Mundy Insight Monday’s: The Passing Guard

Hello readers,

The other day, I had the privelege to take an elderly saint to a surgical appointment and we got talking about a series done recently entitled, “When a nation forgets God.” If you aren’t familiar with the series I added a link to follow to begin the series so you too can understand. This friend of mine has fought for religious freedom here in America throughout his life, and in our discussion we came up with the following premise.

When a Christian doesn’t read their Bible and follow what God commands the church will forget God, and when the church forgets God there is no hope of a nation. If we leave off any portion of God’s word for the favor of polity or piety, how can anyone nation see our savior in us? The hope of the world starts with you today not just in reading, but also in doing.

It has been said, “Nobody will care how much you know until they know how much you care.” However, we don’t show care of others unless we first learn to show piety at home. If we are careless towards God and his opinion of what we do nothing in our life is held sacred. Even if we hold some things as important to us in our identity the next generation will fall away. If we ignore him one day it will hurt us in our rewards as Christians and those in the tribulation following us will lose more than just eternal rewards. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 it says,

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Faith

We probably all know that faith is more than just saying, “I believe, I believe, I believe”, because blind faith is not faith, Mark 9:24 says, “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” The father of this child even knew that despite believing he needed help for his unbelief to have faith yet without knowledge there can be no faith. Does not Paul write the same things in Romans 10:14?

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Many have memorized Psalm 119:9 and 11, but what about verse 10? “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” Without the commandments you cannot seek God if the transitive property or reflexive linguistics are things we base our life around, which they are BTW.

Hope

Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things hoped for. So without hope it is impossible to have faith and without faith it is impossible to please him. It’s easy when life gets hard to lose sight of hope knowing that problems are more like mountains than valleys; however, losing hope can be comforting to your fleshly pride. Then again what is the real sinful issue of pride? Is it really being self obsessive, is it thinking of yourself at all, or is it overtaking God’s role in your life? Colossians 2:18f,

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.

The truth of pride is that it really boils down to not putting God first above everything in your life… even your image of yourself. Putting everything of your own understanding aside and letting the promises of scripture be your hope is easier in word than in deed; however, it’s necessary for the victorious christian life. Indubitably, it is necessary for life just to live beyond our own self imposed limitations.

Charity

Charity has to be more than mere giving or love because of the qualifying statements about it in 1 Corinthians 13. Charity has to do with clear communication, speaking what is true (not just your truth), exercising faith, and giving what you have to give.

Clear communication is necessary for charity, because without words and clarity all people have is body language. Simply consider what people think of in relation to the term barbarian. The word translates to one who bar-bar’s, which means they can only communicate with motion and gestures as their words are taken away. Body language is not a precise instrument, but it’s about as precise as performing surgery on a frog with a jack hammer. Barbarians are not thought well of, because frustration and anger builds with misunderstanding. Charity cannot exist without words.

Charity cannot exist without truth, because love without truth is blind. Charity is love given with a clear path in mind. If you give money to someone who is panhandling it hurts them as there is no path of redemption. Getting out of a situation in not being productive is what helps those in need, and although they need the immediate relief they also need long term help. It comes back to giving a man a fish or teaching him to fish… he will hate you forever, but with a full belly.

Charity without faith being the outward expression of love is like works without faith. Faith without works is dead according to James, but works without faith is fruitless; thereby leaving the foundation that is laid, and like a man building a house upon the sand. It looks good for a while until trouble comes.

Finally, realizing all this giving what you have to give is what God requires of us. We don’t have to give $1,000,000 if we don’t have it, but when Peter entered the city hegave what he could. Not silver or gold, but the real need. Personally, I thought over these last few months since certain people stopped treating me like a human being that I needed more money, encouragement, and less trouble; however, what I really needed was a place to serve, faithful friends, and to focus on the LORD.