what faith is not..

romans 4.19-20a (niv), without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead... and sarah's womb was also dead.  yet he didn't waver with unbelief. 

abraham's 99 years old, GOD says he’s going to have a child.  there is a medical impossibility here.  they are beyond the childbearing years.  yet the bible says he faced the fact and yet didn't waver in belief. 

faith is not denying reality.   it’s not pretending you don’t have a problem.  that’s not faith, that’s denial.  faith is not saying, “i’m not in pain” when you are.  it’s not saying, “i don’t hurt” when you do.  it’s not saying, “i’m happy” when you’re really grieving inside.  that’s not faith, that’s phoniness. 

GOD says, “I want to work in your life according to faith.”  faith is facing the facts without being discouraged by them – being able to look at the problem and say, “yes that’s a problem in my life but i’m not discouraged by it, because i know GOD is greater than the problem.” 

there is a brand of CHRISTianity today that basically says, “deny all of your problems.  just have a positive confession.  name it and claim it.”  that kind of thinking did not come from JESUS.  that’s pollyanna.  pollyanna is not exactly a good theologian. 

faith is not denying reality.  faith is facing reality without being discouraged by it.  you know that GOD can change a situation.  you can build a family on faith but you can’t build it on fantasy.  you can build a business on faith but not on fantasy.  you can build a life on faith but not on fantasy. 

the key is to look beyond your circumstances.  2 corinthians 4.18 (niv),  we fix our eyes on what is unseen.  for what is seen is temporary [the problem], but what is unseen [GOD’s power] is eternal.

if you look at the world you're going to be distressed.  there are major it seems insurmountable problems in the world.  if you look within you're going to be depressed, because there are a lot of things that need changing in your life.  but if you look at JESUS CHRIST you’ll be at rest.  it all depends on what you have your eyes on. 

circumstances are like a mattress.  you get on top; you rest easy.  you get underneath; you suffocate.  when you start looking at your problem, you’re sunk.  if you look at CHRIST beyond your problem, look at your deliverer rather than the difficulty, you'll make it. 

just a thought from the front porch…