Living a life in the Spirit

What is one of the most damaging things that we can do to any organization or people? Complain! Recently a gentleman in our church stepped up before the congregation and repented of being “critical” of the leadership and population of the church. He felt this sinful behavior needed to publicly apologized for. Later I was asked to try and explain why this had been done. I simply stated my belief that this man had been moved by his convictions to be clear of the sin of complaining. No big deal, right? Wrong, it is a huge deal. The practice of complaining is what kept Israel from entering the promised land when they first had the chance. God hates it! Yet, today, we complain like it is a sport. We gather together to have group complaint sessions and even complain about each others complaints. Enough already.

Our society is so deeply fractured and divided today that it seems impossible to ever reach any form of consensus on anything. Why is this? Selfishness. We have grown into a self-serving, me first group of whining brats who refuse to be happy if we don’t get “our” way. Look at all of the political wrangling going on over who has the best idea or which “party” is the “right” party. Quite frankly the whole thing makes me sick! But, what turns my stomach the most is when it is standard operating procedure in the Christian church.

Last January, I released a book titled “The Key of Forgiveness”. This book was written to the church with the message that we are commanded to live a life in forgiveness. When God told me to write it, I was struggling with many areas of unforgiveness in my own life. I was frequently bitter, and generally selfish in my way of doing things. The process of writing that book forced me to make several wholesale changes in my personal philosophy regarding my relations with people and God. Through this I gained this important revelation: It is impossible to truly walk in the “Spirit” when you are constantly bitter.

What does this mean? Bitterness is the byproduct of selfishness. Selfishness is one of the straightest paths to sin. A selfish person is primarily concerned with their own we being and only looks to aid or give to others when it has some form of reciprocal benefit to them. In my life’s experience, a selfish person is also a chronic complainer. This one I know all to well as it was my modus operandi for many years. The problem with all of this is, again, that God hates it. If you don’t believe me, check out Exodus ch 11 and 13, God really hates complaining.

So I said all of that to bring you to the actual point of my rant. There is a better way. If you are unhappy with a situation or person in your life, don’t complain – PRAY!. God has shown me that if we can elevate ourselves up from our fleshly lusts and selfish motivations, we will be better able to hear God and know His will for anything in our life. Complaining about something is a flesh and lust driven program. Praying about it requires us to put down our own agenda so that we may know God’s purpose.

Imagine this scenario; A certain leader in your organization seems to be erring in how they are handling a specific issue (you can plug anyone and any thing here). You, of course, have a better plan or way to approach the situation. Since this person is in a position of authority, you now have a dilemma. If you start to “speak up “, you may put yourself at risk of being insubordinate. Here is the place where you must put down your own thoughts and desires to handle things and go to God. As you elevate yourself from the flesh realm and move into the spirit realm, you can now seek to hear God’s voice in the matter. God will ALWAYS have the right answer. If we were to make this our mode of operation, I am convinced we would have far fewer “issues” and significantly more unity. How much more effective would your pastor’s preaching be if he could focus on the larger issues that God places before him when he isn’t constantly being bombarded with the petty dealings of a complaining congregation. I am further convinced that if we actually let God lead us and stopped trying to do it all on our own, our pastors and leaders would “miraculously” improve and become great pastors and leaders, without our expert knowledge having set them straight. This works in any area of life be it church, family, work or even (dare I say) politics.

As you learn to elevate yourself to living in that realm of the spirit, you will also have an increased awareness of what God is calling you to do. With more of the body of Christ performing the functions they are actually called to, the body can properly grow and make a real change in the world.

How can this be done? It is as easy as learning to forgive as Jesus forgave. Forgiveness is the key to walking in the spirit. Forgiveness doesn’t complain, gripe, moan or feel compelled to always make “needed corrections” in people. It just forgives and releases to God the issue. God is always faithful to properly handle everything, we need to always let Him. If you struggle with unforgiveness, you need to read all Matthew 18 and see what Jesus had to say about it. You can also find many good books on the subject (even mine). It is vital for anyone’s spiritual health and walk with God to understand and implement living a life of forgiveness.

A life in forgiveness is a life in the spirit.

Just a thought, Glenn

Have you ever had one of those “moments”? You know, when you are stuck between a rock and a hard place and you need that perfect thing to happen and unlock your brain to see the answer? 

