Walking in Faith

“Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”; So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.“ – Luke 17:12-14

Picture with me the scene in the above passage.  Ten men ignored and isolated due to a disease with no cure.  Everyone that encountered them kept their distance for fear of becoming like them.

Except Jesus. 

When they cried out to Him, He answered.  But his answer wasn’t “I’ve heard your cry and you are healed” or “Your faith has made you well, go in peace.” In this passage there’s a lesson for those of us who have wavering faith, whose prayers are more of a list of wishes than prayers of faith.

What Jesus said is “Go”, and they were going before they were healed.  The passage says they were healed as they went. 

Logically, they would have said, “This is crazy! Here we are lepers and we’re going to the priests?  They’ll not come near us!  They’ll throw us out!”  Or, “Look at us, my skin is oozing still.  When will this oozing end Jesus?  You know I cannot go there looking like this.” 

But they had to walk in faith that their healing would come before they reached the priests.  And, it did!

God’s actions are not always completed in microwave seconds.  But our prayers are instantly heard and attended.  While not all are a “Yes”, and some are in fact a resounding “No” for your own good.  But those that fall into a third category of “Wait” require us to walk in faith.  Praying without ceasing in this season of waiting is not to bend God’s actions, for He already has your answer.  He knows the end from the beginning.  Instead, your prayers are evidence of faith, or evidence of fear and trembling.  When you have faith, there is no fear and trembling, but peace resides as you wait.

There’s nothing wrong with praying where you have no faith, with fear and trembling.  David prayed with fear and trembling in Psalms 55, the woman with the issue of blood approached Jesus with fear and trembling in Mark 5.  This is how your faith grows!  Philippians 2:12 says to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”.  You faith walk must be built with things that test your faith, and cause you to fear.  How else will you see the faithfulness of God?  How else would you grow to know His heart?

In the waiting moments, walk in faith.  If the answer is no, you’ve still gained a greater relationship with Christ.  If the answer is yes, you’ve gained a testimony to help others walk in faith.

Be Yourself!

“Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” - Daniel 6:20

To read this verse, you'd never think it came from the mouth of a man who was willing to kill Daniel for not bowing to him and worshipping him. King Nebuchadnezzar called God "the living God", and said "whom you serve continually". The Bible tells of it, but with just this one verse, it's obvious Daniel had shown his relationship with God to the King. And because Daniel did this, in spite of the threats and roaring lions, the King knew the living God.

I've come to realize something in the past 10 years or so. The more I voice my relationship with Christ, the more I make it an open topic, and the more I find that there are Christians all around me. They are silent about their relationships because no one has opened the door to the freedom to speak. Some of my best relationships started with simply voicing that I cannot separate the Christ in me from who I am. For me, it would be like trying to drop my accent, or to masquerade as someone else. I am who I am, and being in Christ defines me.

We've been slowly and quietly silenced by popular opinion, the fear of being offensive, and sensitivity training. Friends, I'm here to tell you that you should NEVER hide who you are in Christ.

Jesus speaks about this in Luke 9:25-26, saying "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels."

Ashamed. That's not what I want to hear at his coming.

Friends, we're hear for one reason: To make God famous. We are lighthouses in the darkness for those that look for peace and forgiveness. But if you're light is overshadowed by a fear of shining, they'll never find you.

Go ahead! Be yourself! It's better to offend those in this temporary life, than to offend the One who you will live with eternally. Let the lions roar! They can't harm you.

A Recipe for Contentment

“… for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” – Philippians 4:11

We often read this verse from Paul and consider Paul as having risen to a state of contentment we all hope to achieve.  Who doesn’t want to be content when we’re sick or healthy, wanting or fulfilled, insufficient or overflowing? 

But this verse could have been reworded to say, “God’s taken me through struggles to teach me to be content in whatever state I’m in”.  I dare saw myself and many others would not be so quick to wish for what Paul had if it were worded that way.

None of us want the struggles that God brings to our lives, or that our own behavior brings.  But in all things, in all ways, God is molding us into who He needs us to be.  His children are never forsaken. 

Sometimes the place you are in is so dark that you cannot see the shadow of His hand.  In those times, your faith grows as your heart yearns for Him to draw you closer.  And as He does show up in actions, in His word, in the words of others, our heart feels His love. 

Paul gave advice before expressing his contentment in this verse.  He said:

1.       Stand fast, don’t be moved (Verse 1).

2.       Unite yourself with others (Verse 2).

3.       Help others who are working His will (Verse 3).

4.       “Rejoice Always”, find the good in everything (Verse 4).

5.       Be gentle to everyone (Verse 5).

6.       Don’t be anxious, but pray about everything, and be thankful (Verse 6).

Following these six verse of advice, Paul expresses the outcome of this recipe of behavior.

“ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Verse 7)

Is that not where contentment comes from?  Is it not from peace in our hearts and minds?