Tag Archives: real faith

Which Boat Are You In?

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Our Spiritual Process

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Jesus is worthy! He is not just worthy of our affection and or our attention. He is worthy of all our entire life. Jesus is worthy of our fanaticism. When the Lord moves us from the fan level of faith to the fanatic level of faith, we soon discover how dangerous real faith can be. So lets answer this question… Which boat are you in today?

  • Are you staying in the boat close to shore or are you in the boat floating out in the deep? 
  • Are you in the safe boat… the place where you are comfortable simply listening to the teachings of Jesus?
  • Or, are you in the boat which is encountering the miraculous way out in deep waters?

Which boat are you in today?

The boat out in the deep is the one where you either pass or fail faith’s tests. This is the one where you are challenged and ultimately changed into Jesus’ image. No one else may even detect you are out there in the deep, except those out there with you. In fact, those on shore may even deny there is a “deep water experience.” The mild-mannered Jesus they know would never suffer His followers to undergo such a trial.

There is no challenge when you stick close to shore. Yeah, you hear Jesus’s teachings and you get to watch what is going on, but there is no action in your own life.

Which boat are you in?

One day with Jesus changed Peter’s whole life. He had been washing the nets while keeping one ear listening to Jesus. He had other responsibilities and duties to do. He had to fish in order to make a living. His family relied on him to bring in a good catch to eat and sell. So he thought he couldn’t give up what he was doing in order to spend a whole day with the Lord. But, Jesus had other plans for Peter. He has other plans for us as well. Listen as the story continues in Luke.

4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. Luke 5:4-7

 

This movement from the shallows into deeper water is an analogy of what Jesus was going to do in Simon’s faith life. Jesus was going to move Simon from his superficial, half-hearted and casual attention to Jesus and turn it into a deeper, more personal and real commitment. While Peter’s baptism didn’t turn him into a radical believer…while watching Jesus heal his mother-in-law didn’t make a fanatic out him. One day in the deep water did change Peter’s life forever.

Resistance is Futile! Jesus was not the leader of the Borg collective, but Simon couldn’t resist. Peter tried to counter Jesus’ suggestion, but quickly caved. I don’t know about you but I don’t like starting over on task when I have already cleaned up and put my stuff away. When I conclude my business…I am finished.

Here is what you and I need to know. Just how does Jesus take us from where we are to where He wants us to be? Jesus pushes us, that’s how! The Lord pushes us, ever so gently. Sometimes He uses words and sometimes He moves us with actions. He encourages us to move from one level of stability, as symbolized by the shallow water near the shore, to a place where we are more dependent on God than even before as symbolized by the deeper water.

We might mildly argue with him, saying, “Lord, I’ve already been there and done this several times. I’ve already tried reading the Bible, I’ve already tried praying, and it hasn’t worked. I’ve already done what others have attempted numerous times.” Hopefully we won’t stop at this point. Like Peter we need to say, “Lord, if this is what you want me to do, I will move one more time from where I am now, and be obedient to Your word.”

Which boat are you in today?

Now I personally wouldn’t want to get into a boat with Peter. Every boat he gets into begins to sink. Twice storms ravaged the boats Peter takes to cross the lake. Jesus doesn’t seem to care. On one occasion, Jesus is asleep and the other He is walking on the water attempting to sneak pass the boat. On this venture the catch of fish begins to take the boat under. Why would anyone want to get into boat with Simon Peter or any other disciple? It is going down! Who wants to purposefully undergo a near death experience every six months?

It is tough being in a boat with someone who needs to learn their faith lessons. Invariably, the boat begins to sink and they have to exhibit faith. It is tough to watch your own self or other believer struggle in faith. Why? Everybody has to go under two or three times before they learn. I know…I have been there and got two or three (actually 5-6) wet t-shirts to prove it. How about you? All Jesus will say during these failures is…”Where is your faith?” I have absolutely hated those words at times in my life. I thought, if I have to continue hearing that phrase I will scream and pull out what little hair I have left. For some of us, our hair isn’t falling out on its own…we are pulling it out because we struggle with faith.

But there is a reason why I kept hearing those faith words…. I wanted out in the deep with Peter and the boys. I didn’t want to remain close to the shore with most of the other fans. I wanted and still want to “walk on water” with the Lord. I don’t want to just see Jesus exhibit faith…I want to exhibit faith too! I have always wanted to be a fanatic. In fact, those fans on the shore drive me crazy too. They always talk about great faith but have never left the shore. If you stay there long enough they will chain your boat to the bank and convince you Jesus doesn’t operate this way. Tell this to Peter.

