Tag Archives: believe

What do I REALLY believe?

Conversations with the heart:

I believe.

Two words. So easy to say. I believe laughter is good for the soul. I believe in the future of my children. I believe in God. I believe in the value of hard work and restorative rest and in taking care of my body.

I believe so many things.  But do the thoughts of my mind and my actions give evidence to what I believe?

My children and wife know that I am particularly cautious (i.e.phobic) around high places. Standing next to the railing overlooking a deep canyon below, I walk carefully and slowly toward the edge…if I must. And before I lean on that railing, I examine it carefully asking, “Do I really believe this railing is secure enough to bear my weight? Should I lean on it to gain a better view?” If I really believe it is plenty sturdy enough I will demonstrate my belief by leaning against it. It’s an act of trust you and I perform every day. We sit in a chair, we ride in a car, we confide in a friend, we dare tell God how we honestly feel, because we believe we are secure in doing so. We believe the chair will hold our weight, the car will be safe, our friend will understand and maintain confidentiality, and God will be ever forgiving and patient with us. We believe, and so we act on that belief.

Do you believe God hears and answers your prayers? Even if the answer is slow to come and not what you had expected? We were challenged with this question. “Do you believe God WILL heal you of this terminal cancer and deadly fusarium infection?” Of course, we know God CAN do this. He is afterall the one and only true, all powerful God of the universe. He speaks and the world is created, mountains are formed, living beings breathe, the sick are healed, and even the dead are raised! Nothing is impossible for our great God.

But does believing make it so? On the one hand, God has endowed us with the incredible gift of  exercising mind over body. He allows us to rise above circumstances by understanding the secret of being content. Whether we have much or little, whether in good health or bad, whether alone or surrounded by friends, there is one reality that looks at the circumstance and another reality that rises above them. It is how we discover joy in the midst of sorrow, hope when surrounded by despair, strength in utter weakness, and peace in the middle of the storm. Believing in what is actually true and promised by God makes it so. It invites his will for our lives “on earth as it is in heaven.”

On the other hand, merely believing doesn’t make it so. I might believe the stock market will rise only to find it fall instead. I may confide in someone believing them to be a true friend only to discover their betrayal. Believing doesn’t always make it so. The prophets of Baal believed in a false god who had no power. Elijah believed in the Lord God Almighty who was not only able and willing but did demonstrate his power in response to Elijah’s belief. What we believe makes a difference!

There’s no point in asking for peace if we insist on worrying and arguing with others.  There’s no purpose in seeking joy if we only look down upon our own sorrows; no point of asking for healing if we convince ourselves we are doomed.

We clearly see the fires that rise up around us. Words like “poor prognosis, 100% mortality, great chance of future relapse, high risk of treatment-related mortality,” have a way of making circumstance stand out as the only reality. But there is another reality that we see when we lift our our eyes from our troubles and turn them upon Jesus.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

And so, until he tells us otherwise, we believe in God’s desire to grant us more years of ministry together and pray accordingly. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who, as they were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace said, “Our God will save us from this fire. But even if he doesn’t (we will remain faithful to him),” even if God has decided to heal me in heaven, he remains such a great and merciful God – far more than I deserve.

Dear heart, believe. But not only believe. Put your trust in what is always true and respond freely from that belief.

Mind games

 

Do you ever catch yourself daydreaming? Sometimes we let our mind slip back to a precious moment from the past that spoke truth and value into our lives and we just want to replay it to strengthen us today. Or we might find ourselves dreaming of a beautiful future, anticipating the good plan God has for us, the rewards of faithful living.

 

But daydreaming can also take us where we don’t want to go… the fantasy world of “what if.” It typically starts when you are bored or frustrated or discontented with life. And it leads us down a path of deception.

 

We have an endless capacity to deceive ourselves, asking what if:

‘Wrong’ depends on the situation.
Everyone else does it.
Lies can be justified.
Sin doesn’t matter.

 

We have such disastrous capacity to block out the consequences of our actions, forgetting the past and the future, living only for the moment of today. The truth is – none of us can trust ourselves apart from God. The walls that protect us are of no use if the gates are unwatched. And our mind is the gateway to our whole life: the books we read, the movies we see, the conversations we have, the thoughts we think, the passions we embrace.

 

The world has a different definition of faithfulness than God does. The world says lust can enhance a marriage. Jesus calls it adultery. We think it’s okay to devote a lifetime to meaningless collections and hobbies. If it competes with our passion for God, he calls it idolatry. We try to rationalize a meaningless life but it’s just so many rational lies. What we let in through the gates of our mind can defeat us. We need to be the gatekeepers of our renewed minds.

