THROUGH THE WINTER

Here’s a Spring Poem I put together with Galatians 4:4 in mind;
a verse I like to think refers to God’s “perfect time” to introduce
a person to His Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Enjoy!

THROUGH THE WINTER

Through the winter True Life waits,
To redeem the soul of little faith;
Afraid to venture out of the dark,
Love stays ice-cold avoiding warmth.

Through the winter New Life works,
To break the spirit of frozen dirt;
Buried beneath a mountain of doubt,
Faith finally blooms to let love out.

POLLOCK
3/20/2009

When the fullness of the time had
come, God sent forth His Son.
Galatians 4:4

BELIEVE IN JESUS

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world He gave to us His
one and only Son, so that all who believe in
Him would not perish but have eternal life.” 
 
BELIEVE IN JESUS

Where will you go…
When you get old?
What do you think…
Will save you from sin?

Where will you turn?
When will you learn?
You won’t escape from sin,
Unless you’re found in Him.

Refrain:
Come to the Cross of Calvary,
Find your place at Jesus’ feet,
Let the blood from His wounds,
Wash over you,
Then stand up and be new again!

What will you do…
When its your turn to die?
Whether you’re young or you’re old…
Now is your time to make up your mind;
Believe God knows what is right for your soul.

Where will you go…
When you get tired and old?
Why do you think …
You’ll be UP in Heaven with Him,
If you refuse even now to do what you’re told?

Go to refrain:
 
JEFF POLLOCK
February 2009

JESUS:  ” I Am the Way, I Am the Truth, I Am the Life;
No one can come to the Father unless it’s through Me.
see John 14:6

IT’S NOT ABOUT ME

It’s not about me,
It’s all about God,
Who died to set me free.

It’s all about the Cross,
It’s not about me,
Or what I can do for God.

It’s not about me,
It’s all about grace,
That rescued me from sin.

It’s all about Jesus,
It’s not about me,
Or how I prove my love to Him.

It’s not about me,
It’s all about Christ,
Who rose from the grave so I might live.

J. E. P.

Are You Fresh for Everything?

Jesus answered and said to him, ’Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’ —John 3:3 Sometimes we are fresh and eager to attend a prayer meeting, but do we feel that same freshness for such mundane tasks as polishing shoes?

Being born again by the Spirit is an unmistakable work of God, as mysterious as the wind, and as surprising as God Himself. We don’t know where it begins— it is hidden away in the depths of our soul. Being born again from above is an enduring, perpetual, and eternal beginning. It provides a freshness all the time in thinking, talking, and living— a continual surprise of the life of God. Staleness is an indication that something in our lives is out of step with God. We say to ourselves, “I have to do this thing or it will never get done.” That is the first sign of staleness. Do we feel fresh this very moment or are we stale, frantically searching our minds for something to do? Freshness is not the result of obedience; it comes from the Holy Spirit. Obedience keeps us “in the light as He is in the light . . .” (1 John 1:7).

Jealously guard your relationship with God. Jesus prayed “that they may be one just as We are one”-with nothing in between (John 17:22). Keep your whole life continually open to Jesus Christ. Don’t pretend to be open with Him. Are you drawing your life from any source other than God Himself? If you are depending on something else as your source of freshness and strength, you will not realize when His power is gone.

Being born of the Spirit means much more than we usually think. It gives us new vision and keeps us absolutely fresh for everything through the never-ending supply of the life of God.

http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php

http://wonderful-lord.blogspot.com/

RE:NEW

Revelation 1:5-6

NEW

Bow your heart to God who loves us
Submit your art to be washed in His blood
Take your place as a servant and a saint,
To God who delights to make all things new.
 Be silent before Him – be still and believe,
Heaven is wide open for eyes that will see.
Surrender your life to God who formed us,
Relinquish your strife to be calmed in His love.
Take your place at the Lord’s Table of Grace,
And worship the One Who made your life new.

J. E. P.
01/5/09

  To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins
in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests
to His God and Father, to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever. — Revelation 1:5-6
  =================================================
     
 Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Jesus, lover of my soul
Let me to Thy bosom fly
While the nearer waters roll
While the tempest still is high
Hide me, O my Savior hide
Till the storm of life is past
Safe into the haven guide
O receive my soul at last

Other refuge have I none
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee
Leave, O leave me not alone
Still support and comfort me
All my trust in Thee is stayed
All my help from Thee I bring
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing

Thou, O Christ art all I want
More than all in Thee I find
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint
Heal the sick and lead the blind
Just and holy is Thy name
I am all unrighteousness
False and full of sin I am
Thou art full of truth and grace

Plenteous grace with Thee is found
Grace to cover all my sin
Let the healing streams abound
Make and keep me pure within
Thou of life the fountain art
Freely let me drink of Thee
Spring Thou up within my heart
Rise to all eternity

This song can be found
on  Starkindler 1998
 ============================

“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in
His own blood, and has made us kings and priests
to His God and Father, to Him be glory
and dominion forever and ever.”
Revelation 1:5-6
_____________________________

RENEWED

Bow your heart
To God who loves us,
Submit your art
To be washed in His blood.

Take your place
As a servant and saint,
To God who makes
All things new.

Be silent before Him
Be still and believe,
Heaven is wide open
For heart’s that now see.

Surrender your life
To God who formed you,
Relinquish your storm and strife
To be rescued in His sea of love.

Take your place
At the Master’s table set for you,
Worship the Lord Jesus whose grace
Caused your long lost life to be renewed.

JEFFREE !
January 7

Morning Verse
“For me to live is Christ.” Philippians 1:21

  The believer did not always live to Christ. He began to do so when God the Holy Spirit convinced him of sin, and when by grace he was brought to see the dying Saviour making a propitiation for his guilt. From the moment of the new and celestial birth the man begins to live to Christ. Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. He has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for Him; to His glory we would live, and in defence of His gospel we would die; He is the pattern of our life, and the model after which we would sculpture our character. Paul’s words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ–nay, his life itself was Jesus. In the words of an ancient saint, he did eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life. Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life. Can you say, as a professing Christian, that you live up to this idea? Can you honestly say that for you to live is Christ? Your business–are you doing it for Christ? Is it not done for self- aggrandizement and for family advantage? Do you ask, “Is that a mean reason?” For the Christian it is. He professes to live for Christ; how can he live for another object without committing a spiritual adultery? Many there are who carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there that dare say that he hath lived wholly for Christ as the apostle did? Yet, this alone is the true life of a Christian–its source, its sustenance, its fashion, its end, all gathered up in one word–Christ Jesus. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in Thee and to Thee. Let me be as the bullock which stands between the plough and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be, “Ready for either.”
                                                                                        —Morning and Evening

/\ /\
\     /
\ /

“To follow the Savior is to participate in salvation,
to follow the light is to perceive the light.”

     — Irenaeus

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

Matthew 1:23
” ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they
   shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ “

On a night when stars were bright,
And the world was fraught with danger;
A single star of new light from afar,
Shone its beam upon a manger.

Filled with fear and full of hope,
A girl gave birth to Christ the Lord;
In God’s first tear a rainbow appeared,
That leads to a Treasure no one can afford.

Filled with life and full of peace,
Jesus grew up before His Father in Heaven;
In God’s divine plan this Boy became a Man,
And gave the world His blood for our redemption.

On a cold night when the stars were bright,
The first Christmas tear brought Heaven near;
A single Way to have peace and joy Today,
Was given to make God’s love clear.

JEFF
2008

For God so loved the world He gave us His
one and only Son, so that whoever believes in
Him would not perish but have Eternal Life.
 John 3:16

IMMANUEL  

( MICHAEL CARD / STEVE GREEN )

Immanuel, Our God Is With Us

Joseph’s Song – Michael Card

Joseph’s Lullaby – Mercy Me

FOREVER IN FREEDOM

Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

FOREVER IN FREEDOM

Safe in the arms of Christ our Lord,
All of our faults are forgiven by Him;
Freedom fixes the sinner at the core,
Enabling the saint to rise above sin.

Safe in the power of Christ the King,
All our rebellion is conquered by love;
Freedom fills the empty heart and wins,
Enabling the saint to know God is enough.

