Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- January 29, 2011
“And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” Matthew 13:58
Jesus blesses faith. There is no doubt about it; faith matters. There is a direct correlation between our faith in God and His responsiveness. He, of course, can do anything, and He is willing to do big things on your behalf, but He is looking for your faith in Him. He is searching for men and women with a big vision, because having a big vision reflects our faith in a big God.
We serve a large Lord who deserves a giant vision fueled by great faith. Sometimes, we mope around as if God has lost control and Christianity is hurling into irrelevance. Granted, the church has become sterile in some sectors of the world, but where faith is alive the church is on fire. Christ will not restrain His blessings when He discovers followers who live by faith. Indeed, prayer is prevalent when the faith community believes God for big things (Acts 4:24). God blesses belief.
Your faith expands when it remains set on the Faithful One. Your focus on Jesus enlarges your view into eternity. As with the disciples, He is your rabbi (John 1:38). The dust from His feet flies back in your face as you follow Him. It marks you with His character and confidence. You are a Jesus-follower by faith. Therefore, be bold in your belief.
He is the one who has called you to this eternal endeavor, and He is the one who will provide for its success. Keep your motive pure by glorifying Him. Expand your vision of what He wants you to do by tenfold, maybe a hundredfold. Do not sell your Savior short. Why settle for a few who might find Christ, when you can trust God for hundreds, even thousands who will grace the gates of glory because you believed Him in a big way. Your huge faith in your heavenly Father is what matters most. Moreover, He will move on to someone else if you are not available to be used unconditionally.
So, don’t let the eternal leverage of the Lord pass you by. Flush from your faith any motives of control and, with an open hand, trust God to take His vision wherever He likes. An unleashed vision has limitless possibilities. Fuel your God-goal with big belief. Give him your five loaves and two fish of ability (Mark 6:38-44).
Watch Him pray over it and bless it bountifully and beautifully. Christ is not challenged by circumstances, and your Savior may be just getting started with you. Furthermore, don’t leave any faith on the table of distrust. He will accomplish a greater vision through a humble, broken, and believing vessel. Eternity accepts no excuses.
So trust and be amazed at what the Almighty accomplishes through you. You lose only if you lack faith. Therefore, be one who believes hugely in Him. Miracles matter to your Master because He manufactures them by your faith. God’s industry is all about doing the impossible. Faith facilitates the miraculous.
Taken from the January 29th reading in Seeking Daily the Heart of God
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ENCLOSED IS A DAILY SCRIPTURE I DID ON “FAITH.” I SEND THESE TO MY CHILDRED AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE WHO WISH TO RECEIVE THEM 5 DAYS A WEEK.
THOUGH YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED…
WALT
Scripture to think about on WEDNESDAY
From Dad 11-10-2010
00708
BEING FAITHFUL TOWARD GOD
WE HAVE SEEN PREVIOUSLY THAT ALL CHRISTIANS WILL STAND INDIVIDUALLY BEFORE THEIR SAVIOR AND WILL RECEIVE REWARDS FOR BEING FAITHFUL, OR BE DENIED REWARDS BECAUSE OF UNFAITHFULNESS TOWARD HIM.
http://www.allaboutgod.com/bema-seat.htm
FAITH TOWARD GOD AND BEING FAITHFUL TO HIM ARE RATHER UNSEPARABLE.
ACQUIRING GREATER FAITH TOWARDS GOD STARTS WITH A CHRISTIAN HONESTLY TAKING JUST ONE PROBLEM, WHETHER A SITUATION, WEAKNESS, OR SIN, TO CHRIST FOR HIM TO WORK IT OUT FOR GOOD, AND/OR, GIVE HIM VICTORY OVER IT. THE CHRISTIAN WILL FIND THAT GOD IS TOTALLY FAITHFUL TOWARD HIM IN ACCOMPLISHING THE GOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THE CHRISTIAN WILL HAVE REQUESTED OF GOD, James 1:2-4.
AS A CHRISTIAN FIRST LEARNS THAT GOD REALLY DOES UNDERTAKE FOR HIM, HE MAY, OR MAY NOT, OPT TO START TRUSTING HIS LORD AND SAVIOR TO UNDERTAKE WITH MORE OF THE PROBLEMS HE FACES IN HIS LIFE.
THOSE WHO DO START TAKING MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS TO HIM FIND THAT THEY WILL TRUST HIM MORE, OR HAVE MORE FAITH TOWARDS HIM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY; THEIR FAITH INCREASING TOWARDS GOD UNTIL THEY BECOME “ONE OF GREAT FAITH.”
