Flowing In Faith

Faith lies at the heart of all that we have in and from God through Christ. It is the very energy of God in us through the presence of His Holy Spirit. And we see this in Hebrews 11:1 as it gives us the evidence to the meaning of faith. In the phrase, "Faith is the substance," we have insight into it's true nature. The text does not say that faith is a human instrument for getting things from God, it says that faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith is the essential reality of all that we receive from God. The phrase "hoped for" is better translated "expected." The English word "hope" has too much uncertainty in it to properly express the Greek word elpidzo. 

Hebrews 11:1 would better be translated—"Faith is the essence of our expectations."

But what precisely does that mean?

Faith is an expression of Divine energy.

It is strictly a gift of God and is impossible without Him (See Ephesians 2:8). It is that flow of Divine energy that activates our spirits. Our spirits then become like a circuit board, receiving signals from God. Apart from the gift of energizing faith we would not be able to receive these signals—without the Holy Spirit, we would not have this faith.

We can take it a step further and look into the meaning of the Greek word that usually translates the word substance, hupostasis which means in Greek what it does in Latin—that which "stands under" or is "the inner essence of." 

For example, in the case of electric wiring, it is the electricity or energy flowing through the wire that is the essence of it. When the energy flows through it, the wire is the effective instrument that accomplishes innumerable tasks. Without the energy flowing through it, the wire is simply like a cord, that is not very useful. The electrical circuitry in a house gives to that house an innumerable range of useful functions. But the wiring itself, were it not connected to an energy source, would be of little value.

Just so, it is not the object itself, for which we pray, that is important, but the flow of energy that represents our communion with God. As the electricity is more vital and real than the appliances it serves, so the energy of faith within us—the gift of God—is more vital and real than those things which come to us as a result of our interactions with God.

So faith, then, is the energy process from God that charges our spirit nature and equips us for communion with Him.

 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

  Hebrews 11:1

Gaining Direction Through Seeking And Knocking

Have you ever done something that was so much fun that you prayed that time itself would slow down so you could enjoy yourself as much as possible?

For instance, think about surfing, you wait in anticipation for that ideal day, a perfect set of waves, and the sun is high in the sky. You have the beach roughly to yourself since there is almost no one out in the water.... now you have just 20 minutes and you are looking for that one last set to form on the horizon and then call it a day.

Sometimes one of the most frustrating things in life is coming to the realization that we are getting older—not that this a good or bad thing—but are we really using our time like God is leading us to and accomplishing all that we hoped to in the flow of what He is calling us into.

Maybe you really do not have frustration in this regard, but don't you absolutely want to do as much as you can for God during the time He has given you?

Be respectful of God, knowing that He is the One who is guiding you in the flow of things, putting before you the exact things that He wants YOUR hands on and sowing into. It may help to keep the following points in mind on a daily bases, to stay more aware of how you are using your time.

God wants you to:

• Prepare your minds for action
• Be self-controlled
• Set your hope on the grace to be brought to you at the return of Jesus
• Do not conform to your former evil desires you had in ignorance

During your stay upon earth God wants you to do everything you can to live for Him:

• You will answer to Him for all that you have done in this world.
• You are not your own and have been bought with price
• You are called for this purpose.
• Keep your hope and eyes upon God.

It is easy to get away from what God is leading us in and become consumed with the distractions of the world out of sacristy or misdirection. In either cause all we need to do is come before God seeking and knocking, ready to receive and flow in that which He is calling us into.

 

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 11:9-10

Long-Range And Short-Range Plans

Whether we are sizing up our lives in total or confronting a specific decision in our lives, a few important questions we should ask are:

1. What is God leading us in?
2. What are our objectives?
3. What, ultimately, do we want to accomplish?

Identify our objectives may prove to be a complex task, because there is more than one objective at stake and at times we rather not just focus on one objective. As believers though, our one main objective that we come back to time and time again, is that we have been created to serve God with the unique abilities, talents, and skills He has gifted us with.

This is the main long-range objective and is of prime importants, but in the meantime we have lives to live on a daily bases, that add to the long-range objective. We have jobs to manage, a house to keep up with, finances to be stewards over, friendships to cultivate, and relationships to mend.

At times we can be very clever at conning ourselves, which leads us to rationalizing and spiritualizing almost anything that crosses our path. We tend to analysis everything making ourselves believe we are choosing what is most important, instead of allowing God to be the definitive decision maker in many instances.

And it is not that we should not make long-range or short-range plans, but instead we need to consider what God is leading us in and start there in our planning. In fact, God doesn't want us to live mediocre lives, but as we seek Him in all our planning He will guide us, give us the tools, and the means to accomplish the things that are before us and on the horizon.

 

Commit your way to the Lord, and trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.  

 

Psalm 37:5

Minds Of Action

To prepare your minds for action means to bring your mind into obedience of the conscious act of the will. Many times believers face an inner conflict that brings about a tough-minded focus that readies us for action—being self-controlled.

