Ye shall not [need] to fight in this [battle]: set yourselves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you, (2Chron 20:17a)
I enjoy this scripture because it describes the level of intimacy God wants to have with all his children. He knows our situations, even ones which we have gotten ourselves into, and while He's not exactly pleased with our actions, He still wants to fight our battles, and get rid of our enemies.
Being a lover of sport, and competition in general, I find myself almost daring anyone or thing to challenge me. Sometimes creating the "I wish you would..." complex for my perceived foes and adversaries.
Yet I receive the most strength when I recall (in my mind) that I don't have to actually fight. Why? Because the battle is not mine, it's the Lord's. He's going to win regardless. As a matter of fact, He's already won! I am the strongest during the moments I truly give situations to God, it is then that we allow His awesome power dominion over our situations - 2Corinthians 12:7-9
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
The Origin of faith
There is a quote that reads - "A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong."
I chewed on that for a second, not because it was difficult to understand but I was actually trying not to understand it (if that makes any sense). What word is the most significant in bringing the point home? I guess we can even ask why is there a journey in the first place?
From a literal perspective one can assume that the major difference between the two can be explained by the position of the word woman in the sentence compared to "her" surroundings. The first "woman" is fronted by the adjective strong making the word stand out even more. Why wouldn't someone want to be strong? Further examination of this sentence leads us to see that this "Strong woman" needs help to continuously define herself. This is evident in the use of the word (has) - a possessive auxiliary verb that in this case is helping out the Be verb (is). A conveniently questionable position for a word that presented the illusion of strength and covered it up further with the facade of prior possession (has) but when it comes to what is, the word (woman) is only strong to a certain degree and that certain degree could very well be inaccurate, especially when facing the unexpected. Meaning - the woman may in fact be too weak for the journey.
However, the second woman is simply defined as a woman. No glaring adjectives b/c after the word woman is a preposition (of). Prepositions show relationships and in this case there is a relationship between woman and strength. While we are looking at their relationship (woman and strength) we find the same has faith but now we are wondering where this faith is coming from because this woman by her own regard isn't strong but she possesses, and has had it for some time, this faith. This faith is not in herself but in it is. The focus is not on the journey so much because that is part of a prepositional phrase. So the focus is on the pronoun (it) which refers back to faith.
So is faith the most important word in the sentence? We know that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. or in other words - It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen because we have evidence beyond the natural realm.- Hebr 11:1
But also consider this thought in Hebr 12:2 - Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
This reminds me that my faith began the moment my relationship with Jesus started. True faith is based on that relationship. Any other usage of the word is actually inaccurate. Faith is more than just deep belief and hope in oneself, but our hope and expectation is in Jesus Christ.
Now if we were to examine that same linguistic analysis spiritually, the sentence might read something like this: A woman relying on her personal strength possesses a certain amount of belief in her own strength that she can overcome the task at hand but a woman receives strength when she believes her faith will equip her for this task and prepare her for ones to follow. One step further even we can say - because we know the word woman is simply a word, we can substitute any person in that slot -
-Anyone who is prideful enough to believe that he/she is strong may believe that his/her strength is sufficient to a certain degree. However, when someone receives his/her strength from their relationship with Jesus, He, being Jesus, equips them beyond comparison for the current task and enhances their faith for tasks to follow. -
Wow, what a revelation!
When I can just take the focus off me and pursue my relationship with Christ there is no limit to what can be accomplished. As living beings created by God, we are in perpetual motion, hence the need for a term like journey. Along this path, it is always good to know that someone has already walked along the path and is doing His best to encourage me to let Him carry me on His shoulders the rest of the way. Christ is the origin of our faith for He truly is all that I've hoped for and His work goes beyond the natural realm of understanding. Ephesians 3:20
So what word brings the point home? "You" of course -
I chewed on that for a second, not because it was difficult to understand but I was actually trying not to understand it (if that makes any sense). What word is the most significant in bringing the point home? I guess we can even ask why is there a journey in the first place?
From a literal perspective one can assume that the major difference between the two can be explained by the position of the word woman in the sentence compared to "her" surroundings. The first "woman" is fronted by the adjective strong making the word stand out even more. Why wouldn't someone want to be strong? Further examination of this sentence leads us to see that this "Strong woman" needs help to continuously define herself. This is evident in the use of the word (has) - a possessive auxiliary verb that in this case is helping out the Be verb (is). A conveniently questionable position for a word that presented the illusion of strength and covered it up further with the facade of prior possession (has) but when it comes to what is, the word (woman) is only strong to a certain degree and that certain degree could very well be inaccurate, especially when facing the unexpected. Meaning - the woman may in fact be too weak for the journey.
However, the second woman is simply defined as a woman. No glaring adjectives b/c after the word woman is a preposition (of). Prepositions show relationships and in this case there is a relationship between woman and strength. While we are looking at their relationship (woman and strength) we find the same has faith but now we are wondering where this faith is coming from because this woman by her own regard isn't strong but she possesses, and has had it for some time, this faith. This faith is not in herself but in it is. The focus is not on the journey so much because that is part of a prepositional phrase. So the focus is on the pronoun (it) which refers back to faith.
So is faith the most important word in the sentence? We know that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. or in other words - It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen because we have evidence beyond the natural realm.- Hebr 11:1
But also consider this thought in Hebr 12:2 - Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
This reminds me that my faith began the moment my relationship with Jesus started. True faith is based on that relationship. Any other usage of the word is actually inaccurate. Faith is more than just deep belief and hope in oneself, but our hope and expectation is in Jesus Christ.
