FAITH: “LORD INCREASE OUR FAITH”

If there is one answered prayer that would radically change and eradicate the spiritual limbo of the typical Christian it is “Lord increase my faith”. Everything, right up to and including pleasing God, falls in this basket. We all want more faith...  right! The Bible speaks of four ways faith comes: First, we are given a measure of faith (Rom. 12:3). Second, faith comes by hearing the rhema word of God (Rom. 10:17). Third, our faith is increased as we move from “unprofitable servants” to “faithful servants” (Lk. 17:5-10; Matt. 25:14-30). Fourth, our faith is increased from praying in tongues. WHOA! You mean the very substance of our hope... the evidence of the unseen Kingdom... our faith, will increase when we speak in tongues? Yes! Jude understood this:

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). Jude had just chided the apostates, ones “not having the spirit” (verse 19). When he opens verse 20 with “But you”, the implied sense is you who have the Spirit, “beloved”, the “divinely loved ones”. “Building” is the Greek word epoikodomeo which means “to build upon, to erect a superstructure”, with the implication this is a spiritual structure. “Building” and “praying” are both in the present participle, denoting continuous action. “Faith” is anarthrius, lacking the definite article, which means it is not referring to “faith” as a system of beliefs, but rather the quality, character, and nature of our personal faith in God. “Most holy” qualifies the faith as coming to us from God and revealing God to us, the means by which we are made righteous and enabled to overcome the world. “In the Holy Spirit” is both locative of sphere – “within” – and instrumental of means – “by the means of”. Simply put, this phrase means “prayer within and by the means of the Holy Spirit” – literally originating within and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The word picture painted by Jude is of a superstructure, like the metal girding of a skyscraper, being built up by our supernatural “Tongue” prayers. This is a spiritual superstructure of faith, reaching heaven... supporting our spiritual life. It is though provoking, this picture of building up a superstructure of faith to support our spiritual building, when one considers we are referred to as “living stones being built into a spiritual house” by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 2:5).

“PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT”

MEANDERINGS ON GOD’S WILL

Case Number One: Some saints see God’s will as all inclusive, where every life choice... every decision great and small, is fore-ordered by God who moves us by His Spirit in everything we do. Some see the command to “walk in the Spirit” as a mandate supporting God’s all inclusive will... but the context in these passages is clearly the enmity and warfare between one’s old carnal fleshly nature and the new indwelling “Spirit” nature of our Lord. “Walking in the Spirit” is clearly a mandate to become Christlike in thought, word and deed. This case presumes we are hearing the voice of the Lord 24/7, and differentiating distinctly His voice from the din that surrounds us, a challenge for even the most mature Christian.

Case Number Two: Others see God’s will as a series of parking lots where every major life choice has spiritual parameters defining God’s will -- the parking lot boundaries. Once the parking lot is entered God’s will is satisfied and the choice of parking spots is left to us.

Case Number Three: And still others see God’s will more in a spiritual sense, involving one’s calling, ministry, and spiritual gifts.

For example, does God want to choose our spouse, city, house, occupation, job, church, the car we drive, where we have lunch, what shirt we wear, etc. Or, does He want to choose the city we live in, the parking lot, and allow us to choose the house... the parking spot  -- does He want to choose our occupation, the parking lot, and allow us to choose our job... the parking spot, and so on. Or, does He only concern Himself with our ministry and Kingdom activities, leaving all other choices up to us?

Every saint has righteous works foreordained by God: In the first case these works would accompany the choices God makes for us, so anytime we missed God’s choice we would miss the Kingdom works He had planned around that choice. In the second case God, in His infiniteness, would assign righteous works to our parking choices within the parking lot boundaries He establishes for each of our major life choices, to fulfill His purposes. Of course, this is not a challenge to our Father, who knew the choices we would make before the foundations of the world were laid.  And, what becomes a parking lot or a parking spot may very well differ between saints just as God’s righteous works and plans for them differ. God often guides us through granting or withholding favor, opening and closing doors of opportunity. In the third case, if we miss God‘s will concerning calling, ministry, or gifting, we would be up the proverbial creek without a paddle. But Case Number Three is really a subset of Case Number Two, another major life choice... another parking lot. If we use God’s word as a roadmap for our life we will find all His parking lots and be at peace with the parking spots we choose -- even if we have to walk a little further then needed at times... that’s OK...

Psalms 37:23-24 says “The steps of a good (i.e., righteous) man are ordered (i.e., directed and established) by the Lord, And He delights in his way … For the Lord upholds him with His hand.” God gives wisdom to all who ask, wisdom to find the right parking lots, and wisdom to pick the best parking spots. He delights in the way we take -- busies Himself with our every step -- holding our hand all the way.

FIND ME IN THE RIVER

My heart aches... but faintly. I love You, desire You, want You... weakly... waveringly. Even the pain of my denials, denying by my actions that which I profess, even that pain is so faint... more discomfort then the heart-wrenching anguish that should accompany my betrayal... the anguish of true love torn asunder. My knowledge of You is nothing, my wisdom even less, as I look without perceiving, hear without understanding... seeing nothing as it truly is... blind to the beauty in You. Eternity... what is light. Earth-life... what is dark. Stories remain stories, void of living water, unable to penetrate my dry and thirsty soul... unable to circumcise my heart with the scars of divine invasion. Your Cross is a picture... my cross a facade. My tears... when they do come, are sweet emotions... moving reminders of Your sacrifice. But not, sadly, the tears of sharing in Your suffering. Heaven is a fantasy with no transforming power, The Way a mystic road... the stuff of midnight ramblings. My heart is cluttered, wanting to be free to soar with You… wanting to drown in Your love... ever wanting... while contending with lovers less wild. I call Your name with sincerity, but do not know its face.  All I am... all that resides in me, is far, distant... removed from Your heart. But You beckon me to come... the scepter is raised once again. Lord, I am nothing... I have nothing... I know nothing... I am at best despicable... I deserve Hell. All the something I thought was me...  all that I held to be important, simply dissolved before Your radiant beauty... leaving me naked... possessing nothing... poor for words... empty of all... needy and alone. Even so my Lord... great lover of my soul, You call me... naked and wrenched as I am... You call me. You will not leave me here fatherless... You beckon me to come. May I find You in my nothingness... in my poverty... in my barrenness, as I cast myself on Your unfailing love, clinging to the hope You’re not through with me yet. Where else could I go... Whom have I but You...

WHEN WE CAN’T FIND GOD’S GRACE...

IT WILL FIND US...