Seeing With Your Spiritual Eyes . . . Seeing Past The Problem

I had a pretty cool grandfather who lived in Raleigh, NC.  I only saw him once a year or so and since he passed away when I was young, I have very few memories of him.  But, the one thing I can still see like a well preserved movie clip was him leaning over, showing me his thumb and then with a tug, pulling his thumb in half.  I could see right through it like it had been sawed neatly in two. Then, just like that, he pushed the two parts back together, put up his hand, and wiggled his now one-piece thumb.  He would smile, wink,  then walk away as I sat there with my mouth gapping open.  Cool trick but it wasn't long before I figured it out and the illusion lost its power.


Read these words from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians:


Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)


This truth is HUGE!  What we see is not all there is!  Actually, what we don't see is more real and longer lasting.  It's like the silly thumb trick. Sure it looks scary and unfixable but it's not.  Paul is telling us (those who have trusted Christ) that we are not to lose heart because even though things may seem impossible or hopeless on the outside, we are growing closer and closer to God and to a time when all the troubles will fade away.  He tells us to "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen."  How in the world do we fix our eyes on something that is unseen?


When I understood that my grandfather's finger wasn't really coming apart, when I just knew in my heart and head the truth, it didn't matter how well he pulled off the trick.  I just didn't buy it anymore.  I could see right though the illusion even though my eyes still saw the finger separate and come back together.  My mind's eye took power over my eyeballs! 


When we begin to grab hold of the truth of the Word and the character of God our spiritual eyes begin to see beyond what our eye balls see and what our remaining four senses discern.  When we lose our job and our eyes see our financial statements looking dim we trust in the Lord of all provision to carry us, not because our eyes see a solution but because our spirit knows there is one.  


Today, our worship leader pulled out this verse in Matthew Chapter 7.  In it Jesus told his disciples about the faithfulness of God:


 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."


I've lived long enough in the grace of God to know that even though I sometimes see a stone or a snake as an answer to my prayer, it can't be true because God doesn't lie.  That snake is like the thumb trick. If I am a born again child of God it is certainly a fish.  My temporary suffering will ALWAYS work for the good for me, for someone else, and for the Glory of God.  Always!


Our job is to begin to consciously make the effort to "FIX OUR EYES" on what is unseen so that we can indeed be "renewed day by day" and attain a FOREVER future that is beyond anything we can hope for or imagine.  


Ultimately it's a choice.  Where we fix our eyes is up to us.  Don't be fooled by Satan's lies and tricks.  His tricks are no more truth than my grandfather's thumb trick.  They certainly seem much bigger and scarier but God is ALWAYS in control of the outcome.


As always, please write us a note or comment if you need prayer or have a question.


Peace!


David

How Big is a Mustard Seed?

per-func-to-ry

-adjective

1. performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial

2. lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent

I was recently told about a leader of a "Christian" organization who felt that prayer was "perfunctory and meaningless". It kind of made me mad! Dang it! How could he say such a thing!? But, be careful David when you chuck a stone in a glass house . . . you could see your own walls come crashing down. God has shown me something recently and I have to tell you up front that the first accusatory finger gets pointed at me. I didn't like what this man said but you know what, at least he was honest. Prayer to him was a thing "performed merely as a routine duty" so why bother. He said out loud what I think many people feel but don't admit. Whether you're a believer or just visiting today (not an accident by the way) I'd like you to hear me out. I pray, but then go about my business as if I didn't.

