Tag: Faith

Posted on in Kingdom Life, Kingdom Ministry

The Midnight Song

25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Acts 16:25, NKJV

From the missionary exploits of Paul, Silas and others, we can learn how our faith, love, obedience and sacrifice can pioneer the way for others to know the salvation of the Lord, especially when expressed through great adversity.

Without hesitation, Paul and his apostolic company had sailed to the shores of Macedonia in obedience to the Lord who called them in a vision to go and preach the gospel there, and they found themselves in Philippi where they continued to face obstacles to their mission (Acts 16:6-12). Faithfulness does not make us immune to trouble, but it does make an opportunity for the trouble to work for us, for the furtherance of the gospel and the glory of God. On the contrary, it should be unsettling if our faith in Jesus never leads us through places of discomfort and positions of difficulty for the sake of the gospel. For the faithful Christ follower, that which happens to you, actually happens for you.

12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…

Philippians 1:12, NKJV

While in Philippi, Paul and Silas planted the Philippian church at a prayer meeting by the river, as they spoke to the women who were there, namely Lydia, who was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira. Her and her household were baptized and immediately began serving the gospel by supporting the mission of Paul and his companions (Acts 16:13-15). The foundations of our faith are absolutely critical to the growth and endurance of our faith. Lydia and her household weren’t a part of some grand marketing scheme to grow the church, rather their hearts were opened to heed the words of Paul as they witnessed the tender faith, obedience and sacrifice of he and his team. Like begets like in the kingdom of God, therefore, the Philippian church would later be described by Paul as his “beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown” (Phil. 4:1). While in Roman chains, he would write to them: “Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only” (Phil. 4:14-15).

As Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke continued to meet for prayer in Philippi, they began to disrupt the demonic strongholds over the city (Acts 16:16-22). Not by focusing on the darkness, but by pursuing and walking in the light of Christ. Like Mary of Bethany who was sharply criticized by Judas for pouring out her very costly fragrant oil upon Jesus, their faithfulness exposed the faithless greed of the men of Philippi who relied on the spirit of divination (Jn. 12:1-8; Acts 16:16,19). The fragrance of our faithfulness will undoubtedly offend the faithless among us. This was in fact the very thing that caused them to beat Paul and Silas with rods and throw them into the inner prison with their feet fastened in chains (Acts 16:22-23).

The enemy wants us to feel punished by God for our obedience because that is how deep-seated bitterness and distrust begins to take root. He wants us blind to our surroundings and bound at our feet, so that we feel hopeless and useless to make a difference. But at midnight, Paul and Silas still lifted their eyes to God to pray and sing.

28 For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

Psalm 18:28, NKJV

Oil is bought during the day, but lamps aren’t lit until the night (Matt. 25:1-3; Ps. 18:28). What came out of Paul and Silas in that moment was the overflow of their hidden faithfulness and fellowship with God that had been cultivated long before they found themselves in these chains. Their testimony teaches us what happens when faith finds its song, when our personal history of prayer with the Lord erupts into spontaneous praise in the most difficult seasons of life (Ps. 40:3). It is of utmost importance that every believer learns how to develop a life of prayer and praise before times of shaking, so that when it comes, it’s not our faith that is shaken, rather it’s our faith that is doing the shaking (Acts 4:31; 16:26; Heb. 12:25-29). In other words, what we know and believe about the Lord does not change based on our surroundings, rather we know that our surroundings have to obey His authority and serve His purposes. Our faith is “weaponized” in the midnight hour when we are in the darkest dungeon to preach the gospel, set captives free, heal brokenhearts, proclaim liberty to the captives and open prison doors to those who are bound in the name of Jesus Christ (Isa. 61:1).

26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Acts 16:26, NKJV

Luke records that, “the prisoners were listening to them,” as they prayed and sang to the Lord (Acts 16:25b). Once more we see how our faith in the fire makes a way for many others to hear and be set free. The Sword of Truth cuts the deepest when the fire is the hottest (Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17; 1 Pet. 1:6-9). Upon seeing prison doors opened, the keeper of the prison drew his sword to kill himself, but at just the right moment, Paul called out to him to stay his hand. To the jailer’s complete shock he found that none of the prisoners escaped, and he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” (Acts 16:29-30)? Something infinitely more potent than his own blade pierced through his soul that night—The Midnight Song of Paul and Silas. The Word was preached not with mere rhetoric but with the testimony and demonstration of the power and love of God (1 Cor. 2:4; 13:1-3). As a result, the jailer and his entire household believed and were immediately baptized (Acts 16:31-34).

