The True Life That Matters

As in every great story, there are 3 elements. There is the Character, the desire of the character, and the conflict the character must overcome.

Let’s look at what the big story is and then we can bring it into our every day life and flesh out the story and how that looks day to day.

Like the elements of a story, we are also made up of 3 significant pieces. We have a spirit, we have a soul, and of course the visible body.  So many people today approach the hardships of life without this concept, and sadly, so many suffer because of it.

Here, we will cover just an overview of the spirit portion, our faith, what it is, how to stay in faith, and what really comes out of laying the foundation of Faith in our lives. As we look through this in a general overview format, there are additional articles following that will take you deeper into points you may have more interest in.

I. Knowing God

   1. Who Is This Creator?

   2. The Desire of God

   3. The Conflict

II. Daily Faith

   1. Hearing The Word

   2. Praying and Meditating

   3. Connecting With Others

III. Fruits of Faith

   1. Relationships

   2. Peace and Rest

   3. Influence, Impact, and Increase

I. Knowing God

I heard a funny story about God and a man that were together one day. The man looked over and said, “I can create anything you can out of dirt”, to which God replied, “Oh really?” “Yes”, the man replied, and then he said, “I’ll show you, and on the count of three I’ll prove it.” As he counted and just before he said three, God stopped and said, “Wait, get your own dirt.” 

Although I laughed and enjoyed the simple humor, it reflects a core truth.

I like to say that theology describes the Creator and science describes the creation.

We’ve lived in a very “enlightened” period, but there was a time if you didn’t believe in God it was considered the pinnacle of foolishness. You may not have acknowledged God in your daily life, but you surely wouldn’t say there wasn’t a God.

Today, some view intellect as going beyond the Creator and assume the creation has become the intelligence and is the creator of all things.

Maybe there is a balance and order that can bring these two back together again. A possible life to live in sync with the way we were created. Below I’ll outline ideas that can bring this together, and if you’ve felt you can’t experience joy, peace, love and forgiveness in your life, I hope you’ll give Faith a fighting chance and then I believe, in turn, it will fight for you.

Who Is This Creator?

This is the question of one incredibly intellectual man. A man that was one of the most prolific Christian writers of the 20th century. He not only asked this, but is there even a God? In his adult journey to seek the truth, C.S. Lewis later mentioned, “I gave in, and admitted that God was God.”

Albert Einstein, after so much of his life in the pursuit of knowledge, mentioned the smallness of himself as he reached the outer edges of humanity. He realized that even in the greatest expansion of knowledge, you can see just how small we are compared to something so much bigger.

From C.S. Lewis to Albert Einstein, we’re in an enlighten time, but as we explore the creation of God with the knowledge the last few centuries have presented, we would be mistaken to remain in the creation alone.

As science tells us, Love is the highest vibration, and with that, we find the highest form of existence – God.

So, God is Love, and in Love we find His purpose, plan, and promises for our lives.

The Desire of God

The desire of God is relationship. As you know from Hallmark or the many love songs you’ve heard, relationships include love and we just can’t seem to escape this common thread of fabric in every part of society that exists. It’s also God’s desire to have a Loving relationship with us, and so the story begins.

We find in the first part of Genesis from the Bible that God created man in His image and in His likeness. Does God create? Yes. Does He make decisions? Yes He does.

I think at times, what if God created beings that did not make decisions. He could have created robot-beings, ones that did only what He would make them do. I’m sure that would save a lot of heartache and heartbreak, but it wouldn’t glorify Him. In other words, there wouldn’t be a joy in us choosing Him.

Can you imagine creating the perfect spouse or best friend? Imagine if they did everything you told them and you made them to do everything. It might be nice at first, but after a week you wouldn’t feel the same. The idea of them choosing you for who you are individually is an amazing feeling.

As you see God create man, He gave a choice in the beginning. One choice that would bring Him the Glory He desires that a man could choose Him. It’s in this choice, or free will, that I believe all of Glory hinges. As you extend your Faith and decide to choose to walk with God and not away from Him, you’ll see His plans, purpose, and promises unfold in your life and the fruits of Faith will manifest.

