Tag: Faith

That You Might Believe

“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:30-31

In the end of his book John revealed his purpose for writing it. From the beginning to the end, he wrote so that his readers would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God.

John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Speaking of the Word, John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, …full of grace and truth.” So, in the first 14 verses John says that Jesus, called the Word, is God, Who created all things and Who became flesh. The rest of the book tells how He lived, died on a cross, and rose again from the dead.

In John 2, Jesus went to the city of Cana for a wedding. In John 2:6-10 John wrote, “And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins (about 18-27 gallons) apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: …the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” Jesus turned 162 gallons of water into the best wine.

In John 4 a man from Capernaum came to Cana where Jesus was; a twenty-mile trip. In John 4:47-50 John wrote, “When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. …Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.” As he went, the man learned that his son had been healed, and he and his family believed on Jesus. The distance from Cana to Capernaum was no barrier to Jesus healing the boy.

In John 9 is the story of a man who was born blind. Jesus’ disciples wondered why the man was born blind. In John 9:3 Jesus said, “…Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” As the story continued, there was much controversy about what had happened. Stating the obvious, in John 9:25, the man himself “…answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” Then the leaders of the synagogue cast the man out of their gathering, and in John 9:35-38 we read, “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.” Jesus healed a man that was born blind!

We read in John 11 about Lazarus who took ill, and then died. Four days after his death Jesus came to his town. John wrote in John 11:39-45, “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. …He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.” Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead!

All 879 verses of John reveal that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. In these few examples Jesus changed water to wine, healed a sick man from a distance, healed a man born blind, and raised someone who had been dead for four days. Is not Jesus God?

John wrote his book so that his readers would believe this about Jesus because by believing they might have life through His name. This is eternal life, and it is available only by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. This means believing Who He said He was, Who His Works say He is, and why He came to earth. The last is told in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” What will each of us do with Jesus? Eternal life is waiting!

Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,
We’re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;
But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,
All tears forever over in God’s eternal day.

Refrain

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,
We’re tossed and driven on, no human help in sight;
But there is one in heav’n who knows our deepest care,
Let Jesus solve your problem – just go to Him in pray’r.

Refrain

Life’s day will soon be o’er, all storms forever past,
We’ll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last;
We’ll share the joys of heav’n – a harp, a home, a crown,
The tempter will be banished, we’ll lay our burden down.

Refrain (Esther Kerr Rusthoi)
Go Thy Way

“Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”
(John 4:50)

The man was from Capernaum. His son lay ill at home; at the point of death. Being a nobleman, the man likely spent as much as he could to have his son healed. But nothing availed. Then he heard that Jesus had come out of Galilee to Cana. He determined to make the twenty-mile journey to beseech Jesus for his son. He was certain that Jesus could do something, and he had run out of options.

And so he went. Finding Jesus, the man appealed to Him for his son. The conversation probably didn’t go the way that he had expected. Jesus seemed harsh, perhaps. He said, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” It cannot be that Jesus was harsh. He certainly brought this up for a reason. He had come to Cana from Sychar, where He had met the woman at the well. He went there on purpose to meet her. And this encounter was no different. Jesus had come to Cana to have this conversation. The nobleman answered the Lord by repeating his appeal for his son, “Sir, come down ere my child die.”

Then Jesus replied, “Go thy way; thy son lives.” Now the man was faced with a decision. All he had was Jesus’ word. What would he do? The scriptures tell us, “…the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.” Off he went! Another twenty miles were before him. The amount of time he spent with Jesus was perhaps only minutes. The conversation that is recorded would only require five minutes. But off the man went toward home. He believed Jesus’ word.

On the way back he met some of his servants that were coming his way. They brought the wonderful news that his son had recovered from the point of death! So he asked at what time that had happened, and was told that it was the day before, at the seventh hour. And he knew that that was when Jesus had told him that his son lived. We are told then, in verse 53, that he and his family believed on Jesus.

