Category: faith

Abraham was told the impossible. “Though you and your beautiful wife are very old, Sarah is going to have a baby.” And Abraham believed God. Isaac was born and God proved His faithfulness.

“Though your son, Isaac, is the one through whom you will be the ‘Father of Nations,’ I want you to go up the mountain and sacrifice him to Me.” And Abraham believed God. He “reasoned that God could raise the dead” (Heb 11:9), so he put Isaac on the altar and raised his knife. But an angel stopped the sacrifice and God proved His faithfulness.

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” This verse is repeated many times in the New Testament for our benefit, as we “are of the faith of Abraham.” “The words ‘it was credited’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” (Rom 4:16 & 24)

But what are we to believe? I’ve not been told that my beautiful Susan is going to have a baby in our old age. I’ve not been told to believe God will raise our son Taylor from the dead if he dies. But God has told me to believe the impossible.

I am to believe that God has accomplished everything of value through His Son Jesus. He was born of a virgin; He lived a perfect life; He died on the Cross carrying the sins of the world; He was buried in a borrowed tomb and raised back to life on the third day. Now God asks, “Do you know what this means for you? When you hear My Word, do you believe it?”

Do I believe I am forgiven? Do I believe I have been set free from sin? Do I believe I am a new creation? Do I believe the Holy Spirit lives in me? Do I believe death has no hold on me? Do I believe I am in Christ? Do I believe I am more than a conqueror? “But God, these things sound impossible!” And Jesus whispers, “Believe in God and believe in Me. Like Abraham, you will discover that We are faithful.”

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:37-38

David often looked up and saw his enemies encamped in the mountains surrounding Jerusalem. When your enemies are in the high places you are at a distinct disadvantage, but David looked beyond the physical.

I lift my eyes up to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. He will not let your foot slip — He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:1-4)

In another psalm, David lets the mountains remind him of God’s encompassing presence.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. (Psalm 125:2)

“Lord, let us think like David… and every now and then, let us see like Elisha.” It was only natural for Elisha’s servant to worry and fret when he saw the enemy all around. “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked.”

But Elisha saw the supernatural and knew they were safe. “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (see II Kings 6:8-23)

We know we are to walk by faith and not by sight, but God has an uncanny way of helping his children. Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith, and part of his strategy is for us to encourage and pray for one another. “God is with us!” “His love never fails!” “Let’s not doubt, but believe.”

The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:5-8)

Early one morning before Christmas, our faculty at school joined in prayer on behalf of two families with sudden life and death health emergencies. We understand God wants us to approach Him in faith… the type of faith that knows He is going to answer. But when the natural evidence is totally negative and our human minds say, “This is hopeless,” it is often challenging to pray with much confidence.

We’re not the first to struggle with such weakness; the apostles also desired more faith. “Lord, increase our faith,” they said to Jesus one time. We might be tempted to write an essay in response to such a request or hold a conference or at least preach a sermon, but Jesus simply spoke a matter-of-fact sentence. Our faculty read his response before we prayed, recalling that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God.” Another translation reads: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)

Jesus said: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” (Luke 17:6) That was the Word of God to the apostles and the message of Christ to us.

God answered the prayers we prayed that morning. I believe He has received much glory as many have recounted His faithfulness and power toward these two families.

A few days later, on New Year’s Eve, two of Karlyn’s friends came to stay at our house during the Passion Conference in Atlanta. Several of us gathered that evening to pray and give thanks for God’s blessings and I shared the story above. The next morning our guests were the first to rise so I prepared a simple breakfast and we visited together.

These two girls from different countries are going to college as a result of scholarships instituted by the late Sam Walton, who died of multiple myeloma in 1992. Kristhel is from Costa Rica and Edith is from Belize.

As we finished eating, Kristhel said, “I have something for you,” and left the kitchen. She came back with a little card containing a tiny seed with words in Spanish above and below. Fe was above the seed and these words were below: Grano de mostaza. “I carry this in my Bible, but I want you to have it. It is the story you told last night.”

I’ll carry this gift in my wallet this year… God knows what we need.

Written on the back of the card: “Es, pues, la fe la certeza de lo que se espera, la coneccion de lo que no se ve.” Hebreos: 11.1

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Susan and I dropped Karlyn off at college last week, so now eight-year-old John is the only child at home. He says he is happy to have his own bathroom. We stayed with Kinsey and Jordan in Little Rock where Kinsey is a nurse and Jordan is in his third year of med school. It just so happened that Mike, a friend of mine from Atlanta, received a stem cell transplant at UAMS the day we arrived. Sam Walton, who died of multiple myeloma, helped make Little Rock a national center for dealing with this disease. Kinsey and I visited Mike and hopefully encouraged him during a very difficult time. Please pray for my friend.

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve received calls from Taylor, Kinsey, and Karlyn dealing with different challenging situations. Each conversation included the admission: “Dad, I don’t know what to do.” Thankfully, in every conversation I knew what I needed to say. Taylor and Kinsey have recently celebrated first-year anniversaries of marriage and Karlyn is away from home for the first time. Life is much different from when they were under the roof of Mom and Dad, but I am glad they feel liberty to ask their parents for input when things are a little confusing. The life experience of the older should be a blessing to the younger.

Taylor called one morning before 7:00 as we were both driving to work. His question dealt with coaching and the input I gave was probably not exactly what he wanted to hear. But I’ve coached a long time and I knew it was the best advice. Taylor had to choose whether to follow the path his father suggested (which he did), but I spoke confidently because I saw angles and long term effects that a younger coach might not consider.

If we cherish such opportunities to bless our children, how does the Heavenly Father feel toward us? If a child of God needs direction and wisdom, will He not give it? And the wisdom of God is so much more perfect than our wisdom! I was sharing this thought with Kinsey and she said, “Of course, Dad, God has all wisdom… but I like hearing your voice over the phone.” Oh to hear God’s voice clearly all the time! But He is there… and He answers… and we can share any struggle… and He’s given us the Counselor… and we can trust him. God is love and his heart toward his children goes far beyond our love for our own children. So let us ask and not doubt.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6

A good friend read Jonathan Cahn’s book The Harbinger and asked: “So what do we do? If God sends warnings or wake-up calls to our nation through whatever means, what should be our response?”

Should not an individual’s response depend upon his present standing with God? The truth is: if there is no fear of the Lord, there is no wisdom. If a person is lost, he must find the Way. If a person is an unbeliever, he must come to faith. The invitation is extended; a Savior stands with arms open wide. “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

If an individual is a Christian, but his life looks no different than a non-Christian’s,  he must turn away from all sin and run to his ‘first love’. Perhaps Jesus has never been ‘first love’… but this is the place He must be! God takes no pleasure in the lukewarm; He did not sacrifice his Son for us to be nominal, passionless pretenders. The only hope is to humbly come to Jesus. These are his words: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve for your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:15-20)

If a person is walking with the Lord, depending on his grace, and enjoying his fellowship… he should keep trusting, keep listening, keep obeying, keep watching, and keep praying. We are not to worry or be afraid, “for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” “Abide in Christ” — He is the Source of Life. “Be filled with the Spirit” — He is the promised Gift from the Father. “Love fervently” — for this is God’s will for us. He may send us to dangerous places and ask us to do hard things… but He is with us and, with God, “all things are possible!” We are his children and He has called us to be salt and light in a dark world. “Rejoice always!” “Give thanks in all circumstances!” “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only!” We have been placed on this earth for such a time as this… should we not live boldly?

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10