Living by Faith in an Unfaithful World

By Richard Triplett

Many people believe that the gospel message must change to be relevant in a postmodern world. Richard Triplett points out that both God and the message to the world that flows from him are unchangeable. He urges fellow Christians to resist any effort to change the gospel message and to remain true to their faith.
The devotionals, poems, and commentaries in this book seek to glorify God. They offer encouragement to anyone whose faith may be wavering. With unshaken conviction, Triplett seeks to honor God and reinforce the necessity for Christians to remain focused on him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503590885

Richard Triplett

Richard “Rick” Triplett loves God and seeks to faithfully serve him in his daily life. He is a layperson who has taught Sunday school and other Christian educational classes and has served as an associational Sunday school director. In his “other” career, Rick worked as a criminal investigator with the Office of Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He retired as the assistant inspector general for investigations. He and his wife, Donna, live in Taylors, South Carolina, where they are members of Pebble Creek Baptist Church.

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Copyright © 2015 by Richard Rick Triplett.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2015912214

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5035-9086-1

      Softcover      978-1-5035-9087-8

      eBook      978-1-5035-9088-5

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Rev. date: 08/05/2015

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CONTENTS

Scriptural Sources And Quotations

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

I     THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

Believe That He Is

No God?

God Lives

He Knows The Number

The Half Of It

On Whom Should We Focus?

To Whom Can We Turn?

God Will Provide

Nothing Is Mine

Binding Restless Waves

Our Source Of Strength And Power

Trustworthy Directions

Secure In His Love

Every Breath

Behind The Numbers

Perfectly Laid Out

A Question Of Faith

Be Warned

Misguided Affection

II     THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS

A Heavenly Prediction

A Heavenly Announcement

A Heavenly Introduction

Why We Can Believe

A Validated Testimony

Prophecy Fulfilled

Who Is This Jesus?

The Lord Is Near

A Rock We Can Lean On

Trust Him

Who To Follow

For Or Against?

One Or The Other

The Message Of The Cross

Upon That Tree

It Is Not Nonsense

Respond To His Call

For What Did He Die?

Attached To Jesus

In His Train

His Capable Tow

III     THE EMPOWERING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

An Eternal Presence

A Personal Guide

An Ever-Present Helper

Unseen Footprints

Significant Emotional Event

A Call Goes Out

Ability To Understand

IV     GOD’S WORD

Logos

Spiritual Words, Spiritual Truths

It Is Written

Inspired By God

Sufficient, If Not Complete

Not Subject To Change

At Your Own Risk

Take Them With You

An App For That

Interpretation And Revision

What The Manual Says

Withered Grass

Finding True Treasures

V     WORKING IN OUR LIVES

It’s God’s Plan, Not Ours

Upside-Down Arithmetic

Second Chances

What He Appoints

His Hands

An Unbeatable Record

Change

Some Left Over

Silent Patience

Reminders

No Dropped Calls

VI     SELECTED BIBLICAL CONCEPTS

All

Faith

Grace

Love

Hate

Evil

Heaven

Hell

Hope

Wisdom

The Only Time

Called For A Purpose

Things Revealed

Faithful Remnant

VII     BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

Faith Under Duress

Unschooled And Ordinary

Amazed And Astounded

Wanting To See Jesus

Almost Persuaded

A Divine Encounter

A Man Named Nicodemus

After God’s Heart

The Whole Portion

Do What You Can

VIII     OUR DAILY CHALLENGES

Who Is Cutting In?

Futile Arguments

Bothersome Quarrels

Excuses

Critical Thinking

Group Think

The Cult Of Expertise

Possessions

Other-Centered Love

Preliminary Heats

So What?