THROUGH THIS INCREASE OF FAITH COMES AN EVER GROWING CLOSER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS SAVIOR. THIS HAPPENS AS THE CHRISTIAN’S HEART STARTS TURNING TOWARDS GOD, AND AWAY FROM THE VAIN THINGS OF THIS WORLD.
IN THIS RELATIONSHIP, THE CHRISTIAN NOT ONLY LEARNS THAT GOD DOES, AND IS, ALL THAT HE SAYS IN SCRIPTURE HE WILL DO AND IS, BUT THE CHRISTIAN BECOMES MORE AND MORE SENSITIVE TO THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO INDWELLS HIM AND WHO SPEAKS TO HIS HEART, VIA A PEACE FROM GOD, WHICH AN UNBELIEVER DOES NOT HAVE, AND WHICH AN UNBELIEVER CAN NOT COMPREHEND.
AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND THE CHRISTIAN GROWS, THE CHRISTIAN STARTS TO SEE THIS LOST WORLD AS GOD SEES IT, AND HIS HEART STARTS THE CHANGE, YEARNING FOR THE SALVATION OF THOSE WHO ARE LOST, AND YEARNING FOR THE CHANGE OF HEART AND LIFE OF THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE LIVING ACCORDING TO THIS WORLD’S PLEASURES AND TREASURES, AND NOT EXPERIENCING THE PEACE, JOY, AND TREASURES OF GOD THAT LAST FOREVER.
THE CHRISTIAN, WHO IS LEARNING A CLOSE WALK WITH GOD AS SUCH, FINDS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LEADING THEIR HEART TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS HERE ON EARTH, THINGS TO DO, WHICH GOD WISHES TO ACCOMPLISH IN AND THROUGH HIM.
AS MENTIONED IN Colossians 2:6, THE CHRISTIAN’S DAILY “WALK WITH GOD” IS JUST LIKE THE MOMENT HE FIRST BELIEVED UPON CHRIST AS HIS SAVIOR.
A CHRISTIAN, AT SALVATION, HAD A FREE WILL CHOICE TO TRUST, OR NOT TO TRUST, JESUS’ WORK ON THE CROSS, AND HIS SHED BLOOD AS FULL AND FINAL PAYMENT FOR HIS SINS.
SO IT IS WITH THE THINGS THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT HAS LED A CHRISTIAN TO ACCOMPLISH, FOR THEY ARE THINGS THAT ONLY GOD CAN ACCOMPLISH IN AND THROUGH THE CHRISTIAN. ALL A CHRISTIAN CAN DO IS, OF HIS OWN FREE WILL, CHOOSE TO THROW HIMSELF ON CHRIST TO UNDERTAKE AND ACCOMPLISH GOD’S TASKS IN AND THROUGH HIM, Hebrews 4:16.
THIS YIELDING TO GOD’S LEADING AND BELIEVING HIM TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT HAS INDICATED NEEDS DONE, IS THE FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE TOWARD GOD THAT WILL BE GREATLY REWARDED AT THE “BEMA” JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. THE REWARDS FROM CHRIST WILL FAR EXCEED THE TEMPORAL REWARDS A CHRISTIAN WOULD HAVE HAD IF THEY LIVED IN THIS WORLD, AS BEING PART OF THIS WORLD, AND WASTED THEIR LIVES TO BE PARTAKER OF THE PLEASURES AND TREASURES THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFERS HIM.
http://www.gotquestions.org/judgment-seat-Christ.html
NOTE: THERE IS NO WORK OF MAN, AND NO WORK THOUGHT UP BY MAN, THAT CAN PLEASE GOD. GOD DOES NOT ACCEPT THE SACRIFICES OF MAN, BUT ONLY THE SACRIFICES OF CHRIST.
I HAVE HEARD IT PREACHED MANY TIMES IN CHURCHES, AND SAID MANY TIMES BY CHRISTIANS, THAT, “IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS OR THAT FOR CHRIST.” ALL OF THAT KIND OF TEACHING IS FALSE, AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW IT ARE CHASING AFTER A VAIN HOPE.
TO “DO THINGS FOR GOD” IS AS WASTE OF TIME, IS VAIN EFFORT, AND IS A WASTE OF A CHRISTIAN’S LIFE. ALL GOD WANTS OF US IS OBEDIENCE TO THE LEADING OF THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 & Romans 8:14.
(1st Thessalonians 5:24) Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (KJV)
WOW! I loved this! I NEED to expand my vision of how I can serve God and what He is capable of doing with ME! We have a very friendly church, but we are not growing… our congregation shows evidence of their daily lives being affected by their faith, but what more could we (corporately and individually) expand it to in order to grow our church? Hmmm… much food for thought! Thank you!