Keep The Faith

by Tim Howard

We all have faith! Whenever you get on an airplane – you exercise faith by putting your confidence in a pilot you have never met. When you invest in a retirement fund you exercise faith by believing there will be a significant profit – to assist you in the future. The question isn’t if you have faith but where do you place your faith and in whom do you trust.

The author of Hebrews – a book in the Bible – tells us that faith is not optional but essential to pleasing God.

Heb. 11:6 “…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” NIV

 To have faith in God you must believe He exists and that He is actively involved in your ongoing welfare. He has been in your past – He is in your present and will be in your future. He not only exists but also rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

God is more interested in giving than taking – People who put their faith in Him and earnestly seek Him – discover this truth to be real. A familiar verse – known to many people, is found in John 3:16. It starts by saying  “For God so loved the world He gave…” 

Love is God’s motivation for giving rewards.  Behind every act there is a motive and the motivating factor behind every act determines the ensuing results.  When things are done out of anger, bitterness, pressure, guilt or duty, they reap negative results but when people do things out of love, kindness, mercy, grace and compassion he or she makes a positive impact.  Motives are very important – and God’s motive is love!

He is not a respecter of persons and does not show favoritism.  His blessings and rewards extend to all mankind but those who believe in Him and seek Him – experience what is available to all. 

I’ve heard people say they have faith in God but when they describe their faith they talk about a ‘Higher Power,’ a ‘Force’ or an ‘Energy.” Something impersonal.

Jesus came to reveal God to be very personal. He does not sit in the heavens watching things unwind but is very aware of what goes on and partners with those who call on Him.

I like what David wrote in Psalms 139:1-3

“You have searched me LORD and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are intimately acquainted with my ways”

In other words, He is not aloof – out there – up there – somewhere.

He IS here. He IS present. He IS actively involved in the lives of those who seek Him and rewards them now and in the future.

When you believe, trust and put your confidence in that truth – You are expressing faith!

We all have faith but our faith is only as strong as the object of that faith. Trusting people can sometimes backfire. Putting confidence in your accumulated wealth can prove disastrous since no one knows what tomorrow holds. Just keep an eye on Wall Street to see how things can change.

God can be trusted and Jesus revealed Him to us.  Those who seek, believe and trust in Jesus will be rewarded. You can take that to the bank!

Stand Firm

by Andrew Cromwell

You can tell a lot about a person by how they stand. Are shoulders slouched or held square and straight? Are eyes cast downward or looking forward confidently? Is the face open or clouded? The way you stand communicates confidence level, amount of training and readiness.

Stance is important for athletes as well. Virtually any sport that involves physical exertion is concerned with how the player stands. In football, different players use different stances so they can do their job effectively. Linemen crouch low and stand with their feet wide apart so that they are stable and powerful. The quarterback keeps his head high and feet moving so that he can move quickly. Receivers setup for explosive speed and keep their hands up and ready to catch the ball.

Baseball, soccer, tennis and golf players are all concerned about their stance too. Coaches spend lots of time making sure a player knows the optimum stance and they force the player to practice it until it becomes second nature. Everything flows from the stance.

A player that, both literally and figuratively, starts off on the wrong foot is at a disadvantage. He or she is often slow to react and cannot take advantage of an opportunity. Full power cannot be delivered to the bat or club. Worse, he or she is off balance and can fall to the ground and be out of play altogether.

But stance is not just for athletes. It is incredibly important to everyday life. There is an interesting verse in the Bible that says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

In this passage, St. Paul is directing followers of Christ to be ready for evil days. He knew that evil days are part of life. They happen to everyone. If you haven’t experienced an evil day, don’t worry; it’s in the future.

And because evil days are on the horizon, it is important to be ready for them. Paul first talks about the armor that God has given to us, and then he talks about the stance we are to take. He says, “stand your ground.”

Picture a soldier who is ready for battle. The line has been drawn and his commander has told him to hold his assigned piece of ground. The soldier prepares himself. He checks and re-checks his armor. He checks the positions of his fellow soldiers relative to himself. He stretches his muscles. And then as the enemy approaches he crouches in a state of readiness. No one looking at this soldier from afar would doubt that he is prepared for battle.

All of us are in a battle every day of our lives. We battle for our families, for our marriages, for our children, for our friends, for our faith, for our health...for our lives. Far too often, we forget to prepare ourselves like a soldier preparing for battle. And far too often, instead of crouching low and being ready, we bumble along blindly and are surprised when the enemy attacks.

Your stance can make all the difference. A stance of confidence in a God that is faithful and true. A stance of faith that believes the best in the midst of the worst. And a stance that communicates a willingness to fight to the death for that which is worthwhile.

How’s your stance today? Have you gotten lazy? Have your forgotten that you are engaged in a battle? The pastors in Kings County would love the opportunity to encourage you this weekend. Why don’t you give one of our great churches a visit and get back in the battle?