Customer Service

Eternal Consequences

Shock Value

Wells Without Water

Prophesying Illusions

Challenges And Opportunities

IX     SOME THINGS WE SHOULD BE DOING

The Three Rs

Get Behind Me, Satan

Believe, Ask, Receive

A Good Legacy

The Good Fight

Consider Your Ways

The Big Picture

Act With Boldness

A Steadfast Mind

No Bit, No Bridle

Extinguish Flaming Arrows

Notice The Unnoticed

Living With Hope

Comfort In His Nearness

Spontaneous, Not Forced

Walk The Trail

Take Away My Doubt

Keep The Sword In Its Sheath

Fair Warning

Good Riddance

Strength In Weakness

Table Rock

Because Of The Crowd

Hearing And Doing

Don’t Put Off Until Tomorrow

Without Excuse

Silencing Ignorance

Smart Decisions

Living Stones

No Fear

Put On God’s Armor

It’s Our Turn

Now Is The Time

Good Work Habits

Healthy Lifestyles

Be Quiet

As We Go

Crying Stones

Give The Devil No Foothold

Sacrifice

What We Feed

Have No Idols

Seek True Perfection

Perseverance

Strain Out The Camels

X     PRAYER AND WORSHIP

Appear Before The Lord

The Pcis Of Prayer

A Prayer For Cleansing

A Morning Prayer

A Witnessing Leaf

Winter

Rain

Snowflake

XI     THE COMING END OF TIME

A Single Destiny

Uncertain Time, Certain Ending

A Mystery Revealed

Not Built By Human Hands

Searched For But Never Found

No Other Remedy

No Earthly Solution

What Condemns

Is Your Name In It?

Never Forget

If Tomorrow Never Comes

A Trembling Sky

Sunset Is Upon Us

When The Lights Go Out

Wake Up

He’s Coming Back Soon

Notes

There is no sin that shall doom the man who believes,

and nothing can save the man who will not believe.

—Charles H. Spurgeon

SCRIPTURAL SOURCES AND QUOTATIONS

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain.

Scripture marked NIV is from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

FOREWORD

Rick Triplett and I share the common passion of desiring to know and to make known the Lord Jesus Christ. What you are about to read is the story of one man’s journey of faith. From the time Rick came to faith in Jesus Christ until the present, he has been reading and reflecting, studying and digesting, exploring and discovering the truths he reveals in the pages that follow. Rick shares with his readers the fruit of his years of study and reflection, and the results of discoveries through his life experiences.

Rick has drunk long and deep from the well of his faith. These meditations are not academic studies. They are the fruit of a soul thirsting to know the Lord. This passion to know Christ better is imprinted on every page. Readers will both discover spiritual truths in these pages and come away with their own thirst whetted to know the Lord better.

It was my privilege to serve as Rick’s pastor for a brief time. The impressions he left with me are of a man keen of mind, with a deep commitment to Jesus Christ. He is a person who is exceptionally well read, and, on the occasions we discussed spiritual issues, he came across as being sure of where he stands. It was not arrogance on his part; it was the result of his reading widely and thinking deeply so that he knows that of which he speaks. There is about Rick a serious intensity which the reader will discern from reading his work.

The stated purpose of the book is to strengthen the faith of believers in a world that is becoming increasingly anti-Christian. Rick takes the scriptures seriously, so that his explorations into the issues of faith lead to solid insights that will benefit any sincere believer. One way to read the book is as a daily devotional. This provides the reader time to reflect and think about what is read. Another way to read it is to use it is as a resource when teaching a Sunday school lesson or writing a sermon or when doing one’s own scripture studies. Newer Christians can benefit from reading the book, as it will provide them valuable instruction concerning faith.

The book also offers a reasoned witness to any who might be examining the Christian faith for the first time. Certainly any person that reads this book would come away from it with a better understanding of how one becomes a Christian and of what it means to grow in Christ.

A benefit from seeing faith through the eyes of another believer is that insights that we missed are made suddenly clear to us, and lines of inquiry that would never have crossed our minds are opened to us. In this book, Rick offers one a layperson’s practical, every-day, live-your-life faith. In reading this book, the reader will feel the author’s passion for and devotion to Jesus Christ.

