In the landscape of current American culture, anyone can claim to be a Christian but it doesn’t mean that they all believe the same doctrine or apply it similarly to their personal lives. There are many who call themselves Christians but don’t have visible qualities of a life surrendered to Christ. Many denominations have produced a smorgasbord of Christianity that people can pick and choose what they agree or disagree with. 

What is authentic faith and how does it look different from being religious?

One of the key areas that one must examine a true faith, is our relationship to the word of God. There are those who do not believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. This is is a major differentiator between an authentic faith versus a lesser version of Christianity. When one deems the Bible to be in error, it causes the believer to be the master of their faith. The believer is in charge of the decision of whether a scripture should be adhered to or unnecessary to be followed!

If the Bible has errors, then we do not have a doctrine that our faith can depend on. There is no stability to believe in God or to place our hope in the finished work of Christ. Any portion that we may deem to be true, another could refute it. Additionally, our own experiences would affirm that following certain scriptures seem impossible.

True faith has to have stability that is based on truth.  If the Bible has errors, then it becomes a shifting sand rather than an anchor for the soul. How can one rely on it in the midst of storms of life and the turmoil in the world!? If faith cannot wholly rely on the promises of God, then the person can settle to use the Bible as a book of poetry or riddles. This causes the Bible to be a good philosophy book but not one that one is willing to submit to.

Having a form of godliness but denying its power. 2Timothy 2:5

The above scripture applies to those who believe the Bible to have errors. Paul is instructing Timothy that these type of individuals have a resemblance of faith, but they deny the power of God. Our main understanding of God and His nature should come from the Bible. How can one believe in the nature of God if they are questioning the authenticity of the Bible? If the Bible is not accurate then what it describes about God may not be accurate. 

Authentic faith believes that the word of God is inerrant and that it is meant to be followed not just intellectualized. A true faith engages the body, soul, and spirit to transform the entire person.

As our nation was hit with yet another act of terrorism taking 49 lives and leaving many injured, the church has some reflecting to do.  This time the tragedy hit a people group that has been on the opposite side of morality and politics to Evangelicals. In the past two decades, Christians in various spheres have been standing against legalization of gay marriage and acceptance of that lifestyle. At times, it seemed as if we were fighting against homosexuals. 

It is interesting how tragedy brings people together and flushes out so many issues that can cause barriers between people. Those issues melt away in the face of such a nonsensical massacre. This is the opportunity to show the heart of Jesus in the midst of such a pain. This is the time the body of Christ including the church leaders need to reach out to the families who are hurting and grieving such a deep loss. This is the time to suspend distaste of lifestyle for a moment and look at the fact that every victim was created in God’s image. Every one of those individuals was created by God and for God whether they ever realized it or not.

The scripture gives us instruction on how to interact with each other:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15

The Lord calls us to keep our hearts pure, so when something goes wrong with those who have persecuted us, we are capable of showing compassion towards them and are willing to mourn with them.  In our case, these are individuals that we have disagreed with on many important issues of life, but the tragedy has hit their lives.  What are we going to do about it?

The tragedy in this situation is two fold. The first tragedy is the fact that people’s lives were suddenly taken away, but the second one is that they did not get a chance to repent and get their lives right with the Lord. What if they had Christian family members who had been praying for their loved ones to come to repentance and salvation? They need our prayer and support during this difficult time.

Some wonder if choosing to love and mourning wth homosexuals, would give the wrong impression of condoning their behavior. I don’t believe that’s the case. The Evangelical churches have firmly stood against homosexual behavior for years. This is an opportunity for us to show that we have never been against gay people. We love them as we love any other human being on this earth. If we are speaking out against a particular sin or lifestyle, it has nothing to do with the rejection of the person but it has do with rejecting the lie that the individual has believed. We want to see them find the Truth that sets them free! We never wished their demise, and we are saddened by this tragedy.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Others are wondering, “is this tragedy a judgment from the Lord?”. In my reading of the Bible, the scripture tells us that God has no desire to see anyone perish but to have an everlasting life. The New Testament era is the age of redemption. God desires for every person to come to the full knowledge of Jesus Christ and see their lives and hearts completely transformed. This is the message of the gospel that every believer is called to carry and share the Good News with others.