I want to conclude this article with a list of ten types of prayer and seven types of praise that we can find throughout Scripture to strengthen your own faith, so that you also have a midnight song to sing.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV
TEN TYPES OF PRAYER

Prayer is one of the foundational ways that we express our worship and trust in the Lord. Here are some of the ways that we talk to the Lord:

  1. Contemplative: be still and know He is God (Ps. 46:10; Matt. 6:6)
  2. Meditation: think deeply upon and pray the Scriptures (Phil. 4:8-9)
  3. Requests: petition the Lord for the things you need (Mat. 6:11)
  4. Supplication: ask earnestly, persistently, with fasting (Phil. 4:6)
  5. Intercession: prayer for other people (1 Tim. 2:1-2)
  6. Tongues: praying in the Spirit, spiritual gift (1 Cor. 14)
  7. Travail: the Spirit praying through us without words (Rom. 8:26-27)
  8. Tears: prayers without words, contrition, humility (Ps. 126:5)
  9. Thanksgiving and Praise: declare what God has done, who He is
  10. Singing: putting all these types of prayer to song and music

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Col. 3:16, NKJV

…be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…

Eph. 5:18-19, NKJV
SEVEN TYPES OF PRAISE

Worship begins inwardly in our heart, but must also be expressed outwardly in our attitudes, words and actions (Jn. 4:23-24; Matt. 15:7-9; 22:37; Rom. 12:1-2). Praise is another outward expression of our worship. In Hebrew, the english word for “praise” has seven unique meanings:

  1. Yadah: to revere or worship with extended hands (Ps. 67:3)
  2. Halal: to boast, celebrate, be clamourously foolish (Ps. 149:3)
  3. Zamar: to make music, to celebrate in song (Ps. 144:9; 147:7)
  4. Barak: to kneel, bless, bow (Ps. 95:6; 100:4; 1 Chr. 16:36)
  5. Tehillah: a hymn, a new song, a spontaneous song (Ps. 22:3; 71:8)
  6. Shabach: to address in a loud tone, shout (106:47; 150:6)
  7. Towdah: thanksgiving (Lev. 22:29; Ps. 50:23; 56:11-12)

3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

Ps. 22:3, NKJV

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Posted on in Kingdom Life

The Bent Bow

PART ONE OF A SERIES ON “UNWAVERING FAITH”

19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Romans 4:19-22

As the Apostle Paul continues to explain the significance of Abraham’s faith, the kind of faith that God accounts for righteousness, he tells us something remarkable–Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but instead, he was strengthened in faith giving glory to God. Now a quick glance at Abraham’s life would cause us to question this evaluation, for he seems to have wavered on several occasions, yet God repeatedly references his example throughout Scripture desiring that we all become heirs of His promise on the condition that we have faith like Abraham’s (Rom. 4:16-17; Gal. 3:6-9).

When Paul says that Abraham ‘did not waver…through unbelief,’ he doesn’t mean that Abraham never had momentary hesitations, but that he avoided a deep-seated and permanent attitude of distrust and inconsistency in relationship to God and his promises. God doesn’t immediately write us off based on our worst days, and He is not impressed by our best days, rather He looks at the steady resolve of our faith that chooses to trust Him even through the failures and fiery trials of life (1 Pet. 1:7; Jas. 1:2-3). Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked to sift he and the other disciples like wheat, and that Peter would in fact turn away and deny Him. Although Peter was sure he was ready to die with Him, Jesus sees through our sincere but weak commitments (Matt. 26:41). He is not caught off guard by our stumbles and failures, but rather, He prays that our faith would not fail. Some of us have counted ourselves out because we have certainly felt as if we’ve wavered at the promise of God, and no doubt, some of us have. We may even have the “Ishmael” to prove it. Still, what we see as failure, God sees as opportunity. We have a real adversary who likewise is not concerned by our high moments nor is he content with tripping us up, but rather he looks for opportune times to destroy our faith through subtle accusation and temptation—not only to cause us to stumble, but to cause us to drink from the fountain of disappointment, discouragement and despair to the point that we decide quitting is our only option. When we feel like we are being sifted, will we settle in our sorrow? Will we retreat in shame? Or will we allow weight of it all to strengthen our faith?

