Today is Monday. Mondays I usually go to the gym. Today, was a long and trying day. The main family car is in the shop and my wife and I had a heated discussion with the mechanic. For the most part, with prayer, everything has seemed to work out.
I did not have a strong desire to go to the gym. I left work deciding in my mind not to go. I heard a small voice in me saying, “Go to the gym.” My response was calling my wife and telling her I wasn’t going to the gym. I heard the same words again, “Go to the gym.” I was asking myself, “If this is the Lord then why does He want me to go to the gym?” I thought again, “I am going to the gym in faith even though I really don’t want to.”
On the way to the gym, I started to thank the Lord. In 1 Thess. 5:18 it says, ” In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
For the past few years, I have really made it a point to thank the Lord when bad things or circumstances happen. I’ve discovered faith is birthed and stirred when I do this. So, I started thanking the Lord loudly for what He has given me: my health, job, salvation, etc. Prior to this, I thought about calling a brother in the Lord, but decided not to. As I continue thanking the Lord, my phone rings. It is the brother I was thinking about. I called him back. He said I called him, but I didn’t. Somehow my phone speed dialed him and he called back and heard my radio blaring loudly and thought I ran into a ditch. I mentioned some of my day and he said to me, “Faith has a good report.”
Then it hit me a little. The faith of Christ in me always gives and desires to give a good report not a bad one.
Heb. 11:2, “For by it the elders obtained a good report.”
Heb. 11:39, “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:”
The meaning of the words good report in the Greek mean, ” to be a witness, bear witness, testify,” signifies, in the Passive Voice, “to be well testified of, to have a good report.”
When I thank God and live my live in faith contrary to the way of the world, by His grace and the revelation of Christ, I am obtaining a good report, testimony and witness. This good report blesses me now, those around me and my future.
If I were to have complained, moaned and groaned about my day today instead of thank God then there is no room for a good report, testimony or witness. That is not the nature of faith. In spite of the circumstances with my car, the unseen faith of Christ in me spoke out contrary to what happened early that day and gave hope and created evidence of things not seen.
I went to the gym expecting someone to be there to talk to or something, but no one was there. I ran on the treadmill and as I ran I shook off the day so to speak and my faith was stretched, enlarged and strengthened in me. I went to the gym like Abraham went to a land not knowing where he was going, but knowing by faith he was going to the right destination.
And by this faith I am righteous. I am righteous. I am not just right standing with God. I am righteous. By His faith in me through grace, my nature is becoming righteous in Him.
Romans 1:5 speaks of an obedience to the faith according to the Spirit of holiness and the Son of God’s power and not my strength.
When He unveils who He is in my heart, He pours His love in my heart, and it compels me by this unveiling to be obedient unto Him because I sincerely want to. His desire and will become mine and mine his. Paul prayed that the church be one. Jesus prayed that we be one as He and the Father are one.
I am glad I went to the gym.
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