Devotion: God Is Bigger Than Your Box

Are you one of those people who think God can do anything he wants to do?  Well, there is a little more to it than that.  First, we know that an omnipotent, all-powerful, and sovereign God has the ability to do whatever he wants.  But have you considered that anything an omnipotent, all-powerful, and sovereign God does, he does because he chooses to do it?  While his sovereignty has never come into question, we have to understand that God chooses to do all of the things that he does.  We have to realize that there can be no limits to God’s abilities other than those he places or imposes upon himself.  We see that “God obligated himself to himself,” when he made his promise to Abraham (Hebrews 6:13).  According to scripture, because there was no one greater by which he could swear, “God swore by himself, obligating himself to himself.”

It is important for us not to confuse God’s ability to do with God’s choice to do or not do.  Choice implies the ability or power to choose one whatever in preference to another whatever.  God has chosen to be the god that he is by defining his characteristics and not his abilities.  Scripture tells us that “there will be absolutely no injustice, immorality, unrighteousness, or wrong doings with him” (II Chronicles 19:7).  God has chosen not to make these characteristics part of the distinctive qualities that makes God who he is.  By defining his characteristics, God has placed restrictions on his abilities; self-imposed restrictions upon his abilities and himself.  Again, this has nothing to do with God’s abilities, for his is fully capable of doing anything he so chooses.  This is why it is important that we understand the difference and not confuse his abilities with his choices.

On the other hand, are you one of those people who have placed God in a box?  Do you limit his abilities?  Most of us do so without realizing that we do this very thing, put God in a box.  But in order to see this, what we have to do is to get our mind right.  We have to get our thinking right.  We are told to “be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind that we may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).  The Message (MSG Bible) puts it this way, “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.  Instead, fix your attention on God.”  By not being conformed, we are talking about not behaving or thinking as the world thinks, which lends itself to social acceptability, conventional thinking, and traditional ways.  By not being conformed, we are talking about letting go of the past teachings and opening your mind to other possibilities, truly thinking outside of the box.

Maybe it is time to take the limits off God by taking the limits off our thinking.  Hopefully, this message will do just that.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: No Christian Bats 1000

God is so awesome, especially when validates a message.  God tells us that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established” (II Corinthians 13:1).  For the past week or so we have been sharing a similar message with others who have had questions about pastors, teachers, spiritual leaders, and the like, who have supposedly “missed the mark.”  And so we share our message once again.

None of us are perfect nor do we have a perfect understanding of all of the scriptures.  So many of us are at different levels of understanding in our walk to discover the truth about the things of God that we should not discount anyone’s ability to help propel us to the next level.  Just because a person makes a few questionable statements does not mean that he or she cannot contribute something to help in our understanding.  God tells us “that his people are destroyed because they lack knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).  This lack of knowledge has not come from a shortage of knowledge but from our rejection of knowledge.

If we reject every person who makes statements that we do not agree with, then we limit the amount of knowledge available to us.  If the amount of knowledge is as vast as the oceans, it would be like dipping a cup into the ocean and using what is in the cup as your only source of information.  Everything that you could possibly know would be confined to the limits of that cup.  And just as the ocean has things that can be harmful to us, it also contains things that can be beneficial to us.

Knowledge works the same way; there are things harmful as well as things beneficial.  It is through “studying God’s word” (II Timothy 2:15), using every available resource that we gain the wisdom and understanding to rightly divide the word of truth and pick the harmful item out of the ocean of knowledge.  In this age of information, we who seek the truth have no reason not to be able to find it provided we do not limit ourselves to the walls of traditionalism or denominationalism.  A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.

So, while you may not be a follower of a particular pastor, teacher, spiritual leader, or other, it does not mean that they cannot contribute an idea, thought, or interpretation that will bring things together and help in the understanding of the things of God.  We come from a diverse group with religious beliefs that run the gamut from A to Z.  And while we share some commonalities, we are as different as the many religious doctrines, theologies, and beliefs that can be found grouped under the umbrella of Christianity.  In our walk to discover the truth about the things of God, should we discount someone’s ability to help propel us to the next level, even though our beliefs differ from one another?  The only way to get to truth is to listen to each other, respect the beliefs of others that differ from our own, and take those things that help propel us to the next level of understanding.

