We had a group of college students serving with us a while back at Club 180 and they all showed an amazing example of being the hands and feet of Jesus. They put their faith into action. Terry and I was asked to lead a Bible Study time with them and one of the students shared her heart and where she is in her relationship with Jesus. This is a young lady that has been raised in a Bible teaching church, got saved when she was seven years old, and serves in her church and college, planting seeds so others will know Christ. She is struggling with her faith. Is it real? Have I really accepted Jesus in my heart? This has taken over her thoughts so much, she has prayed the sinner's prayer more times than she can count. She wants to be secure in her faith, however, she is stuck and can't move past her salvation.
How many of us question our salvation? How many of us at some point in our walk with God question the validity of our faith? It seems too easy sometimes when we consider all He asks of us is to believe in His Son and confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Too easy! But in reality, it's probably the hardest thing for our human instincts and desires to do. You see, we all are born into the world with a sinful nature. We want to be number one of everything. At an early age, parents instill in their children that they can be the best if they try hard and focus on the task. I'm guilty of that. We just want our kids to have a positive self-esteem and realize their potential. Then when they get older and begin to set out on their own we tend to give them advice on setting their goals high and working hard at what they do so they will have job security, money, and hopefully a nice retirement plan. These are all good things, don't get me wrong. But sometimes I think we miss the mark. We're questioning our faith and don't even realize it. If we're not instilling in our children first and foremost a passion and desire to trust God in everything, how will they grow and mature in a relationship where they give Him their whole heart. We are essentially telling our kids, to trust themselves and their skills before anything else. Even before God. Wow!!! I just stepped on my own toes. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says it all. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." These truths apply today just as they did thousands of years ago. God's word hasn't changed.
True salvation begins in your heart. Once you have established that, move on. God doesn't want you to be stuck in your faith. He wants you to grow and live out your faith. Once you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, love Him with all of your heart, your soul, and your strength. That's what authentic faith is all about. It all begins in the heart. Then it oozes out to every area of your life so you become so in tune with what's on God's heart that everything else becomes second fiddle. Remember, we are not placed on this earth for earthly pleasures. We are purposed for God's work and pleasure. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." The word delight means to "have joy" or "take great pleasure." When my thoughts and focus is on the joy and pleasure I have in my heart, knowing I am eternally secure and my relationship with Christ is built on the grace and mercy He has given this poor wrecthed soul, my life becomes more about the desires that is on His heart. Did you catch that? My desires become His desires! Wow! Shouldn't we be instilling that into our children and our children's children?
The young lady that was here questioning her salvation, is saved. There is no doubt. Her life is a testimony of her faith. Sometimes that seed of doubt is planted and if we are not careful, it will grow because our focus on Christ is muted by other things in our life. If our hearts desire becomes anything other than loving Him with all that we are, then Satan will find our weakness and begin to try to dig in. Listen, if you have accepted Christ as your Savior, you are His. Period! John 10:28 says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hands." When I feel discouraged in my faith, I love to read the Psalms. It is so encouraging and reminds me of how great our Father's love is for His children. It restores my focus and renews my passion.
There is a quote I have written in the front of my Bible that sums up what authentic faith is and how we should continually live out our faith. "Believing God is not for the weak at heart. It's only for those who want to discover the rich blessings of walking close enough to God to hear the constant drumming of His heartbeat. Thump-thump, Thump-thump, Thump-thump." - Lysa Terkurst. Authentic faith all starts with the heart. Loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul and strength IS my desire! I so desperately want to hear His heartbeat.
His Humble Servant,
Angie Burkeen
Club 180 Ministry
503 Main Street
Cumberland, KY 40823
http://www.club180ministry.com/
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