Faith vs. Fear

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." It is the belief that, although we cannot tangibly see God, we know that He is present & working in our lives. Unbelief can cause fear to take hold of our lives & emotions, & fear cannot exist in the same space as faith. Faith can deliver us from fear & worry because faith is the opposite of unbelief. Faith does not come from us, but is a gift (Ephesians 2:8–9), and is a characteristic that is manifested in our lives through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). 

The more we learn about God, the more our faith continues to grow as we grow in our understanding of God. Faith, as a Christian, means assurance that God loves us & deeply cares about our thoughts & needs. God desires for our faith to grow. We are instructed through the Scriptures on how to develop a faith that conquers fears. Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes from hearing, & hearing through the word of Christ." Studying the Word of God is paramount in building strong faith. To know Him & rely on His direction in our lives, we must seek to understand Scripture. 

Time with God in prayer & quiet worship also builds a relationship with God & opens our hearts to Him. David experienced fear & wrote to God in response, "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you" (Psalm 56:3). The Psalms are a great instruction to those who wish to learn how to cast out their fear with faith. Psalm 119 has excellent examples of how David communicated with God & valued His Word: "With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!" (v. 10); "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (v. 11); "I will meditate on your precepts & fix my eyes on your ways" (v. 15); "Your word is a lamp to my feet & a light to my path" (v. 105).  We are meant to meditate on these words.

Without trials, faith does not mature or strengthen. God understands our weaknesses & fears, but He also commands us to use trials as opportunities to grow our faith. In Scripture, we see many examples of people who experience adversity & lean on God. Each one of us will experience fearful situations that God is able to walk through with us (John 16:33; Romans 8:31–39). We can learn to allow God's Word to saturate our thoughts & use trials as stepping-stones to build greater faith that God is good & will take care of us. 

As children of God, we are capable of taking hold of the promises that God describes in the Scriptures. There are verses for every kind of fear! When we face anxiety about the future: God will "instruct you & teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8). When we face financial trouble: "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). When we experience physical ailments or hardships: "… suffering produces endurance & endurance produces character, & character produces hope, & hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:3–5). 

Fear is our human reaction to the trials that we will face in this life, but God promises us that we can experience peace in every situation. His peace "surpasses all understanding" & "will guard your hearts & your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). 

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.compellingtruth.org

 

 

Does Everything Happen for a Reason?

The short answer is “yes”; because God is sovereign, there are no random, out-of-control happenings. God’s purposes may be hidden from us, but we can be assured that every event has a reason behind it.

There was a reason for the blindness of the man in John 9, although the disciples misidentified the reason (John 9:1–3). There was a reason for Joseph’s mistreatment, although his brothers’ purpose in what they did to him was very different from God’s purpose in allowing it (Genesis 50:20). There was a reason for Jesus’ death—the authorities in Jerusalem had their reasons, based on evil intent, and God had His, based on righteousness. God’s sovereignty extends even to the lowliest of creatures: “Not one [sparrow] falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will” (Matthew 10:29, NET).

Several factors help us know that everything happens for a reason: the law of cause and effect, the doctrine of original sin, and the providence of God. All these demonstrate that everything does happen for a reason, not just by happenstance or by random chance.

First, there is the natural law of cause and effect, also known as the law of sowing and reaping. Paul says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7–8). This means that in every action we take or word we utter, whether good or evil, there are certain inevitable results that follow (Colossians 3:23–25). Someone may ask, “Why am I in jail? Is there a reason for this?” and the answer may be, “Because you robbed your neighbor’s house and got caught.” That’s cause and effect.

All that we do is either an investment in the flesh or an investment in the Spirit. We shall reap whatever we have sown, and we shall reap in proportion to how we have sown. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). The believer who walks in the Spirit and “sows” in the Spirit is going to reap a spiritual harvest. If his sowing has been generous, the harvest will be bountiful, if not in this life, certainly in the life to come. Conversely, those who “sow” to the flesh are going to reap a life without the full blessings of God, both in this life and the life to come (Jeremiah 18:10; 2 Peter 2:10–12).