Of course, all should be done in a manner that promotes unity and the common good; nothing should be done in a manner that allows the enemy to divide and/or create bad/ill feelings, which tends to happen, as we, the members, collectively get closer to revealing the truth.  The closer we as group get to sharing revelation knowledge, the more active the enemy gets in his attempt to divide and conquer us.  There is only “one truth” that God has for his children and only those who have an ear to hear will hear the truth.  Within God’s word are buried treasures that hold God’s truth, but to discover that truth, we must challenge ourselves to re-examine many of the so-called truths that have supposedly been established.  As seekers of truth, “we really should check out every piece of information for ourselves” so that we can make the determination as to the truthfulness of the source (I John 4:1).

We are so blessed to have this opportunity to share our message.  God is so awesome, especially when he wants his children to get a message.  Remember, it is always your choice to accept or to reject anything that does not fit into your belief system, but at least listen to the full message before making that determination.  Know this, “A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.”  God tells us that “knowing the truth will make us free” (John 8:32) and hopefully this message will do just that.  If this message is a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Giving Money Is One Way To Show Honor

Money and religion is like oil and water, they supposedly do not go together.  The scriptures teach that “the love of money is the root of all evil” (I Timothy 6:10).  There are messages that speaks of honoring those who deserve it with money.  The message makes it clear that this is not the only way but one of the ways to show honor.  The scriptures tell us specifically who to honor or in other words, “who to give support to.”  The scriptures also tell us, “to give and it will be given back to us, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, will men give unto you, for in the same measure as you give, it will be given to you again” (Luke 6:38).

Now, many do not believe that man should prosper financially or have wealth because it goes against the so-called teachings of Jesus.  Based on the story surrounding his statement, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24) many have interpreted this passage to mean that a person with riches cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  And as you read the famous story of the young rich man, you see that Jesus told the man to “go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor” (Matthew 19:21).  Most do not make the connection between when Jesus told the young rich man "to give” and when he told us "to give” when giving to the poor.

“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again” (Proverbs 19:17).

“He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse” (Proverbs 28:27).

One does have wonder what would have happened to the young rich man had he followed the instructions of Jesus to give.  Would what he had given been returned to him in the same measure as he had given?  The scriptures clearly tell us “to give” and what happens when we “obey.”  Scripture also makes it very clear that “every man must make up his own mind as to how much to give, because God loves a cheerful giver and does not want anyone to give grudgingly or out of necessity” (II Corinthians 9:7).  The next time the topic of financial prosperity comes up, please keep these thoughts in mind, even though they be contrary to what you have been taught; they just might prove to be the keys that helps you to unlock the truth about financial prosperity and wealth.

It is always your choice to accept or to reject anything that does not fit into your belief system, but at least listen to the full message before making that determination.  Know this, “A closed mind can only grow within the limits of its enclosure; an open mind grows with endless possibilities.”  God tells us that “knowing the truth will make us free” (John 8:32) and hopefully this message will do just that.  If this message has been a blessing to you, please share it so that others may be blessed by it as well.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: You Don’t Face Life All Alone

You are as close to God as you choose to be.  God is as close as you choose.  He is close to all who call on him sincerely.  He fulfills the desires of those who reverence and trust him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.  He protects all those who love him, but destroys the wicked (Psalm 145:18-20 TLB).  You are near, O Lord; and all your teachings are true (Psalm 119:151 BBE).  He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me?  let us stand together: who is mine adversary (master of my judgment)?  let him come near to me (Isaiah 50:8).  For what other nation, great or small, has God among them, as the Lord our God is here among us whenever we call upon him (Deuteronomy 4:7 TLB)?

And when you draw close to God, God will draw close to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and let your hearts be filled with God alone to make them pure and true to him.  Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done.  Let there be sorrow and sincere grief.  Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.  Then when you realize your worthlessness before the Lord, he will lift you up, encourage and help you (James 4:8-10 TLB).  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment (justice) as the noonday.  Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass (Psalm 37:3-7).  Submit yourselves therefore to God (James 4:7).

