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A Net in Time

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Faith Shaped

Faith Alone Justifies

March 28, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matt. 7:15-20.

Faith alone Justifies

Good Works or Faith?

Two sections of scripture speaking to the good works, the good fruit that is the result of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only that, the Matthew passages refers to how a diseased tree bears bad fruit.

So we have those two positions. Good tree bearing fruit that is good, and bad trees giving bad fruit. A thistle will give thistles, a fig tree will give figs. They can’t produce anything different than what they are.

How does our fruit get judged though? We, as believers, do good works. But those good works we do are fraught with the effects of sin.. pride, anger, duty, self-centeredness, half-heartedness and more. Even our good deeds aren’t really all that good.

But we aren’t saved according to our good deeds. We are saved by our faith. Our good deeds are a product of our faith, our salvation, but not the causal portion. They merely show what is true.

There are those who teach differently though. Those who teach that good works are an intrinsic part of our salvation. They would be so bold as to teach us good works are part of our justification process.

How to Judge Teachers?

The question then arises how do we judge the people that teach us? How do we discern truth from evil? Romans 7 says watch the deeds. The deeds of the evil will show what they are. We also need to weigh their words against scripture.

Does our obedience render us more acceptable to God? Is there anywhere in scripture that says that deeds are more important than faith? Is there anywhere in scripture that says deeds are how we are justified before God? Throughout scripture we are told the justified live by faith. We are told that our faith is shown in the things that we do. We are never told that what we do saves us. Weigh out what you hear. Be discerning. Show your faith in your actions, but don’t be thinking that what you do is what saves you. It isn’t. Faith alone is how we are justified before God. The only way.

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Devotional, Faith Shaped

Selfless Love Our Greatest Need

March 21, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

I have to admit, this chapter in the Faith-Shaped Life didn’t quite go the direction I thought it was. The title is Thinking Faith: The Logic of Redemption. So I thought it would talk about how our faith makes sense in the light of God’s redemptive work in our lives (or something along that line). Instead, Mr. Hamilton had me thinking back to Peter’s eagerness with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter knew it was the Lord so immediately wanted to spend time with him, when asked for fish, immediately got it, serving Jesus and his fellow disciples.

That eagerness to help others is what Jesus wants from us. Our very salvation is based on Christ’s selfless love for us. Therefore 1 John 3:16 is important to us “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers“. (esv) This is the logic of our faith.

Christ died for us with a selfless love. We believe in him, accepting that love he holds for us. Since we are working to become more Christ-like, ergo we need to be serving our brethren. Laying aside our own lives for them. THIS is how we show Christ’s love to those around us. Our love for each other, shows Christ’s love to the world.

Amazing isn’t it? Truly.

What we do here, in this world, with others who also love the Lord, shows those who don’t believe in God who Christ is. That blows my mind sometimes. That my actions really truly matter.

When Action Doesn’t Equal Faith

So what happens when my actions aren’t being what they should be? What does that signify? Mr. Hamilton rightly points out that since Christianity flows from the cross, and it also returns to the cross. If our actions aren’t showing our faith that means we have become distant and detached from the reality of the cross. It’s empty, the tomb is empty, Christ ROSE from the dead. Saving us, conquering death, making real the truth of who he is.

If we don’t see the cross daily, we won’t live out our faith as we aught to. Let us look for Christ risen, look for his selfless love on our behalf, and then show it to those around us. Let us help others see God more clearly. Understand Christ’s selfless love, it’s our greatest need.

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Faith Shaped

The Battle of Faith

March 14, 2019 By Annette1 4 Comments

This week in The Faith-Shaped Life, Ian Hamilton talks about the battle of faith that we engage in. There is a tension that we live under as we strive to live as the new creation we are declared to be, and the realities of the world that we are part of.

battle of faith

The twist

For we know (at least the Bible tells us) that God works all things for good. In Romans 8 tells that “For we know that God works all things for good for those called according to his purpose.” This is a big thing to contemplate.

It doesn’t say that God works some things, or most things, but all things.

The battle of faith that we engage in is… do we believe this? Do we honestly believe that God works all things for good?

What do we do when things don’t go according to plan? Don’t we often sit back and complain? Or just wish that somehow it could be different? Is that believing that what God says is true?

Response

I find myself sitting back, thinking about how I react to what I see as adverse conditions. How my first response is to complain or to try to change things to what I want. It’s not good right?

How do I get to the point where I consistently see that God knows the bigger picture? That truly he does know how to work all the different things in my life to good.

Romans 8:28

 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  (esv)

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (niv)

28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (nrsv)

Choosing to believe

I find that sometimes it just a matter of making a choice. You know that God will work it to good, so you have to make a choice to shut off what you see and feel and look to God. It’s a matter of believing what you know to be true long-term instead of focusing on the short-term. Not saying it’s easy, because it’s far from that.

But it’s like I look at my bunnies right? I can make choice solely based on what I see in front of me, or I can decide to look at what I want down the road. I want to eventually have chocolate and blue tri-colours. That’s a goal. How do I get there? Is it by breeding the torts I have? Not really. Torts are not going to get me to tricolours.