Now if we were to examine that same linguistic analysis spiritually, the sentence might read something like this: A woman relying on her personal strength possesses a certain amount of belief in her own strength that she can overcome the task at hand but a woman receives strength when she believes her faith will equip her for this task and prepare her for ones to follow. One step further even we can say - because we know the word woman is simply a word, we can substitute any person in that slot -
-Anyone who is prideful enough to believe that he/she is strong may believe that his/her strength is sufficient to a certain degree. However, when someone receives his/her strength from their relationship with Jesus, He, being Jesus, equips them beyond comparison for the current task and enhances their faith for tasks to follow. -
Wow, what a revelation!
When I can just take the focus off me and pursue my relationship with Christ there is no limit to what can be accomplished. As living beings created by God, we are in perpetual motion, hence the need for a term like journey. Along this path, it is always good to know that someone has already walked along the path and is doing His best to encourage me to let Him carry me on His shoulders the rest of the way. Christ is the origin of our faith for He truly is all that I've hoped for and His work goes beyond the natural realm of understanding. Ephesians 3:20
So what word brings the point home? "You" of course -
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
A Restoring Word
"A little while, and you will no longer see Me." Jesus repeated these words to His disciples several times. Yet as soon as they had settled into the upper room, Jesus raised the subject of His forthcoming death. Immediately, the mood of His followers went from one of celebration to shock and sorrow. Often in difficult times, we cannot see beyond that moment. The resurrection was a few days away, but they could not fathom its wondrous coming. God always provides the encouragement we need to stay the course, and Jesus did this for His disciples when He told them, "Your sorrow will be turned to joy.” This message definitely restored the hope of his disciples.
Yet as they watched Jesus endure the cross, their fears arose again. Imagine what it must have been like to know that the man you followed for three years, who claimed to be the Son of God, was dead. He had said that no one could take His life from Him—He could lay it down and pick it up again—and that He could call upon a legion of angels. Where were all those angels? What happened to the kingdom He promised? For Jesus' followers, the days after the Crucifixion must have been full of disappointment and anxiety.
But then a Word of hope broke through the disciples' desolation: "He’s alive!" This is another message that restored the hope within the disciples. God brought them from the pit of despair to the pinnacle of jubilation. The most awesome message the world has ever heard is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is a living Lord.
Christianity is unique because the Resurrection encourages us with God’s Word of a living Jesus. All other so-called prophets and founders of different religions have died. While their followers can go to a tomb and pay homage to dry bones, we can sing joyous praises to our Lord, who hears us! (1 John 5:14) The Christian faith has such powerful music because we have tremendous joy in our hearts. The Son of God is living within each one of us, and we cannot and should not hold the excitement inside.
Yet and still, as with His disciples, Jesus uses His Word to restore our lost hope and faith. There are many situations that arise that can cause our faith to simmer down and cool off. We can become fearful or even disappointed when we are faced with the unexpected.
When someone doesn’t offer encouraging words to support your hard efforts in your ministry or when it seems like prayers aren’t being answered while your situation gets worse are two possible scenarios that can create fear and disappointment within our own ministries. Christ offers us His Word all the time to restore our hope and faith so that we can continue producing in the area that He has called us to. Even when times get tough, it’s not so much about what personal promises you have made to yourself or others, as it is about God’s Word (Jesus).
His Word is an endless pool of restoration to the believer. As long as we continue to study, pray, and meditate on His Word we can swim a few laps around His pool and be restored. Actually, the Surgeon General, Jehovah Rophe, recommends that we all take a daily swim to improve and restore our heart’s condition.
Yet as they watched Jesus endure the cross, their fears arose again. Imagine what it must have been like to know that the man you followed for three years, who claimed to be the Son of God, was dead. He had said that no one could take His life from Him—He could lay it down and pick it up again—and that He could call upon a legion of angels. Where were all those angels? What happened to the kingdom He promised? For Jesus' followers, the days after the Crucifixion must have been full of disappointment and anxiety.
But then a Word of hope broke through the disciples' desolation: "He’s alive!" This is another message that restored the hope within the disciples. God brought them from the pit of despair to the pinnacle of jubilation. The most awesome message the world has ever heard is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is a living Lord.
Christianity is unique because the Resurrection encourages us with God’s Word of a living Jesus. All other so-called prophets and founders of different religions have died. While their followers can go to a tomb and pay homage to dry bones, we can sing joyous praises to our Lord, who hears us! (1 John 5:14) The Christian faith has such powerful music because we have tremendous joy in our hearts. The Son of God is living within each one of us, and we cannot and should not hold the excitement inside.
Yet and still, as with His disciples, Jesus uses His Word to restore our lost hope and faith. There are many situations that arise that can cause our faith to simmer down and cool off. We can become fearful or even disappointed when we are faced with the unexpected.
When someone doesn’t offer encouraging words to support your hard efforts in your ministry or when it seems like prayers aren’t being answered while your situation gets worse are two possible scenarios that can create fear and disappointment within our own ministries. Christ offers us His Word all the time to restore our hope and faith so that we can continue producing in the area that He has called us to. Even when times get tough, it’s not so much about what personal promises you have made to yourself or others, as it is about God’s Word (Jesus).
His Word is an endless pool of restoration to the believer. As long as we continue to study, pray, and meditate on His Word we can swim a few laps around His pool and be restored. Actually, the Surgeon General, Jehovah Rophe, recommends that we all take a daily swim to improve and restore our heart’s condition.
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