V-MAIL TO THE FRONTLINE

PART 24

BELIEVING WHAT WE KNOW (II)

These insights are meant to provoke, stimulate and cause us to meditate about where we stand in our theology and more importantly our personal relationship with our heavenly Father. Many Christians either have a vague understanding or (sadly) a complete lack of knowledge about what God’s Word provides concerning their personal needs and desires. I write about the Divine reality all the time and pray that I can learn more spiritual wisdom each day because I have a passion to know God deeper – what He wants from me and what He has FOR me! A precious sister in the Lord wrote me last week and wanted to know if I believed God was only concerned with her spirit or was He also interested in her “natural” feelings and worries? I believe God is very aware of our needs and is compassionate about our problems but what moves Him to act is – faith! He is a faith God and we are a faith people. The miracle of change happens when we “connect” together in the spiritual “wavelength” of knowing how the evidence of things seen in our minds spiritual eye can become the substance or manifestation of things not seen with our natural eye. I am convinced the blood Covenant of Jesus is His love letter to us and our promise from the Father to not only bring us to heaven – but to bring heaven to us! Total salvation covers spiritual healing and physical healing – spiritual prosperity and earthly prosperity along with everything else we could ever need or ask for! The abundant life crosses over from the spiritual to include the natural because God loves ALL of us! Our spirit, mind and body is included together as one package as it would be strange to imagine this mystery any other way. Just because our body is made of mortal flesh, why would it not be included to experience the miracle power and blessings of the New Covenant? When we pray for our spiritual, physical or material needs (or for others), we are tapping into the (bought and paid for) resources of Jesus Blood! When we were transformed through the new birth we became an heir and child of God. And since our new spirit man lives within our mortal temple as our true “identity” that will dwell with God forever – we started reaping the benefits of being His love child instantly – not just “one day” in the bye and bye. When you are a true son or daughter your geographical location does not disqualify you from “whose” you are or your legal (and in this case spiritual) standing with your parent.

Since these issues are woven in the fabric of our world views – our interpretation of biblical doctrines do have a DIRECT IMPACT on what we speak and the lifestyle we demonstrate. A New Covenant disciple should walk by faith in the power of God’s Word and be determined to stand on the absolute truth that God never fails, forgets, lies or compromises. The opposing camp of “religiosity” loves the idea of going through traditional ceremonies but has no clue to what God’s Word say’s or who God really is. They stand firm on the persuasion that God’s sovereignty overrules faith in these principals – which has become the babies lullaby! Religious thinking finally came to the conclusion that since The Lord is in control we can lie on the couch and blame His “will” for everything. This is one of the most dangerous deceptions the devil has ever preached in the church! If everything is pre-destined then why did Jesus need to suffer and die? If we do not need to have faith (since God is responsible for everything) then it would seem that lifeless prayers are just to “confirm” what He was going to do anyway? NO! THIS IS NOT FAITH! He is waiting and calling for us to learn His Word and speak His will into existence! He is waiting for us to speak His Covenant in FAITH so that He can CHANGE hearts and CHANGE circumstances! We are not robots holding golden tickets to heaven’s eternal celebration – we are representatives of God’s Kingdom of light, growing, maturing and abiding in His obedience, to accomplish the destiny He has planned for us. And knowing what He has provided for us will help us learn how to follow His voice; it will strengthen our faith, increase our wisdom and is crucial in developing our intimate relationship with Him. Free-will has been given to all men to USE wealth as a window to see God – or a mirror to see themselves. Father desires for His children to enjoy ALL blessings that He has created as long as we can maintain a humble, giving, loving, generous and thankful attitude. Selah.

Question Three: Is there anywhere in the Bible that God say’s it is His desire for His people to be sick or poor?

My first response is no. I believe it is all about our obedience TO God’s Word and the faithfulness OF God’s Word. “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass”. (Psalm 37:4-5) Sickness is a result of sin – but Jesus came to destroy the bondage of sin. He is the solution to ALL of our problems and the provision for anything we need or desire, “on earth as it is in heaven”. Of course there are warnings to be careful about riches and to not allow them to make us proud or control us but it is certainly not a sin to be rich and I cannot see anywhere that Jesus told the sick how blessed it is to remain in pain or how much better it would be to live with suffering. In Malachi chapter 3, we see that God PROMISES how that tithing to Him will PROVE and AUTOMATICALLY open the windows of heaven and pour out overflowing blessings! So, how can God’s Word fail? How can anyone that obeys His Divine principals not be abundantly prosperous? I would like to add that many of the ways we live compared to what the Bible is trying to reveal could be interpreted differently. For example our “needs” being supplied would be the fulfillment of God’s Word but for others it might be interpreted as “desires” or being a millionaire. Each situation depends on the level of faith and understanding as personalities need to be added into the mix. Because some people are content with the basic necessities, others in their immaturity just cannot control their indulgences or handle certain levels of abundance. Because of God’s love and grace He may temporarily hold back with some of His children in order that they might have more time to learn and spiritually develop into wise and mature disciples. It would seem that God loves His children so much that He may not pour out an extreme amount of blessing on them to actually “protect” them from their own selves as we must remember that timing always plays a huge part in the release of miracles. Once again we see that God is waiting on His last day remnant to get into the “position” to receive His unlimited resources. “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just”. (Proverbs 13:22)

Question Four: Do you believe there is a difference between God’s “perfect will” and His “tolerance” for us choosing to live below His level of expectation?

Yes – a huge difference! I do not believe God forces His holy Word into someone’s spirit when they do not want it. The Holy Spirit convicts and can prick our conscience very “seriously” but being born again is man responding to God’s invitation. I believe that we are drawn into salvation and drawn into our personal relationship with Him otherwise it would just be a cut and dried predestined selection. I do believe in pre-destination but braided with the grace of yielding to God’s call. Faith is given to the saints so they can grow stronger and be transformed into the image of Christ and is included in the package of limited freewill. When we miss divine appointments, do not pray, worship or study because we are living in the default system, then we will be judged for the sins of commission and omission. Where there is given authority there is high expectation – and sobering responsibility. Christianity is hard work – but not based on works! God’s perfect will for us is not only for us to follow the general will of His written Word but also His chosen, unique, personal will for our individual destiny. Each one of us has been given a special mission to accomplish and will hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee a ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord”. (Mathew 25:21) If there is found no spiritual desire or growth over a long period of time it would describe a backslidden condition or very possibly a description of “imposter wheat” which is the dangerous deception of a religious tare who presumes they are wheat.

Question Five: Does God cause sickness and poverty to punish and discipline His children for no particular reason?

I believe God does nothing unless He has a specific reason. And in the same breath I also believe a good, loving parent would never slap a child out of a chair or push them down a staircase for no reason! I believe that God disciplines those He loves but I would lean more toward us experiencing the “consequences” of disobedience than being infected with the wrath of an intentional curse. I know what you are thinking; what can we do with the story of Job and what is God trying to tell us? Well, to the natural man it seems that God allowed great pain and agony to fall upon someone that seemed to be living a dedicated life for the Lord. It appears that Job did not deserve to be “hammered” out of the clear blue – but through his demonic attack was revealed many valuable lessons of spiritual wisdom to millions of listeners. A few things to remember is that God did not attack him and Job did not have the protection of Jesus blood covenant working in his behalf at that time. We must stay focused on the life of Christ and zero in on His ministry to find the pattern and procedure for the will of God toward New Testament saints. I have never heard of the Father punishing an overcomer with sickness or poverty. I believe sickness and poverty are the result of rebellion and the lack of knowledge. The Kingdom gospel is TOTAL salvation!