Faith is a Narrow Perspective

For many years I prayed, “God, help me see things, people, opportunities, and situations the way You see them.” I thought that sounded like a pretty good prayer until the Lord interrupted me one day and said, “Jack, I don’t want you to pray that way anymore. Instead, pray that you see things the way I want you to see them.”

At first, I thought, “Isn’t that the same thing?” But He quickly showed me that it wasn’t. Man is not capable of seeing the way He sees. God’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours that the difference is immeasurable.

1 Samuel 16:9 (NKJV) But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Isaiah 55:9 (NKJV) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

There is a way that God wants us to see everything and everyone. We cannot see how God sees because we view life from the filter of two opposing natures. The fallen nature we inherited from Adam and the nature of God that we received at the new birth. Living in this incredible paradox demands that we adapt to seeing things from a particular perspective called faith.

Faith is a perspective, not a tool to get our needs met. Faith is a narrow way of seeing, thinking, believing, and speaking. Faith is the perspective that fills our entire being with light and is formed in love and devotion to God. Faith is simple trust in God.

Matthew 6:22-24 (NKJV) The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good (single), your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad (evil), your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! ²⁴ No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

The word “good” in verse 22 is the Greek word “haplous.” It means single. It is used only one other time in Luke 11 in his account of this same passage. The word “bad” in verse 23 is the Greek word “poneros” and is always translated as “evil, wicked, or wicked one.” Why is this important? Because anything other than having a faith perspective is evil.

Paul said in Romans 14:23, “whatever is not from faith is sin.”

If we do not see from a faith perspective, we see things from an evil perspective. What we look at illuminates our entire being with what we see.       

Without this narrow perspective, it is impossible to please God.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Quoted from the book, The Spiritual Warfare Manifesto

Thank you for visiting Truth Pressure Ministries. I hope this has been a blessing to you.

Honoring God = Faith

 

         In reading Luke 7, the account of the centurion’s servant being healed and his great faith, I noticed something that I believe is the key to The Roman’s faith, and the main reason it is recorded for us in the Bible.

          In Matthew 8 it says the centurion came to Jesus, But Luke gives us a more detailed account. The centurion didn’t come to Jesus at all! He sent his Jewish buddy’s because he knew the Jews saw Romans as gentiles and not heirs of the covenant. We know his friends were Jews because in Luke7:5 they say ” he has built us a synagogue.”

          The centurion never came to Jesus because he didn’t see himself worthy. (Luke 7:7) and (Matthew8:8). He honored their beliefs as much as he could and still got his request made known. But then it occurred to him, I am not even worthy that Jesus should come under my roof, that would be a violation of their tradition and could bring Jesus into a bad light. So he sent more friends to stop Him before He arrived.

          This was not the false humility the we often see among Christians, but a genuine concern for the wellbeing of Jesus and a deep sense of honor for His position and authority. He thought about every detail of what he was asking Jesus and how Jesus would be affected, not just about what he needed. His desire was not to cross any lines that would be dishonorable or inappropriate.

          The centurion knew that he didn’t come under the authority of the Jewish God because he was a gentile. Yet he recognized that Jesus not only had authority, but power to exercise that authority. He knew if he could get that authority to acknowledge him, he would have his request. However, the roman was not going to do it at the expense of his honor, or the honor of another person in authority. It was the centurions honor that showed his level of faith.

          Faith in God is revealed by a persons actions, not just words. Jesus Himself said in Luke 6:46  “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do what I say?” What is Jesus implying here? Is He saying “If I am really your Lord, you will do what I say?” Is He saying, “I am not your Lord because you fail to honor me with your disobedience.” Both are true!

          The reason we do not see more signs, wonders and miracles today is simply because we don’t properly honor the One who has the power to produce signs, wonders and miracles. We honor God with our lips but our hearts are far from Him. (Matthew 15:8, Isaiah 29:13) 

          When you have the free will to do whatever you want, what you actually do shows your heart, not what you say. True faith must have the appropriate corresponding action attached to it or faith is dead. (James 2:20)

          Faith in God is made evident by honoring His position as creator, His authority as our Lord, and by obedience to His word. When these conditions are met, the power of God becomes readily available, and easily accessible.

Honor releases the power that authority contains!

JC