The reason some things happen can often be traced back to original sin in the Garden of Eden. The Bible is clear that the world is under a curse (Genesis 3:17), which has resulted in infirmities, diseases, natural disasters, and death. All these things, although under God’s ultimate control, are sometimes used by Satan to inflict misery upon people (see Job 1–2; Luke 9:37–42; 13:16). Someone may ask, “Why did I contract this illness? Is there a reason for it?” and the answer may be one or more of the following: 1) “Because you live in a fallen world, and we are all subject to illness”; 2) “Because God is testing you and strengthening your faith”; or 3) “Because, in love, God is disciplining you according to Hebrews 12:7–13 and 1 Corinthians 11:29–30.”

Then we have what is called the providence of God. The doctrine of providence holds that God quietly and invisibly works through the natural world to manage events. God, in His providence, works out His purposes through natural processes in the physical and social universe. Every effect can be traced back to a natural cause, and there is no hint of the miraculous. The best that man can do to explain the reason why things happen in the course of natural events is to point to “coincidence.”

Believers proclaim that God arranges the coincidences. The unbeliever derides such ideas because he believes natural causes can fully explain each event without reference to God. Yet followers of Christ are wholly assured of this profound truth: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

God is always at work in the lives of His people, and in His goodness will bring them to a good end (see Philippians 1:6). The events that define our lives are not simply products of natural causes or random chance. They are ordained by God and are intended for our good. We often fail to sense God’s hidden guidance or protection as events in our lives unfold. But, when we look back at past events, we are able to see His hand more clearly, even in times of tragedy.

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

Being an Effective Witness for Christ

An effective witness for Christ could be defined as a person whose life bears fruit for the gospel. Ultimately, when a person is saved, it is by God's power (1 Peter 1:3-5), not ours, and as we speak the truth to unbelievers, it is important to remember that their salvation does not hinge on our speaking abilities or the strength of our faith, or how well we know how to explain things. Even in cases where we speak the truth very clearly and with conviction, it may not result in the salvation of the hearer. In the end, each person bears the responsibility for his own choices (Galatians 6:4-5). This should not be a deterrent, however. We are called to do everything in our power to witness to the lost, and to aim for effectiveness. Here are a few basic guidelines to being an effective witness for Christ. 

An effective witness is humble. We cannot judge who will or will not accept the message of the cross, so we should be impartial and unprejudiced about whom we approach with the good news, remembering that our own need for salvation is just as great as the need of every person yet to be saved (Romans 3:19-20). An effective witness will approach unbelievers with kindness and patience, rather than an arrogant, quarrelsome attitude (2 Timothy 2:23-26). 

An effective witness represents the Scripture. God has chosen to reveal Himself to the world in part through a book, the Bible. Regardless of whether this makes perfect sense to us, it is the way He chose to do things. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador for a nation speaks only what he hears his king or President speak—no more, no less. When we invent new gospels or bend the truth in an effort to make God's message more palatable or easier to accept, we are being unfaithful, and if people are converted, they are converting to a false gospel. The truth will always be fragrant to the one who desires salvation, and powerful to effect that salvation (2 Corinthians 2:14-17). We should not be ashamed of it (Romans 1:16). 

An effective witness represents the Savior. Just as we are faithful to accurately speak His Word, we should be faithful to accurately portray His character. The world has an image of Jesus that is often incorrect, and we should strive to make His true nature known to them. Jesus Christ was not always nice. He rejected the hypocritical religious leaders of His day, pronouncing woes on them (Matthew 23:1-36). He spoke the truth with conviction (John 3:1-15). He confirmed the existence of eternal separation from God (Matthew 7:21-23). At the same time, He accepted the outcasts of society and forgave them freely (Luke 19:1-10). Nobody who wanted to be with Him was rejected. His focus was to save them, rather than to judge their sin (John 3:16-18). An effective witness for Christ will be intimately acquainted with Christ's character and attempt to emulate Him. 

An effective witness is honest. Not every mystery in the Bible can be explained or understood, even by the wisest theologian or the most studied scholar. If an unbeliever asks a question we cannot answer, we should not be afraid to say, "I don't know." Honesty, and acceptance of our inability to fathom God, is not a sign of weakness, but rather a trust in God that is unfathomable (Hebrews 11:1-3). How can we hope to fully understand a God whose mind is so far above ours? But we are not called to fully understand, but simply to trust (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.compellingtruth.org

 

 

Why is the name of Jesus used as a cuss word?

