Convinced!

When I started dating Piper back on the first day of our senior year in high school… way, way back in September of 1970, I was pretty much CONVINCED after only a few months, that I didn’t want to be with anyone else but her!  I don’t think that we ever talked much on that subject because we were just so happy living it.  And it is kind of funny to me now, to have heard a report from one of Piper’s cousins about a year ago, of how Piper had told her, early on in our dating adventures, when she asked Piper if she had anyone special, that Piper replied with a big smile… “I’m working on it!” and described me as “a tall, dark Italian!”

As I am writing this today, I am reminded that once Piper and I (either individually or together) were CONVINVCED about almost anything… we dove in and never looked back!  Whether it was our ministry calling, having a large family, homeschooling or the message of the Gospel that we firmly believed in…  We did our homework, we studied hard, got the facts, got excited and once CONVINCED that it was right for us… well, we, as Piper’s maternal grandmother would say when serving a delicious meal laced with southern overtones… “Put your ears back and dive in!”

The Apostle Paul seemed to be that kind of guy to me!  Before his conversion to Christianity, he totally immersed himself in his Jewish ancestral traditions.  In Galatians 1:13-14 Paul spoke of his zeal for what he believed then stating, “For you have heard of my former conduct at one time in Judaism, that beyond measure I used to persecute the church of God, and I was devastating it.  And I was advancing in Judaism above many my own age, being far more zealous for the traditions of my forefathers.” (EMTV)

Then when Jesus stopped him on the road to Damascus… where he was going to round up the Christian believers… he flipped on a dime when he heard the truth and put 150% of his effort on following His Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!  II Corinthians 11:16-33 then tells of all the sufferings that he had endured as a chosen Apostle for the Christian faith.

But Paul’s enthusiasm and sufferings weren’t just based on a blind faith in his religion.  No… it was firmly centered on a very personal, intimate and ever-increasing relationship with Jesus!  It was a living, breathing, active and pro-active experience of life.  In their experiences together, the Lord repeatedly showed Himself strong and faithful and miraculous in His interactions with Paul… and it was from the framework of those actual adventures in faith, that Paul wrote over half of the New Testament.

In thankfulness for an offering that was sent to him, Paul wrote a heartfelt letter to the church in Philippi saying, “I am CONVINCED that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through the Anointed One, Jesus Christ!” (Philippians 4:19 TPT) 

I personally believe that this statement is two-fold in its nature.  Paul was CONVINCED that his God would fully satisfy the needs of the Philippian church, first of all… because according 2 Corinthians 12:1-5, Paul had actually seen the abundant riches of glory in the heavenly realm during a personal vision or actual visitation when Jesus took him to heaven, and secondly, because Paul had repeatedly seen the miraculous supply of his every need, be it for physical safety, for wisdom, for the manifestation of a healing miracle or to meet a financial short come.

Paul had the practical experience in his life of Hebrews 13:8 where it is written that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (God’s Word ©)  If he had seen the living Word of God work in his life once… then he knew that he would see it again! 

There were many steps of faith that Piper and I took after she received the first confirmed negative health report in 2007, that many people thought were absolutely negligent, naïve, and according to one report… just plain stupid! (to which my son had to defend my character!)  But we were CONVINCED!  For all the steps we took, we did so knowing that we’d seen Him do the miraculous for us before… and therefore… according to Hebrews 13:8… KNEW that He’d do it for us again.  And you know… HE DID… and all those other folks were proven incorrect in their hasty reactions.

So… Just how CONVINCED are you that God will satisfy your every need? 

For us, it began believing God for the little things!  I remember a book on faith that I had read in the late ‘70’s where the author suggested that one wanting to develop and grow their personal faith start small… like for believing God for a pair of sox!

Now, I don’t remember if that’s exactly where Piper and I began, but we did start believing God for the little needs that would occasionally pop up in our young marriage.  And as I look back today… I wonder if it was not all practice for when Piper got sick and the seemingly huge miracles that we needed to believe for some 30 plus years later… It wouldn’t surprise me at all! 

We were CONVINCED with the little faith projects back then, stayed true to our conviction over the years and are still CONVINCED today… with a WHOLE lot of experience, training and life lived in-between!

How about you?