Yesterday morning, while attending our weekly businessman’s breakfast, I opened my Bible and was given this portion of scripture:

 Psalm 121- “I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.”

  The last year has been, to say the least, quite troubling. Being unemployed had provided me with many challenges. Of course there are the obvous (bills, mortgage, phone calls, etc..) and the not so obvious. My wife and I have a new business and it has done ok, although not quite good enough to overcome the direct challenges we are facing. All of this has led to moments of despair and depression. There comes a point when failure seems to be my lot in life. It is that moment that God ALWAYS makes His presence known. God never fails and is a constant in my life that I can always count on.

 During the meeting, we were in a discussion on faith and fear. This  is an interesting subject for me since I am currently working on a book project involving that very subject. I had shelved it for the time being due to what I thought was writers block. It turns out that I was really just being fearful myself. We were asked to open our bibles and turn to Proverbs 4. When I initially opened my bible, I turned to Ps. 121. I sat there for a brief moment and looked at the verses, then it hit me- God IS my keeper. I had reached a point where I was trying to “figure  it all out” on my own. I was trying to provide my own answers when I should have been listening to God instead. When I simply allow Him to be God in my life and don’t try to be “self smart”, I find that I have a greater clarity and focus. Form time to time I am challenged by those who choose not to believe in God. The challenge is to somehow try to prove that God even exists and if He does, why. It is not always something empirical that reminds me of why I hold fast to my faith, it is those moments where I am brought back to that place of peace that passes all understanding. That place where I can simply sit in my Heavenly Fathers lap and relax, knowing that He is still in control of all things.  To deny God’s existence is to take upon yourself all of the crap that life has to give you with no possible way to ever process through it without some form of chemical assistance. I know this because that was my life before Christ. With Jesus as my Lord, I have grace for screwups , mercy for forgiveness, and that complete joy in my heart for knowing that I am not rejected.  Again, times are tough right now, still there  is a God who is stronger that the times. I choose to put my trust in Him.

 By the way, I got a couple of great new ideas for our business in addition to being able to focus on my book project. I love it when God intervenes in my life!

  God Bless, Glenn

Some time back, I was having a conversation with a very good friend. This gentleman is a Mormon. I mention that only because I feel that sometimes , as Christians, we can be a little to exclusive in our friendships. Anyway, this discussion was actually a continuation of one that had started a couple of months before. I was in the finishing stages of my book on forgiveness and the topic had come up in discussion. My friend shared with me about some of his lingering problems in the area of bitterness. He had been deeply wounded by another Mormon whom he felt was a close friend. This bitterness was causing him no end of trouble. In the middle of this conversation, he told me about how he was starting to feel estranged from his church. He was beginning to not even want to go. Now you must understand, this is a man who is passionate about his faith, not some casual attender. As he continued to share this with me, God spoke into my heart to minister to him in the area of forgiveness. He had a need to be set free from a bondage that he was in, and God wanted me to deliver the key.

It was a very intense time as God began to break through this man’s bitterness and give him a ray of hope. I am always amazed at how God is able to get through to people and bring peace in their lives.

I need to state something here, I am not a fan of Mormonism, I simply find too many wrong teachings in their views of God, Jesus and redemption. But still, this is my friend, someone who I pray for. That prayer is what brings us to this point in the story. My friend told me that when he had been at a recent church service, he was feeling like he was having a hard time relating to God. He was still caught up in the bitterness of different offenses and simply didn’t want to be there. He stepped away to get his thoughts together and read a portion of the book of Mormon. in it he read a story of 2 prophets who were told that they were lost due to the fact that they didn’t know their God. This struck my friend hard, did he really know his God? As he related that to me, there was a breaking taking place in him. I could see a longing for more. I also started to chuckle a bit ( I know, how insensitive of me). He asked why I was chuckeling and I responded with this question ” Do you want to know what my prayer has been for you?” He said “yes”. I told him that I was praying for God to reveal himself to you in His true form. I said this” God is trying to get ahold of you, are you listening?”

Our conversation ended there, but I still think about that last question. Am I listening? God is constantly calling us to him, we must always be listening for that call so that we will know His will.

