What do You Really Believe?

How important is it to really know what you believe? I mean, really know. Seems silly to say that you believe something but don’t really know about it. Doesn’t believing mean that you have understanding?

Knowing from a biblical perspective is more than casual; in fact, in reference to knowing God, the word “know” is the Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse. It’s not the “Hey. I know you. I remember you from that party. You’re the best friend of my cousin Sally’s Uncle Charlie” type of knowing. It’s the acknowledging, feeling, understanding, perceiving, getting up close and personal kind of knowing.

And what about belief? Could belief also have a deeper dimension than just a mindful decision? I remember a story about a tightrope walker who was famous for daring stunts. This particular time, crowds gathered to watch him walk across a thin rope strung precariously over a canyon hundreds of feet deep.

First, he simply walked across, from one side to the other. The people were amazed.Then, he did it blindfolded. The crowds went wild. Next, he rode a unicycle across. He seemed to be unstoppable.

Suddenly he turned to the crowd and said, “You’ve seen me walk this rope blindfolded. You’ve seen me ride across it without so much as a flinch. Now I will do my greatest trick: I will push a wheelbarrow across to the other side. Who here believes I can do it?”

Everyone shouted and heartily agreed that he could do it. The tightrope walker set his eyes on one man in the front. He took the handles of the wheelbarrow and wheeled it over to the somewhat startled onlooker.

“Do you think I can do this?”
“Well, yes” said the man.
“I mean, do you really believe I can push this across and back without falling to my death in the canyon below?”
“Yes, yes, I do. I watched you walk blindfolded. I watched you ride without even flinching. Yes, I know and believe you can do it beyond a shadow of a doubt.”
The stunt man was quiet for a brief second, and looking intently into the man’s eyes said, “Then get in.”

This kind of belief does not stand on the sidelines. It literally puts its entire faith in what is intimately known.

Know what you believe and your heart will not only be pliable, but accessible.

Father-God, I put myself into Your loving hands. I desire to know You more and more. Lord, take my intellectual belief and turn it into an all-encompassing heart and soul belief.

Check out: Psalm 46:10

Put Off or Put On?

This morning as I spent time with the Lord, I started to think about things that I needed to let go of. Years ago, I actually made a list. After reading it over, I thought about what it realy means to let go of something. I was reminded of the scriptures that speak about putting off and putting on, so I went to my Strong’s Concordance. I was curious about the original meaning behind it all and was once again enlightened.

In Ephesians 4:22 and 25, the words “put off” refer to putting aside or away. Putting off the things of the flesh and of the world is an active “doing,” an intentional act. It’s like taking off your coat—you either do or you don’t. How strange would it be to walk around with your coat half on. Putting on is also an intentional act—a choice. It means to sink into or clothe yourself with.

So, in light of the above meanings, I revised the list:

Put aside, put away hate—sink into and clothe yourself with love

Put aside, put away unforgiveness—sink into and clothe yourself with mercy

Put aside, put away judgment—sink into and clothe yourself with understanding

Put aside, put away lies—sink into and clothe yourself with truth

Put aside, put away apathy—sink into and colthe yourself with passion

Put aside, put away shortsightedness—sink into and clothe yourself with possibility

Put aside, put away limits—sink into and clothe yourself with dreams

Put aside, put away “can’t”—sink into and clothe yourself with “can”

Put aside, put away weakness—sink into and clothe yourself with strength

Put aside, put away uncertainty—sink into and clothe yourself with determination

Put  aside, put away hopelessness—sink into and clothe yourself with hope

Put aside, put away blindness—sink into and clothe yourself with vision

Put aside, put away fear—sink into and clothe yourself with safety

Put aside, put away confusion—sink into and clothe yourself with clarity

Put aside, put away rebellion—sink into and clothe yourself with acceptance

Put aside, put away carelessness—sink into and clothe yourself with purpose

Put aside, put away insecurities—sink into and clothe yourself with worth

Put aside, put away anger—sink into and clothe yourself with peace

Put aside, put away regret—sink into and clothe yourself with respect

Put aside, put away insensitivity—sink into and clothe yourself with gentle wisdom

Put aside, put away heartlessness—sink into and clothe yourself with patience

Put aside, put away malice—sink into and clothe yourself with kindness

Put aside, put away resentment—sink into and clothe yourself with benevolence

Put aside, put away pity —sink into and clothe yourself with empathy

Put aside, put away doubt—sink into and clothe yourself with belief

Put aside, put away humiliation—sink into and clothe yourself with grace

Put aside, put away captivity—sink into and clothe yourself with salvation's freedom

Put aside, put away the past—sink into and clothe yourself with the future

Put aside, put away tears—sink into and clothe yourself with joy

Put aside, put away transitory, worldly feelings, sink into and clothe yourself with the unchanging, depth of God's eternal Love.

We are called to put off, to put aside and to put away our inadequate old man “coat” and put on, sink into and clothe ourselves with the full armor of God’s provision and grace.

What do you need to put asde or away today?

Ephesians 4: 22; Ephesians 6:11.