The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins (Psalm 34:18 TLB).  His purpose in all of this is that they should seek after God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.  For in him we live and move and are!  As one of your own poets says it, We are the sons of God (Acts 17: 27-28 TLB).  God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1 TLB).  But I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me.  For salvation comes from him alone.  Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense, and fortress—why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?  My protection and success come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a Rock where no enemy can reach me.  O my people, trust him all the time.  Pour out your longings before him, for he can help (Psalm 62 5-8 TLB)!  Just look up.  God is closer than you think.  Just look up.

Enjoy your blessings. - KW

Devotion: You Are God’s Work Of Art

If any man be in Christ, that is, when a man comes into a basic union with the risen Lord, he is a new creation (II Corinthians 5:17).  Old things, the old life are passed away at that moment of salvation:  all things that are, at the moment of salvation, become new.  This is not talking about anything physical becoming new but a new creation in the spirit.  When you are renewed or made brand new, you are new in the spirit not new in body.  If you were bald before being reborn, you will be bald after being reborn.  The same applies to being overweight, if you overweight before, you will be overweight afterwards.  God has changed your spirit and only deals with the spirit part of your threefold nature of spirit, soul, and body (I Thessalonians 5:23).  He does not deal with your soul, which contains your desire, your will, your intellect, and your mind nor does he deal with “your body.”

You have the privilege of dealing with “your soul” and “your body.”  You must be in control of your desires, your will, your mind, and your thoughts.  You must also be in control of “your body.”  This means that you cannot be bound by the desires of the body of the flesh.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service” (Romans 12:1).

Yes, that is right.  You are to present “your body” as a living and holy sacrifice, the kind that is acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  When you think about all that God has done for you, this cannot be too much to ask.  We understand that this is a difficult task because you have allowed “your body” to be charge for so long and that it will hard to take back control of it.  We also know this; “your body” will not go down without a fight.  “Your body” will be fighting for its life.  Notice that we did not say the body would be fighting for your life; it will be fighting for its life.

“But I keep under (discipline) my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (disqualified)” (I Corinthians 9:27).

Like an athlete in training, he will punish his body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to.  You must be in control of “your body” and you must train it to do the things that it should, not allow it to do the thing that it wants.  Here is another way to look at this presenting “your body” thing.  When you want to sell your house, you do all the things necessary to present your house in the best possible shape.  Basically, you completely clean your house, from the inside to the outside.  And when you do these things, you do not ask your house for permission, but you do those things that you believe the house needs so that it is presentable to any potential buyers.  You do the same thing with your car when you want to sell it.  You clean up your car inside and out, so that you can present it in the best possible shape.  It is the same with “your body,” the house that you live in; you are to present it in the best possible shape to God.

If you wanted to paint your house or your car a different color, would you ask for its permission before you painted it?  Then, why would you need permission to tell “your body” what to do?  And no, this does not mean that you only put on a “fresh coat of paint” so to speak.  Most of the problems that you have in life are flesh related meaning “your body” is your biggest problem.  Do not allow “your body” to dictate to you what it will do.

We pray that the commentary will be a blessing to you as well as informative.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: The God Of Peace

Scripture tells us “those who come to God must believe that he is or that he exists” (Hebrews 11:6).  That all sounds good, because those who come to God, most of the time, do believe that he does exists.  We are also told that those who come must believe that “he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).  If we come to God believing that he exists, then why is there a need for us to seek him?  Not only are we “to seek” him but we are “to diligently” seek him.  “Diligently” means “to carefully, attentively, thoroughly, conscientiously, and very meticulously search for something.”  If we come to God already believing that he is and that he exists, then why do we have to seek him?  One would think that if we come to God, believing that he exists, then we would have sought him in order to come to him in the first place.  Apparently, this be not the case because we are told “to diligently seek” him.  In diligently seeking God, what exactly are we to look for?

