Faith and God’s Faithfulness
January 26th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
In Genesis, the story of Joseph is one of my favorites because it shows a man’s faith and God’s faithfulness beautifully intertwined. God’s faithfulness to Joseph went beyond just keeping him safe through all his troubles and it even went beyond its affect on the greater picture of Joseph and his family. God’s plan for Joseph was part of a plan to provide for the entire world of that time. It is so easy for me to think in the small and confined spaces of my life and forget that my life is part of God’s greater plan.
One of the other things I learn from the story of Joseph is how he gave all the glory and honor to God. In Genesis 41:16 when Pharaoh asks If Joseph can interpret his dream, “”I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”" I don’t know about you, but I probably would have been tempted to say, “heck yeah! I’m your man! But it’s gonna cost you… I want my freedom, some blow money, and the fastest chariot and horse you can find so I can blow this pop-stand!!!” Not only did Joseph give God the glory, he stuck around to be used by God in a way that he could not fully comprehend at the time. Most of the time, even when I recognize that God has blessed me, I move on to the next thing without looking around to see how the blessing given to me has affected others around me.
God is always faithful and His plan for my life is so much greater than I can ever imagine. I need to be willing to be used by God and have the patience to know that his plan impacts more than just my little microcosm.
God Sized Answers
August 9th, 2010 § 2 Comments
I have read the story of Lazarus in John 11 many times, but this morning something new struck me. In verse 23 Jesus makes a statement to Martha about her brother Lazarus, Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha reacts in a way that most of us would say was a faithful reaction to Jesus by responding in verse 24 with, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Martha obviously had faith in Jesus and knew that Lazarus would be in heaven at the resurrection.
What I started to think about as I read on, was how we tend to approach God’s will with preconceived notions about how God will answer our prayers. When we are sick we assume that God will either heal us or take us home. With great faith Martha knew that Jesus would act at the resurrection, but Jesus surprised her. In the last part of verse 43 and the first part of 44 Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out. Jesus provided in a way that no one in this story could have dreamed of.
God is capable of so much more than any one of us can ever realize. We put God on par with human capabilities and assume that God can not think of new and creative ways of providing for us. When I ask God for help, I must be willing to accept God’s way of providing for me. I need to remember to pray with an open hand, knowing that God can and will provide for me in ways I could never dream of.
Possibilities Through Faith
April 23rd, 2009 § Leave a Comment
“Have faith and everything will work out.” Am I the only one who has ever heard this? The truth is that faith makes things possible, not necessarily easy. God never promised us an easy life with Him. He never said life as a believer would be one without struggle. What he did promise is the he would never leave us to struggle without Him; Hebrews 13:5 – “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you“. So many times I become intimidated by the possible thoughts and words of others against my faith in Christ. I forget how early Christians were persecuted for their faith with jail, torture, and even death. I need to stop whining about how hard it is to be Christian and realize that my faith gives me hope and comfort that I am not alone. With God all things are possible, just not necessarily easy.
Matthew 19:26 – “…With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Faith
March 6th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
The other day I heard an awesome definition of the word Faith: “Faith is choosing to live as though the Bible were true regardless of circumstance, emotions, or cultural bias.” What this says is that my faith is not determined by any outside influences that may sway me based on something other than what the Bible tells me is true. Some people may call this naive or idealistic, but I see this as knowing the Bible is true regardless of what’s happening to me or the world around me. Some people may dispute the truths of the Bible but they can not find inaccuracies in it. Faith requires me to trust in God’s word and know that He speaks to me through it. I love the Bible because it clearly shows our need for a perfect God and Savior. As I’ve gone through the Bible this past year I have to admit that I was actually surprised to notice that there were no perfect men other than Jesus Christ… Of course there are no perfect men because this book is meant to show me the need I have for Christ’s grace and salvation. Without faith in God I could never attain it.
