What Keeps You Alive?
- Kingdom Kulture
- Jun 7
- 6 min read
Oftentimes growing up, I would wonder, "What keeps our bodies going? How do I wake up each day? What is the process that takes place for my body to wake up each morning? Unfortunately, it's usually not until something bad happens that we finally sit and actually try to comprehend how amazing it is that our bodies and minds can function "normally."
This topic has been heavy on my mind after recently experiencing the death of my grandmother. After she suffered a heart-attack, we were struck with the dismal reality that only a ventilator was keeping her alive. It was very sobering to see someone who at one point was full of life needing a machine to keep her going.
The more I thought on this topic, the more I realized that it was only faith that could keep her alive. Only faith has the power to supersede the ventilator that she was on. Only faith has the power to override the diagnosis from the doctor.
It's very interesting to think that in a crisis, the cares of everyday life seem to vanish. When we are hit with the problems that money can't solve, only faith, or a lack thereof, determines pretty much every outcome.
As Christians, we know that God created the foundations of the world. Before humans or trees or even the seas existed, God was there. Through faith, the foundations of the world were created. That same faith will be the only thing left standing even when the earth passes.
"3 By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible." - Hebrews 11:3 AMPC
Faith is something that can't be seen, but its impact leaves a lasting impression that can be felt by everyone. Faith is something that can't be bought, but those without it end up paying the greatest price.
The number of people that profess their belief in God and acceptance of Jesus is outstanding. However, the amount of people that live by their "faith," or their so-called beliefs, is very underwhelming.
"16 They profess to know God [to recognize, perceive, and be acquainted with Him], but deny and disown and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable and loathsome, unbelieving and disobedient and disloyal and rebellious, and [they are] unfit and worthless for good work (deed or enterprise) of any kind." - Titus 1:16 AMPC
We claim that we believe the Bible is true, but our lives and decision-making negates the credibility of our claims. For example, the Bible says that God provided food and sustained clothes for approximately 2 million people in a desert for 40 years.
"2 And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not become old upon you nor did your feet swell these forty years." - Deuteronomy 8 :2-4 AMPC
We must ask ourselves: Do we truly believe that this is true? The Bible also states that Jesus was able to feed 5,000 men, not including women and children, with only a few loaves of bread and fish.
"19 Then He ordered the crowds to recline on the grass; and He took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and blessed and broke the loaves and handed the pieces to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve [small hand] baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about 5,000 men, not including women and children." - Matthew 14:19-20 AMPC
Do we really believe that this is true? Contrary to popular belief, saying you believe and living under the conviction of your beliefs are two completely different things.
"19 You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as make a man’s hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]! 20 Are you willing to be shown [proof], you foolish (unproductive, spiritually deficient) fellow, that faith apart from [good] works is inactive and ineffective and worthless? - James 2:19-20 AMPC
God left us many examples of people who truly believed, and the best example we have is Jesus. Now, we must take the time to examine ourselves to see if we truly believe, using Jesus as the example and standard of someone who does.
"5 Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?" - 2 Corinthians 13:5 AMPC
Jesus, who knows God the best, didn't believe in worrying about the things we are constantly thinking about today: food, water and what we will wear. We have revolved our life around what we will wear or what we will eat and seem to focus the majority of our attention on these things, leaving only the time we have left for God .
"30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?" - Matthew 6:30-31 AMPC
We wake up each day and base each decision on what brings food to the table each night. Jesus, however, actually says that people who live this way do these things simply because they do not believe in God.
"32 For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all." - Matthew 6:32 AMPC
He actually encouraged His followers on two documented occasions to go places and bring no money, food or clothes with them, teaching them that the God they had given their lives to would make sure that they had everything that they needed.
"10 Now after this the Lord chose and appointed seventy others and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to come (visit). 2 And He said to them, The harvest indeed is abundant [there is much ripe grain], but the farmhands are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no provisions bag, no [change of] sandals; refrain from [retarding your journey by] saluting and wishing anyone well along the way. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this household! [Freedom from all the distresses that result from sin be with this family]. 6 And if anyone [worthy] of peace and blessedness is there, the peace and blessedness you wish shall come upon him; but if not, it shall come back to you. 7 And stay on in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house." - Luke 10:1-7 AMPC
The Bible actually states that God will provide for all of our needs according to the wealth that He has. But we spend the majority of our time putting God on the back burner, trying to provide for ourselves. So the question arises, do we truly believe?
"19 And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19 AMPC
Saying we have faith in God will be good enough to carry us in religious conversations amongst others that actually lack faith also , but the truth is that no one cares about a conversation that is not backed by demonstration.
"17 So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead).18 But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith." - James 2:17-18 AMPC
We must truly ask ourselves, do we believe or have we denied the faith by our actions?
Question of the Day: Have you professed your faith through conversation or demonstration?
