by Carlos Luna
Your projects will have a strong chance of coming to pass when you align them to God’s plans, seeking to bless others in the process. Even a healing miracle, which is personal, has a multiplying effect, because that restored life will become a powerful testimony of the love of God. In addition, the individual who received the miracle will also have a new heart willing to help others. That is the power of God working through our lives!
There is no value to a self-centered faith, seeking your own personal benefit. It is true that our Father wants to bless us, since he created us in love and that is our foundation. Still, living by faith is not a matter of selfishly seeking our personal desires because in the end that becomes about me and only me. That cannot happen! Who is the center of the universe? If you believe it is you, then you need to review the foundation of our faith. We were created to have, by our own will and choice, an intimate relationship with God. This is our reason for being, and maintaining it will result in a fulfilling life, together with everything it implies. Our first focus needs to be on perfecting our relationship with God. By focusing on the person of God, we’ll be more willing to receive what that person has to offer. That is the meaning behind the following advice Jesus gave us: “Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Of course, God wants us to prosper in all things and to have every need supplied, but it will only be as a direct result of our intimacy with him.
I love my wife. I believe in her; I seek her; I spoil her; I give her my attention and listen to her advice. I obey her instructions, because I respect her opinion. I love the time we spend together and I enjoy everything she gives me as a logical outgrowth of our intimate relationship. Obviously, that is totally different than seeking her only for self-centered purposes, for what she can provide for me. God expects you to seek and love him, beyond anything he can ever give you!
Living by and for Faith
To obey our Father’s instructions, we need to follow his instruction manual—his Word—which reveals everything we need to know and do. The gospel is revealed by faith and for faith. In other words, we receive it by faith, and it becomes a testimony of the faith by which to live. Our conviction of the love of God must be fully believed and demonstrated, otherwise, it will just be an abstract concept, void of impact. Faith, however, is tangible and effective, designed to totally transform our circumstances if we become as children who love, admire, believe, and obey him.
When I taught my children how to swim, the first thing I did was dive into the water cannonball style. That simple action broke every uncertainty they were feeling and opened the door to all the fun they could have. Seeing me with that attitude of complete control of the situation gave them confidence, to the point that I almost did not make it back to the edge because they wanted to jump in right on top of me. The same thing would not have happened had I entered cautiously into the pool, step by step, little by little, allowing the water to make me shudder in shock. That is what a life of faith is like, total immersion into a new environment that requires audacity and blind obedience, coupled with the conviction that the instructions we receive come from the One who truly knows what he is doing and has our best interests in mind.
In Hebrew, the word faith means faithfulness. Having faith in God means expressing our faithfulness, which in turn makes us just, or in other words, without reproach. No wonder the Word of God mentions more than once that the just shall live by faith. Why is it so important to be totally convinced that living by faith makes us just? Because accepting it implies humility, an acknowledgment that it is not our works, but our attitude of complete trust that grants us salvation and abundant life. We need to be faithful to God and never hesitate in obeying his simple instructions. Everything in his written Word applies to our lives; it is not an archaic, irrelevant book. Take hold of his promises! If the Bible says that those who honor their parents can expect a long life and a wonderful future, embrace that promise and obey it. If it says that life, riches, and honor are the reward for being humble and fearing the Lord, then that is how it is! These instructions seem clear and simple, right? Of course, applying them is not so easy, and that is why living by faith requires strength and resolve. It is a life designed for those who want to see great results!
Everything in his written Word applies to our lives; it is not an archaic, irrelevant book. Take hold of his promises!
The second meaning of the word faith is firmness. Those who believe will remain firm and stable, without wavering. Another word for this is steady, just like a steady camera used for taping television programs. These cameras can follow an action scene and record an image with stability, no matter how much movement it might include. These are the cameras we normally use in our Nights of Glory healing crusades, where people leap, run, and dance after receiving their healing. The person who has faith will remain firm and steady, regardless of the force of the storm, because his or her eyes are set firmly on the Lord. That steadiness is what Peter lacked when he walked on water, because in the middle of the storm, he took his eyes off the Lord. Don’t ever let your steady fail you in your difficult situations.
Trust in the Lord beyond your abilities. All the people in the Bible speak to us about having achieved exploits by faith and for faith. To raise up a nation, Abraham had to leave his homeland in obedience to God’s instruction. David became king by following the instructions God gave him. Every person of faith went to God to receive his instructions and counsel. God was their only source and refuge.
Carlos Luna, popularly known as “Cash” Luna, is a pastor in Guatemala. Along with his wife, Sonia, they are the founders of one of the largest megachurches in Latin America, Casa de Dios, with more than 20,000 active members. Luna heads up Food Bank, which he founded in 2006, as the social service branch of his church, dedicated to caring for orphans, seniors and those affected by natural disasters. His new book, Not By Sight: Only Faith Opens Your Eyes, is available now.
Taken from Not By Sight by Cash Luna. Copyright 2018 by Cash Luna. Used by permission of Emanate Books. www.emanatebooks.com.
