So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. "For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that these things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."
Mark 11: 22 - 24 NKJV
I was thinking this week about a new term I could introduce among believers in Jesus. It's something we've all seen before, but with a radical new twist. How many remember the "Name it and claim it" days of the institutional church? I do. I was taught that if I needed something from God, that all I needed to do was pray long and hard enough and He would provide for me. Like any good parent, if a child asks often enough the parent finally gives in, right? Well, unfortunately things don't always work out that way. When they don't there will certainly be hurt feelings as well. I recall beseeching the Father for more than a few blessings over the years. Some were realized while others were not. So, Obviously I don't have some magic leverage with God. Yet, as I thought about my current status quo this week I came to realize something. I am living blessed. Living blessed? What is this I speak of? Well, basically what I see living blessed as is knowing in my heart that I have what I need. Through the provision of the Lord, I have what I need. Now, that's not saying that I wouldn't turn down a new car or more money in my account, but for what I need...I am living blessed. In my heart I know that whatever happens, that God will provide for me what I need. That's the kicker, our assurance that the Lord will provide for us. These are not simply words which we memorize from scripture, but our unshakable belief that God will provide. It's not a new version of name it and claim it based upon our own prayer efforts. We believe it, therefore God will deliver it. The "it" I speak of can be different for different people. A single mother will believe in her heart that God will provide for her family. While a public official will trust that God will give him the wisdom to lead. Whatever it is that we need, we can rest assured that God already knows about it and will work in His timing.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11: 1 NKJV
I still remember it like it was yesterday. I had seen my mother kneeling in prayer on the old couch in our living room. Sometimes she would be crying, while others she would simply be silent. I didn't realize until later the burden she felt in providing for her family. One particular Christmas season was pretty tight financially, and I would come home from school to find her once again kneeling in front of the couch...quiet in prayer. I also would not know until later in life how deep my mothers faith in God truly was. Despite her circumstances, she believed that God would provide for her family. The day before Christmas there was a knock at the door. As my mother stood there, a total stranger handed her a envelope and walked away. That envelope held $200 in cash. Now, this was back in the 1970's, so $200 was a big thing. The very first thing my mother did after closing the door was to pray. Once again kneeling upon the old couch. So I ask you, was it her constant prayers which finally persuaded God to help us? Or, as I believe, was it her unshakable faith that if she came boldly to the throne of the Lord that He would honor her request? I would mention that I have neither the time nor the patience for those institutional church embedded souls who swear up and down that our repeated prayers are needed in order to sway Gods favors. The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians that our salvation IS NOT based upon our own works {Ephesians 2:8-9}. I can pray "SAVE ME GOD!" ten million times and I would not end up any closer to knowing Christ than your average pagan world worshipper. However, if I BELIEVE in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God, and that the Father indeed raised Him from the dead, then the Father is indeed in me{1 John 4:15}. This isn't a matter of simply building up enough credits to buy our salvation, but in believing that through Christ Jesus we have it. Once we can understand this, then we are truly living blessed.
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10: 9 NKJV
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment