What do You Really Believe?

That was the title of the sermon that was preached (by Jeff Meeks) a few weeks ago.  I has really been something I have been "chewing on" ever since.   His premise was that if you believe something, then it should determine your behavior.

Our Scripture verse was "Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me.   Jesus said to him, I am THE way, THE Truth and THE life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" from John 14:6.

Some of the questions he had us think about are as follows:
How many people believe you should share your faith?  Do you share your faith?
Do you believe you should pray?  Do you pray?
Do you believe you should read your Bible?  Do you read your Bible?
Do you believe Christians should tithe?  Do you tithe?
Do you believe in worship?  Do you worship?
Do you believe in church attendance?  Do you go to church?
Do you believe in forgiveness?  Do you forgive?

Our beliefs should determine our behavior.  He went further on to say that most Christians are educated far beyond our beliefs.   But we want to get all we can, can all we get, and sit on our can.  OUCH!     John 7:38 says  "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."   Belief and faith come from the same root word.   If we truly have faith and not just a mental nod at belief, the Holy Spirit should be flowing out of us and unto a lost people.   

For me this led to all kinds of areas in my life, such as the following:
Do I believe I should eat healthy?  Do I eat healthy?
Do I believe I should exercise?  Do I exercise?
Do I believe children are gifts from the Lord?  Do I treat them as gifts from the Lord?
Do I believe we should obey the law?  Do I obey the law (which includes the speed limit)?
Do I believe the Lord is my provider?  Do I stress that we will lack in some area?
Do I believe my time is in His hands?  Do I worry that the cancer will return?
Do I believe that I am responsible for teaching my children as Deuteronomy says in 11:19?  Am I teaching them God's truths as they rise, when they lie down, as we are going about our day?
Do I believe in honoring my husband and respecting him as the Word says?  Do I show him respect by the way I speak or act?
Do I believe He has cleansed me from all sin?  Do I walk in guilt and shame?
Do I believe Matthew 12:36 that I will give account for  my careless words?  Do I think before I speak?
Do I believe II Timothy 1:3-5 that says, "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." Do I love myself and money more than the Lord?  Am I proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to authority, ungrateful, unholy, heartless?  Do I slander?  Do I lack self control?  Do I love and may I add SEEK pleasure more than the Lord?

These were just a few of the questions, I posed to myself.  It has made me question all areas of my life and ponder if I am a hypocrite which really means actor or pretender, a lover of knowledge but not the Truth, lazy, or even deceived.  James 1:22 says But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  It has been a great spiritual health check up for me.

Sooo, I'll ask the same questions to you that I was asked, and have been meditating on.  What do you really believe?   Where does your time go?   Where are your priorities?  If you see you are struggling in any area, cry out to the Lord as the father did in Mark 9:24 and ask Him to help your unbelief.