Pass or fail, sink or swim… I wanted to go to the deep. Anyone who really wants to grow must go out into the deep with the Lord and learn what real faith is all about. No one can do it for you. No one can help you. Your faith lessons are not my faith lessons. My faith lessons are not your faith lessons. I don’t know how God does it, but He personally tailors each person’s walk of faith.

Have you see the “Footprints the Sand” poem?  Have ever noticed how neatly the tracks are in the sand?  Well, my tracks are not like the poem’s.  My shoreline looks like “D-Day on Omaha Beach.”  I have left tracks all over the beach where I fought with the Lord, rolled on the ground, and kicked sand all over the place.  I’ve cried, wallowed, and basically thrown fits.  The only thing I can hope for was the Lord wasn’t recording during the melee.  Learning to walk in faith is not pretty.

Your greatest blessings will always be out in the deep. Yes, it is a little scary, unstable and unfamiliar out there. But it is also where most of the fish live. Fishermen never catch many fish from the shore. They have to go out into the deep water to catch larger and greater numbers of fish,  unless you want to catch them one-at-a-time with the rest of the fans hugging the shore. You might still have your hair, but will not have grown in faith.

Which boat are you in today? Jesus wants to take you from your comfortable shoreline to a deeper place where you will find more food for your soul and discover your dependence on Him. Are you ready to go! The Captain of Our Souls is calling.

Blessings,

Pastor

The High Cost of Low Level Complaining (Part 2) The Results Are Contagious

30 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by in Dying to Self

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Yesterday, I began blogging about the high cost of complaining and how vocally venting our displeasure with God reveals our ingratitude. Today, I continue by noting how complaining just doesn’t go into the air and quietly dissipate. When we choose to complain…it usually becomes contagious. It goes viral like a bad internet video. Listen as the story continues in Numbers 11.

 

A Mixed Multitude Began To Mutter.

 

And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting… Numbers 11:4a

 

This “mixed multitude” consisted of Jews along with some of the Egyptians that had followed the Israelites out of Egypt. Egyptians came along for the ride for various reasons. But it was this group which first began to “lust” or long for the way things used to be. It was one thing to possess internal desires for something. It was another to vocalize those desires and encourage others to voice their displeasure.

 

The Children Of Israel Began To Mourn As Well

 

…and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, ‘Who shall give us flesh to eat?’ Numbers 11:4b

 

I talked about this a little yesterday. But note, this is the first link in the awful chain of complaining. Let one person or small group of people start complaining to others about what’s wrong with the church, an organization, or leader and soon thereafter others will link up with the complainers. Muttering complaints is easy. Fixing issues is hard. This is why so many choose to complain… it is the easy road and requires no effort. The problem is that complaining is contagious. Mark Twain once said, “Don’t complain and talk about all your problems. Eighty percent of people don’t care; the other twenty percent will think you deserve them.”

 

Even Moses Began To Groan and Moan

Under the weight of these complaints, God’s man Moses began to crumble. With nowhere else to turn, he voices his complaints to the Lord.

 

 11 So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? 12 Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’  Numbers 11:11-13

 

This would be funny if it weren’t so serious. Moses feels afflicted. Like a mother who is up all night with a crying baby, Moses is tired, beat-up, and apparently not taking care of his own personal needs. He isn’t caring for one child…but a multitude of immature infants. He knows he doesn’t have the resources to meet all the demands of the people. Remember the people are not starving or dying. They are simply complaining because they want more. As a result of all this negativity, Moses draws some rather fatalistic conclusions.

 

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.”  Numbers 11:14-15

 

When death becomes a suitable alternative for you, your situation has deteriorated and you’re losing control. Moses appears to have forgotten he was still conversing with the same God which delivered Israel from the Egyptians by parting the Red Sea. The pillar of clouds and the fire by night were still in operation above his head. Miracles were still flowing from God’s hand.

God never intended for Moses to bear the full load of this people. Though Moses complained to God, we never read that he ever complained before the people or spread his malcontent. This is the difference between the godly and the ungodly. There will be times when we need to unload our concerns. If we must…it is ok to tell the Lord about what is going on in our life. But, when we complain to others first, before talking to God…it reveals our lack of faith. It reveals we don’t really want solutions, we simply desire to complain about how bad things are for us.

 
Unfortunately, Moses arrived to the point where he even doubted God could handle these circumstances.