Likewise in faith, if I focus only on my health and how sometimes I’m bone tired (without having a good reason to be so), then I fail to see (and act upon) the things that God has given for me this day. The ability to fold laundry, to chat with my boy, to encourage an international student, to work on my blog and so forth. I have to believe that God truly knows what I need to further the advancement of his kingdom and my growing more into his likeness.

Hopefully all that makes sense. At the end of it all we have a decision to make. Believe our circumstances and be stuck in them, or decide to look beyond them and know that the bible (and therefore God) is true. That ultimately is what the battle of faith is all about. Believe God to be true.

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Bible Study, Devotional, Faith Shaped

Stop the Drift

February 28, 2019 By Annette1 8 Comments

Dr. Hamilton starts this chapter off talking about Phil 2: 19-24. In these verses he points out two facts from Paul’s letter. These facts concern the supreme interest of the Christian.

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

Stop the Drift

Two Groups

First he commends Timothy to them as a man who is genuinely concerned about their welfare.    He then speaks of those who don’t share that same concern.  He speaks of those who seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.  

So we have two outlooks juxtapositioned against each other.

The first group with a genuine love for Christ and a love for the people of God.   Against the second group the professes to love God but is highly influenced by self-interest, greed, pride, or whatever.  This latter group serves their own self-interest.

The Drift

It’s easy to do you know?   To become complacent in our faith, to drift along with the tides of the world we live in. It’s easy to forget what our first priority should be. 

The Cross

To escape this drift, we need to remember the words of our Lord.  Take up our cross and follow him.  He doesn’t promise it’s easy, but he does promise that by seeking the genuine good of those around him, that by searching our own hearts and lives, and by actively pursuing the Lord others will see Christ in us. 

After reminding us of this truth, Dr. Hamilton calls us to action.  Calling us to remember how we show love to others. 

Stop the Drift

Our Fellowship

One of the best ways to prevent drift is to have a genuine love and concern for our fellowship of believers.  Taking the time to care for those around us.   From writing a letter of gratitude, to spending time with a shut-in, making a meal for a family in need, taking the time to babysit for a young family, or to help rebuild a porch.  Taking the time for others put our own self-love on the back seat.   And that helps to keep us aware of the drift and able to step out of it. 

It makes me think of Bondi Rescue, a show my 13 year old really likes to watch.  In this show the lifeguards are constantly reminding people to swim between the flags and watch where they are going.  If they do that, they will stay out of trouble, and not need to be rescued.

So too, as believers, we need to be alert to where we are.  We need to be watchful of the drift that naturally occurs.  Caring for our fellow believers stops the drift.  Just like watching for where the flags are and what the waves are doing, keeps the non-swimmers safe on the beach. 

Be safe, be alert and be caring.  Stop the drift.

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Book Study, Devotional, Faith Shaped

The Christian’s Obsession with Christ

February 21, 2019 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

One of the things my hubby pastor says frequently “I need to preach Christ”.  That means regardless of the scripture passage being used, Christ is to be preached.  He is central to the entirety of scripture.   He is woven throughout the fabric of our history, from the beginning of the world until it’s very end.  Christ is always to be found.

Therefore, Christianity is Christ. This is the central theme of this chapter from the Faith-Shaped Life.

The Christian's Obsession with Christ

Throughout the gospels this truism is seen most clearly.  Jesus doesn’t tell people in Matthew 11 to some other being in order to find rest.  He says “come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”.   He calls people to himself. 

Jesus was very much aware that he was the answer to people struggling with the affects of sin in their lives. 

It’s so True

Consider how God took care of all the details when his Son died.  How he made sure all scripture was fulfilled, that Jesus had a witness, and more.  God gave us his everything.  So we have EVERYTHING… not just what we need, but everything possible.  It’s all tied up in Jesus. 

In John 15 Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are the branches.  He is the ONE that gives us the life that we need to flourish. 

This means that if we are struggling, the first thing that we must do is turn to Jesus.  We need to look to him for the answers.  

And wow.. it’s so easy to forget that eh?   We find ourselves down in the dumps and what do we do?  Everyone has their own thing.

 I know what I do!   I make myself busy and force myself to be involved in the world around me.. even if all I want to do is curl into a ball and stay away from the world.  But that’s not turning to Christ first.  That’s me making decisions about what I think I need to do.  It’s the same advise I give to others who struggle.  Stay involved, don’t shut yourself away, community is there for a reason. 

When perhaps, if I turned to Christ first, if I looked to him for the answers, he might have another solution for me.  A solution that would be better in the long run instead of a short term solution.   If instead of losing myself in an electronic game, tv show or book.  That instead, I took a walk and spent time just talking with God.  Or spent time perusing scripture. 

I need to remember when I am struggling to look to Jesus.  In him I can find the solution I need.  How about you?