There will be the Day of Judgment when Jesus returns for His bride, but He has not given the responsibility of judgment to man to impose it on others. He has given us the Great Commission to go tell others about Him. This is what differentiates us from a religion like Islam because they feel that they are responsible for dispensing God’s judgment on the earth. Obviously, sin has its own built-in consequence, and every one of us is subject to it as we are to the law of gravity.

Christians believe that Jesus sacrificially gave Himself for us, so that those who believe in Him, they become a new creation. All their sins will be washed away and the judgment of God will pass over them. Now they can live a life with a renewed spirit, a sober mind, a changed heart, and a submitted will towards God!

Let’s pray and ask the Lord to give us opportunities to share the heart of God with those who are hurting.

God’s purpose for Jesus began with a process that did not look anything like the promise! 

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

The circumstances of Mary & Joseph’s life were certainly no indication to the special baby that Mary was carrying. In fact, when Mary was ready to give birth to the baby, there was no room for them at the inn, and they had to be placed in a stable! It would seem that the Prince of Peace entering the world would have a grander welcome by those who had been waiting for Him! In fact, no one recognized this event except a few shepherds and wise men.

Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. Luke 2:46-47

As a twelve year old, when Jesus discussed the word at the temple with the religious leaders, no one stopped Him or His parents to tell them that this young man was made for ministry. Nowadays, we are quick to spot a talented kid in academics or in the sports. These special kids can get much attention from teachers and mentors to coach them to get better at what they do. This was not the case with Jesus. While some were astonished with the young boy’s knowledge of God, no one took it further and offered to be His mentor.

When Jesus was baptized with water, heaven opened and the Spirit of the Lord spoke about His son being well pleasing to Him. However, the subsequent stories and encounters of Jesus with those who should have noticed His uniqueness, did not demonstrate that anything had changed in the public view of Him. In fact, after beheading of John the Baptist some wondered if Jesus was John who had risen from the dead.

Additionally, Jesus’ disciples did not fully comprehend who He was and what He intended to do, but He was secure about it.  In all the stages of Jesus’ life and ministry, most people did not fully understand who Jesus was. However, Jesus knew who He was and what His mission was on the earth. Whether people believed Him or not, it did not deter Him or discourage Him from His mission.

The reality is that most people will not understand or appreciate where God is taking us. Furthermore, the circumstances could be the opposite of what God has spoken over our lives. In order to stand strong in the midst of the process, we need to continue to do what God is asking us to do without any specific goal except to please Him.  If we place limitations to our obedience or wait for others to be convinced of God’s call in our lives, we are guaranteed to find ourselves in the position of giving up or being completely disillusioned with our faith.

Where are you in God’s process? How are you handling the process? People may not understand God’s call on your life. Are you ok with it? Do you need others to be convinced of God’s call in your life before you are convinced of it?

If you have ever received a prophetic word either through your time with the Lord or through a prophetic message, you have found how exhilarating it is to have a word from the Lord! His specific word brings encouragement, significance, and a new level of motivation to remain focused and run after God’s purpose in life!

The challenge with the word of God is that it only comes in seed form, and it is not meant to be fulfilled right away. Some of us naively have sat around waiting and watching His word to see when it will come to fruition. We eventually found ourselves tired, discouraged, and doubtful that the word will ever come to pass. This is where we need to look at the Biblical pattern and see what happens after a word is being proclaimed over someone.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. 1 Samuel 16:13

David was a given a prophetic word by Samuel to the surprise of his father and his brothers, and his life became harder than ever! As God was lifting him up, Saul was trying to tear him down and kill him. He had to flee continually from the hands of Saul just to save his life. Taking the throne seemed the least of his problems for a long time since his survival was the most urgent issue at the time (For complete story start at 1Samuel 16)!

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. Genesis 37:5

Joseph had a couple of powerful dreams when he was young that offended his father and brothers. Those dreams spoke of God’s purpose, but they were not meant to be fulfilled right away. They were just announcing a season of processing in Joseph’s life before he could be ready to be placed in that position (For complete story start at Genesis 37).

God’s purpose is tied to the process! Without the process, one cannot reach God’s promise. As a result, patience and obedience are much needed in the tough processing season! 

The Lord has given us insight and instructions in His Word on how to be joyful in a world system that wants to rob it from us.