Safe in the strength of Christ our God,
All our weakness is covered by grace;
Freedom FINDS THE LOST at The Cross,
Enabling the saint to be remade by faith.

Safe in the authority of Christ the Word,
All of our fears are transformed by Jesus;
Freedom frees the slave dying to be heard,
Enabling the saint to live forever in freedom.

JEFFREY E POLLOCK
DECEMBER 3, 2008

Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in
you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

FOREVER IN FREEDOM (UNFINISHED)

Safe in the arms of Christ our Lord,
All of our faults are forgiven by Him;
Freedom fixes a sinner at the core,
Enabling the saint to rise above sin.

Safe in the power of Christ the King,
All our rebellion is conquered by love;
Freedom reaches our pride and wins,
Enabling saints to know He’s enough.

Safe in the strength of Christ our God,
All our weakness is covered by grace;
Freedom woos the broken to The Cross,
Enabling the saint to be remade by faith.

Safe in the authority of Christ the Word,
All of our fears are transformed by Jesus;
Freedom finds the lost praying to be heard,
Enabling the saint to live forever in freedom.

JEFFREY E POLLOCK
OCTOBER 12, 2008

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (New International Version)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that
the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (New Living Translation)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is
true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects
us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God
uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Hebrews 13:20-22 (New International Version)
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal
covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good
for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to
him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

WYHI

LUKE 12:34
“For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”

WHERE YOUR HEART IS

I’ve chased some dreams in my life,
And caught a few I now call mine;
But the good things God has given me,
Mean very little if my mind’s not free.

I’ve learned many truths in my walk,
And retained some as I went along;
But the new life God had granted me,
Means so much more when my heart is free.

I’ve fought certain battles of my faith,
And in Jesus’ Name I hope to claim;
But the real peace that’s mine in Christ,
Means nothing if my soul’s not right.

I’ve climbed some mountains in my life,
And reached the summit of one or two;
But the joy I have in Christ my Lord,
Is all I need to see me through.

JEFFREYEPOLLOCK
Sept/Oct/Nov 2008

 http://jeff-pollock.blogspot.com/

B L O G

BRIGHT LIGHT OF GD

 Bury yurself in the Lrd Jesus,
Lay all yur cares at His Crss;
pen yur new eyes and Lve,
Glry in the bright light of Gd!

 JEFFREE E Pllck 
ctber 30, 2008

===========================================

 INCREASE THE LIGHT

In the physical world, there is no measurable quantity which
defines darkness; dark is simply the absence of light.  Therefore,
the measure of darkness can only be in reference to the measure
of light: less darkness isonly achieved through more light.

In the spiritual world, darkness represents the evIl of the enemy
and light represents the holiness of God.  Though neither can be
truly measured, the concept is the same: darkness only exists
when there is an absence of light.  Light and dark cannot exist
at the same time; when light is increased, darkness must fade.

1 John 1:5-6
“This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you:
God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to
have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and
do not live by the truth.” Salvation is by the grace of God
through faith in Jesus and not through anything we do
(Ephesians 2:8-9).  But the purpose of Salvation is to
bring glory to God as we walk in intimate fellowship with
Jesus – the true and eternal Light.  It is not possible to have
fellowship with the Light of Christ and still live a life filled
with the darkness of sin.  Jesus purifies us from all sin
(past, present, and future) in the sense of judgment before
the Father, but He also illuminates the dark sin in our
life and gives us the strength to gradually push it aside.

A life without the Light is in darkness and cannot even
recognize true sin.  If we attempt to remove sin without
first shining the Light, we simply clean the outside but
leave a heart which is dark and dead.  Some outsides are
dirtier than others; but no matter how filthy an outside
may appear, we ALL need the Light of Christ in our heart
before we can be clean; “First clean the inside of the cup
and dish, and then the outside also will be clean”
(Matthew 23:26).  In an instant the grace of His Light is
able to do what no amount of self effort can ever accomplish.

When our own spiritual life becomes “dim,” it usually
means our time with the  Light has begun to suffer – our
discipline of prayer and reading His Word has been
replaced with competing distractions.  Where we once
walked with clear vision, we now bump into walls and
continually stub our toes.  But God desires to light our
path once again.  He has “saved us and called us to a
holy life” (2 Timothy 1:9), to a life filled with Light – a
life of bold clarity in Him.

