FAITH - 7

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These few postings on faith are like a drop taken from the sea. What I have been able to share are quite basic and foundational but for one to get the full picture, there are yet many wefts that must go over and under the warps if we would have a feel of the fabric of faith. I would like at this point to highlight a few pitfalls one can get trapped in wanting to express faith.
  • The belief that waiting on God to act means inactivity on our own part. The Bible says faith without works is dead. In Acts 3:1-10, we read the story of Peter and John healing a lame man at the Beautiful gate. After Peter had ordered the man to get and walk (making a demand of faith), the next verse recorded that Peter “took him by his right-hand and helped him up…” That is a work of faith. In our main bible text from Mark 11, when Jesus spoke to the fig tree and it dried up, one may be led to think there was no work of faith in that expression. This is not so. For every faith expression there must be a corresponding work of faith else faith is dead. In some instances, the work may look silent but is nonetheless a work of faith. The fact that Jesus never took notice of the tree again was a work. His attention was only drawn to the tree by his disciples. Sometimes, the work may even come before the demand of faith is made in prayer as it was in the case of raising Lazarus.from the dead. “Take ye away the stone…”  is a work of faith that came before “Lazarus come forth”- the demand of faith.
  • Another pitfall many Christians fall into is the fixation or the cravings for the supernatural/ miraculous. They do not know that God works as much in the natural as he does in the supernatural. Some believe if faith’s expression does not come as an “out of this world experience” then it is not faith. This has lead many into the Deception. They make light the warning Jesus gave saying “Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere, their impressive credentials and dazzling performances (signs and wonders) will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better” So watch out. I’ve given you fair warning” (Mk 11:22-23).                                                                                    The God that commanded a bird to be bringing meat to Elijah by the water brook for months is still the same God that used a widow of Zarephath to provide meat for this servant in the same period of famine.
  • Many see faith like a sword you draw out whenever you are confronted by a mountain/enemy only for them to sheath the sword when no threat is perceived. We find such expression as “ Now, you will have to exercise faith concerning this matter” -To such faith is a sword and not a shield. “Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy.” Faith is a shield. Never drop your guard. Faith is like the air the believers breathe “for the righteous shall live by faith”  
I pray the Holy Spirit will grant us understanding in our hearts and make available the grace to live by faith in Jesus name.
Have faith in God.

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