Faith like a Mustard Seed
We
are so glib in our use of scripture quotations, aren’t we? We quote verse after
verse, almost mantra like, and certainly school room like, in our efforts to
show everyone who will listen the depth of our knowledge and the pretended
depth of our faith. Ouch – that was a bit hard wasn’t it?
Well,
actually – no. It was cold truth.
A
preacher will often start the quotation off and the congregation will
obediently finish it for him. One of the favourites is, “If my people, who are
called by my name, . . . . . “ You know you just finished it for me – didn’t
you? Another is this, “Not by might, nor by power, but . . . . . “ and you
finished that one too, didn’t you? One
of my personal favourites is, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed . .
. . . “ Well, isn’t it one of your favourites too? I think it probably is.
So,
where is your mustard seed sized faith then?? Ouch - again.
Where
is the faith of old these days. Where are the Wesley’s, the Hudson Taylors, the
Cranmer’s of this modern age? Where are the men of real faith? Where is our
real faith? We chant all these scriptures but then do our level best to sort
out the problem without hardly consulting God, let alone allowing Him to do it.
Instead of trusting that God really is in control, we take the wheel from Him
and do the steering for ourselves.
Do
we no longer believe that if God calls us then He will provide and equip us? Do
we have to be so self-reliant that we don’t trust God to fulfil the promises He
has given us? My wife and I have just had an object lesson in God’s provision.
I hope I will learn from it, because I know it simply confirmed everything my
wife already knew about Him. Hey, don’t get me wrong here. I am so grateful and
just tickled pink at what’s been going on in our lives.
God
is faithful. He is true and He is oh so good !! His promises ARE Yes &
Amen! He is our loving Heavenly Father Luke 11:11-13 “If a son asks for bread from any
father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a
fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If
you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Regarding our faith, if Jesus said this to us, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample
on serpents and scorpions, and
over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Luke 10:19, what right have we even to question His or our own authority over
Satan.
That
my friends is where our faith is tried, tested, and proven. Not in our
knowledge of God’s Word, but in our belief and trust in it.
Amen....
ReplyDeleteI really do enjoy your insights truly it comes from the God of wisdom.... :)
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
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