We need and are called to be self-controlled with an internal direction from within, not from without by lusts, temptations, and unrighteous desires. Our hope is to be in the grace that God has given us through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 

Having said that, our ultimate hope is and has been given to us by the return of Jesus, who has raised us in newness free from our sinful self we once were before becoming believers, which means we are no longer conformed to our former minds as in ignorance. 

We are instead, to allow God to mold our minds into the character of Him in every area of our lives, in order to be fully ready to in obedience to flow in what He places before us, without even second guessing if or when we should take on what He is calling us to. 

Daily we need to be in communication with God bringing before Him that which is on our minds and as we do we will gain strength that trains our minds for action. An active mind needs to be trained and it does not happen over night, just as a muscle goes through a process of becoming completely strong through daily exercise.

Gird the mind, strengthen the mind, keep a sober spirit, and most of all completely put hope in grace, but have a mind of action that is one of self-control in obedience for the will of God.

 

Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:13

Walking In Diligence

Diligence separates the "be's" from the "wanna-be's" in most settings, because it takes diligence—staying with the mission until it is finished. Everyday we are faced with little missions or one big mission that initials us to walk in diligence until the mission is completed.

 

It takes work.

It takes perseverance.

It takes persistence.

 

At times work (or action), perseverance, and persistence may mean pouring into millions of minutes, thousands of hours, hundreds of days, and as many years that God has in order to fulfill the mission that is in front of us.

 

Diligence doesn't mean maintaining a frantic pace, but instead means moving forward in the flow and things God is leading, while maintaining a steady outlook and walk without putting undue pressure on ones self.

 

We can look in the Bible and see that diligence is a major theme, especially woven throughout the book of Proverbs:

 

• Proverbs 10:4
• Proverbs 12:11
• Proverbs 14:23
• Proverbs 18:9
• Proverbs 27:23-24
• Proverbs 28:19
• Proverbs 31:10-31

Most of all, as we continue walking in diligence we need to keep in mind the verse below for whom we are living a life of diligence and not make diligence another must in a long list of things to do.

 

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

 

Colossians 3:23-24

Our Words Can Be Weak Or Powerful

 

Throughout all powerful and brilliant writing the words that speak to us most are inspired by the Holy Spirit and apart from Him our words are weak—words have their limit and they can only be impressive to an extent. Eventually, words run out of power and ability to express. At attempts to write at times, what is conveyed might be simple enough in just a few sentences or could fill up pages upon pages.  

 

There are many well written pieces out there that are full of hype or are master pieces. The author's thoughts may have a unique zing to them with great power. Or the author's thoughts were ordinary and original.

 

The interesting thing is that it is pride to think that any of our finite attempts at greatness through words will actually be great.

 

Not because we are great.

 

Not because our words echo across cultures.

 

Not because we convey a single impressive thing.

 

But because we are empty vessels that God fills Himself with, so that the surpassing greatness of the power would be from Him and not from ourselves. Asking God to fill us with words that bring forth life for all and to all is when we allow the Holy Spirit to give our words great power.

 

We all use words every day in basic conversation and don't take into account just what we are saying. We do not have to be a famous author or a notable speaker, to be more aware of the words we are conveying. Yet, it is sometimes used as an excuse for apathy.

 

So we need to take the initiative and be aware of our words, knowing that it's God who through the Holy Spirit wishes to give our words power which are otherwise weak apart from Him.

 

 

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

 

Psalm 19:14

Timeless Interruptions

 

Every day we face the inevitable interruptions that we do not plan or hope for, but rarely do we accept the twist and turns in our days and just go with the flow. Most of all when it comes to the very details of our lives, we have a very hard time seeing through interruptions and try at times to control that which we have no control over.

 

Even though we all experience interruptions in different ways and times, we need to come to realize that interruptions are not such a horrible thing as we make them out to be. Sometimes interruptions are just timeless lessons for us to learn from and are pieces of the whole—visions, goals, plans, and even dreams.

 

Sometimes we become so focused on the whole that we forget to sow into ourselves and cultivate our relationship with God, which causes us to lose sight of walking in the flow of what He has. When we lose sight of walking in the flow, any little interruption throws us for a loop, and we assume that we are heading into a set back or become impatient with the delay.

 

However, in our timeless interruptions we need to see that God reveals Himself to us bit by bit, and even our broadest visions, highest goals, most detailed plans, and buoyant dreams need to be broken down and lived in the flow of what is taking place here and now.

 

At times we cannot make heads or tails of our interruptions and that is okay; we need to learn that we don't have to know all the details of why we encounter interruptions or try to force our lives in to a mold that is void of interruptions.

 

And, lastly, regardless of the interruptions we experience hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly, we need to remember to continue to serve God with joyful hearts and gladness. Taking time to step back and seek what God is leading us in and learning from the moment all that the timeless interruptions may have for us to discover and mature in.

 

 

 

Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who made us, and we not ourselves.

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

 

Psalm 100:2-3