In last week's Pondering Points, we studied Faith and how though we may not see it, it is our total relationship to our Savior and our life-line to eternity. A good pastor friend of mine sent me this scripture that I failed to list:
Hebrews 12:1, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen."
To me, and I reinterate--this is my opinion, so please let me explain how I think Faith is a determining factor in our relationship to our Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ and to the Holy Spirit.
Nahum 1:7 states: "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
This has been my favorite scripture for many years. You will see it on all my emails with my signature. Read it. Take in what it is saying. The Lord is good...yes, we all agree with that. The Lord is a strong hold in the day of trouble...He is always there for us holding onto us tightly against his bosom when trials and trouble comes our way. But the best part and the part I wish to elaborate on today is " and he knoweth them that trust in him."
Do you know the Father? Jesus? The Holy Spirit? Do you
know their functions? Many think they do. But I have an example I wish to share with you that might make you think twice about this.
As most parents find out eventually, not all--but most--their children are more trouble and more aggravating after they are considered grown. I know my three girls are. Let me give you a couple of examples.
One of my daughters is bi-polar manic depressive. She is a mess. She is always calling wanting me to keep the children, regardless of what pain I am going through from my accident. In fact, when she took me for my three week check-up with the hand specialist she brought the kids and left them with me. I had already had them from October until January 23, when the accident occurred ,and was running them back and forth to school. After the accident I guess she was tired and needed her rest as she left them again in March and I had them until mid June, when the grandson went home, but not the granddaughter. I still cannot drive so I had to find rides to and from school daily...even their dad charged me gas money to take them. The only way I could get rest was to enroll them in the YMCA for a bunch of money so they could go be with other children and socialize for the summer. Of course, she fussed about having to take them...but oh, well. I never did hear a thank you either.
Then in July she hit me up for a lot of money, three times. I tried to explain to her I was on extra medications--one retails for $689.00 for 30 days. That did no good. She begged and pleaded until she got what she wanted then would not answer the phone again for 3 weeks.
Then she had a manic episode and goes off the deep end and when that happens everything is all about the past. Why did I not tell her the circumstances of her adoption...we had waited until she was 12 so she could make the decision herself. Why this and why that? Hours went by....finally, she mentioned her sister told her I was having an affair during my first marriage and it was no telling who her father was. I was instantly engulfed with hurt, embarrassment, and all the bad feelings that go with accusations like that.
I told her, "You do not even know me. You, your sisters, nor your father, know me. You lived in my house 30 years. I waited on you, did your laundry, fixed your meals and was faithful to God and to your Dad and if you knew me, you would know that! It hurts me to think that you would even think I would ever do anything like that. I am a Christian and tried to bring you three up the same way. I am shocked. And you know what? You do not even know me at all. You do not know my favorite food, my favorite hobbies, my favorite colors, movies, etc. You don't know me at all. None of you do."
I went and laid down for a bit to calm my nerves. "Jesus", I cried out. "Now I know exactly your feelings. If all your children hurt you like mine just did me, then you have to be hurting a billion times worse." He said, "Gail, a lot of my children think they know me, but they don't. They sit in a building and listen to a man's opinion about something and take it as My Father's honest truth. They don't dare tell all the truth. If they did, they would not have a job."
That is why in Matthew 7 13-23 I say:
13. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad
is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which
go in thereat:
14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of
thorns, or figs of thistles?
17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a
corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.
20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21.Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
I said "Lord, God, please help me. I do not want these children to think they are walking the paths of righteousness and end up in hell. Their father does not believe and as hard as I tried for 32 years to be the exact description of the perfect wife you gave us in the books of Peter, he would not change...and now he has influenced them until they are turning from the good they knew in their hearts and are becoming wicked."
One of my daughters has only been to my home three times in four and half years. I live not quite 30 miles from her and she says she can't afford the gas to come and see me, but she is out running around dating, shopping, etc. Another one has only been here twice, both times with her father, I guess to protect him. The other one, the oldest, will occassionally take me to the doctor, but I have to give her $20.00 for each trip and when I see three or four doctors a week, it is really hurting my budget.
