Faith Is Assurance

Hebrews 11:1-3 NASB

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible."

Translation:

Faith is concrete confidence in knowing something is guaranteed to happen. Even more surely than the sun setting and the tide rising--this thing which has not yet happened IS going to happen. It is through this concrete understanding that Christians KNOW God intimately designed the world and His hand is continuously active in its events. Even though God works in ways invisible to man, through faith--total confidence--Christians can gain hope and strength in the midst of chaos.

Fight Until You Die

     This was a manifesto/admonition that a very dear friend of mine wrote. He wrote this when God gave him the call to abandon life in the United States and become a missionary to Bangkok for at least three years... His wife had recently born a son and this was the legacy that he wanted to begin for the sake of his family.

Fight Until You Die.

I will fight to die to myself everyday. I will lay myself on the alter of God so that Galatians 2:20 can take root in me. "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I will die to self and surrender my life to be lived out by Christ. In so doing, I shall be given the ability, grace and courage to finish the race and to fight the good fight. Through Christ, I will fight until I die.

What will I fight for? I will fight for the glory of God among all the nations. I will fight to honor the gospel and the Word of God. I will fight for the bride of Christ to be prepared for her coming groom. I will fight for personal death for the purpose of sanctification. I will fight to be Christ to my wife and to my children. I will fight for those who have no voice. I will fight for those who are unaware that a war is raging and who are dead in their sins. I will fight to the death so that my death will be the sweetest moment of my life. I will fight, and I will fight until I die. 

I am not a missionary to Bangkok. I am not strong or great or mighty.

I am a woman. I am young. I am single.

     Yet, I will fight, for it is not I who fight, but Christ in me. I am a witness to the glory of God every moment I wake up and step out of bed. My smallness offers testimony to the greatness of God because it is obvious that I do not have the strength to do that which I am called to do. I am a woman and must offer encouragement and guidance to the women and men whom I encounter. I am young and must be an example of the righteousness and selflessness of Christ to those both younger and older than I. I am single, but I will fight for my future husband and unborn children -- for their honor, for their future, for their hope in Christ.

And I will fight until I die.

There is nothing we can't face...

The battle is not ours
     We look to God above
For He will guide us safely through
     And guard us with His love.

So do not be afraid.
     We need not run and hide,
For there is nothing we can't face
      When God is at our side

     It is easy for me to see how God uses different circumstances to make us into the people He wants us to be. We are promised:

... that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NASB)

     The bad things, the good things, the less than perfect actions, the more than terrible events, the mistakes, the successes... Everything! God works everything into an opportunity to bring Him glory. Understand, this does NOT give us the right to do whatever we want in whatever manner we choose:

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! (Romans 6:1-2a NASB, emphasis added)

     God commands us to be the absolute best we can be, BUT this does not mean we can be (or even should try to be) perfect. Perfection is reserved for God alone, but as Christians we are to do everything within our abilities to become as Christ-like as possible.

     This is a concept that I understand well. The Lord has granted me a strong faith; so, believing His promises to be true is very natural for me. What I am just learning, and struggling with, is humility. I want to do so much for God, but for whatever reasons, He is choosing not to allow me the opportunities that I want. My struggle is being content with the abilities and resources God has given me. There is so much that I want to do and that I want to be -- I want to grow and reach more people for the glory of God -- BUT that is not always God's way.

     We are to become less so that Christ can become more. If we are constantly preoccupied with how much "range" we have as Christians, we have lost our focus. God has created each and every one of us unique and with a special, specific purpose. He has intricately designed you to do something for His kingdom. This may be something that, by earthly standards, is very, very small; however, doing something small unto the glory and obedience of God is of infinite worth to Him. All the glory, money or prestige of the world is worthless if it is not in obedience to the will of God.

     God uses everything: "good" events and "bad" events, but He also uses people: great big billionaires and little tiny elementary schoolers. There is nothing "too big" or "too small" that God cannot or does not use to further His glory. We may never know in this life all of the little things we did that brought honor to the Kingdom of God, but God sees EVERYTHING, and He uses EVERYTHING for His good.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV)

     God uses the weak and the strong. In fact, in weakness, God is more clearly made known and His glory is more readily seen.

Psalm 139:13-14 NIV

For you created my inmost being;

     you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

     your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

     God created you intentionally. We live in a sinful world, depraved and full of imperfections, but God knew you and designed you before the world was made. He knew everything you would do and everything you would be. To be discontent with the resources and abilities God has given you is to shake your fist at God and say, "God, you made a mistake." The world is broken because of sin, but God has provided a way out. He has given us new purpose and new hope.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

     And in His will we are unstoppable!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)

Wings of the Dawn

     This is a very special Psalm to me. I remember being five years old and my father singing it to me -- guitar in hand -- and I singing along. Would it not be wonderful to bring back singing -- what I call "real singing" -- with real phrases and words to express our beliefs and devotion to God?

Psalm 139 (NIV)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

¹ You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.