Greetings to you in the name of Emmanuel – THE Risen Saviour! I trust that life has been good to you over the past week or two – it seems like a long time since I did a ‘blog post’. I am believing that God has been at work in your life and that He has been blessing you in ways that you are not even aware of. Let me start off with saying…what an awesome morning in the Kingdom – amazing weather for the last day of November and God has given us a measure of health, strength and life so we can enjoy all that He has made available. Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to wrap you up in the warmth of His beautiful presence.
I recently over-heard…no, I was not eavesdropping! – a simple little conversation. Two people were talking about their life circumstances and all the things that were taking place that didn’t seem to make sense…when one lamented – “I wish I had more faith.” The other person responded with a gentle word of rebuke – “You don’t need more faith until you start using what you already have.” I walked away from that moment wondering what prompted the response and thinking how well-timed it probably was. I suppose that I have heard the – “I need more faith” – response many times…and there has never been a truly adequate response from me, but I think I’m going to “borrow” – You don’t need more faith until you start using what you already have.
Sometimes it seems that we have to have an answer for or a solution to or a way out of – every situation, circumstance, and dilemma we face. I believe that God does not say – “you need more faith”, but rather He says, often actually – “wait on me, deepen the faith you have.” However we like answers so we keep striving and searching and trying to ‘add more faith’ to our lives. “More faith” … what does that really mean – more prayer, more Bible reading, another how-to book on spirit-filled living, or…… I have noticed that one of the first things people tend to do is stay away from church and the church family. Yet the Psalmist when facing tough times said: When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood…Psalm 73:16-17a NIV.
Let me give you a quote: Whether in a cathedral or a cottage, how wonderful it is to meet with the family of God. It is not so much the place that is important as the redeeming and healing friendship and fellowship we find there. Oftentimes people find release just by sitting down amongst their brothers and sisters and feeling the healing power of their warmth and love. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said: ‘The house of God has delivered me from “the mumps and measles of the soul” a thousand times and more.’ – Every Day With Jesus, November 29.
I guess that there are times when I don’t need more faith – I need to use what I already have…or maybe I need to strengthen it by ‘going to the sanctuary of God’ and allowing Him to use all of His resources…and people to ‘work’ in my life. Maybe the song-writer had it right – When you feel weakest, dangers surround-Subtle temptations, troubles abound-Nothing seems hopeful. nothing seems glad-All is despairing, everything sad….Keep on believing, Jesus is near-Keep on believing, there’s nothing to fear-Keep on believing, this is the way-Faith in the night as well as the day …
Be blessed!