How do I know if I'm walking by faith?

I had to post this weeks audio lesson in two parts because the file size was just a little too big. Don't worry, the lesson size is just about the same as normal!

Click Here for Part 1

Click Here for Part 2

Let there be LIGHT!

Listen to today's lesson HERE

God said let there be light and there was LIGHT! God did not create a wimpy unsubstantial light. This week I've been impacted by the Sun which God spoke into existence. Apparently, the sun began shinning too powerfully on the mountains this week. The snow pack began melting at an alarming rate. Streams turned into raging rivers. Sunday night as I slept, unaware of what was happening, volunteers began placing sandbags in front of our home and the homes of our neighbors.

What were normally trickling steams became dangerous. It was said that if you fell into one of these streams you would most likely not be coming out. What caused all of this? The Sun!

When God says “let there be light”, He means it. When God says “Let there be light” I get out my sun screen and sun glasses.

That's why I am so blown away when I read 2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. NIV

If the Sun that God created is powerful then how powerful is HIS light? How powerful is the light of God that shines in our hearts? I'm convinced that we could not contain such a light. As Christians, the light of God should be reflecting off of us with great intensity.

I hope that as Christians we are exuding the light of Christ today.

Let There Be Light!

Listen to Todays lesson on Walking by Faith by clicking HERE

Are you walking by faith or sight?

I know that I am walking by faith because everything is great, no one is complaining, people like me, good things keep happening, and most of all I know that I'm walking by faith because other people tell me I'm doing a great job!

It is easy to fall into the habit of judging our spiritual lives with physical eyes. How do we judge the faithfulness of Stephen in Acts 7 When he stood by faith and proclaimed Jesus? Did he do the right thing? Was he walking by faith? Did his message become less faithful when the crowd dragged him out of the town and began to crush him with stones?

Sometimes the physical result of our daily walk is not the best identifier of faithfulness.

If we look to the physical for affirmation we are training ourselves to walk by sight and not by faith.

Was the old woman who gave her last two coins in Luke 21 faithful in her giving? Jesus seemed to think she was faithful. But what if she were to run out of food at the end of the month? What happens if there is an emergency? She gave everything she had! Maybe she should have only given one coin and saved the other in reserve, in case of emergencies. Maybe she was TOO faithful!

Walking by faith has less to do with seeing physical results and more to do with trusting in a powerful God to accomplish His will in our lives. Lets worry about physical results less and trust in God more.

Listen to a lesson on staying dead by clicking HERE

You know you're in a horror movie if you have to ask this! "Why won't you just stay dead?!" Scary movies tend to be about people or things who should be dead, and yet, are up walking around, tormenting the living. The plot of this kind of movie is for the hero to kill the thing that is already suppose to be dead. Romans 6:1-4 reminds us that when we were baptized with Christ we were baptized into his death and DIED to self & sin. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life. NIV I realized 17 years ago that I was not going to be able to save myself. I realized that sin separated me from God and I opted to die in order to be unified with God. God saved me through his grace. Sometimes as Christians we forget that we are dead and we wander around trying to ressurect the old man. We are not told that by killing the old man, we will never struggle with him again. And there may be times when we find ourselves shouting "WHY won't YOU stay Dead?!!!!" I pray that it always scares me when that old man begins to crawl out of the grave. It should scare me, not because grace has lost its power to save, but because it is a reminder that I am drawing away from the new life I've committed to God. "Fight the good fight. . . ." and keep putting that dead man back in the grave, living your life, instead, to God.

Click HERE to hear last weeks lesson on FEAR.

Luke 12:4-5

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of the is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. NIV

How can a verse that reminds me that God has the power to throw man into hell bring me such comfort?

Comfort comes from knowing who's I am.

Later in Luke 12:8 Jesus says “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the son of man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.”

I know who's I am. I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I acknowledge that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

(I acknowledge that)Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3)

I acknowledge that Jesus Christ “being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:8

I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and so I have very little to fear.

I enjoy how casually Jesus deals with Death in Luke 12:4 “do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.” He takes man's biggest fear (DEATH) and puts it to the side. So man can kill you? Then what? What else can man do? NOTHING! God is much larger than the physical. We should fear God enough to trust Him. We should stand in Awe of God in such a way that it moves us to do what he says. But the only time we need to be afraid of God is when we find ourselves opposed to him or maybe more specifically, when we find ourselves denying him.

Listen to todays lesson about fear HERE.

If you want to listen to the sermon first click HERE

I don‘t believe in Fairies.

If you are familiar with the story of Peter Pan you will know what happens when you say the words “I don't believe in fairies”. What happens? Peter Pan tells us that a fairy somewhere drops to the ground dead.

All one has to do is say “I don't believe in fairies” and a fairy will die.

There was a moment in the last Peter Pan movie (spoilers ahead) when Tinkerbell is poisoned and dies. It is a sad moment but as all hope seems to be gone the lost boys begin to say “I do believe in fairies, I do I do, I do believe in fairies, I do I do.” Then Wendy and her brothers begin to shout “I do believe in fairies, I do I do. Even the Pirates join in “I do believe in fairies I do...” And guess what happens? She comes back to life!!!

And I am SO thankful that my God is nothing like that!

A person could stand all day long shouting “I don't believe in God, I don't I don't”, he could say it over and over again. He could shout it from the mountain tops from morning till night. He could find a thousand friends who would do the same. They could all stand on the mountain from morning till night shouting “I don't believe in God, I don't I don't” and guess what? God would still be alive.

What you and I think about God doesn't change who God is!

If you haven't read Job chapter 38 recently it may be worth your time. God speaks to Job out of the storm and has some pretty sobering words. To quote but one verse 38:4 “Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?” NIV It is easy to realize how small we really are when compared to a God who created the earth.

God is alive whether you believe it or not. God is alive whether you like it or not. God is.