“To diligently seek” God infers that we have to do a little more than just a casual attempt to find him.  God wants us “to carefully, attentively, thoroughly, conscientiously, and very meticulously search for him.”  But what are we to look for in our search?  “ANY AND EVERYTHING AS IT PERTAINS TO GOD.”  God wants us to find everything we can find about him.  God wants us “to diligently seek” his heart, his face, and his holy presence.  God wants us “to diligently seek” his fellowship, his love, and his rest.  Contrary to some popular teachings, God wants us to fully and completely understand him, his ways, and his thoughts.  Traditional teachings have convinced us that we can never understand the thoughts and ways of God.  We have been taught, “God’s ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).  The misinterpretation and the misapplication of this scripture and others alike have contributed greatly to our “destruction” (Hosea 4:6).  Because we have been taught that we, a finite being, could never understand the ways and thoughts of God, an infinite being, we only casually attempt to find God.  We don’t even realize that our casual attempts to seek God are directly reflective of our faith, or the lack thereof.  The traditional interpretation of this passage is contradictory to what God has told us to do, “to diligently seek” him.  Are we to believe the traditional interpretations about understanding God?  Alternatively, are we to, by faith, believe God and that he will reward all who “diligently seek” him (Hebrews 11:6)?

Therefore, how do we “diligently seek” God?  How do we find everything we can find about God?  Where are we to look for those things that pertain to God?  We look to the one source of information that we have.  We look to the Bible for the information that we need.  But first, there are some things that we need to understand about the Bible.  We know that the Bible contains God’s instructions for man.  What most people do not know is that the Bible contains instructions for three different people groups.  There are instructions in the Bible for the Jews.  There are instructions in the Bible for the Gentiles, considered to be the sinners.  And there are instructions in the Bible for “the children of God” (Ephesians 2:14-22).  So, depending on which people group you consider yourself a part of determines which set of instructions you are to follow.  But before you jump on any bandwagons claiming to be of a particular people group, here are a few things for you to consider.  First, everyone is a creation of God but not everyone is a child of God.  Second, in order to be a child of God, “you must be born again or born from above and born of the Spirit” (John 3:3-5).  Only the true children of God have been given the right “to come boldly and confidently to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16).  Knowing these facts in part, may prove very valuable for those who “diligently seek” God.

As we “diligently seek” him, God wants us “to attend to his words” (Proverbs 4:20-22).  When we attend to his words, we need to listen carefully to his words and we need to pay close attention to what is being said as we meticulously and conscientiously search for God.  This painstaking search would be much like a prospector searching for gold.  The prophet Azariah gave us these instructions; “If you seek him, he will be found by you” (II Chronicles 15:2).  Azariah was referring to us seeking and finding God.  God tells us that when we seek him, we will find him, when we search for him with “all our heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13).  But we will only find him provided we search for him with “all our heart” and with “all our soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).  As we “diligently seek” and draw near to God, God will reveal himself to us.  God does not hide himself from those who truly seek him with all of their being, with all their heart, and with all their soul.  We know for sure that time is going to pass independent of our actions, so why not put this passing time to good use.  Why not use this passing time to find out all you can about God and the things of God?  The end result may be worth the effort and well worth your time.  It just might take you to the level where your ways and your thoughts become more in line with those of God.  It might just take you to a level where the peace of God, which goes beyond anything you can imagine, will guard and keep your thoughts and emotions, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  If you do this, you just might experience God’s peace.

May our commentary abundantly bless you and greatly inform you.  We pray that you will be the better for having read them both.  If blessed by today’s message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Enemies To Your Faith – Part 3

We have covered two of the enemies to our faith.  First, we found that our lack of knowledge or our ignorance when it comes to the word of God was the biggest enemy to our faith.  Because we do not possess certain knowledge, knowledge that we have rejected, our faith has severely been impacted.  Then we found that our failure to act as if God’s word is true was next on our list of enemies to our faith.  Basically, we found that it is our disbelief in the word of God that prevents us from acting as if his word is true.  The combination of these two are enough to keep our faith under constant attack.

A third enemy to our faith deals with what is called sense-knowledge.  Sense-knowledge is the kind of knowledge that is based on physical evidence.  This enemy forces us to concentrate only on those things that can be perceived by our five senses.  We only believe those things that we can see, taste, smell, hear, or touch.  Sense-knowledge requires us to rely upon physical evidence as the motivator for our belief system, which in turn drives our faith in God.  By allowing this enemy to grow within us, we in turn, place our trust only in the witness of the senses or what the senses are telling us.  But is this the kind of faith that God requires of us?

