From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: Unsung Side Faith Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 13:33:44 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C4F4BD.868E8560" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C4F4BD.868E8560 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable THE UNSUNG SIDE OF FAITH By Clinton White What happens when you face a modern day "Red Sea experience"? You are in = the grip of some perplexing, trying situation.You pray, and you pray . . = . but your Red Sea stays closed shut. Nothing happens. Does this mean = you have no faith? Does it mean that if you had more faith your Red Sea = would open? Scripture says, "But without faith it is impossible to = please Him" (Heb. 11:6). You pray and your Red Sea refuses to part. Does = this mean you are displeasing to God because you lack faith? The Bible teaches that David defeated Goliath not with a stone in a = sling, but with faith in his heart! When the Goliaths in your life just = refuse to topple over, does that mean you lack faith? When the wall = between you and certain answered prayer stands high and solid, when that = wall just stubbornly refuses to fall down . . . does that mean you lack = faith? If you had more faith would your walls go over? Would your = Goliaths fall dead? No! On the contrary . . . it could mean that the unsung side of faith is = being demonstrated magnificently in your life! The eleventh chapter of Hebrews records many deeds of faith, and gives = an honor roll of faith heroes . . . men and women "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, waxed valiant in fight, turned = to flight the armies of the aliens" (vs. 33, 34). Then we have the other side. The other manifestation of faith. Not the = faith that claimed promises, or parted waters, but another kind . . . = perhaps even a deeper, stronger manifestation of faith. The next verses = describe those who demonstrated that unsung side of faith. "And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover of = bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were = tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins = and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world = was not worthy:)" (vs. 36-38). Faith heroes? These apparent failures . . . how can it be? The previous = verses mention those who, by faith, "escaped the edge of the sword"; = then how is it that this verse honors the faith of those who did not = escape but rather were "slain with the sword"? Wasn't their faith strong enough to believe God for their escape? And = what about those who were destitute? Others with strong faith "obtained = promises" and were enriched materially. Why then are the destitute = listed among the heroes of faith? The answer should be obvious. It takes faith to pray and believe God for = a miraculous victory . . . but it takes just as much faith, if not more, = to believe God in the face of a heartrending loss when you have been on = your knees day and night praying for a win. A man came to me with joy lighting up his face. He said, "Clinton, I = must tell you this testimony. My son was in an accident. The doctors = gave us no hope. But we prayed with all our hearts and God did a = miracle. My son is all right now. He is completely healed!" As I heard this story, I remembered a woman who had spoken to me with = equal joy. Her testimony also concerned a son in an accident. She also = prayed with all her heart for his healing. But her son died. Then why = her joy? Her faith had reached out to God, even in that horrible darkest = hour of her life. Her broken heart and her unspeakable grief could not = quench the smoking flax of faith that burned in the depth of her being. Others in similar circumstances have turned bitter and resentful toward = God. They allowed themselves to be tormented day and night with that = unanswerable question, "Why did that happen to me?" But this woman was = able to conquer the tyranny of that question with faith. She was able to = assuage the waters of grief with faith. This didn't come about without a struggle. All believers have an enemy, = an adversary "who goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may = devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). Like the lion of the jungle, he stalks the weakest = prey. When someone has been struck hard, when someone has been hit a = blow that has left them reeling . . . then the satanic lion creeps up = and pounces swiftly. The death of her son was just such a blow. The lion saw his chance and = crept into those first lonely nights. She could almost hear his voice, = "Where is your God?" "Is this how your heavenly Father treats you?" "Why = didn't you have more faith? Perhaps it is your own fault that your son = died!" "You must have done something terrible; you must have a hidden = sin or God would not have allowed this to happen." Accusations! Fiery darts! "As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies = reproach me: while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?" (Ps. = 42:10). But she fought back valiantly with the Sword of the Spirit. It was three = o'clock one morning. The battle had been severe. She arose from her = sleepless bed and picked up her Bible from the night stand. She spoke = aloud to Satan. "You have tried to make me believe evil about God, and = myself. You have tried to make me doubt my relationship with Him. Now, = even as Jesus did in the wilderness, I will answer you with Scripture." = She opened her Bible to Romans 8. Then she said, "This is what I believe = with all my heart." And she began to read starting at verse 35, "Who = shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or = distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? As = it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are = accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are = more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that = neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor = things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other = creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in = Christ Jesus our Lord." Victory! The lion fled! It was a triumph for the "unsung side of faith"! In the face of tribulation some Christians become discouraged and = self-condemning. They reason, "If I had more faith I could part the = waters of this tribulation! I could cause this giant to fall! Oh! if I = only had more faith, I could quench the violence of this fire!" Child of God, don't do that! The enemy of your soul wants you to look = away from Christ and back into yourself! Remember what the tempter said = to Jesus? "If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made = bread" (Mat. 4:3). He says the same to you. "If you are really a child = of God change these hard stones!" The implication being, "If you can't = change this hard tribulation, then you don't have faith!" Don't you believe it! Jesus didn't say, "Faith will keep you from all = tribulation." No! In fact, He said, "In the world ye shall have = tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (Jn. = 16:33). What has the "world" thrown at you? Injustice? Tragedy? An = unspeakably cruel experience? Don't say, "If I had more faith, I could change it." Instead, rise up = and overcome it with the "unsung side of faith."=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C4F4BD.868E8560 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
THE UNSUNG SIDE=20 OF FAITH
 
By Clinton=20 White
 
What happens = when you face a=20 modern day "Red Sea experience"? You are in the grip of some perplexing, = trying=20 situation.You pray, and you pray . . . but your Red Sea stays closed = shut.=20 Nothing happens. Does this mean you have no faith? Does it mean that if = you had=20 more faith your Red Sea would open? Scripture says, "But without = faith it is=20 impossible to please Him" (Heb. 11:6). You pray and your Red Sea = refuses to=20 part. Does this mean you are displeasing to God because you lack=20 faith?
 
