Faith Revolution

Just what is a faith revolution?  That’s a good question and, for me, the answer is actually a work in progress.

Biblically, faith is evidence.  It is the substantiation of things that I cannot see.  I love the outdoors and wildlife.  When I am out in the forest and see a track of a bear how do I know that there is at least one bear in the woods?  I saw evidence of a bear even if I didn’t see the bear.  How do I know that there is a God and he is engaging His creation?  Evidence.  That is what faith is.  Knowing that which is unseen exists because the evidence does.  As a follower of Christ, I am to live by this faith.  I am not to live according to just what I see, which may or may not be reality.  I am to live according to the evidence; the unseen reality.  In the woods there is a bear.  I know because I saw the tracks.  If I want to see the bear, I best follow his tracks.

The revolution is simply, but yet profoundly just what you think it is.  Generally, people do not live according to the unseen reality; rather, choosing to live only by what they see.  Religion is standing there staring at the bear tracks.  Living by faith is not only following the bear tracks, but engaging the bear.  Most people do not have the guts to engage true spirituality.  It’s too hard and for many Christians, too scarey.  Imagine old Abraham actually obeying God (only because of the evidence) and leaving his land, having no idea where he is going, just because God said to.

That’s why it’s a revolution.  You have to revolt against safe religion.  You have to revolt against that which is “normal”.  You have to revolt against your own nature.

Do you have the guts?

Then, go engage the bear.

They’re a beautiful animal…and they make great rugs.

I’m on vacation this week.  So what are we doing?  Well, I am currently sitting in a hotel room near Pittsburgh studying.  I spent the day in the library at Geneva researching.  Sounds like a fun vacation, huh?

We did spend Tuesday at Steelers camp in Latrobe.  Always a fun time.  Came within 10 feet of Hines Ward.  That’s the back of his head ashe rode by.

Also walked by Stan Savran as he was sitting near the broadcast area.  Didn’t take his pic or ask for an autograph.  Just said “Hi Stan!”  and he said “Hi.”  How exciting is that?

Nothing profound today.  Just one more pic from camp.

My girl and her Steelers

This little guy that I spent some time with the other day sure doesn’t.

He injected some humor and joy into an otherwise mundane week. Guess maybe he didn’t like my taking his picture.

So far, my favorite place in the whole world (at least my known world) is the big woods in North Central PA.

That’s how George Burns and Gracie Allen always closed out their show. “Say Goodnight, Gracie”, George would say. Gracie the dumb blond (no offense to you dumb blondes out there or any other dumb people for that matter) would always reply “goodnight Gracie!” I loved that show. Wish they would run it on Nick or somewhere again.

Grace is a beautiful name. Grace is also a beautiful concept and truth. The common definition of grace in Christian circles is “God’s unmerited favor” or “recieving something that we don’t derserve”. With apologies to the theologian(s) who coined those phrases, I have concluded that those definitions are rather foolish because they don’t contain any reference to the depth of God’s grace. I granted an unmerited favor to a possum the other night by not hitting it with my car. Our dog, Ben, receives things that he doesn’t necessarily deserve everytime I spend *my* hard earned money on a bag of food for him at the grocery store. You see what I mean? God’s grace is so deep. We have cheapened it to a bag of dog food.

Now let’s think this through. God’s grace was manifested in Jesus Christ; particularly through Christ’s voluntary sacrifice, right? God’s goal for his kids is that, through His grace, His kids will grow up to be like Christ. To be like the manifestation of God’s grace. Therefore, God’s kids should become more graceful as they grow older in thier spiritual journey, right? In other words, if we are becoming like Jesus, then shouldn’t we be extending the same grace to others that Jesus extended to us?

God’s grace extended to me…declared not guilty, life, food, my wife, my kids, my siblings, my parents, my friends, joy, peace, health, strength, a home, eyesight, hearing, my toyota 4runner, the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the privilege of serving him, the privilege of working side by side with him, the universal church family, the Scriptures, Abraham, Jacob, Paul, Peter, Noah, the ability to read, the ability to write, the ability to think, the ability to reason, pleasure, wealth, love, anguish…my very being and existance is totally dependent on God’s Grace. Then, when you think about my rebellion, which isn’t yet defeated, how much greater does that make the grace of God?

Indescribable.

Yet, we have an incredible inclination to extend anything but grace to people. Money and investment is more important than people. We will sacrifice people to maintain control and power. We will intentionally say things in an attempt to hurt or destroy another. And this is in the church.

Yet, the fact that God chooses to forgive us and have patience with us is yet more evidence of His grace.

Don’t you hate when people take advantage of you and even go so far as to abuse your generosity?

“Say Goodnight, Gracie.”

Speaking of God’s grace…here’s one of my friends. Click on pic to view larger version.