 

The good news is that the same mind that leads us down the road of sin can lead us back to God. If we are to daydream, we can choose to think about God’s ways, his blessings, his promises. Whatever is noble, true, right, praiseworthy, think about such things. We need to stop rationalizing something’s not wrong and start asking what is the right thing to do!

 

It’s not a game. We’re either in it or we’re not.
God chose you. Choose God again today.
Choose to be the new creation you really are.
Take captive every thought and make it obedient.
Guard the gates.

 

Remember that every temptation is an opportunity to trust God.
He will help you. He will set you free.

 

Think well. Live well. Believe.

It matters.

 

 

The sum of your life

 

Do you ever think about your purpose in life? About what will be remembered after all the work is done and the chores are finished (at least for the day)? Days go by and turn into weeks and months and years. You might ask, “Does my life account for anything?”

 

For those most seen in the public’s eye, Wikipedia may include a page listing notable accomplishments. For many, decades of struggles, accomplishments, sorrows and joy are summed up in a few paragraphs in the paper’s obituaries.

 

Sometimes I think about the genealogies of the bible. You know, where so and so begat so and so. The dream, passions, and life efforts of an entire generation of people were represented by one single name. And what about the “400 years of silence” between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament?! Surely, there was something worthwhile to be remembered, wasn’t there?

 

And then there’s Damaris. Her name is recorded just once in the bible (Acts 17). And what was accounted to her? What was her famous stake in life that led her to be mentioned in place of many others who remained anonymous?

 

She believed.

She responded to the good news and believed in Jesus.

 

No doubt, there was more than that. Likely, she cooked countless meals that nourished her family, washed baskets full of clothes, and swept the floor hundreds of times. Being a believer, I’m guessing she spent long times in quiet wonder of the amazing Jesus she adored. Maybe she sang songs of worship. Probably she encouraged others in the faith, possibly opening her home up welcome strangers so they could experience the truth and grace that flowed from her transformed life. I suspect troubles and sorrow visited her house just like they come to you and me. Maybe there were times of doubt and despair. We don’t know the details of her life. It’s not that they were unimportant. It’s just that they weren’t the most notable aspect of her life. What mattered most was that she believed.

 

Isn’t that true for us as well? Certainly, when God says, “Go” you should go. When he says, “Encourage your neighbor” we should be about that task. What we do matters much. But in the end, who we are matters more. God says to each of us:

Stay faithful in the presence of doubt.
Keep trusting in the face of fear.
Stand firm when your life is shaken.
Show grace when you are offended.
Speak truth in the presence of lies.
Love when you don’t feel like loving.
Keep on believing.

 

Our whole life is summed in this:
What did I believe and how did I live it?

 

May your day be marked by your all surpassing belief in the one true God who makes life worth living!

 

 

Have Faith

 

 

Have faith in God.  Mark 11:22

 

He alone is my rock and my salvation. Psalm 62:2

 

Faith. It’s what you trust, believe in, put your full confidence in, and your hope. But it’s not enough to say to someone, “Have faith,” as if it were a ‘good luck’ wish.  Faith can be misplaced in a lot of things. We could have faith in cramming for a test, but it is an unlikely strategy for success. We can put our faith in healthy living but it alone does not prevent cancer.  We can put our faith in fetishes, statues, and icons, but with what tongues would they speak to us? We can put faith in karma, that what goes around also comes around. That reminds me of the man and wife and went to heaven. Standing before the Pearly Gates she says to him, “George, whatever you do, don’t insist on getting everything you deserve!”

 

But wait. Jesus said that if we had even a tiny amount of faith we could move mountains. Because of the centurion’s faith a child was healed. By faith a blind man’s sight was restored. By faith we are saved, not by works. There is a difference between putting our faith in people, things, or empty ‘religions’ and putting our faith in God. Jesus said, “Have faith in God.”

 

Doesn’t having faith in God mean you get what you want, like that verse that says He will give you the desires of your heart? Can’t we just gather 2 or 3 people together, add “in the name of Jesus” at the end of our prayer with confidence we will get exactly what we asked for?  Not quite. Even a child learns that saying ‘please and thank you’ are not always the ‘magic’ words.

