To walk by Faith!

(2Corinthians 5:7) “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

How many times do I say to myself it is time to get meritorious for the Lord, it is time for the rubber to hit the road and the tires on my life to grip into the tar. But how does one actually get serious for the Lord? There are many opinionated opinions on how to achieve that. I do not wish to be added to the number but I am desperate to lay my life down for my Saviour’s sake. And yet to be truthful my sake also plays its part, with the hope of heaven and to be in the presents of God almighty forever and ever.

How do I become more obedient to God’s call in my life is my question?

I am the kind of guy that loves the option of black or white, not grey! And I assume that is where God has exactly left each of us as believers. We are no longer under the law as we once were with the "dos and don’ts" ruling our lives. We have been free from that type of slavery; “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:9-14)   

If we are struggling with the application to these truths, where then do we go wrong is my next question? What would cause a man to leave his life behind, without any plan for the future, to be so captivated by the voice of God and His instruction that this is what the scripture records and requires; “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)

I am convinced or rather settled on this one fact we have not understood “faith”! Or at least I haven’t as I should have, some 24 years into my Christian journey. What hinders my understanding on faith, is it not unbelief? This in turn leads to disobedience!

This is a massive consideration, in today’s consumer packed way of life. “Instant”, a constant on life’s menu! “Instant” - coffee, internet, porridge, cash withdrawals, electricity and water on tap; life has become a lot easier, yet it has come with a cost and that price is detrimental to our faith. Self-sufficiency keeps us from living under the banner of faith, this is where I have gone wrong and there are so many others that seem to have followed suit. May God help us realise this!

Let me look to prove this from God’s Word. It is typology, or the pattern of scripture that must speak to us. But first let us ask ourselves the question, how had God chosen to manifest Himself and who has He used, and final how has He chosen to use them to proclaim His message, the message of the gospel and to glorify His own name?

God has chosen to manifest Himself to the earth’s population in this fashion; “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1Corinthians 1:26-31)

The Lord Jesus Christ chose twelve men to start the most prominent movement of all time and only one of them had a serious qualification and that was Dr Luke, the rest were simple men, fishermen were singled out and even a tax collector. No scientists or Albert Einstein’s were amongst the number. This was God’s choice! Paul gives us inkling into God’s reasoning; “so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” There can be no confusion on who is responsible for the salvation of mankind; the Lord Jesus is the only answer! And yet “without faith it is impossible to please God!” Faith is then the pivot between man and God.

But for us to act in faith, we must have a need. If we are self-sufficient why will we ever call out to God in faith? Here is a great example to illustrate my point; the Egyptian army bearing down on the children of Israel with a blockade hindering their escape, the Red Sea! A hopeless situation outside of the realms of faith! Death imminent!

BUT GOD…

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” (Exodus 14:21-22): - This great manifestation of God miraculously saving His people left then singing a song; “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.” (Exodus 15:1)

It will take actual events of God’s intervention in our lives to walk in faith. If we have Christ’s Spirit living within us then we have had a similar experience.

The concern I have is that we look to avoid such experiences when we should actually be looking out for them. How so? Self-sufficiency an enemy!

What instruction did the Lord Jesus give his disciples to confirm this truth? “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them."” (Luke 9:1-5)

This no doubt would have taught the Apostles to walk by faith and not a self-sufficient type of mentality (sight). There need would have been great and it was God who would assist them. Faith in practice! Although this may not be the call for all, the principle must be applicable to all! We must then look for more of these types of experiences if we are to find obedience in our lives, without them we will be no more than clanging cymbals without any melody. God be merciful to all His children and help us in our actions to walk by faith and not by sight. Forgive me Father God for my lack of faith.

Signing off

Tyrone