Several weeks ago I wrote an article called Eyes of Faith about our financial situation. This week I want to continue with what He has been doing in my heart surrounding this topic.

Be Warm and Filled 
By Mike Rule

This is an article I have put off writing for a long time because my flesh wants no part of the subject matter. However, "The Hound of Heaven" has been pursuing me and wearing me down to bring me to the place of being willing to broach this topic.

As some of you know, Becky and I have been really struggling in the area of finance for the past four years. Each year God has chosen not to meet our needs in the ways we thought He would. As a result, we have exhausted our resources and are in debt. I have peace with where we are, even though in my human eyes I see no way to avoid personal bankruptcy. LCMI currently does not generate enough money to pay our salaries and provide all we need. At the same time it requires a tremendous amount of time and energy, leaving us with nothing to work other jobs. I am not complaining because that is God's business; I am only sharing this as background for the article today.

As I have walked this journey, one thing that vexes me is the attitude many believers have toward our situation. People often ask if we are doing okay financially, and when I tell them we are not making it, they respond with, "We will pray for you. Jesus will take care of you." Sometimes I wonder if they care or are just being nosey, and I'm tempted to ask a question of my own: "Are you open to what He may want to do through YOU?"

Please understand that I only want people to give if they are led by God to give. If I am starving and God tells you NOT to give, then do not give. If I am rich with money pouring out of my pockets but He tells you to give, then give. Act in response to His voice rather than outward appearance. I trust Jesus in our situation, but I sometimes wonder if we are serious about following Jesus no matter the cost, or if we just want to pay lip service to Him and stay comfortable. Look at what James has to say:

…if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup--where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? (James 2:13-17 MSG)

I am not asking people to give, nor am I judging anyone's faithfulness to Christ. I am simply asking if we as a Body are willing to seek Jesus and ask Him if the way we are walking in our faith is really impacting our lives the way He desires. Is it possible that our faith is merely creating some inconvenience rather than having significant impact on our lifestyle?

Remember that the faith James is writing about is not just "doing stuff" or being busy for God. He is talking about faith that is God-initiated. Consider Abraham and Rahab (see James 2:21- 6). Neither of them set out to show God they trusted Him; they were not the initiators. God was the initiator. They heard and saw God working and responded to Him. This is TRUE faith. True faith does not just run around feeding people and making them warm. Neither does it sit back refusing to consider that Jesus may be asking for a personal sacrifice in response to Him. True faith is open to Jesus. It knows we do not see or know the whole story, and it responds to Him no matter the personal cost.

This is the life of Christ that dwells in each believer. This is the ONLY life that is natural to a Christian and will fulfill a believer, because it is the ONLY life that is natural to Christ. You have everything you need for Life and Godliness because you are a partaker of His Divine Nature.

Verses for Reflection 

"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." (John 14:27)

"We give thanks to God for you always, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father, knowing, beloved brothers, your election of God." (1 Thessalonians 1:2-4)

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice on the hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2) "And on the same day Peter and John went up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man, who was lame from his mother's womb, was being carried. And they laid him daily at that temple gate which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered into the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And fastening his eyes on him, Peter with John said, Look on us! And he paid heed to them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk! And taking him by the right hand, he lifted him up. And immediately his feet and ankle-bones received strength. And leaping up, he stood and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. And they recognized him, that it was him who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. And as the lame one who was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And seeing this, Peter answered the people, Men, Israelites, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though we had made this man to walk by our own power or holiness? The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His son Jesus, whom you delivered up, denying Him in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to let Him go. But you denied the Holy and Just One and desired a murderer to be given to you. And you killed the Prince of Life, whom God has raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, this one whom you see and know, His name made firm. And the faith which came through Him has given him this perfect soundness before you." (Acts 3:1-16)

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. By faith we understand that the ages were framed by a word of God, so that the things being seen not to have come into being out of the things that appear. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts. And by it he, being dead, yet speaks. By faith Enoch was translated so as not to see death, and he was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, having been warned by God of things not yet seen, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he was afterward going to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he went. By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise with him. For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him who had promised to be faithful. Because of this came into being from one, and that of one having died, even as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off. And they were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they who say such things declare plainly that they seek a fatherland. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they stretch forth to a better fatherland, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. And he who had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son, of whom it was said that in Isaac your Seed shall be called, concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from where he even received him, in a figure. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith, Joseph dying remembered concerning the Exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones. By faith Moses, having been born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child. And they were not afraid of the king's commandments. Having become great, Moses by faith refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest He who destroyed the first-born should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah; also David, and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the strangers. Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yes, more, of bonds and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, did not receive the promise, for God had provided some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us." (Hebrews 11:1-40)