Circuit Thoughts

How much faith does a person need? That was a question that came about in many forms during Christ’s ministry on the earth. In fact, it was the subject of my sermon this past Sunday, well sort of. But have you heard people say that they just don’t have enough faith. I don’t really think that is a thing. Luke 17: 5-10 tells us that faith the size of a mustard seed will move trees. However, many of us don’t want to move trees.

We want to be healed or have a loved one healed. We want success, or just to survive. Many times, we listen to false preachers proclaim that God will answer our prayers only if we pray a certain way and send them so much money.

Folks, God is not a vending machine, nor can he be manipulated. God is God, and Faith is not the coin we put into that machine to get our preferred outcome. Faith is not about getting; it is about believing in God.

I think where I get most frustrated is with people who get mad at God because their prayers were not answered. (It frustrates me because I have been there.) Faith in a particular prayer is not faith, it is an attempt at manipulation. The fact of the matter is, we all have enough faith, but we just have to realize its function in our lives.

Yes, Faith is believing God is in control. It is believing that Christ came to earth, died, and was raised from the dead. Faith is believing beyond a shadow of a doubt that God forgives sins, and our salvation leads to life eternal with Him.

But Faith also means accepting what God has ordained and offered. Faith means accepting the NO as an answer to our prayers. Faith means seeking Gods glory, even in the most horrendous of circumstances. There is more to Faith than just getting what we want.

I think one of the greatest statements of Faith in the Old Testament, (well the Bible is full of greatest statements of faith) is in Daniel 3:17-18. Daniels companions, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego are called to task because they would not worship an image put up by the king. Their punishment was to be thrown in a fire. They professed that their God could save them from the fire, but even if he didn’t, they would not stop believing.

You see folks, that is faith. Faith doesn’t require proof to be real, it requires we believe regardless. The world is pretty much anti-faith. The enlightenment has led us down the path of verifiable proof of existence. As followers of Christ, we don’t need to verify God’s existence, we know and there is no doubt.

But we also know that sometimes God’s responses may not be our will. Faith says to God, “Thy will be done.” Contrary to prosperity Gospel, there is no secret prayer, nor is there a certain amount of faith, there is only Faith in God and acceptance of His will.

If you have any questions, feel free to seek out your pastor, or myself, and let’s talk.

See you in church.