Jesus

Exercise Your faith

“If you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and cast into the sea,’ it will be done” Matthew 21:21

When I was younger I was physically active and had no need to give special attention to my fitness but later my life became more sedentary and it was necessary to actively seek out physical activities in order to try and keep my body reasonably fit and strong. The fitter and stronger we are the better we are able to enjoy life. I sought out appropriate sports, activities and even joined the local volunteer fire service with a view to keeping physically active. When these were not an option I attended a gym.

We all know that if we want better physical capabilities we must exercise our muscles. That usually means discomfort and perspiration but the end result from regular exercise is a stronger and fitter body to enjoy life.

I have heard it said that the brain works like a muscle. If we don’t use it we lose it. The same can be said of faith in Jesus Christ. If we do not exercise our faith it will become stagnant and shrivel. Many of us desire a stronger faith and God has provided the way – faith exercises! Generally we don’t like exercising, unless it is in the form of a sport, but we do enjoy the results. In order to exercise faith we must live in circumstances where faith in Jesus is tested regularly. As we read the Bible we see many examples of God taking people through circumstances where they needed to trust Him. The result was that their faith increased.

Job’s faith in the Lord was tested; Abraham and Isaac’s faith was tested (Genesis 22) and many others. In each case, when their faith in God was proven, their faith increased. Paul wrote in his letter to the Christians in Rome, “For in [the Gospel of Christ] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” (1:17). The way to more faith is to exercise the faith one already has.

Don’t be confused by the untrue cliché, “faith can move mountains.” It can do no such thing. It is the object of faith, Jesus Christ, who moves the mountain. When we are exercising faith it must always be faith in Him to perform it if the mountain is to be moved. It is not the amount of faith that matters; it is the object of our faith that matters.

Jesus is not a miracle worker to do everything we want but He delights to respond to faith placed in Him. He will send us many tests and as we act in faith we will grow stronger in faith. If our faith is weak there are two closely linked possible reasons – hearing (Romans 10:17) and heeding His word. It is necessary to first know and understand God’s word and will and then to act faithfully on it. If we don’t use it we will lose it.

The Right Place

“I have commanded the ravens to feed you there” 1 Kings 17:4

Had Elijah gone anywhere else the ravens would not have found him but King Ahab’s men might have. The Lord could have protected Elijah even in Ahab’s palace had He chosen to do so but Elijah’s absence would give Ahab opportunity to consider his position before God without Elijah being in his face.

It is good for us to consider, from time to time, whether we are where the Lord wants us to be or whether He may be directing us elsewhere. Quite likely we will discover that we are where He wants us to be but even if that is so we won’t have that assurance unless we ask. The reason we do not ask may be because we are comfortable where we are or that it just does not cross our minds to check?

Elijah was faced with possible death from Ahab if he did not move away so he was well motivated to hear where the Lord would have him go. We shouldn’t need to wait until we feel threatened before we seek the Lord’s counsel or confirmation. Such threats might be loss of employment, unmet needs, difficult neighbours or schooling for children.

In Acts 8 we read how the Lord took Philip away from a thriving evangelistic ministry in Samaria to the desert to meet one man. Philip might have argued with the Lord about the wisdom of such a move and his friends might also have discouraged him but he obeyed the Lord.

Rather than remain in doubt, we can, from time to time, ask the Lord if we are where He wants us to be and doing what He wants us to do. Of course we will only do this if He is indeed Lord in our hearts and we are willing to do whatever He asks. There is always joy and peace in knowing that we are where the Lord wants us to be. When we are he will provide all we need.

Had Elijah thought he knew a better place there could have been quite a different outcome. Elijah was a man not a superhero. God did great things through Elijah, not because he was greater than other men, but because he took the word of the Lord literally and went to the place and did what he was asked by the Lord.

In the context of the evangelist Philip (Acts 8), but equally applying to Elijah and us, Vance Havner writes, “Philip ‘arose and went … and behold.’ He who said, ‘Go ye therefore …’ has said ‘Lo, I am with you.’ As you obey, you may not see the why of it, but you shall see the who. He who says ‘Go’ goes along.”

Where the Lord sends us He goes with us and will provide for us there. Elijah knew this theoretically at first but because he acted upon it he experienced it first hand and his faith in the Lord grew and was proven.

Introducing Our Friends

“Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.” Luke 7:47

We live in a day when the name of Jesus Christ is used in personal and public language, and in the media much more than a few decades ago. Unfortunately those who do not know Him are using it all too frequently in a wrong way and those who say they do know Him are not using it enough in a true way.