The Conflict

Since it’s such a beautiful thing to have this relationship with God, and have all the things that go along with what He wants in our lives, as well as how much He Loves us, then what’s the problem?

Well, the problem is this beautiful thing of choice He gave us. We often choose our own plans, our own purpose, and rely on our own promises. We were made to choose, but we were also made for His Glory to choose Him first.

Remember, He can’t be glorified without giving us a choice, but it’s also the same choice that separates us from Him. He desires us to be with Him passionately, but if He makes us choose, then this all comes crashing. This is the conflict that we run into and the challenge in each one of our lives.

So, we have a challenge. Can we align in Him, and even if one decided they wanted to, how would they begin? I’m glad you asked, and below are keys to help reclaim His unfailing plans, purpose, and promises for your life.

II. Daily Faith

Often, when we are getting to know someone we like, we look for things they like. Sometimes we go to extremes to buy them their favorite gift or go to their favorite place to be a part of what they do. With God, He mentions faith as the connecting point in the relationship.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”   Hebrews 11:6

But you might say, what really is faith? You’ve heard it in so many different ways, but like scientist who go straight to the created source, we’ll go straight to the Creator’s biblical source.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

As we press forward, you’ll find that entering faith is just as important as staying in it. You’ll also find once you enter it, it’s hard to leave. I hope if you’ve read this far you’ll keep diving in, and I know you’ll see truth unfold. 

Hearing The Word

I sat down with an amazing man for lunch and he said something I never forgot. He was seemingly successful in every part of his life and I really wanted to take in his approach, and honestly just be mentored by him. I knew he was the CEO of a rather successful company, but no one would ever know what value he walked in. I asked, “what is it about you that keeps you in humility?” He replied with four simple words, “I hear and do.” I looked at him confused, “What do you mean hear and do?” He said, “I simply hear God and do it.”

“So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

So the question is how can we hear God? Well, by His word! It’s knowing the Word that causes us to know Him. And, in John 15, Jesus said if you know Him, you know the one who sent Him – God.

I’m going to act like a spiritual scientist, and say if we want to know God, we should know Jesus, and to know Jesus, we should know what He said and His story.

Much of His story is found in the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. If you’ve walked with the Lord for decades give the gospels another read, or if you’re just starting on the journey, read and draw into the hearing, and you’ll walk closer into the knowing. 

Praying and Meditating

The first thing most people think of when they hear the word praying is religion, and the word meditation as something regarding new age teaching. Actually, both are centered biblically and help us to talk and draw close with God.

For a time, we were led to believe only a priest could pray for us and we needed to confess our wrongs to them and them alone. We’ve put prayer as this mystic and long monologue of words that have to be said perfectly for God to hear us and it’s just not the case.

People’s philosophy can be good or bad, but when it comes to something this important, we would want to go straight to the source. You wouldn’t guess how to make Granny’s homemade upside down backward chocolate eruption cake would you? I think not. On a serious side, do we really want the idea of prayer left in the hands of others and robbing us of something so important in our lives?

Let’s take a look at a few examples.

David said with the trials upon him:

“Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help …”   Psalm 39:11

One of the disciples of Jesus asked:

“… Lord teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”   Luke 11:1

And Paul instructing the people:

“Pray continually …”   1 Thessalonians 5:17

This is just a small glimpse, but we are called to actually talk in this relationship if we want to get to know God. If you were in a relationship how long do you think it would last if you didn’t talk? Although God pursues us, He asks us to ask. He asks us to knock, and he also wants us to seek that we would find Him.

We will discuss more on what prayer brings to anyone’s journey of faith, but for now just know that the benefits of prayer not only cause you to draw close to God, but also have benefits of peace in your life. Contentment that money will never buy. I’ll mention more later, but lets look at what science says too.

In this major study, as well as countless others, you’ll find that prayer and meditation brings something that literally benefits your health and body. Why is this? What does science have to do with prayer? Remember, science is describing the creation of the Creator. When we talk with God, we are in alignment with His original intention for us, and that is for our good.

Connecting With Others

When you live out your life in faith and in purpose by God, you also get to have the benefit of more order in your life. That also takes place in your relationships. 

