Swooning!

My wife and I drove through the quaint, original downtown area of the Fuquay Springs section of Fuquay-Varina early yesterday afternoon.  Since the modern township is the result of two towns that merged together in 1963, it touts the unique feature of having two historic downtowns!  The Varina side has been artistically turned into a touristy destination with restaurants, multiple craft beer bistros, barbeque grills, ice cream shops, and clothing boutiques.  The street that bisects the area is narrow with angled parking and makes for a very pleasant walking experience.

Fuquay’s historic downtown is more of a working area filled with historic old buildings, banks, small stores, an old fashioned looking pizza house, more restaurants, a gas station/tire shop squeezed between two other stores and the city’s Police headquarters.  One of the largest buildings on the street is a gun shop located across the street from the PD.

So, as we passed by the gun shop that looked like it had been there for a long time, I glanced to my right toward the intersection we were driving past and couldn’t help but smile when a black early-nineties Z28 Camaro pulled up to the stop sign.  I noticed that the driver pulled in behind us and then came up on our left when we reached the stoplight.

I couldn’t help but check out and admire the car, especially since it was the same body style as the Camaro I owned for about twelve years.  The young driver, complete with dreadlocks and bouncing his head to the music playing never looked over at us, but I still smiled and enjoyed observing the interior, even though the dash top was dried out and cracked and the seats looked like they had seen far better days.

It didn’t matter though!  As a car guy I took notice of the fine lines of that particular model, the Z28 mags that I always wanted to get for my GS and the wonderful roar of the small block V8 engine.  Ah… a bit of heaven for a guy that has always had a thing for nice cars!

I know that it may not be right, but I have sometimes found myself getting annoyed with some folks who may not have the same affinity for cars… especially when it comes to the 1960-1970’s muscle and pony car varieties.  You know what I mean right?  Like when a gorgeously restored 1970 Chevelle SS 396 drives by and you’re barely able to stay upright on your feet because you are swooning and drooling all over yourself at the sight… and then you look at the person standing next to you and they have kind of a dazed look on their face and are completely oblivious to the beautiful piece of artwork that just passed by!

Well, you know… I’ve discovered myself in a similar position on multiple occasions over the last ten years, when it came to talking with others about having faith for my wife’s healing.  Strange huh… especially when the other folks are fellow Christians!  But I’ve been learning a few things about this lately.

In John 6:63-64 Jesus explained it to us saying, “The Spirit brings life.  The flesh has nothing to offer.  The words I have been teaching you are spirit and life, but some of you do not believe.” (The Voice)  If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that we’ve been speaking a lot about the meaning behind the words “spirit and life.”  But what has REALLY been catching my attention over the last few days is the first part of verse 64 which is the phrase that Jesus spoke to complete the thought that He began in verse 63.

So, what He is saying in effect, is that even though I have been speaking wonderful, powerful words that are filled with the spirit and life for your lives, that some of you still don’t get it!  You STILL DON’T believe me!  And how did He know this?  Because some of them were not ACTING on the words that He spoke unto them.

E.W. Kenyon in his book “The Two kinds of Faith” explains that “The word ‘faith’ is a noun: the word ‘believe’ is a verb.  ‘Believing’ is really ‘acting’ on the Word.”  He went on to say that “Instead of using the word ‘believe’, I use the words ‘act on His Word.”  John Gill in his commentary on John 6:64 wrote that “Their faith was not a living faith, or of a spiritual kind.”  Robert’s Word Pictures explained it by saying that “failure to believe (or act on His Words…) kills the life in the words of Jesus.”

I may be stepping out on a thin branch here… but it would make sense to me that this could very well be an explanation why some folks look a little dazed and blank when I enthusiastically share Piper’s and my beliefs on the healing properties of God’s Word.  I believe that every time I speak His Word over Piper that I am filling her up with His spirit and His very life!  Whew… now I’m getting a bit swoony over that reality – I’d better sit down… Oh wait, I am sitting!

I just had a fantastic conversation with Piper’s new CNA about God’s Words of healing that I speak over Piper at least twice a day.  She was in total agreement, her face lit up and the atmosphere in our home was brightened!  Even Piper responded with the most alertness in her face and eyes that she has shown for a while whenever a CNA has come over to bath her!

I am learning that most of this comes down to the practice of taking the time to allow the Word that you study each day to get past your head or your intellect and sink down deep into your heart!  We’ll discuss this a little more next week, but until then, take some time this weekend to look inside and see if your “believing” in God and His Word is truly being acted upon… or just talked about…

Have a super weekend!  And as you do, keep asking yourself… “Am I expecting to actively ACT on the Word of God that I read or hear today?”