According to our earlier teaching, Faith Is, faith actually provides substance or assurance and then evidence.  We noted that there is not a lot of difference between assurance and evidence other then the qualifiers for each of them, which involves hope and realities that are unseen, respectively.  Everything in our life that we have learned has come through our five senses or through sense-knowledge.  Now, faith is not at all perceived by the senses.  Faith is actually the evidence of the thing hoped for, the evidence that the thing exists but it is not the thing itself (Hebrews 11:1).  Faith is the substance or the tangibility of hope.  While hope cannot change your circumstances, it can change your attitude about the circumstances.  Hope is a goal setter and faith is the way to achieve the goal.

You see, we do not need evidence to believe in something that we can physically see, taste, smell, hear, or touch.  The thing itself provides the evidence of the thing’s existence.  Faith is the evidence that something does exists regardless of the witness of the senses or what the senses are telling us.  Again, faith is not perceived by any of the senses.

For we are saved by hope:  but hope that is seen is not hope:  for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly wait) for it (Romans 8:24-25).

According to this passage, we see that we are saved by hope, a hope that we have yet to see.  The passage goes on to say that hope, when seen, is not hope at all, for who hopes for what they already have and can see?  When we have hope, we are looking forward to getting something that we do not already have.  Once we have that something and we can see that something, then we have no more need for hope.  It is by hope that we believe we are saved and as long as we have hope for salvation, which we cannot see, we will continue to trust God as we eagerly and patiently wait for that which we have hope.  Again, faith or in this case, hope, is not perceived by any of the senses.

For we walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7).

In order to walk by faith, we must leave the world of the senses.  As we walk by faith, we leave behind what our senses are telling us and completely trust God.  This is the kind of faith that God requires of us, however let us caution you as to what walking by faith does not mean.  Walking by faith does not mean that you can walk in the middle of the road with your eyes closed into the path of oncoming traffic and think that nothing will happen to you or that you will not be run over.  Any claims that this is what walking by faith, as directed by God means, will not hold up.  This is not what God had in mind when he told us to walk by faith and not by sight.  We cannot disregard the laws of nature in your effort to walk by faith.  When we walk by faith, we are not walking by our senses when it comes to the things of God.

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (II Corinthians 4:18).

When you take up this walking by faith, your mind is not focused on the things that can be seen.  Your mind is not focused on the troubles around you.  The things that are seen or perceived by your senses are temporary in nature and can only be seen for a time.  When you walk by faith, your mind should be focused on those things that cannot be seen, for the things that are not seen or perceived by our senses are eternal and everlasting.

Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2).

Focus or set your mind on those things that are above and not on those things which are on the earth.  You see, those things which are above are not seen, they have to be believed.  And when you believe in or on such things, the things that are not seen, then your sense-knowledge is not involved, it all about faith, your faith.  And you know it is faith, because you are not relying on what your senses are telling you.

Some people will disagree with this assessment because their faith is based one hundred percent on their sense-knowledge or what some would call head faith.  Again, this type of faith requires one to rely upon physical evidence as the motivator for his or her belief system, which in turn drives his or her faith in God.  One example of someone using head faith can be seen during Jesus’ visit to the disciple after his resurrection.

As the story goes, on the evening of the first day of the week when it was discovered that Jesus had risen from the grave, he appeared to the disciples in a locked room where they has chose to meet for fear of what the Jews would do to them.

At evening on that day, the first day of the week, when, for fear of the Jews, the doors were shut where the disciples were, Jesus came among them and said to them, May peace be with you (John 20:19 BET)!

Initially, when the eleven disciples saw Jesus in the room, they were afraid.  They had doubt that it was actually Jesus thinking at first it was a ghost.

And that very hour they got up and went back to Jerusalem, where the eleven and the others had come together.  And they said to them, The Lord has truly come back to life again, and Simon has seen him.  And they gave an account of the things which had taken place on the way, and how, when he gave them bread, they had knowledge of him.  And while they were saying these things, he himself was among them, and said to them, Peace be with you!  But they were full of fear, being of the opinion that they were seeing a spirit.  And he said to them, Why are you troubled, and why are your hearts full of doubt?  See; my hands and my feet: it is I myself; put your hands on me and make certain; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.  And when he had said this, he let them see his hands and his feet.  And because, for joy and wonder, they were still in doubt, he said to them, Have you any food here?  And they gave him a bit of cooked fish.  And before their eyes he took a meal (Luke 24:33-43 BET).