It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. Proverbs 21:15

Unfortunately, some individuals in the church like to get close to those in power for personal gain through flattery, perceived loyalty, or showy performance in the hope of getting in the “right” positions. If we are in leadership positions, we need to be very discerning of people’s motives. Flattery or perceived loyalty can feed the ego of a leader and cause him/her to show favor to some unfairly. This becomes the beginning of a road to partiality if we are not careful.

God hates partiality and differing scales, and He tells us to avoid them (See Proverbs 24:23 & Proverbs 20:10). We need to be aware of “Hamans” in our lives who may look good and loyal to us, but they are unkind and rude to others (Esther 3:1-6). God is a God of justice, and He expects His children to represent Him well on the earth. When make the effort to be impartial and just, it brings great joy to us because we know God is pleased and our conscience is clear of any offense. Others are also blessed because they can feel safe with our leadership and know that we are not blinded by flattery or loyalty!

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Luke 15:1-12

Ultimately, the fullness of joy will come from opening our hearts to love. When we love God and love others, it increases our capacity for joyfulness! When we can let go of an offense that has tightened our hearts for so long, our hearts open up to love again. We cannot hold on to bitterness and love at the same time. If we don’t love, we will begin to lose our joy. Love & joy are interconnected because they are both the evidence of fruit of the Spirit. It seems that love is the catalyst to all the other fruit of the Spirit!

The Lord has given us keys in His word that provide an insight on how we can be joyful and remain joyful.

Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. Proverbs 12:20

When God teaches us to do something, it is not only pleasing to Him, but it is also life-giving to us! In the above scripture, He calls us to be peacemakers and to walk in ministry of reconciliation. Sometimes people can resort to gossip, backbiting, and manipulation when they are upset with an individual. This approach may bring temporary relief to an anguished heart, but it is soulish and will not produce good fruit! Strife will alway steal our joy. On the other hand, when we live out our calling as peacemakers, it calms our hearts and brings us joy because we have lived life according to his design and purpose!

 A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! Proverbs 15:23

Our words can get us into trouble faster than other areas of our lives. The book of James tells us how difficult it is to tame the tongue because it can be so unruly. The more we exercise self-control on our words and carefully deliver them, the more joyful we will be.

The enemy looks for opportunities to accuse us of what we have said or done. When our words are inappropriate, he can a have field day making us feel ashamed and guilty. On the other hand, when we speak in faith and share life-giving words, it brings life and joy into our hearts as well as those around us!

We can see the impact of our words on children very easily. What we say and how we say it, can either cause them to shrivel or blossom! Discerning what motivates each person can help us in choosing words that are edifying and life-giving to them. We cannot overcome a negative situation with more negativity. When we choose to be life-giving, it dissipates negativity and produces joy in everyone’s life. 

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

Joy is one of the nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit (See Galatians 5:22).  When we live a lifestyle of faith and abide in Him, joy is our portion and inheritance as a believer. Are you a joyful person? If you are married, does your spouse consider you joyful? 

How do we develop Godly joy in our lives?

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation. Psalm 35:9

In the midst of being chased by his enemies, David chose to look to the Lord and remind himself that God is the source of his salvation. For those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior, it is important to remind ourselves of the value and life-changing significance of our salvation. Without it, we would have no hope in this world. We are a different person because of Salvation and our relationship with the Lord. He helps us to handle tough situations differently because we have a new nature. We know that no matter what life throws at us we belong to Him, and we will live eternity with Him. That’s something to be joyful about!

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

God’s presence gives us assurance and security that He has everything under control. Just as the sun rises every day, we have an assurance that God’s light will shed in the midst of darkness, and He will light our path and show us the way we should go. When God’s presence comes in, the spiritual fog gets lifted, and we begin to see things clearly. It’s as if we were blind and now we can see. God’s presence causes joy to rise in our hearts. I thank God for His presence that lifts us out of the miry pit and the fog of life.

Those of us who are analytical can lose our joy by analyzing things too much which leads to confusion or apprehension. If we wait to have all the answers before we are joyful, we may only reach there in rare occasions. It is the simplicity of our faith and asking for His reassurance that calms our busy minds and helps us to just have childlike trust and joy in Him. Our joy comes from trusting Him when we don’t have all the answers.

