how to gain even more from your faith

1 Timothy 6:6
Now godliness with contentment is great gain

It’s good to know that God wants us to be blessed. It’s great to hear that the power to gain financial increase comes from God. It’s even more amazing that that Jesus died on the cross in order for me receive ALL the blessings of Abraham (And boy there some amazing blessings there).

But just as amazing is that the apostle Paul tells us that godliness with contentment IS GREAT GAIN.

Contentment is an amazingly underestimated attribute.

The man who is not content and who is always in the pursuit of riches is usually never happy enough yet. He is always waiting for that better car/house/income to arrive before he can fully enjoy life. His life perspective is skewed because he thinks the world revolves around him. He is insecure because he values himself by his material posessions. Never grateful because he is always wanting more.

When we are content with what we have we tend to have a better perspective on life. We are grateful for what we do have, and tend to be more thankful for all the good things in our life. We tend to be more secure in who we are and have a more positive outlook on life.

A man who is content with his with what he has is usually the “glass half full kind of guy” whilst the man without contentment tends to be the “glass half empty kind of guy”.

There is nothing wrong with material wealth in itself – It is just wrong when we set our lives up for the pursuit of it. That is why contentment can bring such great gain becuase wealth across all areas of life then comes without pursuing it.

Jesus told us not to worry about what we will eat or wear (because all these things the godless people chase after) – but to SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God and then ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO US.

1 Timothy 6:9
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Fruit Trees

Gal 5:22
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

I know nothing about about horticulture. I know even less about gardening, trees or plants. I couldn’t name a single plant variety from the the top of my head if I tried. So I am constantly amazed at people who can take a quick glance at a garden or backyard and name all the plants and trees they can see.

My backyard has many trees and plants. What’s amazing is I actually planted them myself many years ago…..yet I’d be hard pressed to tell you the name of any of these trees or plant varieties if you asked me. However there is one tree I know. When people come over I actually point it out and tell them what it is.

Why do I know this tree you ask? The reason why I know this one tree is because it is a plum tree. And the reason I know it is a plum tree is because….(I’d love to tell you it’s because of the leaf colour or branch structure or something smart like that)………….but every summer we have bumper crop of big red delicous plums from this tree. Not rocket science by any means – Tree makes plums = Plum tree.

When the spirit of God is inside of us, it too produces fruit. The Bible says that particlar fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.

If I wanted to grow my own apples I would need to plant an apple tree in my backyard. Likewise if I want more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness in my life I need to need to plant more of the spirit of God (His Word) deep inside of me.

When the spirit of God resides in us we cannot help but produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness – It is what we will produce. When it’s not inside of us we will produce something else – something non-productive.

Make sure you are filled with God’s Spirit. Don’t falll into the trap of thinking you must already have faith, love, joy before you can be filled with the Spirit. Nobody expects apples to come before a tree is planted – In the same way you should not expect love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness to be in our lives until the Spirit of God is inside of us. Just be filled with the Spirit of God first – the fruit will come.

Luke 7:16-17
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

New Wine Bottles for New Wine

Luke 5:38
But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

This maybe stating the obvious but Coca Cola make new coke bottles to put Coca-Cola in. Penfolds get new Penfolds wine bottles to put Penfolds wine into. Gatorade will get new plastic gatorade botles to put new Gatorade drink into. The bottles are made for a purpose – storing the liquid they were made store. After using the bottles people may re-use them for water, for arts and crafts or for gardening decorations – but they were not made for this pupose. A Fosters beer bottle was made to store Fosters beer.

In the Bible the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is often refferred to as the “New Wine” and in the above scripture Jesus is saying that the “New Wine” must be put into “New Bottles” (Okay he didn’t say the word “bottles” – He said “wineskins” – that’s because glass – or bottles had not been invented yet – animal skins was how liquid was stored…but for the sake of cultral relevancy….you get what I mean).

When you and I become born again – the Bible says we become “new creations” – all things become new. We become the “new wineskins”. We are no longer “old wineskins” but “new wineskins” that require that “new wine”(Holy Spirit).

Some new christians never follow up on the second half of being a “new wineskin”. They become “new wineskins” but fail to be filled with the “new wine”.

Cocal Cola do not make coke bottles as a product unto itself- they make bottles to BE FILLED with Cocoa Cola. Penfold Wines do not make wine bottles to sell to the public – They make them to BE FILLED with Penfold Wines. Likewise God did not make you into a new wineskin to be empty – He made you to filled with new wine.

IN OTHER WORDS……GOD DID NOT MAKE YOU A NEW VESSEL TO BE FILLED WITH OLD STUFF – HE MADE A NEW VESSEL SO YOU CAN BE FILLED WITH HIS HOLY SPIRIT(New WIne).

Sometimes when you are christian you can be tempted into sin, tempted into judging other, tempted into telling everyone how far society is fallen – but you were only ever recreated for one purpose: To be filled with the spirit of God.