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Lk. 22:31-32

3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Rom. 5:3-4, NIV

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4, NLT

I have an old wooden bow that my Grandfather gave me from when he was in the Marines. Not long after he passed away, I became very sick, and I often looked at that bow because it reminded me of his own unwavering faith. You see, the strength of a bow is not in it’s ability to remain immovable, but in it’s ability to firmly bend in the archer’s hand while being drawn back with great force. Comparatively, the strength of my faith is not determined by how much I haven’t bent, but by how well I have bent. If my faith is going to bend well, then my faith must have the right source and the right substance. Am I holding on to the immovable Rock of Christ and His Word or am I holding on to myself? Is my faith actually in God and His leadership or is my faith reliant upon ideal circumstances and terms I have set upon Him?

22 “Joseph…23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. 24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)…”

Genesis 49:22-24

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed–10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10

15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:15-18

Faith Responding

Genesis 11:27-32; 12:1-9

The Source of Abraham’s Faith (Gen. 12:1-3; Gal. 3:7-9; Rom. 4:21). I believe one of the keys to having faith like Abraham is to have faith that begins like Abraham’s faith. Terah, who was the father of Abram (Abraham), set out with his family to go from Ur of the Chaldeans (Babylon) to the land of Canaan (Israel), but he never made it passed Haran–a place with the same name of his son who died back in Ur. He became so paralyzed by the pain of what he lost, that he never got back on the road he was supposed to be on. It’s surely warranted that we mourn the loss of those we love, but as difficult as it may be, there comes a time when we have to get back on the road. The pain and the loss is real, but what if instead of letting it paralyze us, we let it produce the kind of faith that was in Abraham? The Lord leads us not on the path of least resistance, but on the path where His glory can shine the brightest upon our life.

1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

Jn. 9:1-3, NLT

It is evident from Acts 7:2-4 that God had spoken to Abraham while they were still back in Ur, but he didn’t leave Haran until his father died. Until fathers learn to die to self, our sons are more susceptible to being stuck right where we left them. Nevertheless, Abraham still had a responsibility to obey the Lord, and he delayed his response to leave. Until sons learn to leave their father’s house (familiar reliance) and make their faith personal, they may never learn to trust the Lord and obtain their inheritance in Him.

1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Genesis 12:1

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Abraham’s faith began with trusting the gospel that was preached to him (Gal. 3:8-9). Our common enemy will do whatever he can to distort the Word and what God has indeed said, because he knows that it is the source of our faith. He has done this from the beginning, and his deception will only increase. Yet, as Jesus demonstrated, we must not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. For it is written (Matt. 4:4). The Word came to Abram, which gave him something to grab onto–to bring him and his family where God wanted them. This Word has come to all of us in Christ, that we would grab hold of everything for which He has laid hold of us.

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Phil. 3:12

The Substance of Abraham’s Faith (Gen. 12:4-9; Heb. 11:1-8). Abraham’s faith was initially applied through His obedient response to the Word of the Lord to separate from his native land and the house of his father. Unwavering faith requires separation (repentance and obedience). Too often, we try to run the race of faith with old shoes, and when the path gets difficult, we retreat (Matt. 13:20-22).

17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Matthew 9:17, NLT

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you…10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Col. 3:5, 10, NLT

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.

Heb. 12:1-2, NLT

When Abraham came to the land of Canaan, he came to an oak tree, and the Lord appeared to him and told him this was the land he would give to his descendants. Therefore, it wasn’t until he got to the land of Canaan that we see the LORD reveal to him that this would be the land where He would fulfill His promise. As far as we know, all he had to go off of was the command to go to the land that God would show him, and the direction his father was headed. Our faith does not require special insight or ability, only a willingness to obey the call. Similarly to Abraham, Jesus also did not tell His disciples where they were going, but instead He simply said, “Follow Me.” He strategically withholds many of the details, and instead, He gives us His voice to hold onto that we might learn to trust and obey Him in a consistent daily way.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Heb. 11:8

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Jn. 10:27

6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 12:6-7

Though there were many obstacles still in his sight, Abraham responded by building an altar to the Lord. Unwavering faith requires sacrifice, and in this case, Abraham chose to give the Lord a sacrifice of praise, giving thanks and declaring that his trust was in Him alone (Heb. 13:15-16). Abraham’s faith was made of something far stronger than sheer willpower, yet it was not made strong over night. I’m convinced that the “altar moments” througout Abraham’s life became like new strings that were being refastened to the bent bow of his faith. You see, like David, we don’t learn to slay Goliath on the battlefield, but out on the backside of the hills in hiddenness before the Lord. Everytime we are faithful with the few before the eyes of our Father who sees us in secret, we are strengthening our bow of faith. Everytime we overcome the paws of temptation, we are strengthening our bow of faith. Everytime we choose to praise through the pain, we are strengthening our bow of faith. Through every valley and every victory, let us keep strengthening our bow, for there will come such times when the Lord will draw you back, not to punish you, but to release His glory in greater measure through your yielded life. Will you be ready to bend in His hand?

