Faith or Experience?

November 13th, 2013 by JDVaughn Leave a reply »

. . . the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me —Galatians 2:20

 

We should battle through our moods, feelings, and emotions into absolute devotion to the Lord Jesus. We must break out of our own little world of experience into abandoned devotion to Him. Think who the New Testament says Jesus Christ is, and then think of the despicable meagerness of the miserable faith we exhibit by saying, “I haven’t had this experience or that experience”! Think what faith in Jesus Christ claims and provides— He can present us faultless before the throne of God, inexpressibly pure, absolutely righteous, and profoundly justified. Stand in absolute adoring faith “in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God— and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . . .” (1 Corinthians 1:30). How dare we talk of making a sacrifice for the Son of God! We are saved from hell and total destruction, and then we talk about making sacrifices!

We must continually focus and firmly place our faith in Jesus Christ— not a “prayer meeting” Jesus Christ, or a “book” Jesus Christ, but the New Testament Jesus Christ, who is God Incarnate, and who ought to strike us dead at His feet. Our faith must be in the One from whom our salvation springs. Jesus Christ wants our absolute, unrestrained devotion to Himself. We can never experience Jesus Christ, or selfishly bind Him in the confines of our own hearts. Our faith must be built on strong determined confidence in Him.

It is because of our trusting in experience that we see the steadfast impatience of the Holy Spirit against unbelief. All of our fears are sinful, and we create our own fears by refusing to nourish ourselves in our faith. How can anyone who is identified with Jesus Christ suffer from doubt or fear! Our lives should be an absolute hymn of praise resulting from perfect, irrepressible, triumphant belief.

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November 13, 2013-

Journal Entry- JDV

Lord, this devotional reminded me of one of those “hellfire and brimstone” sermons I would hear (and that chased me away from church) years ago.  When Chambers writes that all of our fears are sinful, and we need to just pull ourselves up by our faith bootstraps, and have solid and confident faith; well it doesn’t seem to work that way for me Lord. I am a great deal like the father of the girl that told Jesus, “I believe, help me in my unbelief”. I would like to have more confidence, more faith, more discipline, but how much less than 100% is acceptable? Lord, please help me understand how much more confident in my faith need I be to be acceptable?

And God says…”You are always and completely acceptable to Me because I see Jesus when I look at you. When you surrender and identify with Jesus, you are not required to grow and sustain your own faith. I will provide your growth and sustenance. You are not required to think or behave or even believe in things a certain way.  You simply trust in Jesus and give up your rights to your own notions of spirituality. You must even question the notions and ideas of preachers and teachers, as they preach and teach their ideas of faith. Simply trust in Me. “

The way to step out in confidence in an uncertain and demanding world, to live a life in confident faith, is to know that I love you beyond all you can imagine, and my love has nothing to do with your work or worthiness.  My love is because of what Jesus did and what He is for you. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and all you need, or hope will be provided. Delight yourself in Jesus and I will give you the desires of your heart.”

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