Let’s share the true and eternal Light of Jesus Christ
at every opportunity and refocus our priorities on the
only  sure way to restore our vision.  Let’s commune
with Him in prayer and immerse ourselves in His
Word.  His path will once again be made clear and
darkness will surely fade as we increase the Light.

Have a Christ Centered Day!
Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

*****************************************************
Archive of previous devotions : 
http://www.gdwm.org/archive08.htm

YOU ARE MINE (ISAIAH 43:1)

Long before you came to be,
I knew all there is to know about you;
From eternity past to future yet to be,
Every moment of you I already knew.

“But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1, NLT View in context

 http://www.youtube.com/watchv=e8HgAVenbUU&feature=related 

Quiet! Be Still!….Do you still have no faith?

MARK 4:39-41
“Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and
it was completely calm. He said to his disciples,
‘Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?

QUIET!  BE STILL!  LISTEN TO JESUS

When the liar is whispering – listen to Jesus,
The sovereign Truth for all who WILL to believe;
Believe the Word of the eternally Annointed One,
One God whose Spirit is life for those who receive.

When persecution is rising – listen to Jesus,
The Lord Jesus is Comfort to all who will hear;
God is Master to those who by faith keep The Son,
The Son victorious over sin has vanquished our fear.

When Satan is accusing – listen to Jesus,
Jesus the Lord is Defender of all who seek refuge;
God is Redeemer of those who by faith hold The Son
The Son raised through power makes all things new.

When is condemnation threatening – listen to Jesus,
Jesus Christ is Peace to all who humble themselves;
God is Wisdom to those who by faith choose The Son,
The Son who in love chose to save our souls from Hell.

When the enemy is roaring – listen to Jesus,
The Lord Jesus is Friend to all who know God;
God is Father to those who by faith trust The Son,
The Son who suffered, and died, for us on a Cross.
 
When the culture is begging – listen to Jesus,
The only Way for fallen man to ever rise again;
God is Love for all who by faith follow The Son,
The Son who rose and will return to lead us to Heaven.

Jeffrey E Pollock
September 2008

This Month’s Devotional Thought
———————————————–

Knowledge + Faith = Understanding

Christ makes a very interesting statement in the final verses
of John 5. The leaders of Israel searched the scriptures, He says,
in order to attain eternal life. No one knew scripture better than
the leaders of Israel. Each one of us who studies the Word of God
in English must rely on a translation from the original text. The
leaders of Israel, however, had the original scrolls and parch-
ments that were penned by the givers of God’s Word so it should
follow that salvation would be easily within their grasp. Yet Christ
tells us in this passage that salvation is far from them. Why?
Simply put, they have the knowledge of scripture but they lack
faith in what God’s Word proclaims so the understanding of
eternal life is beyond their comprehension.

God’s Word was in their hands but it did not reside in their hearts
Christ tells them in verse 38. The evidence of this was seen in
the fact that they rejected Christ as the Messiah. They felt that
they could attain salvation through obedience to the outward laws
of Moses but failed to grasp the truth that the law could not save.
Its sole purpose was to be a tutor who would help them recognize
the source of salvation when He was presented to them
(Galatians 3:23-24).

Each person who is reading this newsletter has gone through a
period of learning in their lives. We say someone has taught us
something, yet the ability to learn was not in their hands it was
in ours. We needed to believe that what they said was true and
the proof of our belief was seen in our acceptance and applica-
tion of what was taught.  A teacher’s job is to give direction yet
we will never learn the way until our minds are able to compre-
hend it as the truth to finding the way. This is the problem the
religious leaders of Israel had. They read the words that God gave
to Moses yet they could not comprehend what was being told so
the truth of God’s Word escaped them.

Moses and the prophets wrote in the Hebrew language so they
could understand what was being said, but they were looking
for fulfillment on the physical level when the promised fulfill-
ment was to be seen on the spiritual level and they missed it
completely. They desired a king who would free them from
Roman rule and make Israel the dominate kingdom on earth.
Christ came to set up a kingdom that would dominate and fill
the earth but God’s objective was not to physically overthrow
Rome, His purpose was to spiritually overthrow sin.