9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Heb. 11:9-10

1 Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The LORD called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. 2 He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver. 3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.” 4 I replied, “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the LORD ’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.” 5 And now the LORD speaks— the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The LORD has honored me, and my God has given me strength. 6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:1-6

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6

12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Heb. 12:12-13

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Posted on in Kingdom Life

The Vaccinated Christian

Something that I’ve observed throughout my very short lifetime is how we are creatures who quickly learn to adapt to our surroundings. We like routine, we like familiarity, and we like consistency. Anytime we change up our lifestyle, diet, environment, job, etc, it is only natural for us to immediately try and revert back to what we know until new habits are established. After being married for almost two years, I can tell you that both my wife and I have had to learn to adapt! And if you’ve ever been a parent, I can guarantee that you have had to get used to some new routines 🙂

Now when I first became a follower of Jesus Christ, I was thrown so far out of my comfort zone that I learned to embrace it. It was definitely a “born again” experience for me. Although everything was unfamiliar, there was something about the spontaneity of encountering and obeying God that awakened my heart. But over time, even the presence of God became an environment I could adapt to. It weighs heavy on mind to know that this is the case for so many Christians who started out full of fresh faith with rivers of living water flowing from within them, but now after years of building dams out of religious routines, all that is left inside them is a stagnate pond that is quickly drying up. Many church leaders often discuss the amount of young people who leave the faith after they leave the home, but could it be that just like our modern medical methods, we have vaccinated a generation with just enough faith to make them immune to the real thing?

Many of you might know about the garden of Gethsemane as the place where Jesus prayed while His disciples fell asleep before He was betrayed by one of them and sentenced to be crucified (Matt. 26:36-56; Mk. 14:32-42; Lk. 22:39-53). Something interesting though is that the gospels also tell us that this was a place where Jesus often met with His disciples (Jn. 18:2; Lk 22:39). If only His disciples knew that this would be the last prayer meeting they would have with their Messiah before He went to the cross, then they might not have fallen asleep. But just like us, these disciples became so over-familiar with their surroundings that they were immune to His presence and the urgency of the moment.

If you feel you are at this place, then don’t give up because there is still hope! I believe Jesus’ remedy for a Christian who has been immunized from having a burning heart is the same remedy that He gave His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”  It’s not enough to be faithful if we are not FULL of FAITH. Of course it’s good and right to implement healthy routines into our life such as gathering with other believers, studying the Bible, eating healthy, going to work on time, and so on. Jesus Himself did things as was His custom, but even in keeping a routine, He modeled how to live in a spontaneous, living and breathing relationship with the Father. At the end of the day, His food was to do His Father’s will (Jn. 4:34).

To be watchful is to be attentive or actively engaged with what is going on around us. To be prayerful is to be attentive or actively engaged with what is going on within us. God is calling us to keep the internal conversation going with Him as well as the external conversation about Him. Don’t settle for a Sunday-only-faith or a crisis-only-faith. Don’t settle for being vaccinated with small doses of the presence of God and life of obedience to Him even if it means some people put you under quarantine.

Like I said about marriage earlier, I know my wife and I have had to make some post-honeymoon lifestyle adaptations, but I also know that what is going to help keep our love alive is that we’re making every effort to keep the conversation going! I have to be willing to walk through new experiences with her outside of my comfortable shell just like God wants to walk through new experiences with us. It’s the tension of faithfully remaining on the potter’s wheel, yet being consistently vulnerable to the potter’s hands. If you are spiritually bored and dull, it’s not as much about needing a change in scenery as much as it is needing a change in vision.

LORD, would you break our immunity to your presence today. Make us tender to your voice. As we draw near to you, would you fill us with a fresh faith. Break down the dams of pride that we’ve built up and let you rivers flow again. Help us to see the urgency of the hour. Help us to see how beautiful you are. Help us to take our focus off of familiar language and scenery, and revive our expectancy by placing our focus on you and what you are doing. Teach us how to raise our children and the next generation without vaccinating them from genuinely encountering and knowing you. In Jesus’ name, amen.