01/27/22 SOME DARE CALL IT FAITH

01/27/22 SOME DARE CALL IT FAITH

We were driving over to west Morehead this week and came to a stop when a school bus, (traveling east) stopped to discharge some students. The high school student exited and walked in front of the bus, crossing the highway.
Yes, he had the law on his side.
Yes, the bus had signs and signals out.
Yes, I was stopped and waiting.
Yes, all other traffic was stopped.
HOWEVER, the student stepped from in front of the bus without looking in either direction. He never looked.
A vehicle could have come around me and hit him.
A vehicle could have passed the bus from behind, hitting the boy without ever seeing him.
The boy could have been hit and even died.
There are some things that we cannot control, but there are some things, for which we are responsible.
The student's failure to look was not really faith in the laws, in the bus and driver, or in the other traffic. It was foolish presumption or it was empty headed action.

Sometimes Christians exercise foolish presumption and call it faith.

I don't live in fear of The World, The Flesh or The Devil, I live in faith, trusting God with every area of my life. Living by faith in Christ means living in loving obedience to Christ. Living by faith is living under Divine guidance.

I realize that there is a healthy fear, such as the fear of God, also a proper fear of danger, whether natural or contrived, whether intended or circumstantial.

Faith does not make us unconcerned about danger. A Cavalier view of some dangers is not faith but foolish presumption.
Faith does not challenge danger; though faith charges into danger as it follows God, even into the jaws of danger, when God directs.
Faith does not always keep the obedient child of God safe from the negative effects of danger.
Salvation delivers believers from fear of judgment, fear of death, fear of loss.
Salvation does not guarantee deliverance from the temporal (earthly) losses or suffering.
Remember, not all fear is cowardice. Cowardice is the fear from which God delivers us. The opposite of Cowardice is not Cavalier Presumption, but Divine Wisdom and active faith.

This is true in the sudden, unexpected, in-your-face moments of danger and in the obvious, bold presence of danger.
Faith is not presumption, neither is it acting foolishly (acting without God).
God puts healthy fear within us. Without healthy fear we would mindlessly expose ourselves and others to unnecessary and destructive dangers.

With this being said, we need to know what the Bible says about submission to the will of God; what God expects from us in time of danger, conflict, adverse situations.

Don't fall for the lie that YOUR WORD OF FAITH creates or re-creates your world, or immunizes you from trouble, trial, testing and temptation.
While we should guard out hearts and mouths, we must not think that we can, "Positive Confess" ourselves out of the difficulties and dangers of life.
Even God did not Positive Confess us out of sin; He took action, based on His own love, justice and mercy.
We cannot Positive Confess ourselves out of a fallen world. Our only victory comes by faith in His word and submission to His will.
A Biblical confession of faith is not the same as the popular (but erroneously called) Word of Faith.
The lie of the WoF movement has infiltrated the lives of shallow, self oriented, lazy Christians. It takes time, energy, commitment to know and to do the will of God in the various issues of life.

I believe, preach and teach a victorious life, but it is victory over our difficulties and trials in this present evil world, in accordance with the nature and salvific work of God, regardless of the cost and regardless of the path we must take.
I won't make much money preaching this and I won't tickle any itching ears, but I am telling you truth, which is verifiable in the Word of God.