Got Faith? Now You Are in For it!

We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life - Romans 6:4

Is this generation of Christians yet over two concepts that I look at as the decay on teeth of Christianity? The church, God's people are just about to have a breakthrough, revival; we are about to overcome and then these two show up and spoil the victories.

Wanna know what they are? How about:

1. Easy believism - I said the prayer and so I am saved. If I say a thing long enough and hard enough it will come to pass! "Believe and receive!"

2. God will give me the lusts of my hea er...the desies of my heart...Can you see the problem with this one? We get NOTHING from our dad when it is not a good thing nor when we want it for our own selfish reasons. We can expect zippo when, as God's children we are nothing but grabby, lil' kid, gimme gimme gimme's!

If we commit ourselves to live for Christ our faith will create consequences. I'm convinced we'd avoid much hardship and life could be much smoother, easier should we not choose to live a God honoring earthly existence of faith in Jesus. I am convinced this is a spiritual principle upon which the law and the prophets exist. There isn't a truly God fearing Christian anywhere who identifies with Jesus, His Life and the Cross that isn't going to have hassles in life because of their faith.

Accepting Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior begins a journey. In this journey Jesus forms a spiritual circumcision on us all (ladies, you are in on this too!). It is designed to extract the world form our spirits, our souls and our mind. If you meant it, if you truly embraced Jesus you will be a part of this.

One of the fathers of our faith, Moses is one Old Testament example we can look back on to give us a glimpse of our future in Christ. He had been given a lifetime of preparation from God to fulfill God's call on his life to free the Jews from the tyranny of their Egyptian captors. "Mo" spent years in training. When young he lived in the court, literally as part of the family of Pharaoh. It was then that tried to free the people through the flesh by killing an Egyptian. That cost him 40 years in the desert of hardship and I am sure heartache before God's alternative plan, through Moses (still) had Moses prepped to free Israel. (Thank God the Jews didn't know how long they waited because of one man's sin. See how your actions change outcomes?)

God plowed time and effort into this one man; however, this prep wasn't enough. God simply can't mold us. We still have to cooperate. We still have to obey. In this case it didn't just cost Moses. Nope. Unh-uh. God required Mo's family to be circumcised. To make it worse Moses failed to circumcise his son before returning to Egypt. This was so important to God that He was going to kill Moses if he did not uphold his commandment. At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him - Ex. 4:24 - This faith in what God says thing...God takes it seriously. By the way, isn't it great that God can be moved when we repent?

Thank you Lord Jesus!

This is getting long - to the point...What areas in your life have you not put under the Lordship of Christ? Where do you lack the faith to trust God. You have to know this is why you can't be obedient to Him without trust, faith. Ergo, you can't be used fully by God. Ergo you won't truly be happy. Today, confess your lack of faith in Jesus. Speak out your indecision to give Him certain areas...you're life will change...maybe but a little, maybe painful for the moment...but there will be more joy tomorrow than there was today - HE Promises! I remain...

InHISgrip,
~J~