Taking God at His word is the essence of faith. This man’s trust in the Lord resulted in his son being healed, and the salvation of his whole family. The distance from Cana to Capernaum did not figure into the man’s thinking. Though twenty miles distant, at a time when walking was the main form transportation, the man sent to see Jesus, and headed home at the Lord’s word that his son was alive.

By contrast, the Lord clearly told His command to Adam and Eve. In Genesis 2:15-17 we read, “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

This command of God was no more difficult than what Jesus told the nobleman: “Go thy way.” Both commands required belief and obedience. Belief will result in obedience. God’s command to Adam was soon violated. He and Eve didn’t believe what God told them. Perhaps the unheard-of consequences made it unbelievable. But what should have made it believable should have been Who it was that said it. The nobleman expected Jesus to go with him, but He didn’t. He simply told him to go his way. Which one did God’s will?

What command of God stands before us? All of mankind is faced with Romans 10:9-11, “… if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Having believed this, the Christian life becomes a sort of school in which the believer learns to trust God more and more.

Come, every soul by sin oppressed;
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest
By trusting in His Word.

Refrain

Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

For Jesus shed His precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.

Refrain

Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay
And you are fully blessed.

Refrain (John H. Stockton)
I can go to her

GUEST BLOG

Thought for the morning – written with tears

2 Samuel 12:22-23 And he (David) said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ ²³ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

When a loved one is going through the final steps of leaving this world, we who love this one agonize before the Lord with many tears, prayers and supplications. We may plead with the Lord, but we always know it is not our will but His that is to be done.

David fasted and wept for his newly born son who was deathly ill; born of Bathsheba, the son who would have been king after David (we know the story – 2Sam 12.13-23). But when the Lord took this young one from him what did he do? He no longer fasted but he looked forward to the time when he would go to him. There would be a day when David would join his son in heaven.

All of us have lost loved ones and it may be that the one whom you loved struggled for a long time before entering into the presence of the Lord. There were times of anguishing prayers but now this one that is loved is gone. They have gone to a better place!

And one day you shall go to the one you love and both of you shall rejoice in the presence of the King. No more pain, a new body, a realized Hope, all because of what Christ has accomplished on the Cross

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

My dear wife, Cathy, of so many years has gone to be with her Lord (November 26, 2015) and there have been many tears on my part. But I have the same “hope” as David. One day I shall join her in heaven. We will be a new creation, we will be in the hallelujah choir praising our Lord, we will enjoy our new homes in the mansion He is preparing.

I think of my dear wife. At the time of creation, Eve led her husband Adam into sin. My dear wife by her witness helped in leading me to Christ. Thank you Cathy.

Please forgive me for being so personal today. But, it’s just as a thought for the morning.

Carl
These Three

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:13 (CEV)

This diagram and the lesson which follows show how faith, hope, and love relate to the mind (intellect), will, and emotion of man – which in turn corresponds with the soul.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.    1 Thessalonians 5:23

When we read that God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27) it does not refer to merely a physical representation, but the character and attributes of God. As God Himself is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, so man is also a tri-part being: body, soul, and spirit. Even as God is more complex than we can imagine, man is also more complex. The soul (or sometimes called the inner man) is in turn tri-part: mind (intellect), will, and emotion.

While the image of God in man may have suffered tarnish and decay it is still there in every man (person). It is often taught that faith is ‘simply believing’. However, saving faith is more than just accepting the gospel as true (purely intellectual). It is a function of the heart which involves also the will of man (hope) and emotion (love). May this short study help us to understand what it means to be “sanctified wholly”.

