FAITH…what an obscure word! Such a “church” word, right?

Not necessarily! 

Have you ever heard the famous story of the European tight rope walker?

The famous European tight rope walker had reached such heights (no pun intended, but I am married to the king of puns), that he believed it was time to take his talent to a new level! As the crowd roared and cheered as he began to step out onto the tight rope strung high between two skyscraper buildings, they noticed he was pushing some thing out in front of him! They realized it was a wheelbarrow. The man yelled down, “Do you Believe that I can push this wheelbarrow across this tight rope?” The roar of the crowd rose to an even higher level as they screamed and shouted, “ Yes, we believe!” Then as the roar of the crowd quieted, he asked another question, “If you believe, then who is willing to get into the wheelbarrow?” 

Silence came over the crowd. 

No one got in. They were not willing to put their faith into action!

REAL FAITH MOVES INTO ACTION!

Beyond simply believing something is true, we must move past that belief into action.

It is not enough to simply say we believe it, we must demonstrate what we believe!

No one will question the words that we say when they are made true by our actions!

Easier said than done, right?

It is no wonder this phrase is so popular and commonly used.

I am going to take the next six weeks and attempt to increase my faith and possibly yours, if you are willing to take this journey with me, as we look at six women in the Bible who were willing to jump into the wheelbarrow of life!

They did not simply say they believed they actually put their faith into action instead of merely talking about it!

Our first “wheelbarrow rider” is Rahab. We find her story in the book of Joshua. Rahab demonstrates courageous faith in the face of fear.

Rahab is a citizen of the godless city of Jericho. She is no ordinary citizen, she is a prostitute. She is literally known as and referred to by the title, “Rahab the Prostitute.”

The life she lived was not hidden in the dark. She was known by the people of Jericho as a woman who engaged in sex for money. She would be plagued with terms such as cheap, loose, corrupt and even perverse! The world she lived in would not see her as valuable, rather they would devalue her and deem her unworthy and even profane.

Then, something miraculous happens, she encounters the Living God through those living out His Truth and through the testimony about Him.

Rahab‘s fear of the condemnation she knows is due her given her sinful life, is transformed into a healthy fear and respect for The God Who Saves!

He saved his people from Egyptians and parted the Red Sea to do it! He also empowered them to defeat to Amorite kings!

Joshua 2:9-11

“Rahab said to them, I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, The two Amorite kings you completely destroyed a cross the Jordan. When we heard this we lost heart and our courage failed, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below!”

Rahab had a FEAR of God. Because of what she had heard and was given testimony about. She believed in who God was and what he had done. 

Her FAITH moves into action as her FAITH moves from knowledge into trust in what He can do!

Rahab understands God could punish her sinful lifestyle due to His power. 

But when her FAITH turned from a healthy fear and understanding of who God is and what he can do, to a FEAR of God‘s love and desire to forgive our sins and set us free, it changed everything! She believed God wants to set us free and give us worth, value and meaning! That FEAR became a fueled COURAGE to act in a way that put her FAITH into action!

She says it herself…

“‘According to your words, so be it!’ She sent them away and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.” 

Joshua 2:21

The Scarlet Cord was the sign of Rahab’s FAITH in God put into action.

She had moved from a FAITH in the knowledge of who God was, into a FAITH of fear and reverence for what God could do! And she put that faith into action!

TRUTH BOMB

OUR FAITH IN GOD SPEAKS LOUDEST THROUGH OUR ACTIONS RATHER THAN OUR WORDS!

The same can happen for us! Does our FAITH speak through our actions, or does it remain shallow in our words alone? 

Let’s move into action my friend!

He is worthy, faithful and true!

Can’t wait to see you back here next week as we look at our second woman who jumped into that wheelbarrow!

Speak Truth Love

Easter is the greatest CELEBRATION on our Christian calendars! Jesus has risen! He has overcome death! The tomb is empty and because He lives we will live forever with Him! 

HALLELUJAH! 

PRAISE THE LORD!

SHOUT FOR JOY!

But what about two days later?  How are you celebrating now? Are you still reeling from the festivities? Are you staggering or swaying as you clean up the aftermath? Has an emotional, mental or physical “SHOCK” set in as you come down from the “HIGH?”

It can almost feel like we are “jet-lagged” from all the emotion, festivities and CHOCOLATE! Have you hit the proverbial “let-down” that easily comes after a grand party?

If you have, then it is time to pick yourself back up! Plant your feet firmly on the ground and stand strong. 

The Tomb is still empty! Our Savior Jesus Christ is still alive! And best of all, all of us who call upon His name are saved and will live forever with Him!

For “Everyone who calls on the Name of The Lord will be saved.”  Romans 10:13

TRUTH BOMB

EVERY DAY WITH JESUS IS A CELEBRATION!

Every day with Jesus is a CELEBRATION friend! It is a celebration of life over death!

It is a celebration of light over darkness! It is a celebration of the gift that we have in Jesus every day we walk with Him!

So, I ask you again, “How are you CELEBRATING?”

Speak Truth Love

Do you shout out when you adore something? Does the world know how you feel about what it is you adore, or are you keeping it private between just you and maybe one or two others? 