—Rev. Ron Moore

Pastor Emeritus, Anastasia Baptist Church

St. Augustine, Florida

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

No book is ever written solely by the author, certainly not this one. God’s hand was in it from its conception to its completion. My parents and my siblings showed me how to experience a full life in Christ. Countless Christian brothers and sisters have expressed ideas to me that made their way into the book. Gifted pastors have helped me to grow in the Lord. Knowledgeable Sunday school teachers and Life Group leaders have inspired me to study the Bible more and more.

I extend a special thank-you to Wayne Kempson, Ron Moore, Wendell Horton, and Bob Norman for their tireless work for the Lord and their edifying Bible studies and sermons. I will forever be grateful to Ron for his wonderful Foreword for this book.

I also want to thank Frank and Yvette Metcalf and Bob and Linda Norman for reading the draft manuscript and contributing valuable insights. Of course, the most important participant with me in this endeavor has been my wife, Donna. She listened to me when I needed to talk, discussed challenging concepts and ideas with me, and waited patiently as I completed various sections of the book and realized again that I had a wife that also deserved my attention. Her invaluable editing and keyboarding skills added immensely to my ability to finally say, It is finished.

INTRODUCTION

Tolerance and inclusion are among the highest virtues in society today. Those who tout them violate their very meaning when, in the name of correctness, they hinder the ability of Christians to proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Laws and regulations and the interpretation of them impinge unceasingly upon the Christian’s right and ability to live their lives according to the precepts of God’s Word. Public display of anything identified with the Christian faith is under attack. Challenges to prayers before the beginning of public meetings are mounting. Public acknowledgment of one’s faith often subjects the believer to ridicule, scorn, and even physical harm.

World events often discourage believers. At times, God seems remote, if not detached from what is happening in the world. Evil and injustice seem to be winning.

We should not be surprised. No one, especially not Jesus, told us that living a faithful life would be easy and without challenges. Quite the contrary. In John’s gospel, Jesus told us that the world would hate us if we followed him, because it hated him first (John 15:18). Hate is a negative emotion that results in a wide range of unpleasant actions. We need not look far to see a manifestation of such actions.

King David wondered why evil seemed to be so prevalent in his day. Why do the nations conspire and the people plot in vain? he asked (Ps. 2:1, NIV). He did not have to wait for God for an answer. He knew they were in rebellion against God. David answered his question with these words: The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them (Ps. 2:4, NIV).

Crying out in a moment of frustration and weakness, the prophet Habakkuk asked God, How long, LORD, must I call for help? (Hab. 1:2, NIV). He also chided God, Why do you tolerate wrong? (v. 3). God heard his plea. God reassured Habakkuk that he would punish those in rebellion against him, but cautioned it might not happen immediately. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay (Hab. 2:3, NIV). He told Habakkuk not to worry and to remember the righteous will live by faith (v. 4).

Wait patiently! I will act! Keep the faith! I will do what I tell you I will do!

We don’t like to hear those words when confronted with a challenge. But at various times in the past, and with little variation in the words he used, God told his people to have patience and wait for him to act. He tells us the same thing today. His response to Habakkuk, that the righteous will live by his faith, appears three other times in Scripture—Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. The number of times God repeats an instruction in his Word reveals its importance to us. He expects us to understand the first time but often repeats an instruction for emphasis. When he tells us that the righteous will live by faith—four times—he certainly means it.

The writer of Hebrews defined faith in the following way: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Heb. 11:1, NIV). But what does it mean to live by faith? Faith is neither physical nor material. Faith believes that we will receive what we hope for even though we cannot see it because it is incapable of being seen now. By faith, we believe God exists and will keep the promises he has made to us. For us, faith believes in an invisible God and the efficacy of his power to do what he says he will do. It underpins our lives with the assurance that we will be saved in the end-times. It requires us to replace our self-centered interests and values with those of God and adopt his purpose for our lives as the road map by which we choose to live.

The percentage of people living today that are Christians and living a life submitted to God is dwindling. Paul, quoting Isaiah, referred to a faithful remnant when he wrote, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved (Rom. 9:27). Elsewhere, he defines the children of Israel as being any people who believe in God and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior (Rom11:5). There he tells us, Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Paul wrote to a faithful remnant in Rome who faced intense persecution. He encouraged them to remain faithful. Remaining in the faithful remnant is central to understanding our responsibility as Christians in the world today.

