Psalm 19:14
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Did you know that God created you? Did you know that God loves you? Did you know that God wants you to trust him? Did you know that he wants you to rely upon him as your strength and your redemption from sin? And did you know that when you are "in Him" you are part of His Royal Priesthood? Did you know that by virtue of His Grace, through his blood and Spirit alone, the Messiah sees your faith as the Rock upon which he builds his church? And finally, did you know for God to see you he must see you in Christ, and for him to hear you, and find your prayer acceptable, it must be offered in the strength of our Redeemer, no other intercessor is heard. Your prayer must give glory to God alone.
The thoughts, spoken words, and the meditations of our hearts, must be expressed in and of Jesus the Christ. This attitude of reverential awe (fear of the Lord) and respect for the sanctifying work of his Spirit must be reflected in our daily lives. In this way we know that our faith is built upon the Rock and forged by our Redeemer. It doesn't rely upon the false light of human invention and tolerance.
Proverbs 23:7
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Our Rock is our trust in the Lord God Jesus, the Christ, and the Spirit of Truth. He has rescued us from sin, and we find refuge in him. Nothing can shake that faith not even when stress and anxiety come up against it. This is not religion, this is reality, but it's supernatural reality. God has come into our lives, and into our thoughts, and is supernaturally redeeming our inclinations. He accomplishes this by inspiring prayer and encouraging supplication. By the renewing of our minds.
Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
And even though today we live in a corrupt world, and continue to be tempted into sin, we trust Him in the interim. Our faith and prayers are like a song of trust in His grace.
Isaiah 26:3
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.”
When we find ourselves inclined toward confrontation with unholy people we again lean on that Rock of trust. We don't build our lives on the opinions of people. We don't welcome the opinions of the flesh into our hearts, we don't entertain their doubts and confusion. It may seem that we're being intolerant, but in truth we are living as Christ lived, accord to the truth that is the word of God.
2 Corinthians 10:5
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
The culture changes but God's word does not. The "patterns of this world" are forever being reformed, but the truth is the truth. And so, we offer our deepest thoughts as a sacrifice to God. And we order our lives to please God.
Romans 12:2
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Servanthood, a Christlike attitude, costly self-sacrifice and humility in a corrupt world, these are the marks of those who rest upon the Rock and Redeemer. The relationship we have with the world is one of an outpouring, pouring out our deepest gratitude for the grace of God upon those who love God. Our love for God and for our neighbors are inseparably bound together.
Philippians 2:5
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”
And finally we treasure these things because we understand the true nature of Jesus and his love. We understand that our sanctification is dependent upon this comprehensive understanding of God's love and his absolute insistence that we conform and commit to that command.
Matthew 22:37
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
We understand that we are to love God with our whole being and manifest that love in the fruit of the Spirit. We understand that we've gone from a chaotic life of confusion, doubts, hypocrisy and conflicts; and we should now be ready to accept the truth about ourselves and about the truth of God's word. We understand that we cannot hide our sinfulness from God or ignore the things that are important to Him.
Friends,
This is Faith.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
That's it. You do this much, he does the rest. The operative word is "trust". We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God, but if we remain "in Him", trusting his word, we will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.