WHERE
IS YOUR FAITH
BREAD
24 The
disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to
drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind
and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another,
“Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey
him.” Luke 8:24-25 (NIV)
15 As
soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to
greet him. 16 “What are you arguing with
them about?” he asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you
my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever
it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his
teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but
they could not.” 19 “O unbelieving generation,”
Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How
long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it
immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled
around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus
asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like
this?” “From childhood,” he
answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill
him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said
Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who
believes.” 24 Immediately
the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,
he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,”
he said, “I command you, come out of him and never
enter him again.” 26 The
spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much
like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But
Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. Mark 9:15-27 (NIV)
29 The
jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He
then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will
be saved--you and your household.” Acts
16:29-31 (NIV)
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29 (NIV)
1 Now
faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
12 Now
we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)
7 We
live by faith, not by sight. 2
Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)
5 Trust
in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in
all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts
them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and
beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on
the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine
and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house
on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and
the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great
crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)
BUTTER
“Faith must be strong or love will not be fervent; the
root of the flower must be healthy or we cannot expect the blossom to be
glorious. Faith is the plant’s root, and love is the plant’s blossom.” C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair
Begg
“When the
storms hit, they almost always appear stronger to us than God’s Word. It is crucial for us to remember that our
perceptions can be deceptive.” Jon
Bloom
“The trials that come from God are sent to prove and strengthen our
graces and immediately illustrate the power of divine grace, to test the
genuineness of our virtues and to add to their energy. Our Lord in His infinite
wisdom and superabundant love sets such a high value upon His people’s faith
that He will not protect them from those trials by which faith is strengthened.
You would never have possessed the precious faith that now supports you if the
trial of your faith had not put you through the fire. You are a tree that never
would have rooted as well if the wind had not rocked you to and fro and made
you take a firm hold upon the precious truths of God’s gracious covenant.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“Waiting on God’s best for our lives proves we believe Him. It demonstrates our faith in who He is and what He says about our lives. Learning to wait on His perfect timing results in greater joy when His promises are fully realized in our lives.” Michael Youssef
“A child lives by faith, and his chief characteristic is freedom from
care.” Hannah Whitall Smith
“When Naomi arrived in
Bethlehem after her sorrowful sojourn in Moab, she could not see a harvest from
her tears. It all looked like a tragedy; like ‘vanity and striving after wind’
(Eccl. 1:14).
That’s how it looked. That’s how it felt. But that’s not how it was.
In reality, all of the ups and downs in Naomi’s life—the famine, the
move to Moab, the deaths of Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion, Ruth’s loyalty,
Naomi’s return at barley harvest, Boaz, and the kinsman who chose not to redeem
Ruth—all of these events played parts in God’s plan to redeem millions and
weave a Moabite into the royal, Messianic bloodline. The bigger story of redemption was far bigger
than they imagined. Even though they were in the middle of the story, none of
them could see it from their vantage point.
We must remember this perspective in our times of desolation, grief and
loss. How things appear to us, and how
they actually are, are rarely the same.
Sometimes it looks and feels like the Almighty is dealing “very
bitterly” with us, when all the while
He is doing us and many others more good than we could have imagined. God’s
purposes in the lives of His children are always gracious. Always. If they don’t look like it,
don’t trust your perceptions. Trust God’s promises. He is always
fulfilling His promises.” Jon Bloom
“You exist because God wanted you to exist and you are who you are, what you are, how you are, where you are, and when you are because God made
you (John 1:3), wove you in your mother’s womb (Psalms 139:13), called you to
be his own (John 10:27); (Romans 8:30), and assigned you a life to live (1
Corinthians 7:17). And this infuses your entire life — its good and evil, its
sweet and bitter, it’s health and affliction, its prosperity and poverty, its comfort
and suffering — with an unfathomable dignity, purpose, and glory.” Jon
Bloom
HEART
SAVOR
·
“My hope
is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but
wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ
the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” Mote
·
“God is too wise to err, too good to be unkind; leave off
doubting Him, and begin to trust Him, for in so doing, you will put a crown on
His head.” Charles H. Spurgeon
·
We can
stand firm in our faith in Him through His power even when the winds of life blow
hard. We serve a good, good God.