God expects his people, those of us he has called out of a sinful world, to remain faithful and hold to his teachings no matter what is happening in the world around us. Despite the rampage evil seems to be inflicting on God’s world; we cannot allow it to shape the way we live. Nowhere in his teachings did Jesus excuse us from doing his work, even though we meet with objections, if not outright opposition. Far from it! Instead, he told us to dig our heels in and do more. We must live our lives worthy of the grace God has extended to us. How can we be assured that we will be among the saved? The writer of Hebrews tells us, For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ (Heb. 3:14, NLT).

Some people consider it harsh, presumptuous, exclusive, and arrogant for Christians to even hint at the claim that there are people alive today that God will not save. By faith, Christians know this to be true. When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthian church, he described two kinds of people. There are those to whom the gospel, or good news, is real and meaningful in their lives and those to whom the gospel is foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18). As Jesus predicted, the latter have come to hate the former.

God allows people to refuse to believe in him and deny Jesus as their Lord and Savior. A growing number of people are choosing not to believe. More and more nonbelievers are being elected to leadership positions. Once in office, even those who proclaim to be Christians often lead as if God has no role in their decision-making. God warns those who choose to deny him that they are condemning themselves to an eternity apart from him (John 3:18).

God expects our faith to guide our lives and for us to be resolute, always seeking to put it into practice. Spiritual discipline, experience, and submission to God’s will define and build faith. The more solid our faith, the stronger we are in doing our work. Faith enables us to say to God, as Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, Yet not what I will, but what you will (Mark 14:36, NIV).

So what are we to do? We must pray and study God’s Word. The more we know about what he wants us to do, the less our chances of being swept up by the growing divestiture of the gospel from everyday life.

My prayer is that the following collection of devotionals, poems, and commentaries will encourage, enlighten, and strengthen you as you seek to live a life by faith in a faithless world.

I

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

—Ephesians 4:6 (NIV)

BELIEVE THAT HE IS

And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM.

—Exodus 3:14

For he who comes to God must believe that He is.

—Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

The Bible makes no attempt to prove that God exists. It merely states that he does with the words In the beginning God (Gen. 1:1). It provides no further historical description or explanation of his origins. Several arguments support the premise that God exists: an innate belief in man; cause and effect; the anthropological, moral, and intellectual nature of man; and biblical revelation. Believers need no further evidence beyond the Bible’s stating him into existence. They understand and accept on faith that God exists (Heb. 11:6). Simply stated, one believes either that God exists or that he does not.

The Bible introduces God into an environment in which people worshiped gods, but not God. After God had told Moses, I am who I am (Exod. 3:14, NIV), he did not stop there. He told Moses, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage (Exod. 20:2). This deliverance, or exodus, is a historical, documented fact known to those to whom the words were addressed and proven by research.

Most people are quick to accept things they believe already proven. God revealed himself not only by his nature, but also by reminding people of an act in history that he caused to happen. Whether or not one accepts his existence is an individual decision; God does not force us to believe in him. To the believer, God’s existence is not and does not have to be a physical, natural reality. It is spiritually discerned and cannot be known by man’s wisdom. God exists and has proved that to us. To paraphrase a common saying, that is something we can take to the bank. In this case, the bank is the bank of life, and the existence of God is a solvent account on which we can rely.

*-*

God, your existence is a certainty. Make this the day that those who do not know you come to believe in you and accept your saving grace.

NO GOD?

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

—Psalm 14:1

Words facilitate communication. They allow for the exchange of information essential for living in a society among other people. When used incorrectly, words corrupt that information. The harm is done when Scripture is misquoted or taken out of context to give it meaning not intended by God; it is particularly egregious. For example, Psalm 14:1 contains the words there is no God. Thus, one could say ostensibly that the Bible says there is no God. But consider the verse in its full context: The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. That