Eternal life could not be attained by doing the works of the
law it could only be attained through the person and work
of Jesus Christ. The spiritual blindness of the children of
Israel caused them to miss this truth and they rejected
Christ as the Messiah because the love of the Father was
not in them. Their flesh caused them to seek the honor of
those around them. They outwardly seemed pious but their
sinful heart made true righteousness unattainable and they
rejected Christ who was their only hope for eternal life.

Christ came just as Moses and the prophets had declared.
He came in the name of His Father. He came to do the will
of His Father. He came to establish the Kingdom of His
Father. Had He come with His own agenda, He doubtless
would have been given a better reception for Christ tells
them in verse 43 that they will receive those who come
in their own name. But salvation is not about pride, it is
not about fleshly honor, it is about love and not the love
that we have for God but the love that He has for us.

Moses declared these facts in the scripture and Christ told
His listeners it would be Moses who stood against them in
judgment. They claimed an alliance with Moses and called
him the father of their faith yet they proved they did not
trust him when they rejected his words of truth.

The scripture holds many truths for us today, truths that
demolish our pride and stand hard against our sin. These
truths declare God’s love for us in sending Christ as the
sole author and finisher of our salvation. Will we embrace
them and the eternal life that they proclaim or will we reject
them because they do not cater to our physical desires?
Just as in the days of Christ, the Word of God will stand in
testament, either for us or against us, in our day of judgment.

Jerry
www.ChristianPoetry.org

September 4
Morning Verse
“I will; be thou clean.” Mark 1:41
 
Primeval darkness heard the Almighty fiat, “light be,” and straight-
way light was, and the word of the Lord Jesus is equal in majesty
to that ancient word of power. Redemption like Creation has its
word of might. Jesus speaks and it is done. Leprosy yielded to
no human remedies, but it fled at once at the Lord’s “I will.” The
disease exhibited no hopeful signs or tokens of recovery, nature
contributed nothing to its own healing, but the unaided word
effected the entire work on the spot and for ever. The sinner is
in a plight more miserable than the leper; let him imitate his
example and go to Jesus, “beseeching Him and kneeling down
to Him.” Let him exercise what little faith he has, even though
it should go no further than “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make
me clean”; and there need be no doubt as to the result of the
application. Jesus heals all who come, and casts out none. In
reading the narrative in which our morning’s text occurs, it is
worthy of devout notice that Jesus touched the leper. This un-
clean person had broken through the regulations of the
ceremonial law and pressed into the house, but Jesus so far
from chiding him broke through the law Himself in order to
meet him. He made an interchange with the leper, for while
He cleansed him, He contracted by that touch a Levitical
defilement. Even so Jesus Christ was made sin for us, al-
though in Himself He knew no sin, that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him. O that poor sinners would
go to Jesus, believing in the power of His blessed substitu-
tionary work, and they would soon learn the power of His
gracious touch. That hand which multiplied the loaves, which
saved sinking Peter, which upholds afflicted saints, which
crowns believers, that same hand will touch every seeking
sinner, and in a moment make him clean. The love of Jesus is
the source of salvation. He loves, He looks, He touches us,
WE LIVE.
—Morning and Evening

Jesus Cures a Man With a Skin Disease
40  Then a man with a serious skin disease came to him. The man
fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “If you’re willing, you can make
me clean.”
41 Jesus felt sorry for him, reached out, touched him, and said, “I’m
willing. So be clean!”
42 Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean.
43 Jesus sent him away at once and warned him, 44 “Don’t tell
anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then
offer the sacrifices which Moses commanded as proof to people
that you are clean.”
45 When the man left, he began to talk freely. He spread his story
so widely that Jesus could no longer enter any city openly. Instead,
he stayed in places where he could be alone. But people still kept
coming to him from everywhere.