Ephesians 5:18
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Hope is a good thing

There is an expression that many of us hear and believe. It goes something like; “Don’t get your hopes up”.

Sometimes we may refrain telling someone potential good news – but later on when everything works out we say things like ” I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to get your hopes up”.

And to a degree – there is an element of truth to it – putting your hope in something and then losing it does hurt. It’s like as an element of self preservation; we “don’t get out hopes up” because it can hurt so much when we come crashing down. (just watch Australian Idol/American Idol/Project Runway etc. to see how hurt people can be when they are voted out – this was not what they hoped for)

But the Bible says something different. The Bible says that FAITH is the substance of things HOPED for.

This is intresting because FAITH is PARAMOUNT IN THE BIBLE. The Bible says that by FAITH all things are possible. It actually says that the just shall LIVE by FAITH (we are suppose to live our life this way). By faith man can obtain his eternal salvation, his physical healing or the vey house that he sleeps in. It also says FAITH is the substance of things HOPED for.

WHEN I AM ACTUALLY HOPING FOR SOMETHING – MY FAITH IS IN ACTION – The power of faith is released. This is exciting because the Bible says with faith nothing is impossible.

However when I lose hope – I cease to release the power of faith – then my life is restricted and limited. I am cut off from the power of God. Everything is impossible and I begin to live by what I see.

You see real hope requires patience. Sometimes it hurts when we are wanting something today but it doesn’t come until two more years. Patience is vital when you live by faith.

James 1:4 says:
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Never underestimate the power of hope. Always live with hope. Never let the fear of failure rob you from the power that is HOPE. Remeber that HOPE belongs with the power trio.

1 Corinthians 13:13
There are three things that will endure–faith, hope, and love

Why so fearful?

Matthew 8:26(NKJV)
But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

Fear is one of those funny things that pops it’s head up every now and then in our lives. For some of us it comes late at night when we cannot sleep, for some of us it comes when we don’t have enough money, while for others it can come when we have a decision to make that will often take us into the unknown. All of us are different as to when fear may come but we are similar in the fact that it DOES come.

In the scripture above Jesus makes an insightful statement. He asks his disciple as to why they are fearful, and then tells them they have very little faith. In doing so he highlights the fact that faith and fear are opposing forces.

If the Bible tells us we “LIVE BY FAITH” – How much room does that allow for fear to be a part of our lives?

Fear can restrict us in so many ways:

We stop being as generous as we should be because we have a fear we might run out of money.

We don’t start that new business because we fear moving away from the security of a regular income.

We don’t tell someone about the goodness of God because we fear they might think we are crazy.

We don’t ask that special someone out on a date because we fear rejection.

We stay at our miserable job because we fear looking for a new job.

Etc.

Fears can prevent us from doing so much in life. And the funny thing with all the above examples is that often we don’t acknowledge the fear – We come up up with a philosiphy that excuses our fear, something like:”If God wants it to happen , HE will make it happen”.Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that.

We are a people who are called to live by faith.

The Bible says that God has NOT given us a spirit of fear – but of love, power and a sound mind.

After Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith he spoke to the storm – something the disciples should have done.

If you’re going through a storm at the moment maybe it’s time to stop being fearful. Maybe it’s time to step out in faith and speak to the storm.

Why be fearful and do nothing. Be a person of faith and take action.

be with the beautiful people

“How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation….” Isaiah 52:7

You know someone must be amazingly beautiful to the person giving praise, if the person giving praise takes time to exclaim about the beauty of their feet.

Now I grew up knowing the old saying “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”, and in life I have found this to be true. People you might find amazingly beautiful, others dont care much for, while there are those who many people sing the praise of and you keep asking if there is something you missed. In the case of Isaiah 52:7 I think the same truth applies – it depends on who is beholding.

The Bible says that the gospel is foolishness to those who are persishing, so I’m silly to think that everyone I share the gospel with will think I’m beautiful. But the Bible also says the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation” to those who believe.

Whilst there are people who think of me as strange, foolish or wierd because I have taken the time to share the gospel with them, there are also many people who think my feet are beautiful (and not because they are size 13), because I have taken the time share the Gospel. They have believed and recieved salvation and their lives have never been the same.

You don’t have to win every person you witness to and you don’t have to witness to every person you meet.

However sharing the gospel should be a part of our lives. If you are scared or don’t know how to do it just ask God for the boldness and wisdom. The apostles had to do that all the time in the book of Acts.

When lives are changed, addictions broken, relationships are restored because you told someone the good news you fall into a special category of beautiful people.

The beautiful feet people.

don’t judge

Matt 7:2
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Don’t judge – judge Not – Do not judge- Judgeth not thou – However you’d prefer to hear it, we all know one of the key tEachings of Jesus; DO NOT JUDGE!

Yet as human beings it is the hardest thing for our flesh to do – because deep down judging others make us us feel good about ourselves.

But here is another reality check I’d like to bring to the table.

Jesus said in the measure you judge; YOU WILL BE JUDGED. If you’re judgemental of a pastor who drives a BMW, chances are your conscience will not allow you enjoy the benefits of driving a luxury car.