Most who use the name of our Lord as a swear word have no idea what they are doing. They are not aware that He is a real person, their Creator and the One to whom they will account for their life. This is not entirely their fault. They have been seduced and deceived. Jesus gave His people, the Church, the privilege and responsibility to preach the Gospel concerning Himself in life and word. Jesus will forgive the abuser of His name and change their heart when they realise who He is and ask for that forgiveness.

People who know that we have a living, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, grounded in love, will be less inclined to use His name in such a degrading way. In order to help them to that understanding we ought not to play the role of spiritual policeman or judge – but rather be a friend of Jesus informing the uninformed about who He is and what He has done for them.

This means having Christ’s compassion as He revealed in His interaction with a woman in Luke 7 and not a spirit of criticism. Only “Christ in you” can be compassionate in this way. The natural man cannot. Our desire is to bring ­two of our friends together, Jesus and the one to whom we are speaking.

God at Work

“Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure” Philippians 2:12-13

Having been given the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ we are to work at bringing that new life into actual daily experience. That is impossible for us to achieve of ourselves and, fortunately, Paul tells us that God is the main Person in achieving our maturity in Christ. This has to be one of the greatest pieces of news that a believer could receive; God is at work in us to bring our wills into line with His and to achieve His goal.

Since this is the case, and we have gladly accepted God’s role in our lives, we have no cause to complain about the circumstances of life that He allows or orchestrates to achieve His good pleasure. That is why Paul then wrote in the next verse, “Do all things without complaining and disputing.” If we have truly received the truth that God is working in us for His good pleasure we will rather rejoice in all things regardless of whether they bring some form of pain or pleasure. It is good for us to take note of the words “all things.”

For the same reason James writes, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2) and Paul writes, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). Any complaint that we have is ultimately against God because He is the One working in us according to His good pleasure.

What is His “good pleasure? The short answer is to make us into Christ’s image. God created man in His image. That image was corrupted by sin. Jesus Christ is the perfect man in God’s image. A similar aspect of this is mentioned by Paul in his letter to the believers in Galatia, “But when it pleased God … to reveal His Son in me …” (1:15-16). This is what God is working in us to achieve – to reveal His Son in us. Any complaining or arguing with God about His work is essentially saying that we do not trust Him or we do not want to be like Christ or want Him revealed in us.

Paul understood this as any study of his life will reveal. It also explains why he would write to the believers in Rome, “we glory in tribulations” (5:3). Taken with the other passages cited and its context this means all tribulations because they are part of the “all things.” Paul considered suffering a necessary part of knowing Jesus Christ which is why he wrote “… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10).

When we accept that it is God at work in all things in our lives to achieve His goal then we will “count it all joy” no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

So Near Yet so Far

“He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet’” Matthew 2:4, 5

“If only I had known …” This is not an uncommon statement that we make. It comes out of a measure of sorrow that we have just missed something important solely out of ignorance. But what if we had known and still missed the opportunity?

As a bus driver there were many occasions that people were running late and literally running to catch the bus. They knew the place and time the bus would come but were running late. If possible to safely do so I waited for them but there were some occasions when it just was not possible.

Observation and Jesus teach me that there are many who know the time and place to receive Jesus Christ but they miss Him just as one misses a bus. They know the “Christmas story,” they know about Jesus coming but they do not seek Him out.

When asked by the “Wise Men” where the King of the Jews was to be born, Herod consulted the chief priests and scribes. They knew the Scriptures and promptly quoted the prophet Micah who had written that He would be born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was not far from Jerusalem where this question was posed.

Since Israel was in an expectant mode concerning the appearing of their Messiah one would have expected that those in the know would have been in Bethlehem waiting. One can only conclude that they did not really believe what Micah had written or they didn’t really care. They may not have believed but King Herod certainly demonstrated that he believed by conducting a most horrific act against toddlers and babies.

The scribes and chief priests knew where their King would be born but they did not act on that knowledge and seek Him. They were so near yet they missed His arrival.

Jesus tells us that many will miss out on entrance to His kingdom for the same reason. Matthew records Jesus’ words, “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (7:22). These are people who knew about Jesus because they claimed to be teaching His words, acting under His authority and doing miracles by His power. Jesus says for all that they have no relationship with Him. They were so near and yet so far.

It is so sad that many will sing carols and hear the Christmas story this week and yet they will miss the King just as one misses a bus. This doesn’t need to be the case. Knowing the Christmas story and knowing the Christ in Christmas are two very different things. Inclusion or exclusion from His kingdom has to do with a personal relationship with Jesus and not just knowledge about Him.

Jesus is not far off. Turn and He is there waiting patiently and lovingly for you. He will wait but He will not wait forever. Christmas is truly a joyous time for those who did seek and find Him.