Jesus' disciples had tried to cast a demon out of a young man and were unsuccessful (yes, a demon. Jesus believed in them and he spoke to them so they must exist. Sorry, for the detour.) So, Jesus "rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment." The disciples were like "What the heck!" Actually they said "Why couldn't we cast it out?" Jesus replied, "Because you have little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

"So, how big is a mustard seed?", you ask. Ever seen a poppy seed in a muffin or on a bagel? Well, a mustard seed is about 1/3 the size of the poppy seed. Apparently, this is still quite big because we still struggle with faith. I was at an outdoor event last night and the forecast was kind of ominous; good chance of rain and thunderstorms. So, I prayed that God would hold back the rain. I think many people prayed that God would hold back the rain, but most of those people brought umbrellas. I felt in my spirit that it wasn't going to rain but my feeble and fickle brain said. "Man, that sky is kind of grey! Better rent a tent! Pack the umbrella! OK, at least grab a rain jacket you fool!" Now, I wasn't testing God but maybe he was testing me. OK Lord, no tent, no umbrella, no rain coat. Rain stayed away and it began to rain only as I was leaving the event. Now, I know this could be coincidence but I don't think so. This is the point: If we don't really believe then why bother? Why waste our time and our breath? The man I told you about didn't really believe in miracles so he didn't pray nor did he allow that kind of thing in his meetings. He never saw God move because he never really believed. So, he gave up on prayer and faith. We pray for financial breakthrough then we speak words of defeat. We pray for healing then we aim our focus on the abnormal lab values. How big is a mustard seed? Apparently, quite big.

Now, listen to me please. God is still God and God is still the boss. Not because he is on an ego trip but because he created all that is, all that ever was, and all that ever will be. The Bible talks about praying "according to the Father's will" so when I say, "Lord, I want to win the lottery" chances are that he knows it would be a VERY bad thing for David to have 25 million dollars. God's answer, "NO!". Does God always give us what we want? No. Thank you God! But how often do we really, really, really, trust him. I wonder how many miracles we we've missed because we pray perfunctory prayers.

There is this scene in the movie "Facing the Giants" where this small, high school, back-up field goal kicker is asked to kick a 51 yard field goal into the wind during the last seconds of the state championship. The scene goes like this (paraphrased), "Coach, the longest I've ever kicked is a 39 yard field goal. There's no way I can make that." The coached asked him, "David, do you believe God can help you kick this field goal?" David answered, "Yes" The Coach responded, "Then you just give God your best and let him do the rest."

Friend, God made your amazing eyeball. He made hummingbirds, blue whales, galaxies, and your best friend. Do you believe he can heal your body, your bank account, your marriage, or your mind? If the answer is "no" or "not really" then the mustard seed might as well be a coconut. I believe that the God who raised Lazarus can still raise the dead and can still straighten crooked limbs. God is still in the miracle business and nothing is beyond his ability.

But, I also know that the Bible says "It is appointed man once to die then face the judgement." So God will eventually call each of us out of this life. Sometimes the answer will just be "No", "Not yet" or "Not in the way you want." I get that. I have a friend and wonderful man of God who has been wheelchair bound his whole life. He knows God can heal him but God is using him powerfully just as he is and he has shared with me that if he were cured, he would likely drift from God so he is content where he is. He is one of the most powerful deliverers of the Word of God I know.

So, what do you and I do about this? I'm going to borrow another scene from "Facing the Giants". A faithful man told the Coach the story of a drought and two farmers. Both farmers were diligent in their prayers, but only one prepared his field to receive the rain. Then he asked the Coach, "Which of the two men had the greater faith?"

I want to leave you with a couple questions. Are you preparing your fields to receive the answer to your prayers or are you mulling around in a dry field speaking words of drought and defeat? Are you kicking the ball and trusting God to get it though the uprights or are you saying, "There's no way!". I don't know what you are struggling with, but please begin to pray and trust. Then praise him if you win and praise him if you lose. I have begun to experience God's miracles in both circumstances. Praying in faith is not perfunctory but power. The power of the God of the universe! One last thing: My friend in the wheel chair told me today that if God chooses not to heal him in this life that one day his corruptible body will be made incorruptible and the first time he is actually able to kneel will be at the foot of his Savior. That is faith !!

Drop us a note if you need us to pray for you. You can trust that we will pray in faith.

In Him,

David