If you’re judgemental of a someone who watches TV – Chances are your conscience will not allow you to enjoy a good television show. (I’m not talking about GODTV or the Christian channel either- I’m talking about good shows like “Flight Of The Conchords”)

The Bible says that Christ has set us free for FREEDOM’s sake. (Gal 5:1)

I live my life in the freedom and liberty that Jesus came to give me – Freedom from any religous hang ups other people might have, Liberty from any strange bondages other people have put themselves under. In fact the Bible warns me against those who came to “spy out our LIBERTY in Christ”.(Gal 5:1).

When you judge others – you rob yourself of that liberty. Why? because the measure with which you judge others is measured against yourself.

We must be careful to not judge others. Some people confuse the word “judge” with “condemn”. They think if they’re not condemning someone they’re not judging. Wrong. When you judge someone you put yourself in a higher position then them – and you rob yourself of thae freedom that is in Christ Jesus.

Don’t Judge. Look at people as God looks at people.

guard your heart!

Mark 3:5
And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

You know something is bad when it has the ability to grieve Jesus.

Jesus loved the sinner, he showed mercy to the woman caught in the act of adultery, he put dodgy money swidlers into his ministry team (Judas) even though he knew their hearts, he spent time striking up a conversation with a Samaratin at a well, a woman who had gone through many husbands and was now living with another new man altogether. These people were A1 sinners in their day yet Jesus did not even flinch a bit when he was around them.

Wow – what a saviour.

Yet their were people who did manage to GRIEVE Jesus. How did they do this? By having a hard heart.

HAVING A HARD HEART IS NOT GOOD.

Our heart is our inner most being. It is where we commune with God. It is essentially who we are.

When God looks at a man – He looks at his heart.

Preventing our heart from becoming hard should be our priority.

When we harbor bad attitudes, when we are judgemental, critical, have unforgiveness or resentment we harden our heart. When we are envious, malicous or mean spirited we harden our own heart.

I often get tempted to hold unforgiveness, to be be mad at someone for something they did, or just be critical of someone who is doing something different from the way I do things. But I don’t. Because I realise each time I do my heart hardens – and if my heart hardens I essentially change who I am. And if I become a hard hearted person I am in the same category of people managed to grieve Jesus.

Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

You must always guard your heart from becoming hard.

The act of “believing”

The dictionary defines believing as having confience or faith in.

Jesus says when we ask for something in prayer….there is something else we must do in order to recieve what we ask for.

“And whatever things you ask in prayer, BELIEVING, you will receive.”
Matthew 21:22

Asking in prayer is not enough.

We must must also believe we will recieve when we ask.

Believing requires action in our thought life – We must adjust how we think to line up with what we believe.(Otherwise we are not really believing)

We did not recieve salvation by simply asking for it. We recieved salvation by asking and believing that Jesus died for our sins.

In the same we are asking God for a new job, car or a future spouse – We do not just ask for it – We ask and believe that God will provide it because he is able to and he loves to bless us.

The book of James speaks bluntly about the man who asks in prayer but does not adjust his thought life to believe:

James1:7
For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

Just like in the begining

Galatians 3:3
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

I remember when I first became a Christian………..ahhh………life was so grand!……God was so real…The Holy Spirit was so tangible…..life had meaning……..and everything seemed perfect… It did not matter what else was happening in the world…..I was consumed by joy and the peace of God which the Bible says surpasses all understanding.

Then around the 18 month mark something happened. Some of the joy started to disappear. A bit of cynicism and sarcasm crept into the thought life. I would see new Christians and think “been there – done that!”…….suddenly the christian life seemed hard and not as exciting. Christianity seemed burdensome and being godless seemed attractive. What was happening to me??

Then someone told me…………..My “honeymoon period” was over! Apparrently everything that was happening was completly normal – the “honeymoon period” was common to every new believer – After the honeymoon period I am suppose to knuckle down – Conversion had come and gone and now I am expected to live my life as an example to others. (No pressure there). That knowledge felt horrible. I’m a now square peg living in a round hole.

In the new testament the church in Galatia was sort of going through the same thing. Except in their case they had the Apostle Paul as their spiritual oversight to correct their path.

The truth is the Bible talks about nothing of a “honeymoon period”. It does however talk a lot about being “Filled with the Spirit”.

The christians in Galatia – who started their faith off so well – so full of the Holy Spirit – were now becoming religously observant. Instead of embracing God’s grace or God’s love they were becoming more concerned about the do’s and don’ts – the law. Observing rules and protocols overtakes the simplicity of faith in God.

Paul then asks the question:

Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

The answer is easy to anyone who has recieved the Holy Spirit—”By believing”.

For any of us who get caught up in the mundane routine of life, we need the Holy Spirit to lift us out that – because Jesus said He came that we might live our life abundantly. To recieve the Holy Spirit we need to remember that we access him by faith not works.

Remember back to when you first became a christian. Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?