Tag Archives: body of Christ

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Case of the Missing Faith

Matthew 8:5-13

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

This man of the Roman army, a leader of the Roman army came to Him and said “My servant…” One thing we have to understand is that he cared about those under his authority, under his leadership. Jesus marveled. Why did He marvel? When the Centurion said he tells the one to go and he goes, when he tells the one to sit down, he sits down. Why are the Children of God so disobedient? When you were at school and your teacher told you to be quiet, you sat down and were quiet. At your job, the boss tells you go pick up that thing and bring it over here and put this together. You don’t look at him and say why. If you do, you won’t have a job long. If you challenge the one in authority, he can ask you why are you here? “I’m here because I need the money and have nothing else to do.” So he will ask, didn’t you sign some papers saying you will abide by the rules of this company? The point is, when God gives us authority, we have to obey His authority. We want people to do what we say, but we won’t do what they say. Can you imagine the sight of Christ saying that He’d not found so great faith in Israel, after having been teaching to His disciples on faith? The Centurion had great faith in Jesus Who commands the air, the spirits. The Centurion believed that Jesus authority was sure. He had enough faith in Jesus that He had authority. He knew that when Jesus said it, it would be done. He knew that all power was in Christ hands. He had not found one, no not even in Israel as faithful. Can He say that to you today? The Children of the Kingdom will be cast out..those who walk around thinking they are Christians when they aren’t. Because the servants boss had faith, the results went to the servant. It wasn’t about the servants boss, but about God because of the Centurions faith.

Do we have faith like that today? Or do we need something to crank us up? So if you’re going through something, could it be you’re the one going through, and its waiting on you?

Matthew 8:14-16

And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them. When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

God was showing His authority over sickness. Some people are sick because they want to be sick. If you serve a God who can heal, why are you sick? We sometimes use sickness as a crutch. Has your salvation become a crutch so that people will look at you and praise you instead of God? Sometimes things may not seem so clear as to where we are in Him. We’ll do things because we’re not sure where He is or where we are, to test our faith to see if Christ will be there to help us out. We’ll stretch the limit, come almost there to only find out that maybe He’s not really watching me right now…”God are you there?” Sometimes things might not seem so clear where we are in Him, even if we may have strayed away from salvation, a little off mark from the high calling of salvation.

What do you tell children when crossing the street? You stop, look both ways and listen. Have we done that in our lives with our sin, and asked how it will affect our walk in Christ, affect my Salvation? Do you know its a personal walk, not a public one? You don’t need anyone poisoning your walk by their views or understanding. Words are powerful, and even more so to the feeble-minded. It’s important that you get the right info the right way and in all you’re getting get an understanding. It’s important that we stop look and listen for the Breath of God. People breathing down our neck, talking to about everything under the sun except the Son. Misery loves company, and company has friends. He has been exhaling in our lives, but we continue doing what we’re doing in hope that He understands. We’ve used that term before “He understands me. We’re that tight.” He understands what we are doing, walking by sight and kind of by faith. At one time or another we’ve done that. The Bible tells us we walk by faith and not by sight. But most of us blend it: a little bit of sight a little bit of faith. We comfortably do that. When your mind is walking by sight, then your mind is influenced around you, you are walking by others. When they are jacked up, you’re jacked up. Sometimes we allow things, emotions and situations to dominate our walk. In most cases we begin to second guess ourselves and our faith begins to wean, leading to faithlessness.

 

Hebrews 11:1-6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

Everywhere you see faith in these passages, substitute for “complete trust.”

Have you ever gone to someone who you know can’t help you? Most of the time we go to someone who can help. You have faith that they can do what you know can be done. If you can’t trust in anybody, then you’ll not go to the “body,” but go to another body to help you take care of your body! We’re sick because we want to be sick, laid up, stressed out, and prostrate before everyone because we get attention. We’re sick because we want attention. What about those who really are sick? Where is their faith? The case of the missing faith. If you have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed…