So I ask this of all ” God is calling, are you listening?”

God Bless, Glenn Smith Jr

Here is an excerpt from Ch.3 of my book The Key of Forgiveness:

Chapter 3

Forgiveness Saves a Nation

“You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well.” — Lewis B. Smedes, Author

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” — Paul Boese, Television Producer

 

Life can be cruel. Sometimes things happen that hurt us deeply. Divorces, separations, family cruelty, and misunderstandings all can leave deep psychological scars. Then there are the physical attacks like rape or abuse. All of this is awful and leaves people wounded and upset. While in the midst of all of this, it is very difficult to find yourself defaulting to a position of forgiveness. Forgiving is not a natural reaction to the things that offend or wound. Instead, anger and bitterness develop, as well as an endless search for revenge. At best, the desire is to at least get even. It is human nature to serve self and look out for number one.

I often wonder how God feels about this. In the world this is normal behavior, but in the Kingdom of God it should not be. There will be no unforgiveness or bitterness in heaven, so why have it here?

People betray each other. They do things that offend and disappoint. But as Christians, we have to expect it. Jesus said it would be that way, so we are without excuse. Moving past our base human nature requires a complete trust in God. We must learn to see God as our vindicator. To do this we must be truly willing to forgive. Getting this down is crucial to our well being and might possibly even save our families from destruction. George Herbert, a 16^{th century poet, wrote, “He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.”}

If you are struggling with resentment or unforgiveness, I recommend this book. The healing I found in my own life as I wrote it has produced in me a profound sense of peace and opened me up to a better walk with Jesus and those who follow Him.

 

• The book is available at   ^{www.kingdomkeysbooks.com}

 

God Bless, Glenn

 This is the day that the Lord had made and I will be glad and rejoice in it!.

 If you are struggling with the day to day trials of life, meditate on this verse and let God fill you with a joy only He can provide. No matter how bad things appear, we still have a God in heaven who loved us enough to send His only son to give his life in purchase of ours. Life is great if you allow it to be. It is even better in Christ!

 Have a great and blessed day, Glenn.

 So here it is , the fourth of July, the day that we celebrate the declaration of independence that our forefathers so bravely made. I have taken the time, as have many others, to post that document for all to read (hopefully). But as I sit here thinking about things and reading what others have to say, I have decided to suggest a solution for everything so that we can all go back to work and get back to enjoying our freedom.

 First: The Federal government (actually overall government in general) is way to large, surprise, surprise.  When I look at the designed purpose of governments and their possible efficiencies and deficiencies, I can only conclude that the federal level of government should have only a few simple functions 1) It should provide a stable, unified monetary system. This was made apparent after the revolution when the “independent” states had multiple currencies and there was no real way to determine value. A singular currency solved this problem and made free trade possible between the states. 2) It should provide security. Again , having a singular military under a unified control gives us the greatest level of security. 3) It should provide and maintain infrastructure. Currently our nation is suffering from major neglect concerning our primary roads, bridges, and dams. Without the necessary repairs and maintenance, these systems could fail and cause catastrophic damage. If our federal tax dollars were spent in this area, these problems would be averted. I also feel that the distribution of power and water should fall under this same cover, with no direct charge to the citizens of the nation. I know that would mean eliminating a few semi-private corporations, but it would serve the best interests of all the people. That’s it, nothing else.

State governments should handle the following: 1) Health and human services. If all of the different welfare and medicare services were handled at the state level it would be far more efficient. First of all, each state has differing needs and situations. If the federal government was out of the picture, then each state could decide for itself how best to help its own people. The money collected from taxes would be closer to the need and would be able to reach the need far quicker. It is entirely possible that you could solve many of the excessive expense problems faced in health care today if the systems in place were regulated at a level closer to the people. 2) Regulation of interstate commerce. If you regulated state to state commerce at the state level, each state could them be able to best determine what course of business transactions to take concerning regulations and so forth. My reasoning for this is simple, if you are elected by a body of people that you are still in close proximity to, you can be better held accountable to those same people. Decision making would be easier to monitor and keep track of. You would not have New York making business decisions for Oklahoma and so on. That’s it.

 Most of the actual governing should come from the local level. Schools, fire, police, and so on can be held at the local level.