INTELLECT
Faithless men often accuse believers of having thrown away reason in favor of faith. This could not be farther from the truth. In fact, it is more reasonable to believe the Word of God than to reject it!   It has been rightly said that it takes more faith to be an atheist than it does to be a Christian. All of creation is stamped with the fingerprint of an intelligent creator. He is the origin of intelligence and has included that in His image which He stamped upon man. Reason and intelligence set man apart from all the rest of God’s creation. This has given man the inherent ability to know. Whether by information gathered through his senses or by revelation (God’s Word) man can come to know that “God is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). It is not knowing about God, but knowing Him (Philippians 3:10).

WILL
The ability to choose and the courage to strive toward a goal are both functions of the “will”. The will of man is affected by both information (MIND), and desire (EMOTION) and can reciprocate by affecting them through choice. Even if the mind of man may be convinced of the truth of the gospel, true faith is also an act of the will. There is an old saying, “a man convinced against his will is of the same mind still.” Even so, the will of man alone is not enough to save (John 1:13). The New Birth is the work of God.

EMOTION
God’s love for man is not because of what He knows about man (intellect), but in spite of it. Love for man is the result of His desire (WILL) not man’s performance. God experiences joy and sorrow as well as anger and peace. Man experiences these as well. Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:36-40). His response was the law and the prophets hang on two commandments: 1) Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself.

We now turn our attention to these three words: Faith, Hope, and Love. We will observe how they related to each other and to the heart of man (the inner man).

FAITH
Faith is listed first. Contrary to the idea of many unbelievers faith is not the opposite of reason. In fact, faith is based upon reason and information (intellect). Paul says that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17 and Galatians 3:2 & 5). The writer to the Hebrews devotes a large section on faith. Faith in God is believing and acting upon the promises of God (the Word of God). It is never “blind trust”, but based upon a long history of God’s faithfulness to His people.

So then, the basis of faith is primarily intellect and will. The Gaither’s used to sing a song titled “God Said It, I Believe It, and that settles it!” There are many like Agrippa that may be intellectually convinced (Acts 26:28) but reject the truth. Others are like the man who asked Jesus to heal his daughter. He had the desire (will) without the intellect, yet he prayed “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

HOPE
The Biblical term hope does not include any idea of uncertainty or wishful thinking. Hope in the Biblical sense is to anticipate something with surety and with joyful anticipation. Hope is based upon facts (intellect) and results in a feeling of expectation (emotion). If one truly believes then they cannot help but hope. For some it is the expectation of life in the presence of the Savior upon their death to this world. For others of us it is the expectation of the “Glorious Appearing” (the second coming) of our Great God and Savior before our life on earth is done (Titus 2:13).

LOVE
Love has at least two components, 1) Affection (that feeling of love that escapes full definition) and 2) Commitment. The Love of God (agape love) is well defined as “God’s Loyal Love”. It is more than affection, though that is certainly a part of love. Love is an expression of the will of man.   Affection may draw a young couple to the wedding alter, but it takes a lifetime of commitment to keep them married. The disciple whom the Lord loved (the description that he gives himself – John 20:2, 21:7 & 20) wrote “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). His kindness draws us to repentance (Romans 2:4) but to respond to that love is an act of the will.

In summary,

Faith is a function of both knowing and committing. To know without committing (resting upon the Truth) is not belief. Hence the related terms believing and trusting weigh heavily upon the will.

Hope is based on intellect but with joyful anticipation. To know the Truth without it affecting your emotions is not normal. Any parent knows that you do not give a child good news of a future event too soon. Otherwise, they will burst under the excitement of waiting for “it” to come.

Love is both affection and commitment. To truly love God is not just to be drawn by His Goodness, but to desire what He desires and to want what He wants. Why is it “the greatest”? Our intellect and wisdom do not impress God. But when we love we are most like Him who “loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). It is not our love for Him, but His love for us (1 John 4:10). He demonstrated His own love for us in giving His Son (Romans 5:8). When we love God and love our brothers, we represent to the world what He is like who said “by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, because you love one another” (John 13:35).

Tag: Faith

That You Might Believe

Go Thy Way

I can go to her

These Three