The Bible = teaches that David=20 defeated Goliath not with a stone in a sling, but with faith in his = heart! When=20 the Goliaths in your life just refuse to topple over, does that mean you = lack=20 faith? When the wall between you and certain answered prayer stands high = and=20 solid, when that wall just stubbornly refuses to fall down . . . does = that mean=20 you lack faith? If you had more faith would your walls go over? Would = your=20 Goliaths fall dead?
No! On the = contrary . . . it=20 could mean that the unsung side of faith is being demonstrated = magnificently in=20 your life!
 
The eleventh = chapter of=20 Hebrews records many deeds of faith, and gives an honor roll of faith = heroes . .=20 . men and women "who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought = righteousness,=20 obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of = fire,=20 escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed = valiant=20 in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (vs. 33,=20 34).
 
Then we have = the other side.=20 The other manifestation of faith. Not the faith that claimed promises, = or parted=20 waters, but another kind . . . perhaps even a deeper, stronger = manifestation of=20 faith. The next verses describe those who demonstrated that unsung side = of=20 faith.
 
"And others = had trial of=20 cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: = they were=20 stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; = they=20 wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, = afflicted,=20 tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:)" (vs. = 36-38).
 
Faith heroes? = These apparent=20 failures . . . how can it be? The previous verses mention those who, by = faith,=20 "escaped the edge of the sword"; then how is it that this verse = honors=20 the faith of those who did not escape but rather were "slain with the = sword"?
 
Wasn't their = faith strong=20 enough to believe God for their escape? And what about those who were = destitute?=20 Others with strong faith "obtained promises" and were enriched=20 materially. Why then are the destitute listed among the heroes of=20 faith?
 
The answer = should be=20 obvious. It takes faith to pray and believe God for a miraculous victory = . . .=20 but it takes just as much faith, if not more, to believe God in the face = of a=20 heartrending loss when you have been on your knees day and night praying = for a=20 win.
 
A man came to = me with joy=20 lighting up his face. He said, "Clinton, I must tell you this testimony. = My son=20 was in an accident. The doctors gave us no hope. But we prayed with all = our=20 hearts and God did a miracle. My son is all right now. He is completely=20 healed!"
 
As I heard = this story, I=20 remembered a woman who had spoken to me with equal joy. Her testimony = also=20 concerned a son in an accident. She also prayed with all her heart for = his=20 healing. But her son = died. Then why=20 her joy? Her faith had reached out to God, even in that horrible darkest = hour=20 of her life. Her broken = heart and her=20 unspeakable grief could not quench the smoking flax of faith that burned = in the=20 depth of her being.
 
Others in = similar=20 circumstances have turned bitter and resentful toward God. They allowed=20 themselves to be tormented day and night with that unanswerable = question, "Why=20 did that happen to me?" But this woman was able to conquer the tyranny = of that=20 question with faith. She was able to assuage the waters of grief with=20 faith.
This didn't = come about=20 without a struggle. All believers have an enemy, an adversary "who = goes about=20 like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). Like = the lion=20 of the jungle, he stalks the weakest prey. When someone has been struck = hard,=20 when someone has been hit a blow that has left them reeling . . . then = the=20 satanic lion creeps up and pounces swiftly.
 
The death of = her son was=20 just such a blow. The lion saw his chance and crept into those first = lonely=20 nights. She could almost hear his voice, "Where is your God?" "Is this = how your=20 heavenly Father treats you?" "Why didn't you have more faith? Perhaps it = is your=20 own fault that your son died!" "You must have done something terrible; = you must=20 have a hidden sin or God would not have allowed this to = happen."
 
Accusations! = Fiery darts!=20 "As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me: while they = say daily=20 unto me, Where is thy God?" (Ps. 42:10).
 
But she fought = back=20 valiantly with the Sword of the Spirit. It was three o'clock one = morning. The=20 battle had been severe. She arose from her sleepless bed and picked up = her Bible=20 from the night stand. She spoke aloud to Satan. "You have tried to make = me=20 believe evil about God, and myself. You have tried to make me doubt my=20 relationship with Him. Now, even as Jesus did in the wilderness, I will = answer=20 you with Scripture." She opened her Bible to Romans 8. Then she said, = "This is=20 what I believe with all my heart." And she began to read starting at = verse 35,=20 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or = distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? As = it is=20 written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted = as sheep=20 for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors = through=20 him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor = angels,=20 nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, = nor=20 height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us = from the=20 love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
 
Victory! The = lion fled! It=20 was a triumph for the "unsung side of faith"!
 
In the face of = tribulation=20 some Christians become discouraged and self-condemning. They reason, "If = I had=20 more faith I could part the waters of this tribulation! I could cause = this giant=20 to fall! Oh! if I only had more faith, I could quench the violence of = this=20 fire!"
 
Child of God, = don't do that!=20 The enemy of your soul wants you to look away from Christ and back into=20 yourself! Remember what the tempter said to Jesus? "If thou be the = Son of God=20 command that these stones be made bread" (Mat. 4:3). He says the = same to=20 you. "If you are really a child of God change these hard stones!" The=20 implication being, "If you can't change this hard tribulation, then you = don't=20 have faith!"
 
Don't you = believe it! Jesus=20 didn't say, "Faith will keep you from all tribulation." No! In fact, He = said,=20 "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have = overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33). What has the "world" thrown = at you?=20 Injustice? Tragedy? An unspeakably cruel experience?
 
Don't say, "If = I had more=20 faith, I could change it." Instead, rise up and overcome it with the = "unsung=20 side of faith."
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