I have shown this child more attention that the other two as they got older knowing she was the "step-child" of the family and was blantantly hurt in many ways by her step-father's family. I also bonded with her more she had meningitis as an infant of 8 weeks old...and when she was quarantined in the hospital, her biological father sent word through his father, that he would not be up to see her because if she died or something, then why should he get to know her. Therefore, I have been protective of this child.
Her step-father adopted her at 12 and then at age 14 my daughter witnessed a terrible traumatic event which involved her step-father, or now adoptive father, and it caused such irreparable damages to her mind this is when the bi-polar manic depression set in. (I am still claiming a total healing of her mind by The Great Physician.) The other sisters and dad laugh at her and say she is on drugs and acts stupid and is no good, etc. But she has a big heart.
One reason she borrowed money from me in July, and did not tell me why, was she paid someone's phone bill for them to keep it from being cut off...and other money went to pay the rent for others. Then her own was cut off. She has a beautiful heart...and she does for Jesus much more than the others ever even tried to do. Yet they all call themselves Christians.
Jesus reminded me in our conversation of the following scriptures:
Matthew 25: 31-46
31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and
all the holy angels
with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he
shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd
divideth his sheep from the goats:
33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on the left.
34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I
was thirsty, and ye
gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited
me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord,
when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty,
and gave thee drink?
38. When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked,
and clothed thee?
39. Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say
unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and
his angels:
42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink:
43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye
clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw
we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked,
or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye
did it not to me.
46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
He, then, told me, " his heart is broken daily." He said, "He waits, like I do, just for a chance to hear the voices of His children. He said He gives them many opportunities but they just want material things from Him, and no, they don't say thank you to Him, either. He says He follows each one daily, just waiting for them to call on Him, yet He never hears from them. Until sometimes on Sunday, some will go to a building, they call a church, and sing songs about and to Him", but He said: "He knows it is not coming from their hearts. This hurts Him even more. No, most of His so-called children do not KNOW Him. They know of Him, or about Him only."
And, no, my children do not know me. But I do know God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I have made sure I am on the narrow path and I try my very best to know everything there is about Him... through my faith. I trust Him with my very life....here in this world where the flesh resides and then again in the eternal life. I know His favorite color. I know His Voice, and try to take heed to them and I am busy about doing His ministry the best I can. I feel Him hold me many times. I feel Him watching me waiting for me to stop and talk to Him. He is my All, my Lover, my Comforter, my Husbandman, my Physician and my Counselor. He is all I need.
I gave my children back to Him and sat them at His altar and asked Him to please fix whatever it was I messed up in their lives as their mother. See, I know, I wasn't the perfect mother, I had to work, go to school at night, keep house and keep hubby from going balistic over all things. I did try. I taught them about Jesus and being born again....now it is up to them as to the path they choose.
I would like to take this opportunity to say now that if you do not really "KNOW" the Savior with all your heart, mind, body and soul, and you wish Him to come into your heart and help you change, please just say this simple prayer.
Our Heavenly Father,
I come before you with my sins. I am a sinner and I want to be free and clean. Please come into my heart and save me and accept me as one of Your children. I do not want to go to hell. I want to spend eternity with You and Your children. Please Father, I believe that Jesus is Your son, born of a virgin, and that He died on the cross for all sins, including mine. I believe in the Trinity and I know You love me. Please, I know You may not give me another chance, so let me accept You now.
Amen
Now if you prayed that prayer the Bible says you will need to do only two things. One, is be baptised through the immersion of water, like Jesus was, and the other is to confess with the mouth to others that you are now a Christian.
You may call me at 803-684-9599 and if you like I will pray the prayer with you and if you need a Bible one will be sent to you through my ministry with other study helps.
See, it is all Faith. Just believe in your heart you are saved, live like Jesus said--and He will help you do that when He moves in---and have Faith that You are now His. God Bless,
Gail