But Jesus assured them that he was not a ghost, saying for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.  He then allowed them to see his hands, his feet, and his side.  He even allowed them to put their hand upon him as he attempted to alleviate their doubts.  And while they were full of joy and glad to see the Lord, they were also totally astonished, yet they still had doubt.  Jesus then asked for something to eat.  The disciples served him some fish and he ate it in front of them.  Again, all of this was done in an attempt by Jesus to rid them of their doubt.

And while this may appear to be an example of head faith, keep in mind that this type of faith requires one to rely upon physical evidence as the motivator for his or her belief system, which in turn drives his or her faith.  This was not the case with the eleven.

And later he was seen by the eleven themselves while they were taking food; and he said sharp words to them because they had no faith and their hearts were hard, and because they had no belief in those who had seen him after he had come back from the dead (Mark 16:14 BET).

Here we see Jesus with some sharp words for the eleven disciples because they had no faith, because their hearts were hardened, and because they did not believe those who had seen Jesus after his resurrection.  Seeing Jesus and seeing the evidence of the wounds in his hands, feet, and side, did very little to motivate their belief system and drive their faith.

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, named Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples said to him, We have seen the Lord.  But he said to them, If I do not see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and if I do not put my hand into his side, I will never have belief (John 20:24-25 BET).

Thomas’ statement, If I do not see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and if I do not put my hand into his side, I will never have belief does appear fit the definition of head faith.  It appears that Thomas’ faith now requires physical evidence as the motivator for his belief system and until that evidence is presented or produced, he states that he will never believe.  In essence, Thomas has placed his trust in the witness of his senses or what his senses are telling him.

And after eight days, his disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were shut, Jesus came, and taking his place in the middle of them, he said, May peace be with you!  Then he said to Thomas, Put out your finger, and see my hands; and put your hand here into my side: and be no longer in doubt but have belief.  And Thomas said in answer, My Lord and my God!  Jesus said to him, Because you have seen me you have belief: a blessing will be on those who have belief though they have not seen me (John 20:26-29 BET)!

Because Thomas was able see the nail prints in Jesus’ hands, was able to touch those same nail prints, and was able to place his hand into Jesus’ side, he now has the physical evidence he needs to motivate his belief system.  Unlike Jesus’ first visit to the eleven disciples, where his appearance seemed to have done more to foster their little to no faith, their hardened hearts, and their unbelief, the second appearance had an entirely different affect on Thomas, whose faith is actually motivated by what he has seen.  Jesus summed up Thomas’ faith perfectly with this statement, Because you have seen me you have belief (John 20:29 BET).

This is sense-knowledge or head faith at its best.  It is this type of faith that everyone in the world has, but this is not the kind of faith that God requires of us.  Remember, God requires us to leave the world of the senses and to walk by faith (II Corinthians 5:7), completely trusting in him.  Scripture tells us that it is necessary for anyone who comes to God to have the belief that he is (Hebrews 11:6).  In other words, they must believe that God does in fact exist.  However, with no physical evidence to prove God’s existence, it is extremely difficult for those who place their trust only in the witness of the senses or what the senses are telling them to operate beyond their sense-knowledge or head faith.

In all of this, we see that faith contingent upon sense-knowledge or head faith has several limitations and can become a hindrance to our faith.  The story of Thomas was a great example of just how limiting faith based on one’s senses can be.  Had Thomas not seen Jesus, not been able to see the nail prints in Jesus’ hands, not been able to touch those same nail prints, and not been able to place his hand into Jesus’ side then he would have not believed because there would have been no physical evidence to motivate his belief system and drive his faith.  Remember it was Thomas who stated that he would never believe until he could see and feel the evidence for himself.  Jesus summed up sense-knowledge or head faith perfectly with this statement to Thomas; Because you have seen me you have belief.  It was what Jesus said next that revealed the true nature of faith.  His statement, A blessing will be on those who have belief though they have not seen me (John 20:29 BET) clearly embodies the notion of walking by faith and not by sight or by our senses.

Relying on sense-knowledge or head faith can seriously hinder your faith.  Focusing our mind on only those things that we can see, taste, smell, hear, or touch or physical evidence will limit or hinder our faith and is just another one of the many enemies to our faith that we need to overcome.  (to be continued).

Enjoy your blessings. - KW