          “How interesting it is that no other religious leader has his name taken in vain! It does not matter if we are talking about a cult, an Eastern religion, or a religion associated with a certain area in the world. Only the name of Jesus Christ is blasphemed. Why is that?

I suggest the oddity is that only Jesus Christ is real as the Savior and Son of God. Only Jesus made it possible for believers to enter into the throne room of God with their prayers. Only Jesus has the historical and scientific proof that he rose from the dead.

Jesus taught love. He taught about freedom. He made it possible for people to be released from demons that bound them. Anyone who is willing to examine the evidence and verify that Jesus is the fulfillment of many prophecies, some of which were thousands of years old, should logically know that Jesus is special.

It is evident that Satan wants to use unbelievers to blaspheme the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is such a shame that those who take the name of Jesus in vain are lining themselves with the hatred of Satan. The devil tried to defeat Christ when he was on earth and failed. Now he is using people to malign the Son of God.

If you are one of those persons who swears using the name of Jesus, think twice. Ask yourself what you are doing. You are breaking one of the Ten Commandments. Realize that you are offending Christians and more importantly you are offending God.”

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

NOTE: This is a brief article published by James Bradfield, who served God and country as a chaplain Lt Col in the Air Force retiring after 22 years. He has owned & operated a mental health practice. His current work is writing & teaching from scripture.

God is light

The phrase "God is light" appears in 1 John 1:5, where the apostle John is explaining that the message we have from Jesus Christ is that God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. Light is the nature and character of God. He is not a light or a kind of light; He is light itself. All light comes from Him. At the beginning of time, He created the light to dispel the darkness and chaos that was over all the earth (Genesis 1:1–5). Then He created the lights in the sky, the sun, moon, and stars (Genesis 1:14–16). As light itself and the source of light, He had only to speak and light came into being. In heaven, there will be no need for the sun or moon to provide light, as the glory of God will illuminate the New Jerusalem.

Darkness represents everything that is anti-God: the wicked (Proverbs 2:13), judgment (Exodus 10:21), and death (Psalm 88:12). The light that is God is the opposite of the darkness that is evil. The light of God is His holiness, righteousness, and goodness, which is in contrast to the darkness of evil and sin. Light is part of the essence of God. He is completely, unreservedly, absolutely holy, with no sin, no taint of iniquity, and no hint of injustice. 

Throughout the Old Testament light is regularly associated with God and His word (Psalm 119:105), with salvation (Isaiah 9:2), with goodness (Genesis 1:4), with truth (Psalm 43:3), with His commandments (Proverbs 6:23), and with life (Psalm 56:13). In Psalm 27:1 David declares God to be his light and salvation. Darkness is the emblem of distress, trouble, perplexity, and sorrow. Light is the opposite of these. God furnished David with such light that he was filled with confidence, and his fears were dispelled. 

The New Testament picks up these themes, describing the holiness of God in different ways. God "dwells in unapproachable light" (1 Timothy 6:16); He is the "Father of lights" (James 1:17). John's statement "God is light" is a regular theme in his writings, especially as it relates to Jesus Christ. God's Light is revealed in Christ, whose light of love shines into lives darkened by sin (1 John 1:5–7). Jesus declares that He is the "light of the world" (John 8:12; 9:5). John describes Jesus, the incarnate Word, as coming into the world to be the "light of men" and "the true light which gives light to everyone" (John 1:1–9). Jesus came as the light of the world, breaking the power of the darkness of sin by His shed blood and death on the cross. 

Jesus also describes His disciples as light and light-bearers (Matthew 5:14–16), encouraging believers to let their light so shine before the world that they see God in them and glorify Him. Paul picks up that theme, indicating to the believers in Asia Minor and Macedonia that their lives are a shining light of witness to the world around them (Ephesians 5:8). It is the privilege of all believers to pass on the divine light they have received. Jesus told His disciples that the light they received in the dark, meaning His personal revelations to them through parables and obscure sayings, they would one day say in the light and shout from the housetops (Matthew 10:27). All who have entered into the light of God through Christ have the responsibility to "shine as lights in the world" with the light of God himself to a "crooked and twisted generation" of people who live in darkness (Philippians 2:15). Because God is light, those who belong to Him must shine forth His light, becoming more like Christ every day. "For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness" (1 Thessalonians 5:5). God is light means that He creates spiritual light by which His children can see the truth. Without His illumination, we would walk in darkness as the world walks (2 Corinthians 2:14). To walk in the light means to know God, seek His wisdom, understand His truth, and live in the light of His righteousness. 

