The Faith that Pleases God

Divine Bridegroom Pursues

Reluctant Christian

This little story, told from Christian’s point

of view, is about Divine Bridegroom’s

pursuit of the relationship He craves with

Christian. He wants an intimate

relationship with us much more than we

want one with Him. See if you can relate!

Christian struggles between commitment

to Divine Bridegroom but wanting

independence. When Divine Bridegroom

reveals a desire or expectation Christian

experiences it as duty, condemnation, or as

a threat to liberty.

Christian wants to escape His holy

expectations, but with righteousness intact.

Christian knows how to self-righteously

escape the changes Divine Bridegroom

wants. Christian works hard for others.

Christian won’t turn down any worthy

request. Worthy requests are anything that

makes Christian feel worthy. Christian can

stay busy, tired, and unavailable to Divine

Bridegroom, and Divine Bridegroom will

keep a respectful distance.

Keeping His respectful distance is

Christian’s desire. Christian will converse

just enough with Divine Bridegroom to tell

what is on Christian’s mind, but never

remains in conversation when Divine

Bridegroom becomes mettlesome or

jealous.

Christian hates Divine Bridegroom’s

jealousy. Christian hates conviction.

Christian is willing to re-establish

relationship equilibrium using anything

but repentance. Religious duty helps.

Church activity helps. Giving money

helps. Good manners help. Regimented

bible study and formula prayer helps.

Conversation with Divine Bridegroom is

Christian’s greatest fear. Divine

Bridegroom can use words as weapons to

convict Christian. Change is threatening.

But, Divine Bridegroom is sneaky.

Christian must keep guard up. No topic is

fool-proof. No venue is off-limits to

Divine Bridegroom.

Fear of Divine confrontation motivates

Christian to learn how to gingerly enter

and exit where Divine Bridegroom abides.

Divine Bridegroom’s favors are needed

but expectations and intimacy must to be

avoided. Having a relationship with Divine

Bridegroom without changing is

Christian’s goal.

This little story, told from Christian’s point

of view, describes God’s intense desire to

become one with His bride. His plans for

her are “burning a hole in His pocket”. His

plan is to see Himself in His bride, doing

the things He does.

Christian not only hates conviction that

leads to transformation, Christian doesn’t

really believe she can do the things He

does. And, without faith it is impossible to

please God. Christian forgets that

everything, even faith is given to her by

Divine Bridegroom. Jesus is the Author

and Finisher of faith we are told in

Hebrews 12:2.

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith this way:

“Now faith is confidence in what we

hope for and assurance about what we do

not see.” I might describe faith as knowing

something without having the physical

evidence.

What follows in Hebrews 11 is the Hall of

Faith, Bible characters who believed

something that didn’t happen in their lives

but they kept right on believing it. Some of

what they believe still hasn’t happened.

Here is a challenge to consider. The

evidence of our faith is seeing mountains

move, but the definition of faith is

believing it moved even if no one else

verifies it moved.

Faith seems counter-intuitive to our fact-

based empirical evidence scientific minds.

Faith is not natural to our way of thinking.

I might be sure something will happen

again, if it has happened in the past. But,

much of what Christian is asked to believe

hasn’t happened yet.

Do you think God’s plan is to produce

another hall of faith out of New Testament

saints who are waiting for the kingdom to

come in a future age?

Or, is the faith Jesus wants Christian to

demonstrate a supernatural demonstration

of the kingdom among us now?

Let Jesus speak for Himself to Christian in

this week’s scriptures.

1. A demonstration of faith includes the

ability to do the impossible. Matthew

17: 19 Then the disciples came to

Jesus in private and asked, “Why

couldn’t we drive [the demon] out?”

He replied, “Because you have so

little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have

faith as small as a mustard seed, you

can say to this mountain, ‘Move from

here to there,’ and it will

move. Nothing will be impossible for

you.” The kind of faith that moves

mountains (things in the physical) and

demons (the spiritual) is what Jesus

was and is looking for.

2. A demonstration of faith includes

trusting in God’s sovereignty over

nature. Luke 8:24 The disciples went

and woke him [during the storm],

saying, “Master, Master, we’re going

to drown!” He got up and rebuked the

wind and the raging waters; the storm

subsided, and all was calm. “Where is

your faith?” he asked his disciples.

Faith believes God instead of natural

storms of any kind.

3. A demonstration of faith includes

believing everything is possible.

Mark 9:23 “Everything is possible for

one who believes.” said Jesus. Faith

isn’t limited to past experience.

4. A demonstration of faith includes

fearless confidence in Jesus’ Word.

Matthew 14: Then Peter got down out

of the boat, walked on the water and

came toward Jesus. But when he saw

the wind, he was afraid and,

beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord,

save me!” Immediately Jesus reached

out his hand and caught him. “You of

little faith,” he said, “why did you

doubt?” Faith doesn’t doubt God even

when that violates natural laws.

5. A demonstration of faith includes

trusting in His reward for those who

earnestly seek Him. Matthew 15:

24 Jesus answered [the Samaritan], “I

was sent only to the lost sheep of

Israel.” The woman came and knelt

before him. “Lord, help me!” she

said. He replied, “It is not right to take

the children’s bread and toss it to the

dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said.

“Even the dogs eat the crumbs that

fall from their master’s table.” Then

Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have

great faith! Your request is

granted.” And her daughter was

healed at that moment. Faith

preempts every other possible

consideration or outcome.

From these examples, I could conclude

that when I really believe who God is, and

expect HIM to act accordingly, I

demonstrate faith that pleases God.

Hebrews 11:5 “It’s impossible to please

God apart from faith. Because anyone who

wants to approach God must believe both

that he exists and that he cares enough to

respond to those who seek Him.

See if you can follow my reasoning on this.

God is giving Christian faith to produce the

same miracle-working signs and wonders

He did on earth BECAUSE this is a SIGN

that He exists and that He cares enough to

respond to those who seek Him.

And who seeks Him? Is it reluctant

Christian? Or, is it a bride who is after

God’s own heart? The highest form of faith

is when Christian makes a quality decision

that God’s Word and its authority alone

will rule and manifest in our life. The

lowest form of faith (or no faith at all) in

God’s sight is desiring a physical sign or

manifestation BEFORE Christian will

believe.

We sometimes describe Martha, Lazarath

and Mary’s sister, as the kind of Christian

is busy doing her duty to Christ. Mary is

viewed as one who wants to be with Christ,

to hang on His every word. Jesus says in

Luke 10:42, “But one thing is needful: and

Mary hath chosen that good part, which

shall not be taken away from her.”

What was that “one thing”? It was the

listening to the Word at the feet of the

Word made flesh. Mary laid aside the

things that yell for our attention and chose

the “needful” thing which is the Word.

“The Word of God is FOREVER

SETTLED in Heaven.” Where it must be

SETTLED is within Christian.

Let’s hear from Jesus Himself on this

issue: Luke 8: 21 Jesus replied, “My

mother and brothers are those who hear

God’s word and put it into practice.”

The kind of faith Jesus imparts to

Christian, as James tells us, includes

works. But, are the works Jesus is looking

for just acts Christian can think of that

would be beneficial or is Jesus looking for

His Works, coming forth from His word,

through His Bride who in seeing her

Divine Bridegroom is becoming like Him?