Say Amen to Jesus
Scripture reading: Acts 12:1-17
As I travel from church to church I have found that within the church world there is considerable confusion concerning what real faith is. John Wesley once said that “the devil has given the Church a substitute for faith; one that looks and sounds so much like faith that few people can tell the difference.” He called this substitute “mental assent.” Many people will agree that the Bible is true, but they are agreeing only with their minds. That is mental assent and it is not what gets the job done. It takes heart faith to receive from God.
How can a person know whether he has heart faith or whether he is just mentally agreeing with God's Word? Mental assent says, “I know God's Word is true. I know God has provided healing (or some other blessing), but for some reason I can't get it; I can't understand it.” However, real faith says, “If God's Word says it's true, then it's true. It is mine, and I have it now. I have it now even though I can't see it because God cannot lie.”
Lets look at an event that took place one evening in the lives of the disciples. An event that shows the difference between the amen of faith and having zeal without faith.
Peter said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people." —Acts 12:11
There is a lot in an amen. I find that you can have zeal without faith. The Scripture reading shows the difference between the amen of faith and having zeal without faith.
When Peter was imprisoned by Herod, the church was in constant prayer for his release. They were even praying all night. They had zeal, but they did not have faith. Although there is much that could be commended to us from this passage, one thing is missing; faith. Young Rhoda had more faith than all the rest of them. When the knock came at the door, she ran to answer it. The moment she heard Peter's voice, she was so excited to share the good news that she didn't even unlock the gate so that Peter could come in. She ran with joy to tell those praying that Peter stood at the gate.
All the people said, "You are mad. It isn't so." She insisted that she had seen Peter, but the people had no faith at all. They said, "Perhaps God has sent an angel."
But Rhoda said, "It is Peter." And Peter continued knocking. They went and found him at the door. They had zeal but no faith. God wants to bring us to the place where we will take hold of Him in a living way. We need to rest and always trust the plan of God.
There was such a difference between Zacharias and Mary. Zacharias definitely wanted a son, but even when the angel came and told him that he would be a father, he was full of unbelief. The angel said, "You will be mute and not able to speak...because you did not believe" (Luke 1:20). But when the angel came to Mary, she said, "Let it be to me according to your word" (v. 38). This was the beginning of the amen.
God wants us to have an inward amen, a mighty moving amen. This amen says, "It is," because God has spoken. Believe that there can be a real amen in your life.
OH! I forgot to tell you, Bible amen means “so be it” so when you end your prayer with an “amen” that does not mean “the end” it means “so be it according to God’s Word it has to come to pass.”
Just Say Amen!!
Terry
