Unity is a weapon of the gospel. It shows that God sits in the midst of his family. It shows God's positive attitude toward his people. It shows what God's love can do in people.

Jesus' Prayer - 2

 Jesus was looking ahead to his return to the Father. So, Jesus get to the main concern in his prayer. Those who follow him. Not just the Twelve. Not just the Seventy. But all of us who have chosen to give allegiance to Jesus.

Jesus walked before, and lived with his disciples. He showed them, who the Father was -- his nature, and his heart -- and the way they should live. The disciples saw what Jesus said, and did. And they accepted, and believed it all came from the Father.

Jesus prayed for his disciples continued faithfulness, and connection to the  truth. There are many, who have argued, that God's family have not completely been faithful to God's commands, and practices. Peter writes that all of God's family are God's priests. [1 Peter 2:9] So, every child of God represents the Father, and his family. Every child has the duty of giving spiritual care (pastoring), sharing God's forgiveness (evangelizing), and helping to begin new expressions of God's family (church planting). But many have professionalized those responsibilities. Only those, who have received special training and recognition, can complete those responsibilities. But God calls all his children to participate. And God calls those in leadership to teach, train, and enable all disciples to obey, and be effective.

And Jesus' concern here is that those giving him allegiance would stay connected to what he has taught them, and what the Holy Spirit will continue to reveal to them.

He is concerned they will be influenced by the world, instead of his truth. Their mission is to continue his mission, and take his word to the world. Not just the professionals. All of his family. So, his word meed to become part of who they are. It needs to affect their thinking, their speaking, and their actions. The world needs to see a difference in them. And that difference is more than attending weekly meetings.

God's mission is to reveal himself to the world, and to call the world back into relationship with him. That mission has now been given to his family. Proclaiming the gospel, demonstrating God's love, praying for one another and the nations, are all part of that mission. And God's family need to remain close to the Father, close to his word, and close to his family, in order to remain faithful to our part of God's mission, and to complete all parts of that mission.

Jesus' Prayer - 1

At the last supper, which was the annual celebration of the Passover, that is Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt, Jesus reminded his disciples of several things. He washed their feet as a symbol of his service to them and the rest of mankind. He reminded them to love one another. He explained the coming of the Holy Spirit. He reminded them of his mission to be the Passover Lamb that delivers from sin, and condemnation. He reminded them that they needed to depend on him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. He instituted another celebration, like the Passover, only this celebrated the deliverance from the slavery to sin.

Finally, at the close of the Passover meal, before going to Gethsemane, and getting arrested, he prays.  He expresses his heart to the Father. Many scholars refer to this prayer as the "High Priestly Prayer," because Jesus prays for those who follow him, as his representative. It certainly seems that, because of what he knows is coming, and how soon it is coming, he is praying what is utmost in mind, and heart.

He begins by recognizing that God's plan to bring salvation, and redemption, to all peoples is nearing completion. He asks the Father to glorify Jesus -- through his suffering, death, and resurrection, which is the culmination of his plan -- and that the glory, which Christ receives, may cause greater glory for the Father.

The Cross will bring great glory to the Father, because it will result in billions coming to the Father, to have restored relationships with the Father, Son, and Spirit, to have new lives, and to set in motion a movement that will change the world by changing people, who choose to enter into relationship with Father, Son, and Spirit, and become part of God's family.

Jesus will be glorified by completing his part in God's plan. He will be given glory in heaven, and on earth. He will be glorified as God's family continues the mission, by continuing to expand God's family on earth, by continuing to represent God's character by living as Jesus lived, and loving as Jesus loved.

The Armor of God - 6

 The sixth piece of God's armor is the sword of the Spirit, which is identified as the Word of God. Many have understood that the Sword of God is the only offensive weapon listed in God's armor.  I would also like to note that the Sword is not identified with, but is closely associated with prayer in Ephesians. In other words, Paul encourages the Ephesians to use God's Word as a weapon, and, in the same breath, pray for the gospel to go out.

The Word is a weapon against Satan, because it proclaims truth. And Satan is the father of lies. And when we wield this Sword, especially in prayer, we disrupt, and destroy, Satan's lies, and his kingdom of evil.

Of course, the war we wage is different. In normal war, the result is the death, and defeat of your enemies. In the war God's family wages, the lies of the enemy are destroyed. Members of the enemy, 's army are defeated, but they turn around, and become part of God's family. The overall result is greater obedience to God's word, greater love for God, greater faith in Jesus, and greater love for people.

We are in a war, but we do not seek the destruction of our enemies. We seek their surrender, and allegiance, to the King of Kings. We use the armor to complete God's mission.

And a vital part of that mission is prayer, reminding God of his promises, so that his Spirit will bombard the hearts of those on earth, and they come to know the God of creation, and turn to him.

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The Armor of God - 5

The fifth piece of armor is the helmet of salvation. Again, we are applying truth to our lives. Since, this is a helmet, we are applying truth to our thinking.

Our cognitive processes are important. Satan attacks our thinking by whispering false ideas about standing with God, morality, and God's nature. Knowing, and understanding, God's Word, and appropriately reviewing God's Word, are protection against the lies Satan spreads.

Our thinking, and our hearts, work in union. When the ancient Greeks, and ancient Israel, referred to the heart, they referred to all the inner parts of a person. Ie. emotions, logic, the will, morals, etc. So, we affect our hearts when we choose to focus on God's word. The choice affects our emotions, our memory, as we process what we are reading, thinking, and hearing. What we engage in also affects our actions. And our actions affect our practices, our habits, and our lifestyles.

Directing our thoughts toward God's Word, we protect our walks with God, and, step by step, grow into God's image.

As our walk, and lifestyle, grows, we live more in agreement with God's nature, and God's mission. We fulfill our roles in God's family. We learn to love more. And God's kingdom, and family, advances grows, and moves toward completion of God's plan.

The Armor of God - 4

The fourth piece of armor is the shield of faith. Scripture says when we use this piece of armor, we can snuff out the arrows Satan fires at us.

Satan's ambition is to bring dishonor to God. One of the main ways he does this is to highlight the sin, and failures, in God's family. It especially works when he can provoke sin in God's family. So, he tempts. He lies. He whispers. He seeks to promote actual thoughts, words, and actions of sin. He also works to promote doubts, and fears. And members of God's family do fail, and succumb to all these.

The truth is: God provides for all our needs. Sin will not satisfy us. God is totally faithful, so we do not need to fear, or doubt. His truth, and promises, are our shield. And like Armor #3 -- where we review the gospel -- we need to hold his truth, and promises, so we can place them between our hearts and his lies, accusations, and temptations. 

Definitely reason to read, and meditate, on God's word. And it is a strong argument to memorize Scripture, and to use Scripture in our prayers.

And it works most effectively as a shield, when we apply the appropriate Scripture to Satan's attack.

Here are a few of God's promises:

• There is no separation from God's love.
• There is no condemnation for those in Christ.
• There will be perfect peace.
• God will not leave you.
• God will give guidance.
• God will give wisdom.
• God will make you new./