 You will notice that there are some things missing.  I would not completely change the court system, only streamline it. I would have certain environmental regulations at each level (but again greatly streamlined). We have far to many bureaucracies, waisting far to much money. As for civil, social, and criminal laws, again you would have to maintain a split throughout the levels of government.  If any of these suggestions seem at all familiar, they should be. I am sure that our founding fathers shared many of these same thoughts when putting together the Constitution and determining State’s rights.

 Taxation, I fully support a flat tax of 15% across the board on individual income, how ever derived, and a 10 % corporate income tax to be divided as follows: 15% to the federal level, 30% to the state level, and 55% to the local level (17% counties and 28% cities). No property, sales, value added, or any other kind of tax. Taxation would be on actual income and earnings. No deductions for anything except charitable giving. I would also keep non-tax status for any church or legitimate organization that actually serves people, not interests or causes.  Each governmental entity would be required to run within the ACTUAL amount of taxes collected and no more (balanced budget). No elected official should be allowed to make a career of being elected to one singe office. If you have a desire to make politics a profession, then you would have to run for a different office when your term limits expire (i.e city council to county commissioner to governor, etc). There would need to be only one central tax collection bureau at the federal level and it would exist only to collect and distribute to each level of government what is due. Since the tax is a flat tax there would be no need for the vast and confusing series of laws and loop holes to deal with, everyone would pay the same percentage regardless of income or status in life. No corporation could escape what they would owe and everyone would be a contributor to pay for services.

 Now I know that this solution is far from perfect and would need some fine tuning. Still, if we the people were to realign our governments to this sort of setup, I am sure that we could then reasonably work out the fine details. If there was a definite cap on what taxes could be raised and how long any single person could be in power with absolute limits on spending, it would make it far more difficult to continually expand each level of government until there is nothing left but government.

 Consider these things as you choose how you vote in the future and hope, as I do , that we never have to declare independence from a tyrannical government again.

 Just a thought, Glenn

 

 

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Action of Second Continental Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America

WHEN in the Course of human Events,
it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.
WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness — That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security. Such has been the patient Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The History of the present King of Great- Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World.
HE has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public Good.
HE has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing Importance, unless suspended in their Operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
HE has refused to pass other Laws for the Accommodation of large Districts of People, unless those People would relinquish the Right of Representation in the Legislature, a Right inestimable to them, and formidable to Tyrants only.
HE has called together Legislative Bodies at Places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the Depository of their public Records, for the sole Purpose of fatiguing them into Compliance with his Measures.
HE has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People.
HE has refused for a long Time, after such Dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of the Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the Dangers of Invasion from without, and the Convulsions within.
HE has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that Purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their Migrations hither, and raising the Conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
HE has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
HE has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices, and the Amount and Payment of their Salaries.
HE has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harrass our People, and eat out their Substance.
HE has kept among us, in Times of Peace, Standing Armies, without the consent of our Legislatures.
HE has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
HE has combined with others to subject us to a Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution, and unacknowledged by our Laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
FOR quartering large Bodies of Armed Troops among us;
FOR protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
FOR cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World:
FOR imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
FOR depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury:
FOR transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended Offences:
FOR abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an arbitrary Government, and enlarging its Boundaries, so as to render it at once an Example and fit Instrument for introducing the same absolute Rules into these Colonies:
FOR taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
FOR suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all Cases whatsoever.
HE has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
HE has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our Towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People.
HE is, at this Time, transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the Works of Death, Desolation, and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy, scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous Ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized Nation.
HE has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the Executioners of their Friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
HE has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions.
IN every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People.
NOR have we been wanting in Attentions to our British Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of Attempts by their Legislature to extend an unwarrantable Jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Emigration and Settlement here. We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these Usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our Connections and Correspondence. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends.
WE, therefore, the Representatives of the UNITED STATED OF AMERICA, in GENERAL CONGRESS, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and Declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Connection between them and the State of Great-Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

 This is the document that brought our great country into existance. It is as relavent today as it was 233 years ago. If we the people do not educate ourselves to the reality of our times and act upon real knowledge and not just media or political party rhetoric, we may find ourselves in the position of having to declare independence from tyranny once more.

 Think about it.