Mark 1:40-45 (GW)

September 6, 2008

HIS PURPOSE
by Charles R. Swindoll

Read Job 23:1–17

Job struggles, finally admitting his frustration: he cannot find God.
Ever been there? Of course. All of us have! There are days we search
in vain for some visible evidence of the living God. I’m thinking,
Wouldn’t it be great to wake up in the middle of a full-moon sky
tonight, peek out my bedroom window, and see some skywriting,
“Dear Chuck, I hear you. I’m right here. I’m in charge. Love, God.”
I would love for that to happen! I’d love to get into my pickup after
a tough day at the church, turn the radio on, and have God interrupt,
saying, “Before you listen to this station, Chuck, I want to talk to
you for a few minutes.” Let face it, all of us would love to hear an
audible voice or read a visible message from God. But that’s not
the way it works. Our walk with Him is a walk of faith, not sight.

Job is a great and godly man. He is a mature saint, no doubt about
it. Nevertheless, he longs to witness God’s presence. “Oh, that I
could know where He is. But I cannot see Him, behold Him, or
perceive Him.”

Though unable to locate the presence of God, Job states his trust
in Him: “Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, you can say whatever you
wish against me. God knows which way I go. He knows the truth.
He is my Justifier. He and I are on speaking terms. I trust Him. I be-
lieve in Him. Furthermore, after the trial is over, and He has
accomplished His purpose within me, ‘I shall come forth as gold.’ “

You can count on that, my friend. When the trial has passed, you
will be deeper and richer for it. Gold will replace alloy. I want you
to allow those words to burn their way into your brain so deeply
that they become like a divine filter for everything that happens
in your life from this day forward. God knows which way you’re
going. And His Word will be a lamp for your path (Psalm 119:105).

http://rzim.org 

New Subject : [Slice 1760] Faith and Evidence (September 4, 2008)
  
Date : Thu, Sep 04, 2008 06:19 AM 
 
09/4/08
Faith and Evidence
Rachel Tulloch

“That’s not faith.”

There is an episode of the TV series Bones, in which the main
character is buried alive with a friend and they are running out
of air. She is not panicking because she is sure her partner Booth
will rescue them.  Her friend says, “You sure have a lot of faith in
him.”  Her reply betrays a common assumption about the nature
of faith:  “Faith is an irrational belief in something that’s logically
impossible,” she says. “Over time, I have seen what Booth can do. 
That’s not faith.”(1) These comments reflect how many people view
faith: it is an irrational leap in the dark.  It is about accepting prop-
ositions without evidence or even against the available evidence. 
However, in the Christian sense, faith is not opposed to reason or
evidence.  It is simply not reducible to either one.   In the book of
1 John, we read:  “That which was from the beginning, which we
have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have
looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concern-
ing the Word of life.  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify
to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the
Father and has appeared to us.
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also
may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:1-3). 

John is clearly appealing to evidence and reason to try to persuade
people that the story he tells is true.  If it is true, then it would
make sense for one to have faith in the Jesus of whom he speaks,
just as it made sense for Bones to have faith in her partner since
she had seen the evidence of his abilities.  But only if it is true. 
John is obviously not asking people to believe against the evidence
or even in the absence of evidence, but on the basis of a certain
type of evidence–in this case, the trustworthiness of the witnesses.

Evidence can serve to instill belief or confirm belief, but it has its
limits.  We all interpret evidence in the light of our experience and
the beliefs we already hold.  Just as John offered one type of evi-
dence, others would offer their own evidences that Jesus was not
who the apostles claimed he was.  Thus, it is not strictly the evi-
dence that determines who puts their faith in Jesus and who does
not because faith is about more than believing an idea.  It is about
commitment, a willingness to stake your life on the truth of some-
thing or the reliability of someone.

Furthermore, those who accuse faith of lacking in evidence often
fail to notice that every belief system, whether it includes the
supernatural or not, has foundational elements which are not proven. 
Even a naturalist worldview that relies on science must accept many
things without direct evidence.  All people have faith in their own
worldviews, even naturalist scientists.  They have to believe that
their way of determining what is true is the best way.  They have
to believe others and trust the results of other scientists.  If you
are a complete skeptic, you will never get anywhere in science. 
You would have to do all the experiments yourself and even then,
you cannot prove 100 percent that you are not mistaken.  You have
to trust that your findings will hold true in the future, that the laws
that operate now will not change tomorrow.  You have to trust that
your mind and thoughts in some way correspond to the way the
world actually is.
 