It’s documented that Jesus had 3 He confided closer in, the 12 that followed Him, and additionally 300. It’s interesting and true, but not everyone you know needs to know everything. There will be some appointed to you that will help you and some you’ll help.

Essentially as a believer, there must be purpose in your relationships if you’re going to live a life of purpose in God. One way that has helped me, is to put order in your relationships. There are three levels that you can go by, and they are:

1. Someone you are encouraging or teaching

2. Someone who is like-minded and each of you encourages

3. Someone that is solely encouraging and teaching you

I also heard the amazing Bishop T.D. Jakes give this illustration when quantifying who is in your life to encourage you and your faith walk. So many will naturally be abrasive to you and it’s up to you to identify the distractions from your purpose. Who are your confidants, who are your constituents, and who are your comrades? If you don’t know, take a listen…

To know who you can walk with is one of the most powerful decisions you can make. Additionally, to grow in your faith walk is paramount who you let influence who you are becoming. 

I heard of this mental model called the rule of 6. It simply states that the 5 people you’re around, you’ll be the 6th one. As you grow in your faith, find others that want to grow along side you and encourage you to be your very best.

III. Fruits of Faith

Faith in just a couple words might be described as a mustard seed. Jesus said:

“… Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”   Matthew 17:20

You may not be praying or believing for a physical mountain in your life to move, but I can assume you’re most likely believing for another type of mountain move.

Maybe it’s a better marriage or for everyone if your family to come and live for the Lord. Maybe you are looking to establish a business or if you have one you want to go to the next level. Often, it’s simply peace in all your relationships that you’ve had so much division in. These at times seem like insurmountable mountains, but they can be moved. By faith, as small as a mustard seed they can be moved.

The manifestations of walking with the Lord are what we learn from the Word as fruits of the Spirit. By walking in Christ, by His Spirit, we see the fruits of that in our life that take us from our old nature to one that is new.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control..”   Galatians 5:22

Below we’ll look at the three areas that matter the most in people’s lives and looking for something that will manifest for the good in them.  There is a lot to apply our faith to, but lets take a look at the ones below to get started.

Relationships

Much of what I have learned or see in other people who thrive in every area of their lives are truths that are very common throughout. It’s that they live by immovable or core truths and principles that do not change. They have survived generations, still remain today, and they will continue to go on and bless those who live by it. 

When a person builds skills to adopt these truths and continually look to learn them, they reap the harvest of the fruits in that area. Let’s take a look of at least two principles that will bear fruit in all our relationships.

1. Love Others To Bear Joy

Jesus gave the pinnacle of what it means to do what He is asking of us and it just so happens to be in relationships.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”   John 15:12

You’ll notice that just by living this out in your daily life we see another principle for joy. Not only will we reap the fruits of the Spirit in our relationships by following this command, but we’ll also have a completed joy in our lives.

2. Be Like Minded

Paul gave clear instructions how we should live out our faith in the context of relationships. This, he implies, is a response to how we have been loved or have felt compassion of Christ in our own lives.

“then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus”   Philippians 2:2-5

If you’ve ever been in relationships of any kind that you don’t share the same mindset as Christ, you’ll notice the absence of joy in the relationship. You might say, well what about those who don’t know Christ? Well, if your relationship with them is guiding you to encourage them and they are receiving it to grow, you will experience that joy. 

Remember these are timeless truths and if we choose to live by them we will reap the harvest of the good fruit.

As you apply these two principles of walking in love and being in one accord in your relationships, the fruit of love and joy will be there in your relationships.

Takeaway
If there is one thing you ever do, it’s walk in Love. Not only do you fulfill the one abiding command by Jesus, but you also receive the joy that is for you and a hope of many fulfilling relationships in your life.

Before we continue further, let’s pause for just a second. If you enjoy learning more on this topic of relationships, you’ll probably enjoy more of my other writings relationships useful. Each week I share encouraging and self-improvement tips that  have been proven to change people’s lives in each area through my free email newsletter. 

To join now, click here.

Peace and Rest

Although ten articles each can be said about the two words above, I believe even a general overview can make an impact.

