Faith… Updating Your Definition

Imagine a friend. Now imagine that you and your new friend are tasked with saving the world. The way you do this is you each have a button to push. Both buttons must be pressed within 3 seconds of each other and within a close proximity, once a day.

What if you fail to depress the buttons within the time given? You both suffer a painful death and so does the rest of the world.

The first day is going to be unnerving to say the least. With a 3 second window you want to be precise. The consequences are real. You and your friend get together and decided to go on 3. 1, 2, 3, press! You just saved the world.

Little Faith

It didn't take much faith to believe your friend would press his button. He was as invested as much as you were and he was standing right in front of you. You were able to communicate as well as acknowledge each other.

Our Father is faithful. Have faith.

20 Years Pass

Now fast forward. You've been successful for 20 years coming together and pressing the button and saving the world over and over. Each of you going to work, living your lives and yet always able to connect and press the button. Even when one of you was stuck in traffic, got a flat tire, held up in countless different ways, you were still able to connect.

Over this time you and your friend were able to build faith in each other through a relationship where together, you overcame obstacles and challenges that seemed impossible and that were most likely quite scary.


Faith Grows In The Faithful

Now imagine your friend is moved to the other side of the planet. Even though you do not need to be within a few feet of each other, you still need to depress your buttons once a day and within 3 seconds of each other. You set a time and synchronize watches. Just like before but now you cannot see your friend.

The first day will once again be very unnerving but this time you go in knowing the challenges your friend has overcome to connect with you every day... for 20 years! You have a shared history with him never failing you. You know that he had always been faithful, even in the worst of situations. So, now the time comes and your faith in your friend is challenged.

Do you trust him to act? You bet you do! Because you know him. He made a promise and you know he is able to keep his promises. Since he is invested in you and you in him you know he will be faithful and although you can't see him you know him.

Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

That is the faith we need to have in our Lord. Our faith in Him is developed over time and through a relationship. A relationship forged in love, time spent, faithfulness, trust and overcoming adversity.

Our Father is love. Our Father is faithful. He keeps His promises and He is able to perform them. Spend time with Him. Get to know Him. Your faith will grow.

~~~~~~~

Take Action!

Have you let opportunities to trust the Lord slip by with worry and apprehension? 
Use those failures to your advantage. Identify where you lost faith and the next time hold fast to your faith.
Do the things God told you to do and let Him do the things He said He would do. His part is the miracle. Your part is prayer, peace, joy and patience. 

Do you know how to bolster your faith in times of trouble? 
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. - Isaiah 26:3 NKJV 
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV 
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. - Romans 10:17
I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. - Luke 11:9-10 NLT
There are many more scriptures to discover to grow your faith. Truly, take action on your situation where it is wise and where you can take action. Let our Father do the miracle. Continue to get to know our Father and  to know who you are in Christ. Jesus said many times, "You're faith has saved you." Let it.

Please, add your thoughts in the comment section.

~~~~~~~

Concept >>> “Have Faith”
Next >>> "Can't Decide? God Expects You To"


In The Cool Zone concept. Think like Jesus thinks.

Comments

Post a Comment

Please, select Name/URL from the list below to comment. Note: URL is not required.

Popular posts from this blog

New! Discipleship Unveiled Podcast

Image
We are very excited at In The Cool Zone to be adding the Discipleship Unveiled podcast to our discipleship aresnal! There are different styles of learning. Reading is great for some and listening can work better for others. We want to serve as many learning styles as we are able for disciples of Jesus. Thus, Discipleship Unveiled is born and a welcome addition to the family. Please, enjoy this new tool and Like and Share to help spread the Gospel and effective disciplship! Listen to "A Disciples Perspective" on Spreaker. Take Action! How do I get a discipleship perspective?  There is a three-fold action plan that gets one moving forward with knowing their Lord and Savior and walking in the process of being transformed by the renewing of the mind. Prayer, reading the Bible and connecting with a seasoned Christian! These action steps set a disciple up to move forward with a clear plan and a new mindset. They seem like easy practicle steps but you'll
Read more

Galvanize Your Heart

Image
Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. What and how you think about life is extremely important. There is also another aspect of thinking that needs to be considered as well. That would be the priority of thinking. The scripture in Romans 12:2 NLT  does not ask us to change the way we feel. We need to change the way we think. Thinking is the part of your heart that the Lord is working on. So let's put a high priority on how we think. Pray. Think first. The emotions support and reinforce our resolve. The body gets us there and does the physical work. God is glorified. Think Like Jesus Thinks So what and how do we think? Have you ever noticed that when Jesus answered a question, he either asked another question back or answered the question they should have asked to find salvation? Jesus certainly did answer their question but more importantly He would first give another answer to a question they did not ask, but they should have. The q
Read more

Happiness vs. Joy

Image
There may be a few ways to look at happiness vs. joy and maybe this will add value to their distinctions. Happiness is generally determined by what is happening to us or even an accumulation of good or bad events or circumstances. Joy is completely different. It is determined by what we choose. When you ask someone if they are happy, the happy person says something like, "I feel good, things are going well, there haven't been any emergencies, my relationships are going well." The unhappy person says, "I haven't felt good, things are not going great, I've had a few emergencies and relationships have been tough." These are all external influences. Joy, for the Christian, is internal. It is a fruit of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit, in a Christian, is always producing this fruit. It's our job to get in on it. The barrier for doing this, comes from thinking we are the source of joy and we have to go outside of ourselves to get it. The Old Man
Read more