 I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

Count (Strong’s Concordance G 2233): lead, to go before, to be a leader, to rule, command, to have authority over, a prince, legal power, the leader in the speech, to consider, deem, account, think

Joy ( Strong’s G5479 ): gladness, cheerfulness, clam delight

The above definitions shed a new light on this critical scripture (James 1:2-4). When we usually think about the word “count”, we consider it at a quantitative level, but in spiritual terms we have to have a qualitative approach to counting things. This has to do more with evaluating the quality of something and measuring its value in our lives.

The scripture tells us to count trials as joy. Counting something that naturally has a look of negativity and considering it joy, requires faith, leadership, and vision. A person who can envision their lives and their situations beyond the here and now and is able to see God’s hand in the midst of a tough situation has a level of understanding that keeps them above the choppy waters. These individuals are also the ones that others look up to in times of trouble.

Many can lose their joy in the midst of trial. It is not easy to be happy about a tough situation, but it really is not about happiness. One of the definitions of joy is a calm delight. Sometimes as American Christians we think having joy means that we need to be excited and act as a cheerleader in a tough situation, but that may not be the case. We can have a calm confidence that God is with us and that He has a plan to use the situation.

God desires to build His children to keep the vision in the midst of trials that come. He wants us to look further down the road and see the good that will come out of the situation.

How do you handle trials? I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. Matthew 22:37-38

Since our hearts are an important part of our worship, then it stands to reason that the heart needs to be guarded in order to be useful for God. If our hearts are contaminated, then we will use our strength for wrong reasons such as trying to prove ourselves, arguing with others, pleasing others, fearing criticism, or rebelling against the established system.

Are we protective of our hearts?

We do a better job protecting ourselves physically rather than spiritually. When we drive a car, we put on our seat belts to protect us in the possibility of an accident. We put on a helmet when riding a motorcycle or a bicycle to keep our head protected. We put on shoes whenever we leave our house to protect our feet from harm or injuries. We protect our homes by keeping our windows and doors locked to ensure no intruder can come in. Some of us even have sophisticated theft alarm system to notify us of any unexpected intrusion. Companies spend millions of dollars on a yearly basis to  protect us from  identity theft. Yet, we don’t put as much attention in guarding our hearts spiritually.

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

The above scripture clearly gives us the command to protect our hearts and to do it diligently. We cannot be passive or casual about those things that try to infiltrate our hearts. Anything that is not true or pure, can affect our hearts deeply and negatively. We need to remain sober and vigilant not to allow disappointments, hurts, or fears to shape our hearts. Everything that is about to enter in needs to be examined in the light of the fruit it will produce. 

The best test of the condition of our hearts is to listen to our words and pay attention to our attitude when we speak to those who are closest to us. The scripture tells us that the issues of life spring out of  our hearts. Our words and attitudes are a good indicator of what is going on in our hearts. 

If we have made the commitment to love God with all of our hearts, then our hearts belong to God. There is no room for the world or the enemy to try to take territory in our hearts. If they do, then we cannot fully love God with all our hearts!

Lord, we desire our hearts to be fully surrendered to you. Just as David prayed: “Create in me a pure heart O God” (Psalm 51:10a).

The scripture has much to say about our hearts because it is the core our very being. The heart is more than the seat of our emotions. It is a place where all our thoughts, emotions, and will conglomerate to the point that they create our perspective.

Our slant on issues, our attitude towards circumstances, our outlook on life, and a whole host of other things have been shaped through our hearts. This makes the heart a very important part of our lives. It is the one that will dominate how successfully or unsuccessfully we will navigate through life and how we well will respond to God in our journey.

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

The scripture tells us that we don’t even know the condition of our hearts. We can deceive ourselves because we can say or do the right things for a long time to the point that we begin to think that our hearts must be doing well.

People generally have a public face where they look polished and say the right things to be accepted, but it is generally the unexpected and the intense pressured situations that really show what is deep down in our hearts. It is like an iceberg where the visible part is the outward social part of our lives that looks spiritual, positive, and restrained, but we don’t know what is deep down in our hearts until the hidden and the invisible part gets exposed to us. We can also put on a public face when we are in unsafe environments. We say or do things that are acceptable by those around us to avoid being rejected or shunned. 

What is the condition of your heart? Are you joyful or fearful? Are you content or anxious? Are you able to be honest with God? Are there fears or disappointments that have affected your heart?