Have you ever felt as though your faith is just not strong enough to believe that God will the word of God to be true? Or that He fulfills His promises. We are all given a measure of faith at salvation. We have to have that small amount of faith to believe in the salvation of Jesus Christ for the redemption of our souls. And that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.
Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
Jesus said above that no matter how small your faith, you can still move the mountains in front of you. You see, it isn't the amount of faith you have, it is putting that faith to work. Do you remember Joshua and the children of Israel and how they fought Jericho?
Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
The walls only fell after they were encircled for seven days. The walls only fell after Joshua and the children of Israel obeyed the instructions of the Lord...and not before. They only had to have the faith to believe if they were obedient, then the Lord would do what He said He would...deliver the city into their hands.
The prostitue Rahab that help the spies in Jericho even had to exercise faith that the men of her enemies would keep their promise to protect her and her household.
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that he did not have enough time to discuss all the people that had to exercise their faith for the fulfillment of promises.
Hebrews 11:32-34 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: (33) who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, (34) quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
What are the verses above saying? That through faith, all these things were accomplished. Verses 35 through 38 goes on to talk about other things recounted in the history of the Word that required faith for accomplishment.
Hebrews 11:39-40 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, (40) God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
All that were mentioned obtained a good testimony (there it is again) through the faith they displayed. But, they did not receive the promise, the verse says. God provided a better way through His only Son, the Promise. Those that came before us were not perfected apart from us because of their faith or their testomonies. We are perfected through the sacrifcial blood of the Lamb, the better way, the Promise of eternal life.
James 2 talks about faith and works, which is really what we are saying above. There has been some confusion for me throughout my life as to what "works" is as referenced below:
James 2:19-20 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! (20) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
I personally think this is saying that without the obedience to what the Lord has said, our faith is ineffective. Our obedience and walking out our walk with Christ shows the faith we have...the faith that can move mountains before us. Faith without works is dead. Faith without obedience doesn't move mountains, or make walls fall, or save the family of a prostitute.
I once heard an analogy that made me laugh at the time but it was also somewhat thought provoking. We believe, and have faith that, when we sit in a chair it will hold us. We will not fall to the floor, and the legs will not fall out from under us. We sit in the chair in confidence. So, why don't we handle our faith in what God can do the exact same way? It is that simple faith that God calls us to have..."childlike faith." Do you have a childlike faith? Do you believe the chair is sitting is going to continue to hold you up?
Do you have faith that with God, all things are possible?
Make today a good day, my friends.
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