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November, 2009
RIDING THE SADDLE OF FAITH, NOT THE LOOSE SADDLE OF BELIEF!
Someone once said “riding is the art of keeping a horse between you and the ground”. Having faith in Jesus is our saddle as we ride through life. Life does bring us storms, fair weather and beautiful days as we ride through it. And it’s of the utmost importance which saddle we use to ride through life on. You have the power to choose which one ! You have the choice of the saddle of faith or the loose slippery saddle of belief. There is a major difference in which of these two saddles we ride on with each hour of each day of each month of each year. At first look, the saddle of faith and the saddle of belief seem similar or even the same. In God’s Kingdom, they are two totally different saddles that bring two totally different realities of God and two totally different experiences of who we become. The saddle of faith gives us the understanding of why we go through storms and what we receive from those storms. The saddle of faith forms us into the follower of Jesus Christ which God so desires. The saddle of belief does not do anything except keep us spiritually immature and allows culture and society to form and mold us instead of the power of the living God.
You see, God created you for purpose and filled you full of potential to be used for His Kingdom. There is no greater honor to be found on this earth than to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Even if you were to accumulate all the wealth of the world and all the power of the world, it would not measure up to your calling in Jesus. If that statement seems farfetched to you, maybe you are riding the saddle of belief instead of the saddle of faith. You see, the presidents and kings of the world have a life that is but a vapor, a wisp of smoke. They all die and in their death their power and wealth all will go to the dust of the earth. It’s just as the country song goes, “I have never seen a hearse with a luggage rack on it.” A day in the life of a follower of Jesus, who lives each day by faith, can be more important than the entire reign of earthly kings and presidents. I write this to impress on each one of you the importance of your calling and destiny. As a faith filled follower of Jesus, every day of your life has unlimited potential and value. You have access to the King of kings and to the power and glory of God.
Jesus said in the Gospel of John 14:12, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works that these shall he do; because I go to the Father.” These are amazing words coming from the Son of God ! The word belief here is actually according to Strong’s Concordance of the Bible of the word faith. Faith means to entrust, to commit. Having faith means to entrust and commit your entire life to Jesus Christ.
In other words, following Jesus is not an attachment to your life, but the total foundation of who you are, what you do, how you talk and how you act. Faith in Jesus Christ transforms our lives and brings unity to who we are and gives us the foundation of love, peace, joy and hope. Faith makes us powerful vessels for His Kingdom. Just having a belief that God exists is very shallow, accomplishes little and is not true Christian “FAITH”.
Faith is stronger than belief. To believe is to give intellectual assent that there is a God. When we have faith in God, it becomes the substance of our existence and not just a head nodding that there is a God. Our faith in God becomes our true identity; our faith in God is who we are and how we live. The stronger our faith becomes, the more impact we will have in this world and the more God is glorified.
There is an old saying that demonstrates the difference between faith and belief. “ A person without true faith is like a car without an engine. It may look awesome on the outside but it will not get you anywhere, you just stay in one place.”
True faith in Jesus Christ is a living power we possess! It will mold us into what He created us to become and bring fruit to His Kingdom. True faith will honor the living and true God. It is of the utmost importance which saddle you are riding in; the saddle of true living faith or the slippery saddle of belief.
MAYBE IT IS TIME TO CHECK OUT YOUR HORSE TACK!
REMEMBER HOW MUCH THE LORD LOVES YOU AND DESIRES TO HAVE YOU CLOSE TO HIM!!!
LOOK AT THE CROSS; WHAT LOVE!!!
Rev. Doug
POWER THOUGHT FROM THE COWBOY CORNER>>> Horse people are stable people !
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