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Book Study, Christian living, Devotional, Faith Shaped

Our Tongue, a Fire

January 10, 2019 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

One of the things that is difficult between my son and I is figuring out to talk to each other. He is a very specific thinker and I’m more of a global thinker and so often I think I am answering a question of his and I’m not. He wants a straight up yes or no…but that’s not what I hear. Often I am left feeling so confused, and wondering how did I misunderstand?

Why do I tell you this?

I was thinking about that today as I read this chapter in The Faith-Shaped Life. How we talk as believers shows Christ to the world. If we are people of kindness and gentleness, people who are slow to anger, talking with love to those around us we show Christ to the world. The world then, has NO ambiguity about whose we are.

Problems Arise

But problems arise right?  The book of James tells us how much trouble our tongue can be.   How our tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.  Oh, how it can cause trouble.   Anger, gossip, taking sides, sowing dissension, lying, heartless, self-willed, and all manner of inappropriate speech comes out of our mouths. 

You know what I mean right?   How often you want to say the right thing and don’t.  When you want to share a concern, and end up gossiping.  The times when you blurt something out, and hurt someone’s feelings. Those times when you fudge the truth, and one thing leads to another and trouble occurs.     

What Do We Do?

In Proverbs we are told that “the lips of the righteous know what is acceptable“. (Prov 10:32)  That means we need to be take our time and consider if our words are indeed acceptable and fitting to be said.   Do the words we say build up or tear down?  Do we take our time to make sure our words are wise, gentle, kind, patient, merciful, and sincere?  It doesn’t mean we can’t offer correction or rebuke, but we can offer it with carefully, making sure our heart is in the right place. 

We need to be careful of our language.  Show Christ to the world around us in the way we moderate our words.

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Bible Study, Devotional, Faith Shaped

The Importance of Numbers

January 3, 2019 By Annette1 8 Comments

Throughout the inspired word of God numbers come up all the time.  Numbers of Israelites, numbers of people who served God, numbers of those who died, numbers of families, generations between one main figure and the next. Numbers pop up all the time.   The question begs to be asked… why are numbers so important?  Why do they come up all the time?

Importance of Numbers

In this chapter of the Faith-Shaped Life, Mr. Hamilton brings up the importance of numbers. Numbers tell us alot of information.   We see numbers being used to delineate the number of people in each tribe of Israel.  Numbers show the amount of disobedient people destroyed.  Generations are given to show passage of time, and God’s planning.  They also help us to see progression, such as we see in Acts when the Holy Spirit moves among the people bringing many to faith. 

In some circles, my own even, people often decry the focus on numbers.   Saying what matters is that faith is central.  The people are faithful, or growing in their faith and that the word of God is preached.  Therefore it doesn’t matter the size of the congregation, but more that they are faithful.    I agree with that sentiment.   At the same time, as I listen to Mr. Hamilton I wonder about these salient facts.

Developed an Unexpected Mindset

Perhaps in the focusing on faithfulness, could we unexpectedly believe that smaller is better?  Could we perhaps have become content with being small?  And therefore think that small is beautiful and good?   If that thinking becomes our mindset (however inadvertently) it affects how we live out our faith. 

Prayer

Prayer gets forgotten.  Because we have the mindset that small is good, do we forget to pray for the lost in our communities?   Have we forgotten to pray that God help us see and meet needs in our communities that show God to those around us?  Have we forgotten to ask God to add to our numbers?  To help us grow, to help us wrestle with the things of God.  

Have we truly forgotten how to pray deeply and meaningfully?

OR potentially… when we pray are we praying with the wrong motives in mind?   Wanting ourselves to look good, or give our church a better profile?   Does it grieve our hearts to see so many lost souls around us?   Do we really want to see God glorified?  The motivation should be central to all we say and do, and even more so should be our focus on our prayers.  That God use us to bring him further glory.  Do we understand that and pray for it?  Or has it gotten lost in our smallness mindset?

Preachers

Are our preachers remembering to preach the cross of Christ in everything?   To always, in their messages, to bring forth the cross of Christ and how it affects our entire being?  Christ’s love brought him to the cross.  His love is the compelling force in our lives.   Does that come through with every message preached and/or heard?

Is smallness bad?

Do not imagine for a moment that just because your church is small that you are somehow doing something wrong.  BUT do look at the size of your church and ask these important questions.  Is your church small because you don’t ask God, with the right motivation, with the compulsion of Christ’s love, for enough?    Are you thinking too small in your prayer life?

Know this: we are living in the days of a risen, reigning Saviour. God gave him all authority in heaven and on earth.  Remember therefore, that we can ask him for ANYTHING in his name.  God tells us to “ask” and in that asking, to know it will be given to us.

Since the cross, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus we are no longer living in a day of small things! Ian Hamilton, The faith-shaped life. p.120 Click To Tweet

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: Bible Study, Devotional, Faith Shaped

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I am centered by the love of God and family. Smiles are brought about being a Writer, Poet, Hiker and reader. Growth occurs as I educate my son, raise him up in the fear of the Lord, love up on my critters and live as a pastor’s wife.

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