So, faith has evidence.  But all evidence has faith too.

Whether our faith is rational or irrational depends on a number of
factors: how much and what types of evidence supports it, whether
it has stood up to honest scrutiny and criticism, and how much
explanatory power it has to make sense of our experience.  Christian
faith passes each of these tests, but it will always go beyond any of
these factors.  Like the faith of Bones in her partner, it is also about
trusting a person. Our faith determines the direction of our lives; it
is where our loyalties lie; it believes that the one who made us also
loves us and has spoken to us.   Over time, we have seen what God
can do.  And that is faith.

Rachel Tulloch is associate apologist at Ravi Zacharias International
Ministries in Toronto, Canada.

(1) Bones, series 2, episode 9, “Aliens in a Spaceship.”

————————————————–

Any copying, re-transmission, distribution, printing, or other use
of “A Slice of Infinity” must set forth the following credit line, in
full, at the conclusion of the portion of A Slice of Infinity [used]:
Copyright(c) 2008 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM).
Reprinted with permission. A Slice of Infinity is a ministry of Ravi
Zacharias International Ministries http://www.rzim.org.
___________________________________________________________ 

“A people near unto him.” Psalm 148:14 
 
The dispensation of the old covenant was that of distance. When
God appeared even to His servant Moses, He said, “Draw not nigh
hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet”; and when He manifested
Himself upon Mount Sinai, to His own chosen and separated people,
one of the first commands was, “Thou shalt set bounds about the
mount.” Both in the sacred worship of the tabernacle and the temple,
the thought of distance was always prominent. The mass of the
people did not even enter the outer court. Into the inner court none
but the priests might dare to intrude; while into the innermost place,
or the holy of holies, the high priest entered but once in the year. It
was as if the Lord in those early ages would teach man that sin was
so utterly loathsome to Him, that He must treat men as lepers put
without the camp; and when He came nearest to them, He yet made
them feel the width of the separation between a holy God and an im-
pure sinner. When the gospel came, we were placed on quite another
footing. The word “Go” was exchanged for “Come”; distance was made
to give place to nearness, and we who aforetime were afar off, were
made nigh by the blood of Jesus Christ. Incarnate Deity has no wall
of fire about it. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest,” is the joyful proclamation of God as He
appears in human flesh. Not now does He teach the leper his leprosy
by setting him at a distance, but by Himself suffering the penalty of
His defilement. What a state of safety and privilege is this nearness
to God through Jesus! Do you know it by experience? If you know it,
are you living in the power of it? Marvellous is this nearness, yet it is
to be followed by a dispensation of greater nearness still, when it
shall be said, “The tabernacle of God is with men, and He doth dwell
among them.” Hasten it, O Lord.    —Morning and Evening

MARK 4:39-41
“Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and
it was completely calm. He said to his disciples,
‘Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?

QUIET!  BE STILL!  LISTEN TO JESUS

When the liar is whispering – Listen to Jesus,
The sovereign Truth for all who WILL to believe;
Believe the Word of the eternally Annointed One,
One God whose Spirit is life for those who receive.

When persecution is rising – Listen to Jesus,
The Lord Jesus is Comfort to all who will hear;
God is Master to those who by faith keep The Son,
The Son victorious over sin has vanquished our fear.

When Satan is accusing – Listen to Jesus,
Jesus the Lord is Defender of all who seek refuge;
God is Redeemer of those who by faith hold The Son
The Son raised through power makes all things new.

When is condemnation threatening – Listen to Jesus,
Jesus Christ is Peace to all who humble themselves;
God is Wisdom to those who by faith choose The Son,
The Son who in love chose to save our souls from Hell.

When the enemy is roaring – Listen to Jesus,
The Lord Jesus is Friend to all who know God;
God is Father to those who by faith trust The Son,
The Son who suffered, and died, for us on a Cross.
 
When the culture is begging – Listen to Jesus,
The ONLY Way for fallen men and women to EVER rise again;
God is Love for those who by faith follow The Son,
The Son who rose and will return to lead His own to Heaven.

Jeffrey Pollock
September 2008

In conclusion: 

BE STILL!  AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. —PSALM 46:10