How Much DO I Believe?

There is a particular commentator on one of the Fox News shows that I enjoy watching while cooking dinner, who really caught my attention yesterday evening.  This individual leans to the left in his political convictions and often makes statements that cause me to shake my head and laugh at what I think to be the utter absurdity of his thinking.  In one of the segments of discussion last night, the members of the panel were expressing their views concerning the current hostilities between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

I was heading into the kitchen when the commentator mentioned above was asked a question and began to state a very critical view of Israel and their policies.  It was then that I paused and found myself praying aloud, asking the Lord how this person, who openly declares himself to be a Christian, a devout Catholic and even recites a occasional verse of scripture, can take so many negative positions against Biblical standards and truth, and then face himself in the mirror every day?  It just doesn’t compute to me.

My first thought was that he probably doesn’t have much personal Biblical knowledge.  But then I looked at my own faith… during the time before I met Piper and began my personal journey of discovery of God and His Word… and realized that even though I didn’t know much about the Bible back then… as a good Catholic boy, who attended Parochial School for six years, church every Sunday and on Holy Days, and served as an Altar Boy… that I definitely knew the major tenants of the Catholic religion… which clearly stand in opposition to many of the comments and beliefs of this TV personality.

At that point, the sights and sounds emanating from my 65” TV faded from my consciousness and I began to have what I consider to be an open, audible conversation with God… which has become common place with me since Piper’s illness and subsequent passing.  As I dove into my questioning to God about how people can justify their belief in certain Biblical truths and at the same time, their adamant dis-belief about others… the Lord seemed to take ahold of my finger that was figuratively pointing to the individual on the screen and turn it back toward me… YIKES!

At that moment I heard that all-familiar statement that the good Lord seems to be asking me a lot more often in recent months, saying once again,

“Are you going to believe My Word or not?”

And my immediate response was to go on the defense and emphatically declare “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! You’re not going to put me in the same category as that person… are You?”  And His response was SILENCE!  Hummm… that wasn’t where I expected this conversation to go… so I put the discussion on the back burner and got dinner ready.

But obviously… God was wanting more conversation with me!  The next morning, as I reluctantly got up to take the dog out at 5:00 AM, I felt His presence and from deep inside heard Him asking me, “What if you got up this morning and lived your life like ALL of MY WORD REALLY WAS TRUE?  What, if anything would you change?  How differently would you live your daily life?

The thing that I almost immediately realized with that statement, was that I was not filled with condemnation… but with peaceful and almost joyful expectation and excitement!  I began to experience that same thrill that came upon Piper and I when we felt the Lord leading us to step out in faith for a new… bigger than before… faith project.

I know that this idea might scare off some individuals… but people who knew Piper and I, knew that we loved a challenge.  It was one of the first traits that I saw in Piper when I got to know her, and I am certain that she saw it in me as well!  Even in high school we loved taking on new projects that others may have thought of as too big or too complicated!  Therefore, when it came to matters of stretching our faith… we relished it!

So, for the last few days, that is all that I have been thinking about.  How would I THINK differently, how would I SPEAK differently and what would I DO differently… if I REALLY believed the entirety of God’s Word to be TRUE?  My two new favorite scriptures are found in Ephesians 4:21 where the Apostle Paul told his readers, “You have certainly heard his (Jesus’) message and have been taught his ways. The truth is in Jesus.” (God’s Word ©)  And in I John 5:20 where the Apostle John takes it one step further by declaring that “This Jesus is both True God and Real Life.” (The Message) 

Consider that as you think about the message in this post.  Most of us would probably nod our heads up and down in affirmation when asked if we believed the two Apostle’s words to be what we also believed.  But what about when the unexpected events of life come our way, when someone near and dear gets a devastating health report, or the mail comes in with some bills due that we hadn’t expected, or the IRS sends the dreaded audit letter (we got one of those in the past…), or the car or house needs repairs… and the list can go on and on…

Is our first reaction to FREAK OUT -or- jump for JOY, thanking the Lord that His unfailing Word of truth declares that “my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus?” (Philippians 4:19 KJV)

The truth is found in Jesus… and in Him and His Word is REAL LIFE!”  Not some of the time… not part of the time… BUT… ALL OF THE TIME… when we put our faith 100% in Him!

Well… I’m working on it!  Over the years I’ve been able to trust Him for a lot of things, in a lot of different circumstances… BUT… it looks like I’ve still got a way to go so that I am able to THINK, SAY and DO according to the Word of God… in every circumstance… every time!

I want to be a good example to my family, friends and people around me.  I don’t want to give anyone an opportunity to ask the questions about me… that I found myself asking about someone on TV.  If God’s Word says that the truth is found in Jesus, and that real life is in Him… then I wholly desire my daily adventures to be an example of Him! 

I’m looking forward to the CHALLENGE to really believe His Word… 24/7!

How about you?

I hope that you’re having a terrific week and that you are continuing to EXPECT God’s best for your life!