 This is a touching note that my wife wrote this morning:

Along the path of life, by Mary Smith:

Through the years of our lives many people pass, some are there for years, others for only brief periods in the grand scheme of this journey of life. We all begin our journey from unique starting points, our choices dictating the path we ultimately walk, it’s along this path that our lives intersect with one another.

As I read a note from someone today it caused me to think. I began pondering this morning some of those whose paths have crossed with mine, some have walked the same path as me for many years through close friendship and bonds that come from that, others for periods dictated by where we were at the time… say during school years, and others still through our choices affecting where we are during a given time, say a choice to move somewhere for a time.

It really doesn’t matter the actual length of time each of these people I have known has been a part of my life, they have all contributed in someway to the person that I am today. Some have comforted me, some just a smile others at times have intimidated me or hurt me in one way or another… not necessarily on purpose. The thing I’ve learned is that it is important…. as the Bible says, “Count it all joy.”

The most amazing thing happens in life, as the days, turn to months, and months to years, and years to decades, people grow and change. All of us, me, you, everyone. And yes during these changes in life some choose the path that leads to heartbreak and disappointments, many end up on the same joyous path that I found, a life lived in Christ Jesus.

Yes many of these people have found the same joy that I have through the saving grace that comes with the acceptance of Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. A life that has turned around and repented from the past, and is now following hard after Christ…

Yes I can count it all Joy!! Those who have made the same choice to live this life, are no longer merely moments of my life, they are now a part of the same eternity, they are now my brothers and sisters, and this is something that truly brings joy to my heart.

The note that started this pondering today not only brought joy to my heart but honestly, tears to my eyes, I don’t think the person that sent that note had any idea what would stir with in me today, but. THANK YOU!
I love when God uses the little things to stir our hearts!

Blessings!
Mary

With so many teachings and opinions available, I thought I would share mine.

There are many ways to define faith. Merriam-Webster defines it as :

1 a: allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1):fidelity to one’s promises (2): sincerity of intentions2 a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction ; especially : a system of religious beliefs <the Protestant faith>

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: In the Old Testament, the Hebrew means essentially steadfastness,

There are single word descriptions such as belief, trust, and confidence. All of these are good talking points, statements used to try to define or discuss what faith may be. But I think there is a deeper aspect of faith that largely is ignored in many a Christian circle today, the action of faith. In the Christian church there are as many different teachings on faith as there are denominations to teach them, but how many actually teach the application of faith as what is needed to please God?

In Hebrews 11:1 it states that Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of the things not yet seen. What does that really mean? During a time of prayer and preparation for a teaching I was to give before a Christian businessman’s breakfast not long ago, God gave me an interesting perspective on this verse. He had me focus on the words substance and evidence. These are the tangibles of faith. A substance is a material that can be used to construct or fabricate something. It is the material that you can touch or see, something real to the senses. Evidence is tangible proof of the existence of the substance and its work or form. God showed me that faith is a real substance that is made evident by an action taken. If you study all of Hebrews ch 11, you will see that 17 times a verse starts with the statement “by faith”. This is always followed by action being performed by the person described following. That action of faith IS the substance and evidence of what the person who is moving in faith is believing for. For instance, in Luke 9:12-17 we see the story of the feeding of the 5000. Jesus had been teaching the multitudes in a remote place for the bulk of the day. The disciples then made Him aware of the fact that it was getting late and told Him to send the people away to find food. Jesus then says to the disciples, in vs 13, “You go feed them”. Here we arrive at a moment of crisis for these men, there are over 5000 people (some speculation is closer to 15000 and up to 20000) with no major food source available. All that was there at the moment were 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes, certainly not enough to feed more that 4 or 5 people let alone thousands. Jesus gave them instructions to sit the people down in groups of 50. He then took the bread and fish, broke it, and blessed it. Now conventional teaching would say that the food was multiplied right then, but I think Jesus was now trying to teach a lesson on the act of faith. I can only imagine being one of the men assigned to distribute the food. Here you are with a basket containing a few fragments of the bread and fish. You have a command from the Lord to “feed them”but you are still unsure how that is going to happen. At this point you might remember having been rebuked for a lack of faith sometime before, so you know that you don’t want to experience that again. Looking at your assigned crowd, you now begin to show the substance and evidence of your faith  by walking toward the hungry people. Every step you take is further evidence that you believe these people will, somehow, be fed from your basket. It is only after all of the people are fed that you realize your basket is now full of the LEFT OVER fragments of food. The act of stepping out on the command of Jesus was the substance that God could then use to build a miracle and feed all of those people to their satisfaction. 