I have a concept of what faith is: trusting in something that you don’t have an idea or clue about, because you have complete trust. You exhibit and use complete trust everyday. When you get out of your bed do you step on a cloud or the floor? You trust that the floor is going to hold you. You don’t have to think about it because you trust it completely. This is how it should be with Jesus. We don’t have to think about Him because we know He is faithful. This is what faith is, not having to worry about your salvation. Not arrogantly, but not having to worry about if you are going to be healed, or going back with Him. Why do we read the Word of God? Because we completely trust in it. Do you completely trust God? Then why are you limping? By His stripes you are healed. Our complete trust is conditional. What we don’t want to accept is we’ve given Him conditions for our life, when He never gave us conditions. How many love the Lord? We love Him on conditions and completely trust Him on conditions. Have we lost our hope? Or more than that, have we quietly lost our hope in Christ Jesus? Maybe a dream we’ve had that didn’t come to pass or a relationship that did go the way you planned and you quietly blamed Jesus because it didn’t come to fruition. And now you sit in your pity, patty party, blaming yourself and Jesus too, instead of standing on your most holy faith and asking the Lord to forgive you and forgive yourself. Hope lost. You have no faith when hope is lost. Without faith you can’t please God. Hopelessness sets into you.

In conclusion, we can’t allow our self pity to rule or ruin our walk in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:1-16

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

 

5 Points to remember:

1 Do not lean-to your own understanding, Proverbs 3:5-6

2 Change the way you have been thinking from a selfish worldy mind to a Christ Jesus mind, Romans 12:2-4

3 Don’t allow things or your situations to dictate your walk, Ephesians 4:14-16

4 Without faith you cannot please God, Hebrews 11:6

5 You can do all things through Christ, Philippians 4:13

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How Deep Do Your Roots Go?

A lot of things we go through in our lives, usually stems from events and things that we’ve done or been a part of in our youth. Your personality and your mindset that you had during your youth will usually show up when you get older.

Colossians 2:1-23

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

If you look at verses 12-13, “Buried with him in baptism…  being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses…” and verse 18 “let no man beguile you of your reward.” These are key phrases. Things are hidden deep inside you. If you look at the word “deep,” it means extremely deep, such as the mountain ridge, that is 7 miles deep in the Pacific ocean, that at the 1st 100 feet, things are crushed. At 1000 feet, a car would be the size of a cube. Oxygen cannot exist, and light does not travel that fall down. The title is “How Deep do your Roots Go?” If you look at the definition of the word Roots, it means source, origin or the essential core. If you look at the dandelion, cutting it off at the surface will not kill it, because its roots go 2 or more feet. It is a parasite. That is why it’s so crucial and important that a husband and wife, train up their children; teach them the right way. In essence teaching them not their own way, but teaching them from the Word of God (Proverbs 22:6). And for those who has not parents, it is a wise thing to connect yourself to a mentor who understands the teaching of God, so that he will teach you the rudiments of growing up and being a human being in this world today.

There are things in your life that you may have forgotten about, that has been buried and covered over. But the roots are still connected to your very being, your emotions, to who you are. When you look at that aspect, there are things hidden in you that you don’t even remember, as a matter of fact, you’ve forgotten about it. But when a situation comes up and the right thing is fertilized, a connection is made to that thing, that is rooted down inside you that will cause that flower to blossom. If you were angry about something, that situation will flair up. So that old wound that was inside you, you’ve forgotten about, is now getting nourishment. A root that is in your life, a root of sin in your life, has a foothold in every aspect of your life. In your sex life, mental life, and physical life. You will do everything you can to save that root from dying because the roots go deep. Sin is a parasite. Who feeds that root? Satan with situations in your daily walk. You begin to lie to justify. When you lie, it builds another hole.  You wonder why today you have problems with smoking or drinking, or with men, or with women. It is a root that must be dug out. It is hard to dig out when you refuse to believe it exists. You can try to cut off the surface, by becoming celibate if you have sexual problems, avoidance of the situation of individuals, ignoring, becoming isolated from society, etc, but it will still continue to grow. You need to dig down and deeper to get to the root. To go deep means you need to let go of yourself. Admit to yourself, that this is who you are, this is what you have become; admit to your sin.

Colossians 3:1-5

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Why did he pick the first thing in verse 5, fornication? Because it is one of the things we most struggle with. Almost everyone in this world has a sexual issue or problem. That is the biggest problem in this society. What does it mean? They’re caught in a rooted situation that they refuse to get rid of.

Romans 12:1-8

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

 

We need to come to some sort of conclusion in our lives, do we still want to suffer from what is rooted in us? Whatever is in your past, will be in your future, if you don’t cut it down, and dig the root out.