Faith, Faithful and Obey

Faith.
Faithful.

These two things are very different aren't they?
I can be faithful at alot of things but that doesn't mean I'm the least bit "full of faith".

There's been times that I've gone to church regularly for weeks, but have been further away from God than an addict on skid-row.
I was a "faithful" attender. But my "faith" was weak.

God expects both from us.

Another thing I'm dealing with is obedience.
Last Sunday morning, I gave a wide-open lesson of about 12 cool stories in the 15th, 16th and 17th chapters of I Samuel. Every one of them is huge and I have no idea why I crammed 'em all into our Bible hour.
The main point of my lesson dealt with David's anointing and how the new King of Israel went straight back to tending sheep. I just took the long road to get there! :)

However,...the next morning at 5:30 am sharp,..I was awakened by the thought (or was it a still small voice?) that to Obey is better than sacrifice.

You see,...in one of the passages I'd read to the teens Sunday morning,...,...there was an admonishment to Saul because he talked liked he did things God's ways,..but he really didn't.

Samuel the prophet scolded him and said "...To Obey is better than sacrifice...."

Saul wasn't "real" sinful,..he just didn't do all the things he was supposed to.

(just teasin,....God rejected Saul completely for his sins of attitude)

But here's the deal,...I didn't spend any time at all on that particular passage because I was zooming to David's anointing.

I wasn't the least bit convicted of that passage on Sunday.

Hebrews 4: 12 talks about "...the Word of God is living and active,.." and I'm telling ya,..I've been reminded!

I think God spoke to me early Monday morning through Samuel the prophet!

(don't be jealous)

He just woke me right up and reminded me that I talk about reading God's word,..but I'm not faithful at all.

Just like Saul.

A risk-taking Leper

Abby and I are going to study the gospel of Mark for a while. Our pastor preached in Mark the other day, and I realised I have virtually NO handwritten notes in the margin! That my friends, is a sure sign that I don't know much about the passage there.
It's a way big pity that I have no notes in the margins of several other books of the bible as well!

Mark 1:40

The leper knelt down in front of Jesus and whispered,..

"If you are willing, You can make me clean."

This man was physically devastated, socially ostracized and emotionally bankrupt.
Yet,..he had had knowledge and hope.
This leper knew that Jesus could heal,..but he doubted if He would.
His history told him that he would be rejected again.
Reason told him to not bother.

Yet,..it was worth it to ask.

He took a chance with his life by even coming near enough to kneel in front of Jesus.

Some people get abused by life and are eaten up with bitterness.
Not this man.

He still had hope.
His life was meaningless without healing and he risked his life to ask for it.

Against all odds,..he was still a risk taker.

He's a picture of what I am to be.
"Lord,..if you are willing, you can __(fill in the blank)___"
Heal my broken heart?
Bring my church to life?
Protect my children?
whatever else is keeping me up at night?

I know in my head God can do all things, but I am not convinced that He is always willing.
Lack of Faith?
Absolutely not.
Take, for example March 18, 2004.

How do I know what His will is?
His ways are not mine and He specifically tells me to not lean on my own (pitiful) understanding.
Still, I know I am to hope for the good things I desire and to have the boldness to ask for them.

I want to be a hopeful risk taker.
No bitterness, no regrets.

Matthew

My book to study this month is Matthew.
Some of the things I learn in my study almost seem so elementary that I often find myself ashamed because I'm just now learning them
I think,.."everyone knows these things except me!"
Well, I'm not disclosing what I learned today at my kitchen table because you would think me a big doofus.

I WILL however, mention other interesting (to me) observations from my last couple of days in Matthew:

There are four women listed in Matthew's discussion of Jesus' linage.
Two were prostitutes. (Tamar and Rahab)
One was an adulterous. (Bathsheba)
The last one mentioned was from a sworn enemy people of the Jews. (Ruth)

John the Baptist is in the middle of a verbal tirade against the Pharisees and Sadducees when his cousin Jesus appears out of nowhere, pecks him on the shoulder and asks to be baptized. John switches instantly from a loud confident prophet to a knowledgeable but humble (confused?) brother.
I would have loved to have witnessed this moment shared between the two of them.


After Jesus was baptized,..the Spirit of God descended and "hovered" on Him as a dove. Did you know that in the second verse of Genesis 1,..before the world was formed,..the Spirit of God "hovered" over the darkness?
The Spirit of God as a tiny dove vs the Spirit of God hovering over a huge unformed planet.
One and the same.