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

Finding Joy in the Midst of Trials

          Joy a feeling of great happiness or pleasure. In James 1:2-4 it says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Many Christians think once they’ve made that decision for Christ that everything will fall into place and life will be that proverbial bowl of cherries. And when trials and tough times come upon them or continue, they begin to have questions, wondering how they could possibly endure horrible circumstances and consider it joy.

Peter also tackles this subject of joy through trials. “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:6-9).

In both of these passages, we see the instruction of what we should do. ‘Consider it pure joy…’ ‘In this you greatly rejoice…’ Why? Because trials make us stronger. The James passage clearly states that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. And the Peter passage states that our faith, which is priceless, will be proved genuine and result in praise to God. But how? How can we find joy in the midst of all the junk, hardships, and painful circumstances?

First, we need to understand that the joy the world gives is not the same as the joy the Spirit gives. Worldly joy or happiness comes and goes as often as waves hitting the shore. It isn’t something you can cling to when you’ve lost a loved one or are facing bankruptcy. The Spirit’s joy or happiness, on the other hand, can stay with you for the long haul. For the believer, the fruit of the Spirit, including joy, is like a bottomless well of water—there’s always an abundant supply. Even in the darkest days, when sadness, grief, and loss may threaten to overwhelm you, God’s joy is there.

Second, we need to understand that God’s joy cannot be taken away. Oh, you might think that it’s gone—that the hands of misfortune have snatched it from you—but it’s not. As believers, we are promised the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. We are promised His joy. Just as our salvation is assured through Jesus’ one-time sacrifice for all. Jesus’ words in John 15:11, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Other examples, Acts 13:52, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 16:34, “The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.”

Third, we need to stop wallowing, whining, and complaining and grab onto God’s joy. Just like salvation, joy is a free and perfect gift from Him, and we must reach out and accept that gift. Grab onto it. Like a lifeline. Choose joy over bitterness, anger, and sorrow. Make a decision to choose joy every day. No matter what. Look at these great examples in Scripture: “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). “Be joyful always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). “You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions” (Hebrews 10:34). And the best illustration of all, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

All through Scripture we see the persecution of the church, the trials and hardships that believers have faced. The challenge then is to truly learn how to consider each trial joy.

            Until next time, walk with the Lord & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

Is God Really in Control?

Before we can learn to trust that God is in control of all of life’s circumstances, we have to answer four questions: Is God really in control? How much control does He have? If He is not in complete control, then who/what is? How can I learn to trust that He is in control and rest in that?

Is God really in control? The concept of the control of God over everything is called the “sovereignty” of God. God’s sovereignty is defined as His complete and total independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent, God does what He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. God is in complete control of every molecule in the universe at every moment, and everything that happens is either caused or allowed by Him for His own perfect purposes.

Exactly how much control does God have? He is continuously, actively running things—ALL things—here and now. Our wills are only free to the extent that God allows us that freedom and no farther. “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35). 

The book of Job is a clear illustration of just who has the sovereign power and who doesn’t. Satan came to God and, in effect, said, “Job only serves you because you protect him.” So God gave Satan permission to do certain things to Job but no more (Job 1:6–22). 

Satan knew from the Old Testament that God’s plan was for Jesus to come to the earth, be betrayed, crucified and resurrected, and provide salvation for millions, and if there was any way to keep that from happening, Satan would have done it. If just one of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah could have been caused by Satan to fail to come to pass, the whole thing would have collapsed. But the numbers of independent, “free will” decisions made by thousands of people were designed by God to bring His plan to pass in exactly the way He had planned it from the beginning, and Satan couldn’t do a thing about it.

Unlimited in power, unrivalled in majesty, and not thwarted by anything outside Himself, our God is in complete control of all circumstances, causing or allowing them for His own good purposes and plans to be fulfilled exactly as He has foreordained.

But we can’t trust someone we don’t know, and there is only one way to know God—It is only thru His Word, the Bible, the single source of power that can change our lives from the inside out. But it takes diligent effort every day to know the God who controls everything. If we drink deeply from His Word and let it fill our minds and hearts, the sovereignty of God will become clear to us, because we will know Him intimately and thus, trust Him completely.

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org