"I Am No Longer Just a Believer!"

After 40 years of serving God, I recently discovered that I am no longer just a believer;  I have made a shift.   This may sound shocking to many of you, as I still go to church, I still love God, and I'm still serving Him.  But something happened to me recently while I was driving and talking to God.  The day before this revelation, I did my morning acknowledgment of Him, reminding myself that He would direct my path when I did, then I continued in my daily routine.  Later that evening on my way to church, I was reflecting on the days outcomes. I was very aware of how He'd answered my prayer. While thanking Him I said "Lord I really believe that you answered my prayer!" but I stopped mid-sentence and said, " NO... I don't BELIEVE you answered my prayer, I KNOW You did!"

BELIEVING AND KNOWING 

Something happened to me over the years to where I made a transition from being just a believer to being a know-er. The Bible says "That we may know Him and the power of  His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."   There will always be times in our life where we are believing God for something.  We have to  have times that we are trusting Him, because the just shall live by faith.  Somethings we won't see yet, we won't know, but there should come a time in our lives as a Christian or a  Believers, that we have a vast amount of things that we KNOW about God that no longer requires believing.  When you believe it is different from knowing.  Believing is when you choose to accept something as true; or you confidently put your trust in something or someone.  Knowing can be a state of being aware and informed, or doing something with full awareness of it so you are deliberate in your response.    If I KNOW a chair can hold me up, I am not at all timid about sitting in it.  If I believe it will hold me, I may find myself looking for weak spots just in case.   Do you only BELIEVE God or have your learned to KNOW Him?

KNOW IT!

Life can bring circumstances that make you examine God like a chair you want to trust, but you have to examine more.  If you have been living for God, and He has shown Himself strong to you, you should KNOW that He is faithful.   When you know God, this world and circumstances don't shake you. It's kind of like the Hebrew boys in the bible... while faced with a fiery furnace they said 

"We know that God is able to deliver us from this fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand O King, but even if He does not, Let it be known that we will not serve your gods, or worship the golden idol you made."  Daniel 3:16-18

Where are you today?  Are you only in belief stage where things come to challenge your heart and thoughts towards God?  Are you still moved by people and all the religions and thoughts that say your Christian faith is not complete?  Are you challenged to think differently because someone else sounds smart in their criticism of your beliefs?  Or are you at a place where it really does not matter what people say, what circumstances arise, what challenges you face, do you KNOW that God is God and what He says is truth?   I pray that we can all grow in our faith in a God that we know.  That we can swear to our own hurt and not change our faith in Him because the times have changed.  

I will say loud and clear, that I am no longer JUST a believer!  I know God is good, I know He hears my prayers, I know He causes all things to work for my good and His glory.  I know that when this earthly body dies, my spirit will go to where it came from, and God will have the last words about my life.  I know I love Him and will serve Him 'even though'.  Yes, I plan to hear Him say "Well Done.", I live to see His face. 

That is what I KNOW...

"As You Go.."

 

The Bible tells a popularly preached story about 10 lepers that approached Jesus at a distance, seeking to be healed.  Typically when we hear the story we think about the fact that  in their encounter with Jesus, He told them to go and show themselves to the priest.  Scripture says they obeyed and "as they went" they were healed of their leprosy.  We often focus on the next part that says that nine of them left rejoicing and continued to follow the instructions, but only one of them came back to tell Jesus thank you.  This is a great message to us to always consider God in the midst of His blessings, always give Him glory when He does what He says,  and always, always say "Thank You".   I want in this blog to pull another lesson. 

WHERE ARE THE OTHER NINE?

When talking to Jesus, the leper who came back was asked "Where are the other nine?"  We can't take away from the fact that giving God glory is important, but the other lesson happens much earlier than that one; it happens when Jesus said "Go, show yourselves to the priest".  Scripture tells us that  "As they went, they were cleansed." 

QUESTION: "What things has God told you to do that you are waiting for sign before you do it?"  There are things God has said that connects to our purpose, to a whole relationship,  it connects to our children being well, our mental or financial health and more... but we are sitting and waiting to see evidence that it is so before we go.  

I understand that it is normal to want to see stuff before we "go",  that way we're not embarrassed by all the people who see us going- but don't see the end results.   Kind of like Noah building an ark.  "Why are you building an ark Noah?" ...  "Because God said to."  ... "We don't see any rain though!  By the way... what is rain again?"  When it comes to the purpose that  God has for your life and the things He tells you to do, don't sit and wait until everything is lined up and perfect before you "GO".  The Bible says that "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen."  We are not moved by what we see, we are moved by what God says.

KEEP GOING!

I want to encourage you today, if you you are going, keep going!  Keep obeying God and trusting that what He has promised, is is able and going to perform.  If you are one who has been reluctant to go because things don't look conducive to the promise... If you want to see what God has said happen, you gotta "GO!"  I encourage you not to wait for something to happen that proves you're going to see progress, that you will get that promotion, healing, or deliverance in your family; some things you'll see "as you go". 

  

This year his already started off pretty rocky for many of us.  Aside from world wide health scares, there have been family losses, property loss and more already!  Things around us can discourage us and excitement about a new year can wear off quickly, but don't let it!  Keep moving forward, keep the faith and keep going.  God is still faithful and He will perform the promise He made to you.  Just remember, when He does... don't forget to come back, say "Thank You",   and give Him praise!

"The Gift or the Giver"

The post showed a son who purchased a truck for his  father as a surprise.  The son managed to get his dad to follow him outside and even got him to agree to be blindfolded.  We had the advantage of seeing the truck in distance as they walked up to it.   The whole time the father was talking suspiciously, but was still trusting his son's guidance.   As they approached the truck, the son took the blindfolds off of his father...

THE GIFT

Now, sometimes we see people get a surprise gift and they leave everybody to run to see exactly what the gift is.  Excitement has them touching and testing the gift.  If it is a vehicle, they may get inside and see how they look in the mirrors, feel the seats and look for keys so they can take a test drive. All of these things can be normal unless you have another focus, much like this father did. 

When the blindfold was removed, the dad stood trying to take in what he was looking at.  His confusion soon turned to disbelief, which turned to excitement.  Without hesitation, he grabbed hold of his son and hugged him.   The majority of the scene showed the father jumping into his son's arms, and holding onto him.  He  continued to  hug him and begin to cry.  He paid very little attention to the gift because he was in the arms of the giver.

THE GIFT OR THE GIVER

How do you respond when God answers your prayers?  When there is a need in your life and God answers it, what do you do?   You finally close on that house, do you stay there are make your way to His house?  That car that you have been needing that you get, does it show up at His house only on occasion or often?  When healing comes, do we forget to go back to God like the 9 lepers, or do we take time to tell Him thank you for real?   We have been so blessed, God has been so faithful, that we should really be jumping into His arms.. 

Know that any gift we get in this life will never compare to the Giver.  Even when things  are challenging and life seems difficult, having the Giver of all gifts, is the greatest gift ever.   Next time God answers your prayers, or gives you what you need, don't run off with the gift... run to The Giver!

"One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him--and he was a Samaritan. "

Luke 17:15-16