There's a difference between believing in God and believing God...
Most of this is coming fromthe book, Confessions of a Pastor:
"For example, I havea friend who believes in airplanes, but he's afraid to fly. He says planes are a good thing, but he doesn't believe they will carry him safely to his destination. Similarly,there is a big difference between believing in God and believing God.
Jamesreflected this truth when hewrote, "You believe that there isone God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder" (James 2:19) Demons knowGod is real, but they obviously don't serveHim.
Three kinds of faith:
Casual Believer- such a person believers in God, but hasn't fully surrendered to Him. He may be a church attender, and possibly a very moral person. Even though this person believers in God, he lives his life as if God doesn't really exist -a confessing theist, but a practicing atheist. You might know one, they'll pray a polite prayer at Thanksgiving meals, attend church on Christmas and Easter, and tell you they're thinking about you during difficulty times.
But the these same people don't let God affect their spending habits or the movies they watch. He doesn't slow their selfish sexual appetites, keep them from cursing on the golf course, or stop them from fudging on an expense report, gossiping, stretching the truth, or telling a white lie to get ahead. They believe in God, but they still do pretty much whatever they want.
Convenient Believer-this is one who waves the Christian flag whenever it involves a potential benefit.Theconvenient believer is quicktotalkGod -talk if it might help seal a business deal, or score a date, or land a promotion. This person uses God to leverage a situation for personal benefit.
Committed Believer-the road to committed faith is paved with personal abandonment and self denial. Life ceases to be about us, it begins to be all about God. The committed believer doesn't waver because of the crowed. He isn't moved by others' opinions. He's a Christ follower all the time. A committed Believerbelieves:
Thereis a difference between
believing in God
and believing God
And the difference is faith
Many believe in their head there isa God
But is He God in your heart?
Do you put faith in His words?
When you are sick do you believe God who says, I AM the God who heals you
When you are in lack do you believe God who says I AM the Lord your God who provides
When trouble comes do you believe God who says I AM the Lord your God who delivers you
It's not hard to believe in God
But how hard it is to have faith in Him
This reminds me of the story of a famous tightrope walker named Jean Francois Gravelelt, who was know professionally as the Great Blondin. Blondin was famous for balancing on thin wires and waling across just about any chasm. No heights or stunt was too great. Once, in front of a huge crowd, he tightrope walked across Niagara Falls.
One reporter applauded his success and said enthusiastically, "I bet you could even do that pushing a wheelbarrow." Sure enough, Blondin did. The reporter was blown away and exclaimed: "I bet you could even walk across with a person in the wheelbarrow." Blondin replied, "If you're so sure hopin the wheel barrow. You can be that person." The reporter declined.
God wants us to hop in His wheelbarrow with full blown, sold out faith.Remember faith is not just a noun, but a verb.
I know I have posted this before and a lot of youhave read it but I like it or here it is again:
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:
"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied:
"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."
Written by Mary Stevensen
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:
"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied:
"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."
Written by Mary Stevensen
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Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.
There's a difference between believing in God and believing God...