There are many other areas of faith actions that can show that evidence of your faith. Another example would be in the realm of giving to the Lord. When you bring your tithes and offering to the store house, you are acting on the knowledge that God will be faithful to His own word and bring the return of necessary provision for all of your needs. When you lay hands on the sick and anoint them with oil, that action gives God the proof of your faith and He responds with healing. Over and over again it can be seen that the action of faith is the substance and evidence. 

Another thing to consider was brought to my attention in Hebrews 11:6 – Without faith it is impossible to please God. If the action of faith is the proof, then it is also required to please God. Without any evidence, how can you show God that you actually have any faith at all. Further instruction and clarification on this is given in James 1:22-25. James writes that we are to be doers of the word not just hearers. Again, this states the need for action. In ch 2:14-18, he spotlights the difference between simple talking faith and working faith. James even goes so far as to say that faith without works is dead. This, in my opinion, sets us up for only one conclusion, in order to have a God pleasing faith, we must have an active faith that produces evident works in our lives. 

The concept of faith requiring an action is seen throughout the New Testament. Typically Jesus would either ask a person what they wanted to happen thus drawing out a response from that person or He would give an instruction to perform a specific action following His prayer. Either way, there was some form of action be it a verbal statement or a physical task that went with the exhibition of faith. Even the very act of being saved is attached to something we have to say and do: Confess with your mouth ( a out loud verbal statement) that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart ( an inward action of faith) that God raised him from the dead and you shall be saved. 

Now you may ask, “why make such a big deal about this since it is clearly obvious ?” I point this out because many times we do not want to actuate or faith by doing, we simply want to talk about it. Many times in the past I have asked this question when teaching, “Do you really believe this stuff or are you just talking about it?” It was certainly a problem during the time of the early church as James had to address it when he said “faith without works is dead”. If we want to please God we must have faith, if we want to have faith alive, it must be accompanied by action.

Just a though, Glenn

  Normally I do not venture into the political discussion but I can be silent no more.  We are being pushed into full fledged socialism whether we like/believe  it or not. I am sure there are many people who voted in November who are now scratching their heads and wondering  just what the hell they were thinking while others are froth with glee. First we had the banking system involved in a hostile take-over by the treasury dept.  Next up was the automotive industry( see President Obama fire GM’s CEO), although Ford has somehow stayed out of the fray. With congress and the president now able to dictate policy regarding compensation and product mix, several major banks and corporations are fully beholden to them. The FDA has now stepped in and is exerting their will deeper into the food and drug supply, and there is all of the ”green” talk.  All of this is culminating in the coup-de-gras, health care reform.

For years many in the far left of the political spectrum have championed for state-run health care while the far right is saying to leave it in the hands of the free market.  Evidence has shown that fully state run heath care is a lesser quality system. On the flip side, fully unregulated systems are wrought with corruption. Now I will be the first to tell you how I feel about the grand scam of all time- health insurance- but I still  cannot advocate any further progress into the private sector by “big” government. There is, however, another solution to the absurdly high cost of health care in this country.

We live in a country that has, hands down, the best heath care available anywhere in the world. It is why so many people flock to our shores and over our borders. The problem is liability. We live in a overly litigious society. In the US today, you can find a lawyer who will sue anyone for any reason (legitimate or not).  I was in a fender-bender in 2001. Having been hit from the rear, I had some degree of neck and back injuries. On my own I was able to work out, with all parties concerned, a fair and equitable settlement that included proper care and a reasonable cash settlement. During the process, I did consult with an attorney. His recommendation was for me to continue on my own as I was doing about as well as he could have done.  During our conversation, the attorney told me that he always prefers to go to court as opposed to settling out of court. I asked him for an expiation and this is what he told me: “I get more money for an in court win that I do for an out of court settlement”. Bingo! There, right before me, was the problem- greed. Why does the lawyer want to win in court? 40%! If he wins in court he receives 40% of the award. Out of court the take is only 30%. That 10% can add up to a tidy sum in some of these large cases that are in the system right now.  Again, I have nothing against someone earning a good or even great living, but I am hard pressed to see how this setup benefits anyone but the attorney.