 

21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?  23 And the Lord said unto Moses, Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.” Numbers 11:21-23

 

Moses is like so many people…he only sees the problems. He can only comprehend God answering via his own personal resources. Listen, we are not really praying when we are believing in our own resources. Moses wasn’t praying for God’s solutions. He was praying about His problems. When you pray… don’t pray your problems, instead pray for God’s solutions. God knows about your problems. You know about your problems. It doesn’t take any faith to believe you have problems. Real faith reaches into God’s pockets and believes He will bless you with heavenly resources. Moses needed to pray His word. (Food for a month.) Instead, he continued to blather to God about His problems.

There is a fork in the road today for all of us. We can choose the path of continued complaining. This is the easy road. Here we can join the multitudes which choose to complain and gripe about all those things God doesn’t do for us. God will never move for this group because no one on this road expresses faith. Praise the Lord there is another road for God’s people. On this path people choose not to complain but believe in what God has revealed. These folks look to the Lord because He has spoken. Prayer is a joy for these folks because they pray God’s solutions not their problems.

 

Blessings,

Pastor

 

“Strength” – Second Stage of Our Spiritual Process

14 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Times of Testing

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“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.  John 6:9-11

      It was noted in the previous blog that “tests” are allowed in our lives to reveal our real beliefs and faith.  Tests are supposed to bring us to our “wits end” so that we draw the conclusion, “I really need the Lord.”  God has great expectations of all believers.  One of the things most Christians do not realize is that God does not expect us to become an overnight super saint who is ready to die a martyr.  The Lord takes what little we can give Him and builds upon it. 

     In our story, note the different places Phillip and Andrew were in spiritually.  This difference appears to be so miniscule.  Andrew exhibited enough faith to go out looking for something Jesus could use to feed the crowd.  I believe this is why Jesus started with Phillip, because he lacked faith and needed a boost. (test)  Even though Andrew wanted to bring back more from his search, he did bring something back to the Lord.  The point is God wants to use what we do have.  He doesn’t want to hear us lamenting about what we don’t have.  Jesus strengthens us by taking what little faith and resources we do possess and uses it.  As soon as Andrew returned, Jesus started moving to create this wonderful miracle.  I am sure Andrew was as surprised as everyone else, because he knew exactly what was in the boy’s lunch. 

      Jesus still moves the same way today.  If the Lord is testing you, then celebrate!  He is about to demonstrate His power in your life so that you will know He is with you.  If you choose to keep lamenting about what you “don’t have“, then you will quit your spiritual process and never see the miraculous in your life.  Choose to give the Lord something to work with in your situation, instead of agreeing with Phillip and telling the Lord, “it is impossible.”  Be like Andrew and give the Lord something to work with regardless of how meager your resources may appear.  Jesus will take what little you give Him, strengthen your faith, and perform a miracle.  Remember, the Lord is not trying to torture you and watch you fail.  He is trying to bless you and put you over to the next level.

He Loved Me So Much, He Was Late

21 Thursday Jul 2011

Posted by in Our Spiritual Process

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“So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”  John 11:15

      This is a difficult statement to read and digest.  Put yourself in the disciples’ shoes for a moment.  We can be sure they all had love and affection for Lazarus and his extended family.  We are told Jesus did.  Now we discover Jesus is “glad” He wasn’t there so that Lazarus could die!  Does this sound cruel to you? 

      Most of us have had someone special or very close to us pass away.  Times of loss are especially difficult.  Was the Lord there by your side in your time of need?  Maybe you have been sick, even to the point of death, or knew of someone else in this condition.  Was the Lord there by your side during your time of need?  Hasn’t the Lord met you in all your moments of great need? 

      My point is this – One of the ways we know we are truly growing in the Lord is when He delays or postpones His answer or arrival.  It is in this precise moment of delay that we are not bothered or confused by the Lord’s actions because we trust Him.  Faith at its finest can undergo delay or postponement and not be detered. 

      If you are not really maturing in the Lord, then His presence or lack of presence may not mean much to you.  If you are in the process of growth and His friendship and nearness is vital, then this type of testing from heaven is what you can expect.  Lazarus, his family, and even the twelve disciples, were all expecting the Lord to move one way.  They believed Jesus could only heal Lazarus before he died.  But the Lord chose to  “delay” because He loved them and wanted their faith to grow beyond it’s current limitations. 

      Does the Lord love you so much today that He would purposefully procrastinate in answering your prayers?  Or are you one of those followers who completely falls apart when heaven appears to be inactive or indifferent.  If the Lord’s movements appear to be unusual, it just maybe He is attempting to stretch your faith.  Purpose today to “get over yourself” and grow past your fears to discover a deeper belief in the Lord.