January 2017
Are You Living by Faith—or by Fate?
Some people live by fate; their theme song might well be, “Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be.”
Nice song; bad theology. This is fatalism—’whatever will be, will be.’ Today we’ve kind of boiled it all down to that most disagreeable of expressions, “Whatever!” That sort of thinking leaves out any intervention by God in our lives. Simply put, it is LIVING BY FATE.
Fate is: running blindly across a busy street without looking either way; and after making it safely across, congratulating yourself with, “It was God’s will that I didn’t get hit by a car.” No one would do that, right? (Hmm, perhaps some belief systems allow for that sort of action.) Yet how many would dash off here or there without even considering what God might think about it? Fate is also ignoring God’s role in your life.
Faith is: “Being tuned in to God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” [Proverbs 3:6]
Fate is: hearing God say, “Go!” and then saying, “OK God, if you provide the money, I’ll go.” A person might justify that kind of a response as, ‘putting out a fleece’; but most of the time it’s called ‘tempting God.’ Don’t push God . . . [Deut 6:16]
Faith is: Abram hearing God say, “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you,” then getting up the next morning and heading out. [Gen 12:1] Abram didn’t say, “Hold on now God! I need to spend a bit more time with the family—they wouldn’t understand if I just up and left them. Besides, I’m 75 and I just got settled here. And I need to make sure I’ve got enough money for all the ‘unexpecteds’ on a trip like that.” All those excuses would be classified as disobedience. Faith is having a word from God, and sticking with it.
Fate is: trusting in debt. Going into debt over consumables that have little or no resale value is a Christian curse (as it is for everyone). Donna and I fell into this trap about 30 years ago by putting our fate in the hands of a credit card and falling behind in payments. When we realized the exorbitant and usurious interest rate we were coughing up each month, we repented and went ‘without’ for a few months, finally escaping the clutches of our plastic pirate.
Faith is: seeking God about how you spend your money, knowing that, “all your everyday human concerns (needs) will be met.” [Matt 6:33] This will involve distinguishing clearly between ‘needs’ and ‘wants.’
Fate is: trusting in man’s ingenuity and techniques designed for not having children. And here dear reader, I speak with little authority. Too wise, too late.
Faith is: totally trusting in God to ‘space’ and ‘size’ our familes using more self-control—a fruit of the Spirit. Catholics have this one more right.
Fate is: quitting when things get tough; Abram went through plenty of hard times, yet he stayed humble, even though he quit once by escaping from his ‘promised land’ when famine came. It was not a good decision. [Read Gen 12:10-20]
Faith is: understanding that life is difficult, yet choosing to take “The Road Less Traveled,” (as Scott Peck entitled his book). It’s between hearing your own ‘word’ from God, and its fulfillment, that you grow. The ‘road less traveled’ is most often God’s road, and may well be unpopular, lonely and strewn with boulders of adversity; but it is the path of relationships—with God and with others. “Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway!” [Psalm 119:35)
Fate is: treating God’s words to you as if they were like so many dishes on a buffet table—pick what you prefer—a little of this and a little of that. To live by FATE is to eat at the table of a foreign god.
Faith is: obeying God in every detail. As Joy Dawson would say, “Obedience requires instant, complete and joyful action.” That’s not blind faith; that’s trusting faith. And God may even test that faith, as when he said to Abraham, “Take your dear son Isaac (and) sacrifice him.” [Gen 22:2]
Do you live your daily life by FATE—or by FAITH?
Fate is a hunter, constantly on the prowl, always trying to undermine your Faith and your trust in the One true, living God.
Special blessings as you press on along that less-traveled road of Faith!
[All scriptures The Message]
Faith is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It is our handle on what we can’t see.”[Heb 11:1]
“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith . . .
and the beginning of faith is the end of anxiety.” George Muller
Donna’s Corner
Social Media and Other Voices
My Dear Friend,
Are you being deceived by today’s social media?
The enemy knows his time is short and countless Christians are being deceived and defrauded by lies from the enemy. [2 Tim 3] Many have been taught the Word since infancy (as Paul says about Timothy). The Word will make you wise. My friends, please read the Word and listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying—not just through the media and the voices of others.
God does speak to us through others, but so does the enemy; be discerning. The enemy often uses social media, and if we carry hurts, offences and unforgiveness, we can so easily take things into our own hands to defend our own cause; and as a result, we can have an agenda to get across to others. But Jesus has made a way; we can leave all our hurts, pain and disappointments at the cross and listen to His healing words.
Remember that the prayers of righteous people are powerful and effective. [James 5:16; Psalm 34:15]
The church that the Lord Jesus is coming for, is not downtrodden or backslidden, but will be filled with the glory of God. We can overcome the enemy because our Lord Jesus shed His blood at the cross; and by the word of our testimony. [Rev 12:10-12]
We must be willing to daily lay down our lives, “not conforming any longer to the pattern of this world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds; then we’ll be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.” [Romans 12:1-3]
My friends, the time is short, the kingdoms are clashing—the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. Please listen to Jesus, the King of Kings, 
and whatever He asks you to do, do it; whatever He asks you to say, say it; do all in the name of our Lord Jesus. [Col 3:17]
Remember and know the power of prayer, communicating with Him with pure and humble hearts, and continue to pray like Jesus asked us to pray in Matthew 6:9-14, that His Kingdom will come and His will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Love and Blessings
inTouch Camps in Europe this Summer
July 9-15: Restenäs, Sweden
July 16-22: Prod, Romania
July 29-Aug 4: Champagne, France
The speaker at all Camps will be Stefaan Hugo, YWAM Facilitator for Southern Africa.
Check here for updates and more information!
Looking For A Wholly Successful Life
This month, I’m asking for your help with a little survey . . .
Using only Bible characters, would you send me your nominations for two consistent and wholly successful lives that were lived out? Pick one man and one woman—Old Testament or New—who personified success (the way that God would measure sucess), throughout their lives. And give the reasons for your choices. (Sorry, Jesus cannot be one!)
We’ll publish the results next time. (I’ve already picked my two people.)
Many Blessings!
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