Faith, Not Feelings

Faith has nothing to do with feelings or with impressions, with improbabilities or with outward experiences. If we desire to couple such things with faith, then we are no longer resting on the Word of God, because faith needs nothing of the kind. Faith rests on the naked Word of God. When we take Him at His Word, the heart is at peace.

– George Müller. Known for his life of faith and refusal to solicit funds, Müller prayed about everything and expected each prayer to be answered. He was well-known for providing an education to the children under his care, to the point where he was accused of raising the poor above their natural station in life. He also established 117 schools which offered Christian education to over 120,000 children, many of them being orphans.

Good Golly Miss Molly! Look up not down!

You are evaluating success or failure based on financial circumstances. But monetary success should not be your barometer. Rather, the Word of God should be your measuring stick. Four years ago your life wasn’t “successful.” You were deceived into thinking a high-paying job was the key to happiness and fulfillment, and you should thank the Lord He is now allowing you to see that deception.

1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

Psalm 62:10b . . . If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

Your focus should be on the eternal, not the temporal. The material things of this world are temporary.

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

You have been blessed with many eternal blessings, like children, that many people do not have. You also have the blessing of $350 week in unemployment insurance payments. Good grief, to 95% of the people in the world that would be a huge income!

We think you should quit looking at the waves around you and get your eyes on Jesus. You have a great opportunity for your family to see how you fully trust the Lord to provide for you. Do you REALLY trust God to take care of you? Are you trusting that He is in control and will use your circumstances for GOOD? (Romans 8:28) Paul said he went hungry and suffered need. Would you consider Paul a failure?

Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

You’re not going to starve . . .

Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Or his descendants begging bread.

God also puts zero emphasis on having a big income.

1 Timothy 6:8 And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

Success that stands the test of time is not the accumulation of toys or money in the bank. God allows some to be rich and some to be poor — it’s His call. You are only to respond trustingly to any and every circumstance God allows in your life, knowing He is in total control. Therefore success is being used by God. On Judgment Day, Christians will be judged on faith, what they allowed God to do through them. You have tremendous opportunity to trust God despite your seemingly dire circumstances, showing your family and friends that you believe He is trustworthy. That kind of testimony would be worth far more than rubies. And it doesn’t require your having a big house or big income.

Put God first and foremost in every decision, but He is faithful when we are not.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.

Many a man has lamented on his death bed that he wished he would have spent more time with family and less at work. While you are not working, why not use the time wisely as a family opportunity? Your kids need to see your standing on the Word more than money.

You simply have to take life one day at a time, trusting that the Lord is working all this out in your life for good and on His timetable. Your prayer should be that you will be in God’s will with all your decisions, desiring to be used by Him to reflect His glory.

Dear Compass,

I have quoted 2 Timothy 3:16 to persons in a denomination that believes the Bible “contains” the Word of God but do not believe all of the Bible is inspired by God. They respond to 2 Timothy 3:16 by asking, “What is scripture?” What can I say to these people in defense of my faith?

ANSWER:

The New Testament uses the word “scripture” over 50 times and always refers to some part of the Bible. As examples: Luke 24:45 and John 10:35 reference the entire Old Testament as scripture; Luke 4:21 refers to a particular Old Testament verse; 1 Timothy 5:18 refers to a specific New Testament verse; and 2 Peter 3:16 refers to everything Paul wrote in the Bible as scripture. In 1 Timothy 5:18 and 2 Peter 3:16, Paul combined an Old and a New Testament reference and called them both scripture.

Inerrancy has been consistently taught by great church leaders since Jesus taught inerrancy in 32 AD. Paul taught inerrancy (65 AD), Augustine (354-430) taught inerrancy, and Aquinas (1224-1274) taught inerrancy. More recently, Martin Luther, John Wesley, J. Vernon McGee, Jerry Falwall and John Walvoord all taught inerrancy. Today, Charles Ryrie, John MacArthur and Mike Gendron are notable and influencing teachers who teach inerrancy.

Jesus said “It is written” when referring to Scripture to make a point. He acknowledged that Adam and Eve were created by God (Matthew 19:3-5, Mark 10:6-8), verified the flood of Noah (Matthew 24:38-39), the destruction of Sodom (Matthew 10:15, Luke 17:28-29) and Jonah and the big fish (Matthew 12:40). Jesus also confirmed the historicity of Isaiah (Matthew 12:17), Elijah (Matthew 17:11-12), Daniel (Matthew 24:15), Zechariah (Matthew 23:35), David (Matthew 22:45), Moses (Matthew 8:4, John 5:46), and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Matthew 8:11, John 8:39). And Jesus didn’t just allude to these people and stories; He referred to them as actual factual history to be relied upon as truth!

The Bible is inerrant. It tells the truth without error in all parts and all words. Otherwise, how could Jesus say man lives by EVERY word that proceeds from the mouth of God? (Matthew 4:4)

Urban Homesteading.
Bring the memories of my grandparents way of living to life in my own backyard.
Being called a survivalist without the camo.
Having a fresh salad without burning the fossil fuels.
A variety of veggies never before seen at the market growing just outside the sliding glass doors.
Heirloom plants surviving another generation, one square foot at a time.
Being called a farmer while living in a tract home.
Having my daughters say they want to do the same when they get married!

Andrew Klavan dishes up biweekly satirical commentary on an American political culture that has lost its logical, philosophical and moral way. Using an original blend of comedy and journalism—augmented with creative visuals—Klavan seeks to re-discover the first principles that have made America and the west unique as well as uniquely great. He focuses on how conservative values do and don’t fit into within the constructs of the mainstream. Rooted in sound logic and good-natured humor, Klavan’s digitorials illustrate why conservatives have a love-hate relationship with popular culture.

About the Host:

Andrew Klavan is the author of such internationally bestselling crime novels as True Crime, filmed by Clint Eastwood, and Don’t Say A Word, filmed starring Michael Douglas. He has been nominated for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award five times and has won twice. His latest novel for adults, Empire of Lies, was about media bias in the age of terror, and topped Amazon.com’s thriller list. He has also made bestseller lists with his new thriller for young adults The Last Thing I Remember, the first book in the Homelanders series.

Klavan is a contributing editor to City Journal, the magazine of the Manhattan Institute. His essay and op-eds on politics, religion, movies and literature have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere. He appears frequently on such TV shows as Glenn Beck, Fox & Friends and Red Eye, and is a frequent guest on Mike Gallagher’s radio show. He was also a featured interview in Rush Limbaugh’s newsletter.

Klavan wrote the screenplay to 1990’s A Shock to the System, starring Michael Caine and to 2008’s One Missed Call, starring Ed Burns and Shannyn Sossamon.

Molotov Mitchell asks

‘Why wait for tragedy to turn to your Savior?’