Bob Cassell
Have you ever sincerely examined your looking, the way you see things, and why you see them the way you do? Where do you look and what are you doing with what you see?
Do you see things the way they are or do you see them the way you want them to be? The approach we take in our lives tends to determine the results we get from taking that approach.
Are you looking to learn or looking to confirm what it is you already know?
In our early school years, we saw two kinds of students. Those who wanted to learn, and those who could care less. As we look a little closer, we can see how each of these young students looked at things that were before them.
1) Good students sat up front.
2) Poor students sat in the back.
Let’s call the front row students learners and the back row funners.
The front row students embraced a mindset of curiosity and a need to fill their minds with knowledge. From this knowledge they learned many skills that prepared them for high level career choices.
These front row learners saw, if they learned well where they were, they could learn and do well where they would be in the future.
This is what many of the good students did and the majority of them did well. What can you look to that will prepare and encourage you, so that you may challenge and encourage others?
If you are not encouraged and maturing, in the word of God, you will have a difficult time in convincing others to do the same. May I suggest that you look at your looking and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of your looking.
Please know… as you look at your looking, you may become what you behold and may embody what you embrace. Therefore, you must be careful with your beholding’s because they may become a part of your permanent frame of reference.
Where can you look to ensure the highest level of learning?
Our Sovereign Lord is the highest source of all knowledge and wisdom. He can be trusted to lead and prepare you for every exigency and problem that may be encountered in this quickly passing life.
Psalm 68:11 Declares… The lord gave the word, 2 Peter 1:4 says, whereby, are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.
As the source he gives something powerful!
Over seven thousand promises are recorded in the word of God and are just waiting for you to learn them! After you learn, you should do something with them; what could that be?
You believe them, you trust them, you claim them as your own. These promises are personal. They are from God, they are in writing, and they are waiting to be believed in, and trusted completely, by means of faith.
Why should you claim these promises, they are so old, why put so much effort in all of these things that have been sitting there for hundreds and thousands of years?
Because, Jesus wants you to know what was in his mind! Therefore, he left something for you after he would no longer be here!
- 1 Corinthians 2:16, tells us what he He left his mind! It is here, it is in your hands and it is confirmed by these words …for who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
- How does it get any better, you have his mind and it is in writing. Now what should you do with it? The admonition is clear.
Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Phil 2:5. When you place this word in you… you will see things that are eternal.
2 Cor 4:8, we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal…. what else do you need that is not seen?
You need faith! Faith is not seen.
Heb 11:1, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
So many immature believers, want to see something, they want to feel or touch something… they want to figure it out for themselves.
There are only three systems of perception for knowledge.
1) Rationalism, 2) Empiricism, and 3) Faith. These three systems of thinking are the only means of learning or perceiving information.
Figuring it out is called, rationalism. Feeling or touching is called empiricism. Neither of these two systems will lead anyone closer to God nor will either provide spiritual understanding.
Therefore, you are left with the third system of perception, which is FAITH!
Faith is the most perceptive system of understanding spiritual phenomenon known to man. Why? Because faith must rest in an object to have merit… true faith leads you to something that can be trusted every time you come to God’s word for assurance.
“FAITH” you say! Yes, but it may surprise you to learn…. there is no merit in faith! Yes, it is true, the merit is not in faith…. faith all by itself, is alone and can do very little.
Faith must have help! Faith can perceive…and wants to understand but, faith must have an object to embrace, to believe in, to trust completely!
Faith must stand up, go forward, and direct full attention to the object it is to trust. In salvation, Faith must embrace, as its object, the person of Jesus Christ…. it is not belief about him or the church, baptism, your works, or your best efforts, it is faith in him…. not in you or anything outside of you…. it is faith in the one and only savior, and the one and only savior is Jesus Christ.
The Good news is…. Faith must also be exercised to embrace the promises that are within this holy word.
Seven thousand promises are contained within the word of God and are meant to be claimed today, in this moment of time!
These powerful promises cannot be used tomorrow, tomorrow hasn’t come, because tomorrow will always be the next day. Today is the day; it is the only day and time you may claim the promises that are in this powerful word.
Proverbs 27:1, Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Ps 118:24, This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
So, let this mind be in you…. that is, the mind of Christ…it doesn’t get any better…. these promises are from God… you can believe them, they are accurate, they are sure and they are just waiting for you to know them and claim them!
Let go of your doubts and go to the word of God, spend time there and deposit your faith in something sure, something that will never fail.
Think about your faith…. where does it go? Does it go to you, to the church, to baptism, or to the best you can do?
To grow as a believer in Christ, your personal time must be spent in learning and teaching others the infallible word of God. Many promises are there… and they are waiting to be embraced by faith.
However, your faith must be placed in a worthy object… for salvation, the only meritorious object is the Lord Jesus Christ, nothing less will do!
Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5
Proverbs 3:13, Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the one who gets understanding.
For wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and assurance (and a thousand other things) …. put your faith in the worthy object of his reliable word, a word that will never, return void!
Isaiah 55:11, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I send it.
Jesus says to anyone who may be pondering these important matters, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47
The apostle Paul admonishes you to understand…. the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
Paul and Silas said, to the Philippian jailer, and I say to you… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, Acts 16:31
You can trust these men of God, they want you to possess eternal life, and they know, the only way to this life is through Jesus Christ, the only savior. Call on him, now and you will be saved.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. Romans 10:13
