Let’s talk about faith! It’s a good thing!
A cowboy was out on the range checkin’ cows. He happened upon a little girl who had lost her way. He had seen her before; she was from a neighborin’ ranch. The little girl was saying her abc’s one at a time, and her hands were cupped together as if she was getting ready to clap.
She looked up at the cowboy as he told her, “It’s gonna be alright young lady, I’ll take you home.”
She looked up at him and said with a smile, “I knew you would; I have been waiting for you.”
“You was waitin’ for me, what made you think I was even comin’?” asked the old cowboy.
“Well, sir, I was praying you would come.” she said.
“Praying? Why when I first got here you were saying your abc’s! What was that about?”
“Sir, I’m just a little girl. God knew I was lost. I was praying all the letters of the alphabet and letting God put them together the way He could best use them.” The little girl had faith that God would help her. Why is it that most of us have such a difficult time with faith?
I see people put their relationship status on facebook as: “It’s complicated!” I’ve had people tell me that about Jesus. How can being in a relationship with Jesus be complicated? Either you are or you’re not. To better understand faith so that maybe it won’t be “complicated,” I want to share some things faith is not:
1. Faith is not the ability to manipulate God into what you or I want. Y’all ever heard that if you name it then God must give it to you. I believe and follow the God of the universe and that same God also created me. He is far better able to determine what I need than I am. So when we, by faith, seek God, we are not seeking that our will be done, rather we are asking that His will be done.
2. Faith is not so much about having a certain set of beliefs; it’s much more about a relationship with Jesus! Paul said…for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. (2 Timothy 1:12 nasb) Rely on Jesus!
3. Faith is not a blind leap into a dark void. That’s how some see it. They want to rely on scientific theories. To these folks, faith is contrary to everything they comprehend. But for the believer, if there is any leaping going on, it is to the light of Christ.
4. Faith is not a simple devotion to whatever god one happens to follow. Folks who follow a man-made god are sometimes said to have faith. “They” say all that matters is that your believe in something. But Jesus had this to say in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Hebrews 11 speaks of people like Noah, Abraham, and Moses who had faith. Paul and Peter and the other disciples came to have faith and allowed the Holy Spirit to work in them because of that faith. And because of faith, His church is still going today!
Because of faith, we follow Him, because of faith we can talk to Him. Because of faith in the living God that sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, we can spend eternity in our home that has been prepared for us by the Son.
Y’all don’t let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. On My Father’s ranch are many lush pastures; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare one of my meadows for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3 Bunkhouse version)
Choose Jesus, choose life and let your light shine! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! And pray for rain!