When you hear the word rest, your subconscious mind may think of a nap or sleep. When you hear the word peace, your default thinking might go straight to a moment where you have some alone time. But these two words are much, much more than that.

The manifestations of walking by faith and living your life with the purpose and intent of living for God, results in a peace of heart and rest that most people will search for all their lives.

Let’s take a look at each of the two, and although you want to excel in every area of your life, whether it’s in your family and relationships, your fitness, mind, your calling and just who you are, if you don’t have the peace and rest in God, they truly will not feel fulfilled. Your search will escape in each of those areas and many have come to the end of their time only to have missed what was within their reach.

1. Peace

We see one of the greatest examples of peace of when Jesus was in the boat with His disciples and they were in the midst of a ferocious storm.

“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!”

You may not be in about that is about to go under, but you may feel like you’re going under in life. Maybe it’s a broken relationship, maybe it’s a loss of a loved one, or maybe you simply find yourself stuck and believing you should be at a certain place in life at your age. Whatever it is, Jesus is saying “Peace, be still!”

He later asked why His disciples had little faith and why didn’t they believe they would be okay? After all, Jesus was in the boat.

It’s in this moment we wonder what if I believe? What if I believe and it works out? What if I don’t believe and it doesn’t’ work out? The elevation in a Christians journey is to take God’s word as true. When there are no doubts, you’ll find your faith growing and peace becomes apparent in your life. 

Faith precedes peace, because without it, given the above example of the disciples in the boat, you’ll live your life in fear which is the opposite of the faith you’ll need.

Jesus gives gives two blind men an opportunity to ask this very question, do you believe?

“And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” they said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened.

According to your faith. That was the answer, that was the timeless absolute truth we have to apply in our lives.

Do you have anxiety in your life? Do you life by fear without peace? Do you busy yourself even with good things to keep from quiet moments? Today, even in this moment, dare to extend your faith like those disciples in the storm. In the storm of your life, calm it all in peace and will be done for you according to your faith.

You might say, how do I apply my faith to this? What do I do? Consider memorizing these two scriptures and speak it out loud to yourself or in your heart

Don’t Be Troubled

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Don’t Be Anxious

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Takeaway
It’s by faith that we enter into peace. Living by the Spirit, we also reap the fruits of the spirit and peace is for everyone that believes.

2. Rest

A truth that is largely not discussed more of is the rest we can find in God. Although much can be said, lets cover the main points where you can manifest this amazing gift we can have.

Originally when God created us, He intended that once all was complete we enter His rest. It’s not that in the seventh day He was tired and needed a nap for all He did. He is God. He actually wanted His completed work to enter into His rest, His fellowship and goodness with Him.

To make a very long story short, man broke away from God through his own action and forfeited his right to rest. He would then enter into life by pain and toil and forever run and run. By this we see an establishment in the old Testament that on the seventh day you would “rest” from your work – The pain and toil of their lives.

God knew man couldn’t go until no end, so by taking a day of “rest”, there would be two things accomplished. This first would be a literal day of rest, and the other would be a reminder of what was – The original rest that God called them to.

This original rest would be fulfilled through Genesis 3 where God was saying there will be reconciliation again to this rest. Ultimately a reconciliation to Himself with man. Paul states:

“Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.”   Hebrews 4:1

And he says,

“And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” And again in the passage above He says, “they shall never enter my rest.”   Hebrews 4:3-5

And the promise of rest for those that are in Him:

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”   Hebrews 4:9-10

This truth is an unexpected promise to every believer. If you’ve been striving, struggling, and surviving in life, the rest of God is for you and it truly is there for the taking.

Takeaway
If you’ve accepted Jesus as The Lord in your life, then there is a promise for you, a gift of rest. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you His purpose for you and follow the leading in your heart and trust that every moment you’re in His perfect plan.

Influence, Impact, and Increase

Have you ever believed or prayed for something and it seemed like it was way more then you ever thought? When you think about that specific time whether it was a friendship you were desiring or something you were believing for, it seemed beyond what you would have imagined. Maybe it was a healing or breakthrough. This is how God can bless, and often, it’s more than we ever thought.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”   Ephesians 3:20

For some people, it’s not so easy to imagine that God would like to increase us in every area of our lives including resources. Why would God do that? Jesus gives one reason here:

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”   John 15:8

We should believe all that God has for us in every area of our lives. Jesus goes on to say:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they many have life, and have it to the full.”   John 10:10

This is what it all comes down to. Living our life to the fullest, envisioning what that looks like, and bearing the fruit that not only will bring you joy, but ultimately glorify God.

