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I had a conversation today with someone I always thought had a lot of faith. We were talking about God and healing in a circumstance. Instead of believing that Gods Word overrides a doctors word, a tests word, and even the opinion of an ordinary man or woman, they believe that you should basically go with what the world says until God steps in. I’m of the contrary belief that you have faith first. We should not ignore sound advise such as doctors or professionals but you should always error on the side of faith. There is no balancing of the world and God. We either live according to Gods rules or we live according to the world!

I wrote this article last year. I have found in the last few days that it is really applying to my faith right now so I thought a repost of it is necessary.

For all of us who are believing in faith for the healing of Noel Miller, this is for us. For those that are believing in faith for something else that is big and seems impossible… Well, this is for you.

Ever felt like you were in a balancing act? I do sometimes. I think this bird is pretty good at it – by the looks of it at least. Sometimes I think I am too.

I wonder what is on the end of that string that he is pulling…? Is it a weight that weighs him down so he will keep balance? Is it another bird doing some other weird trick? Maybe a HUGE elephant and that is why “LIFE” decided this bird was so extraordinary and took its picture! Who knows…

What I DO know is that we all play a balancing act. On one end of our lives is our flesh, doing what it does best – be fleshly. On the other end is our Spirit, doing what IT does best – help us to be Christ centered.

When our body (flesh) outweighs our Spirit, our lives fall apart. The “load” we are carrying tumbles to the ground in a heap and we often become frustrated, angry, depressed, mad at the world or worse: mad at God.

I realize more as I write this that the “balancing act” isn’t even Biblical. I don’t believe I can find anywhere in the Bible that God tells us to “eveneth outeth thy flesh and thy Spirit until they are in unity.” Nope. It doesn’t say that. We aren’t suppose to “balance” our flesh and our Spirit. Our Spirit should ALWAYS outweigh our flesh. Our Spirit should be the mind of Christ and we should live our lives, we should walk our walk, we should run our race (whatever you want to call it!) in such a way that you can’t tell that we have the world in us because our flesh is subject to our Spirit and the Spirit of God.

So – no more will I say that I have to have a more balanced life between my flesh and my spirit. I can’t live my life like this bird on a wire. I have to allow my spirit to be subjected to the Spirit of God.

“Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannzied by what you want.” 1 Peter 4:1-2 (MSG)

Have you ever heard the phrase, “You’re such a chicken…”? Well, I came across this picture in which being a chicken is definetly NOT something you want to be! “Why?” you may ask: Because in Indonesia they toss chickens into a volcano to appease the Hindu gods. Yep. Definetly don’t want to be a chicken on that day!

Can you imagine? Your life is having some tough times, your marriage is having a few problems, your children are running the show, your job is in jeophardy… Whatever it is, you decide that you shall take thy bestest chicken from thine own backyard. Walk thy holy feather friend to the local steaming volcano. Holdeth firmly to thine chicken. Thou dost not want to let they chicken go! Thy chicken shall be thine salvation! Toss thy chicken firmly over thine head into the pit below! Thou troubles shall be no more.

Really? Should we toss a chicken over our head, speak in Christianese King James Version and expect our lives to change? Yet some of us (and I include myself here) do things so religiously in our lives that it is the same way.

Your life is going down hill in whatever manner. You’re having a tough week. What do you do? You decide that THIS week you should go to church! Yes! It will change your life! TODAY you will talk to God. He will speak to you! Bow your head in prayer at the dinner table – it shows gratitude and hopefully, prayerfully, God will continue to provide for you.

Sometimes I have found that I do things that the Bible tells me out of “formula”. If I do THIS + THAT it will = WHAT I NEED. It is a formula. It is suppose to work right? Like throwing the chicken overboard to appease the god of Hindu…? ….wrong….

God isn’t a formula. Faith isn’t a formula. Trust isn’t a formula. It is a relationship. If I BELIEVE IN GOD + HAVE FAITH THAT HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS it will = A LIFE THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT. Period. End of story… end of formula. When you live your life based on a relationship with Jesus Christ rather then a formula that you try when things aren’t working – you will have a blessed life. You will have a prosperous life, abundant life, fullfilling life, loving, caring, righteous and acceptable life. It’s true. The Bible says it. I believe it. I have faith for it. It will happen. Not because I did the “formula” but because I have this relationship with God that He says He wants the best for me and to get the best I have to believe in the best and do the best.

Wow. Are you living an abundant, prosperous, fullfilling, righteous, caring, acceptable life? Or are you throwing your chicken over your head in hopes that you will appease God into helping you out?

God is always worth having a relationship with. He always looks out for our best in life. He always wants to see us walk in the promises of His Word so that He can fulfill them in due time. This is what He says He will do for us: [Deuteronomy 28:1-14]

“If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God:

• God’s blessing inside the city,
• God’s blessing in the country;
• God’s blessing on your children, the crops of your land,
• the young of your livestock,
• the calves of your herds,
• the lambs of your flocks.
• God’s blessing on your basket and bread bowl;
• God’s blessing in your coming in,
• God’s blessing in your going out.
• God will defeat your enemies who attack you. They’ll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads.
• God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces, he’ll bless you in the land that God, your God, is giving you.
• God will form you as a people holy to him, just as he promised you, if you keep the commandments of God, your God, and live the way he has shown you.
• All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe.
• God will lavish you with good things: children from your womb, offspring from your animals, and crops from your land, the land that God promised your ancestors that he would give you.
• God will throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land on shcedule and bless the work you take in hand.
• You will lend to many nations but you yourself won’t have to take out a loan.
• God will make you the head, not the tail; you’ll always be top dog, never the bottom dog, as you obediently listen to and diligently keep the commands of God, your God, that I am commanding you today.
• Don’t swerve and inch to the right or left from the words that I command you today by going off following and worshiping other gods.”

Wow. It can’t get much better then that! Just remember next time you are having a hard time in an area of life that God is in control. Turn to Him, but not only in the bad times. Turn to Him in the good times. Thank Him for all you have and all you are. Don’t do things religiously, do them relationally!