If I threw out the name of a team or two would you react with a “WHOOP WHOOP,” or simply jump up and down on the inside where no one else could see it?

If someone you adore walked across the stage at graduation would you stand up and hoot and holler or would you remain seated and give a soft “golf clap?” If you were attending a concert of a musical group you adore, would you stand to your feet and clap to the beat, or would you hum along to yourself in a dignified fashion? Would you stand to your feet when a song is raised in worship about your Savior, or would you sing to Him quietly as you sit?

All of these acts of celebration are good and right, but the celebration I am talking about calls for a HOSANNA!  An all out expression of adoration, praise and exuberant joy!

A celebration that pulls us out of our preferences and brings us to surrender and abandonment of all that holds us back. An act of adoring love that comes out of our bodies as much as it flows from our mouths! When we think about it, read about it or hear about it HOSANNA flows out of every part of our being!

This is what happened to the crowd as they saw Jesus riding in on a donkey.

“The disciples went and did as Jesus instructed them. They brought the donkey and placed their cloaks on it for Jesus to sit on.”  Matthew 21:6-7

The disciples obeyed the instructions of Jesus and as soon as the people saw Jesus the adoration began!

“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted,

HOSANNA to the son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of The Lord!”  Matthew 21:8-9a

But they did not stop there! They felt such joy in their spirits that their celebration continued in the highest praise they could articulate…

“HOSANNA in the highest heaven.”    Matthew 21:9b

The crowd was shouting “HOSANNA, HOSANNA, HOSANNA in the highest.”

They recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David, the Anointed One and the King of Israel! They were acknowledging Him as the rightful heir to David’s throne!

As we reflect on that incredible day over 2000 years ago, I have to ask myself, would I celebrate Jesus with a HOSANNA?  Would I be waving a “palm branch” of sorts today and shouting at the top of my lungs in front of my city, “Here comes JESUS! He is the King of Kings and The Lord of Lords! He is worthy to be praised!” Or would my celebration be less of a HOSANNA to my King and more of a head nod or polite golf clap?

Is He Lord of all to you?

Do you rest in Him as the Coming King?

Do you believe He will return again as He said He would?

Do you believe He will bring a reign of peace?

If He is our reigning King then let us praise Him!

 If He is our Prince of Peace then let us trust Him!

If He is our provider and protector then let us give Him the glory!

If He is Jesus, Son of God who willingly entered Jerusalem on a donkey, went to the cross and died for our sins, then let us raise a bold and strong HOSANNA and give Him all of our adoration, praise and joy!  He is so deserving!

TRUTH BOMB

WHEN WE RAISE A HOSANNA TO JESUS OUR MESSIAH WE PROCLAIM HIM AS KING!

Speak Truth Love

Growing up there was a song my sisters and I used to love to sing. We would begin to dance around and shout the words at the top of our lungs the minute we heard this song come on. We still play it and sing it at family celebrations. The minute it begins, our spirits are lifted and the celebration begins!

“There’s a party goin’ on right here

 A CELEBRATION to last throughout the years

So bring your good times and your laughter too 

We gonna celebrate your party with you.”

It is a song by Kool and the Gang and the lyrics are fun to sing. You cannot help but feel the smile spread across your face as the words come out of your mouth.

Your feet begin to tap to the beat and your legs want to get into rhythm!  

But today as I sing this song and the words play over and over in my head, I cannot help but see the irony between a party celebration this song is about and the Sunday celebration we have when we come together as believers in Christ!

The chorus goes like this:

Celebrate good times, come on!

             (Let’s Celebrate!)

Celebrate good times, come on!

             (Let’s Celebrate!)

Did you catch that phrase…“Come on!”

It’s calling us to CELEBRATE!

There is ABSOLUTELY nothing better to CELEBRATE than the life we share as believers in Christ Jesus our Lord!

“It’s time to come together

It’s up to you, what’s your pleasure?

Everyone around the world, come on!”

The most significant CELEBRATION that we will ever have, this side of Heaven of course, is the weekly coming together of God’s children! That’s church people!

When we go to church we are celebrating the common bond that we have in Jesus.

We are celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit that we have because of Jesus! And we are celebrating the life that we share in Jesus!  

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals and the Lord’s supper, (AKA communion), and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

When the Holy Spirit came upon them, the believers in Acts 2, they formed a community, a church, a place to gather together as believers in Jesus and CELEBRATE!

When the New Covenant came through Jesus Christ it was accompanied by the giving of the Holy Spirit. 

TRUTH BOMB

The same gift of the Holy Spirit that was given to the believers in Acts 2 is given to us and all believers in Jesus today which is cause for celebration!

I think it’s time we started celebrating like the New Testament believers did!

I do not want to miss this party, not even one day of it! I do not want my invitation getting “lost in the mail!” I do not want to have an excuse for why I can’t make it. I just want to be there, side by side with fellow believers every Sunday as we celebrate the only one truly worthy of being celebrated!

Afterall,

“There’s a party goin’ on right here

A dedication to last throughout the years“

Come on now, Let’s CELEBRATE!

See you at church!

Speak Truth Love