The Theme Is Faith

I'm tellin' ya! When God wants you to get a point - He really wants you to get it! It seems like this past couple of weeks I have heard more messages on faith than I can count. How to have faith, having faith through doubts, putting faith in action, putting faith in God alone, etc. Faith. All about faith.



Last night's big-church session was about faith in the midst of doubt. The guy that Lee Strobel interviewed in this section was Lynn Anderson - very very educated scholar - believer, and yet he had doubts. Back to those big questions about evil in the world: Why would God allow it to happen?, etc. (Because He's Soverign, that's why. There's a bigger plan in place, that's why. Evil has to be defeated in God's time - not ours, that's why.)

Anderson also brought up that some people are just gifted with faith - that belief comes easily for them. The section of scripture that Anderson held to was in Mark 9:17-24. This man brings his demon-possessed son to Jesus and asks him "if you can..." Well, Jesus' response was "If you believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." What?! He believes, but doesn't believe. And of course Jesus casts out the demon that was in the child. Unfortunately, there's no follow-up to that moment.

We discussed having faith in spite of our doubts. Do we believe easily or do we need proof? My personal stance is that my faith is based on my relationship with Jesus (and God the Father and the Holy Spirit). I not only revere and fear the Lord GOD, I have a friendship with the Holy Spirit and kinship with Jesus. Now, I am still working on the FATHER aspect, but I know we're friends. And my friend-God has never let me down, nor led me astray. Because He has proved to me over and over He is faithful - I believe in Him - I believe in His Word emphatically. I believe it when Ezekiel saw four crazy-looking creatures coming from a ball of fire in the sky, I believe it when all Joshua had to do was walk around the Jericho wall 7 days and shout for it to collapse, I believe it when the 40-day/40-night rain flooded the whole Earth, I believe it when Moses raised his staff it parted the Red Sea, I just believe it.

Psalm 145:13

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful to all his promises and

loving toward all he has made.

There are a LOT of faith scriptures. What is faith: (Hebrews 11:1,2) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

Here's the first faith-step: (Romans 10:17): Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

How's your faith? Do you still hold to faith through your doubts? Do you take your doubts to God? Do you have a favorite faith-scripture that you can claim?