Here is the scenario: You are hurt or injured by an accident, product failure, doctor malpractice, etc. You contact an attorney and he takes the case to court. He does a credible job and you win a $1,000,000 judgement. First uncle sam gets his 40-50%, then the attorney gets his 40%. How much do you get? 10-20% or 100-200,000. That’s it. You were the one wronged or injured yet the government and attorneys are the ones who benefit. I find this to be severely out of balance. What make this an even greater travesty is that  if you received any disability or medical payments leading up to your “win”, the insurance companies may be able to “reclaim’ that money. You may very well wind up owing more in the end than was ever available.

So here is my solution, limit the attorney’s fee for an in court decision to 10% of the gross award. If they choose to settle out of court, raise it to 20%. I believe several things will happen. First, there will be a dramatic reduction in the case load that our courts are burdened with. I believe that the only cases that will go to court are the truly legitimate cases that set precedence or determine major application of law. In other words, the only cases in the court will be the ones that belong in court. Second, I feel that any attorney worth his salt should be able to negotiate proper settlements in most cases, and with the added incentive of 10%, they will try harder. Now I can here the arguments coming from everywhere. The lawyers, of course, will hate this, tough. We are all suffering now because of the strain put on the system by frivolous law suits and extreme malpractice insurance costs brought on by the mere threat of a law suit.  The most recent Supreme Court decision regarding the firefighters and reverse discrimination is a prime example of the fear of litigation that prevails in our country today. It is way to much of a temptation for people to go after the easy money of a law suit, believing that they will somehow solve all of their problems or be able to dictate policy that way. If this continues unabated, we will all be ultimately subject to the kinds of socialist programs being proposed now. Simply changing who provides insurance or health care will do nothing to stem the tide of litigation that is driving costs up now. We have to change the way people are compensated due to litigation. The attorney has every right to bill for actual time and effort expended to win or settle the case. My problem is with the automatic 40% paid. How many people are walked into lawsuits by attorneys on the premise of no cost up front?  These attorneys do this with the hope of getting “paid” from the proceeds at the end. It is the greed factor that draws us in and keeps the system well oiled.

 Another group of people that will probably hate this idea is the special interest groups who make a living off of threatening anyone who dare to oppose them with legal action. It is my firm belief that if you removed the unduly high amount of money and attorney gets automatically and shift the cost of litigation back to the suing party (make everyone earn what they have coming), you will see fewer and fewer of the stupid cases coming before the courts. In addition, with more legitimate cases being tried, you will get more consistency in judgement. It will be easier to hold to fact and truth because there will be less incentive on the part of the attorney to “create” his case. It is possible that you may see certain cases deliver higher judgements, but for the most part I believe that you will see a greatly reduced overall amount of money going out in the form of settlements.

We are a land of laws. But, am I the only one who thinks it strange that the ones who benefit the most from many of these laws are also the ones who write them? How many politicians and judges are lawyers? It is almost like having the foxes not only be in charge of the hen house, but also the breeding program as well. What is needed now is serious tort reform. People need to be held accountable for their actions and justice rendered when needed. But, until we collectively gather together and demand the kind of change that is really needed, we can expect more of the same, regardless of which party is in charge.

How will this solve the health care mess? It will provide a way for doctors to pay fewer costs for insurance. Since it is the insurance company that winds up paying most of the time. You will see fewer large awards for stupid, frivolous cases. It will also offer the opportunity for the legitimate cases to see proper rewards. Who actually will benefit from this? Everyone, but especially the person who should benefit- the plaintiff. Let’s look at the scenario again. $1m award- 40-50% taxes (another issue for another day), 10% attorney, 40-50% plaintiff. That, in my opinion, is a much better balance.

That is my opinion, please feel free to comment. I am throwing this out there as a bone for people to chew on. If you agree, great. If not, great. My point is that we can no longer affor to keep silent. Real change is needed, not just the same old rhetoric.

 Just a thought, Glenn