by David Brenneman
"We walk by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:7.
Imagine you've gone through a difficult experience in your life and you're fearful of what the future might hold. To encourage you, a friend says, "You can do it, one day at a time. Remember: just walk by religion, not by sight." Walk by religion? To a biblically literate Christian, the very sound of that phrase is off-putting, to say the least.
You probably know what Paul really said in 2 Corinthians 5:7:
"We walk by faith, not by sight." But even the idea of walking by faith seems contrary to common sense. If we walked by religion, we would at least have a tangible structure- things that are seen--to pin our hopes on: buildings, traditions, schedules, liturgies, ministers, and the like. If we walk by faith, we have only the promises of God. But we also have "the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). We not only have God's promises but we
also have the evidence from thousands of years of history that He has kept His promises to those who trust Him. And He will keep
His promises for you.
If you are facing an uncertain future (and who isn't?), remember to walk by faith-faith in the God who promises He "will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).
Walking by faith means being prepared to trust where we are not permitted to see.
JOHN BLANCHARD
-Walking with God, Dr. David Jeremiah.
In many ways we neglect to see the world from the spiritual point of view that we see Jesus teaching the Disciples for 3 and a half years...and of which they taught the early Church for 20+ years before they had Paul's letters, Peter's letters, James and the rest.
We don't even look at the world in which we live as they did. We don't look for how spiritual matters impact the physical life. We listen to the world in it's feable understanding and chalk it up to chemical imbalances and the like.
Why is it those 2026 years ago understood and could tell the difference between the medical and the spiritual when it came to what someone was suffering from? Why? Because the master of deception has had 2026 years to perfect his deceit.
We don't get involved because of a few reasons. One is that we're not as trained up as those first Disciples were. I speak not of those who became Apostles...but those whom were the first that the Apostle's trained.
We live in a world immersed in deceit. Lies that are so sugar coated that unless you're really a student of the Scriptures, as my Spiritual Dad, Mike Wingfield teaches...you will indeed be deceived.
We have been taught not to challenge wrong thinking. We have been taught to accept those who break the laws of the land as if they had a right to. We have been taught that it's acceptable to not challenge doctor's diagnosis. That we should believe them no matter what.
We don't look at people as Jesus looked at people. He saw beyond their physical issues...to the root cause of their issues. Today's world is 'treat it with a pill or an IV and you'll be ok...leave God out of it.".
Most in the professing Church today I would dare-say that in his recent newsletter "PT News" at www.ptnews.org is spot on...they don't know how to recognize what is and is not spiritual warfare. They do not know what to do and are not aware at all of their spiritual surroundings.
They've accepted so many compromises that they don't think they have a right to stand up in the faith.
No matter where you are in your spiritual journey with Christ...you CAN and SHOULD stand firm in the faith. You have to start somewhere or start again somewhere in your life in Christ.
When we accept and do not challenge Satan's lies...his deceit...then we can and usually do enable people to stay trapped in whatever hell on earth they are in.
Look at what happened even with the Disciples...who were given authority to cast out demons. There were some that even that authority wasn't enough. Prayer and fasting were needed to bolster that request.
You, my Dear Reader, need to sit down and have your own serious, dedicated, intentional, training in righteousness with the Spirit of God if you are going to ever have your thinking about people and about yourself ever straightened out.
Within this...realize that which the Scriptures say WILL take place. "Everyone will be without excuse" when they stand before Jesus. "Chemical imbalance" will not be an acceptable excuse. "I couldn't help myself" will not be an acceptable excuse. "I didn't think it would be a bad thing" will not be an acceptable excuse.
In fact...let's make it simple...as simple as the coming to Christ for salvation. There are no acceptable excuses for not coming to Christ for salvation. There's no acceptable excuses for not doing, saying or being as Christ, through His Spirit, teaches us to do, say or be.
We will indeed see hard times when we come to Christ. Jesus said so.
Long ago there was a song "One Day at a Time" and the message is right that it speaks to. Even in the hard times, as well as the good times, take every day with Jesus one at a time. Don't get ahead of Him. Always be learning about how to be who God in Christ Jesus wants you to be. Always be aware of your surroundings in the spiritual sense. Listen to the Spirit, not the world. Don't let anything get in the way, be it family, friends, or even your own self-interests in being all who God in Christ Jesus wants you to be.
We need to take the lessons that Jesus taught to heart. It's still an amazing thing to me to look at the book of Acts from that perspective. All they had for 20 plus years was ONLY the teachings of Jesus...and it was THOSE plus the Old Testament that transformed the global landscape as the Church of Christ spread out into the world. The letters, epistles, etc. that came later only served to bolster what they already had in their firm foundation of the teachings of Jesus from the Apostles.
Look at your life. Get real with you about where you have compromised. Where you have accepted the world's doctrines on how to live life and what you should or should not accept as truth.
While yes this life is likely going to be rough...and it likely WILL get rough when you stand firm in the Lord and the light of His Word.
Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own undestanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
We cannot know or understand the true life that awaits us in Christ if we are not choosing at a minimum those two promises.
We are to be living for Jesus in all that we do. Whether or not we understand or not. Whether it makes sense or not. A light shining is totally indiscriminate on what it reveals. OUR light is supposed to shine in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. Our FIRST priority to live a life acceptable to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not the world.
"may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him" Romans 15:13.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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