1. Influence

To influence is to be used in a way that reaches people beyond your circle and inner reach. It may be that you have a gift or skill you’ve been given, but to apply it is something that will actually bear fruit in your life and be used to influence other people’s lives.

For example, let’s say you were given the gift to play the violin. You could just play for your family and you might touch them in a way that makes them proud. You have impacted them, but you might be called to influence a great number of people by having your gift in front of many.

The idea of influence is seen from this example with the violin all the way to Martin Luther King Jr. If he would have kept his speaking ability and dreams of unity to himself or his family, that would have been nice, but he was needed to influence a nation during one of the most crucial times in United States history.

We have our individual calling and purpose to walk out, but we also have something greater to fulfill as Jesus gave in the Great Commission to us:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”   Matthew 28:19-20

2. Impact

Impact on the other hand, is something that may be passed over because it comes without notoriety or fame. It only seems to make a difference individually, but the difference it makes does impact both involved.

A timeless story by Loren Eisley embodies this truth

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?” The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.” “Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…” I made a difference for that one.”

This boy lived in something so few understand. He lived with the idea that even though no one around would ever know, his very life had meaning by setting another free. If you are even in one position to lift up another, you’ve given your life the meaning that declared purpose.

Additionally, what impact you make could have a substantial influence on the world. Sometimes we might be entertaining a person that could be the next president, the next Mother Teresa, or the next amazing father. 

In the book, How I Led One and One Led a Million, Sam Martin recounts his time with a young John Osteen and through that single impact on his life, John went on to start Lakewood Church and today is one of the largest Churches in the world.

To sum up the greatest impact you can have without notoriety or fame, but touches the heart of God, James, the disciple of Jesus, mentions what we can do to impact directly:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”   James 1:27

3. Increase

In our attempt to gain things that secure and add to us, we are told by Jesus to seek the things of God first. In my own thoughts of what core areas to cover in my writing on this site, nothing could come together without implementing Faith first. I wanted the rest of the core topics to be meaningful and fulfilling but unless this part was here, it all wouldn’t matter or possibly not even attainable.

Our Desires

Jesus said while addressing the things that concern us and our desires:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”   Matthew 6:33

And David who attained much, and was a man after God’s own heart proclaimed:

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”   Psalms 37:4

Living a Full Life

An interesting truth is that you most often find your answer in it’s opposite truth. For instance, if you want to have more money you don’t seek money, you seek value. The more value you offer, the more money you may receive. In the same way, we are called many times to go backward in order to go forward.

Paul writes in the truth in living:

“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”   Philippians 1:21

It’s said there are many men walking, but not many living. This opposite thought is found at when we give gifts. We’ve all hear it’s better to give than to receive, but why is that? You would think it’s the opposite, but the answer is in the opposite. There is joy in giving and anyone who has ever gave a meaningful gift has felt that.

Living at the Top

Many of us want resources and to have more than enough. Well, we have a God that through the Bible proves that.

In Deuteronomy chapter 28, God presents the promises to those that live and obey Him:

“The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity”   Deuteronomy 28:11

And remaining at the top..

“The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.”   Deuteronomy 28:13

Let’s of course keep in mind what our motives are behind our desires. Obviously, if our desires are to bear fruit and glorify God, then we can believe to receive them. In the end, it will all come down to glorifying God.

Takeaway
Whether you want to influence, impact, or an increase in any area of your life, there is an order to achieve it. This universal principle of making God first unlocks everything else in your life to achieve.

So Here We Are

I hope you found this short article on faith helpful. There is so much more to be said on this topic and I look forward to adding more helpful articles each and every week. As you envision other core topics such as family, fitness, your mind, and your mission, begin by walking in faith first in all you do. Everything else will fall into place, and you’ll set sail to begin living your fullest life.