 

Having faith in God means having confidence in who He is, that He will always be true to His character. It means trusting Him completely. (It’s not saying, “God I trust you, but in case things don’t work out the way I like, I’m keeping my back-up plan.”) It means agreeing with the psalmist who wrote, “(God) alone is my rock and my salvation.” In the movie The Mummy, the weasel-like character Beni tries to placate the resurrected Egyptian Imhotep with all kinds of talismans, hoping one might work. It’s like the actress who described her faith as, “A bit from Christianity, a little from Buddhism, and some New Age thinking,” as if faith works like a buffet line at the local restaurant.   We scoff at such foolishness but I wonder, don’t we often put the ‘gods’ of wealth, work, family, and our natural abilities to succeed above the One and only true God?

 

By faith in God we understand, persevere, overcome, and rejoice. By faith all things are possible, not easy, but possible. Have faith in God. Even a small faith, when nurtured grows to maturity.

 

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Mark 9:23

 

 

How then should I live?

 

 

Hebrews 13 offers good counsel for our daily living. Lest we get carried away by all sorts of distractions, and in view of such mercy we continue to receive, let’s ask. “How then should I live?

  • Hebrews 13:1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
  • Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers
  • Continue to remember those in prison 
  • 4 Honor marriage keep the marriage bed pure
  • Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because (God will never leave or forsake you)
  • 6  Say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
  • Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Imitate their faith. 
  • Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Believe it and live it!)
  • Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. 
  • 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. 
  • 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
  • 17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority,.
  • 18 Pray
  • 20 (Remember): The God of peace will equip you with everything good for doing his will, and will work in us what is pleasing to him,through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. 
  • 25 Grace be with you all.

There are so many things on your to-do list today. But none so vital as doing them in the manner God intended. Enjoy Him fully today and live well.

 

 

I believe

 

I Believe

I believe in promises … the ones we make to God… and the ones we make to each other; … that “I do” means to keep on doing.

 

I believe in the promises God makes to us – and always keeps.

 

I believe that making a life is more important than making a living. That making a home is more important than making a house. That it is always the right time to do the right thing and to be the person you were created to be. That a whisper sometimes speaks louder than a shouted word.

 

I believe the smallest light will dispel darkness. That the smallest prayer will still be heard. That there is always a second chance where there is a willing heart.

 

I believe a life of faith in God is the most reasonable way to live and that living by reason alone requires a bigger leap of faith than faith itself.

 

I believe that three things will always remain: faith, hope and love… And the greatest of these is love, the answer to our most enduring questions.

 

I believe. What do you believe that will guide you today and forever?

 

 

 

Faith still climbs mountains

True faith is a gift from God. It comes from His amazing grace and continual desire to draw close to His creation. But what we do with this gift determines a great deal about how our life will unfold.

We can ignore it and gradually, like an unwatered plant it will whither, grow dormant, or even die. We can nourish it with periodic church attendance, bible study, occasional prayer, positive thinking, and the likes. And we might find this faith a welcome friend, although perhaps not strong enough to whether the toughest of storms. Worse yet, sometimes we place our faith in unsustainable sources: untrustworthy friends, finances, health, science, politics, sometimes even family. My personal experience is that only the faith that continues to grow daily in the One True God offers real and lasting hope. Over time this faith becomes the most practical expression of daily living and speaks to all everyday problems and circumstances.

As I interact with the nurses here at the hospital, I can usually clue in to which days are more chaotic than others, which ones just pull them down. Today, in connecting with one such dear nurse, I reminded her of the true story when Jesus spoke and calmed a storm. I told her that He could do that for her now, and also that even if her storm continues, He can calm HER heart in the midst of the storm.

This is almost always our personal experience in our current cancer storm. The storm continues, but God calms our hearts. We have made consistent faith deposits in good times so we have an abundant account from which to draw upon now. Faith is also like a muscle you exercise regularly so that it is ready to bear the weight required of it.

But all this talk of rising above the storm, staring cancer in the face with strong resolution is not the talk of a “super-Christian”, far from it! Faith is simply lived out, imperfectly, day by day, and usually moment by moment.

Faith still needs to climb mountains, it still needs to go through the valleys.

Today, I find my mind thinking and talking to my body about this second round of chemo as my stomach starts to react negatively. Worry still tries to creep in. But worry is counterproductive. Essentially, worry is the prayer of the atheist. This quote I found today speaks good advice when we start to worry:

“Don’t waste your energy on worry.

Use your energy to BELIEVE.”

What do you choose to believe in so much that it guides your consistent and intentional thoughts and actions throughout the activities of your day? What faith growingly consumes your passion and fills you with purpose? May it be a faith that is completely trustworthy, a faith that will climb mountains.