Driving home this afternoon after having lunch with my ninety-one year old mother-in-law, a true saint of God, my brain was alive with thoughts. I couldn’t wait to get to the computer to download the wonderful nuggets that were filling my mind to overflowing.
I could not type fast enough to keep up with the inspiring thought process of God’s prompting. Everything that came to me hinged on faith, whether seed faith or childlike faith. Faith was the message.
I believe the measure of faith that a person operates in is dependent upon how much they actually are willing to seek God for. What I mean by this; it is easy to “just get along” as it were. We must hold out for the full measure of faith that is available to those that believe in God who are the called according to His purpose.
Most everyone has faith that the sun is going to rise each morning and that things will continue in a routine, repeat performance as they had done the day before—such is life; such is faith.
I want you to catch a glimpse of faith that goes beyond everyday occurrences; to open your mind to the spiritual realm where eye cannot see, nor ear hear the things that are going on in the spirit world—the place where the Trinity operates—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I passed from death unto life at the moment I invited Jesus into my heart in 1969. Old things passed away and all things became new in Him. I was a new creature, because of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for all of humanity.
Though I was still in the physical world after my conversion, I now opened myself to the spiritual world of faith when I accepted God’s son as the perpetuation for my sins. I didn’t see Him; I just knew that if I asked for forgiveness that God would forgive me. This is faith, but how did I get it?
The Bible says in (Romans ) that faith comes from the Word of God. I had knowledge of Jesus, which was imparted to me in some way from the Bible, either through someone telling me or by me reading it for myself. Faith came from the Bible—God’s Word. It provides the needed light in a world that is dark with sin.
(Romans ), “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
(Psalm 119:105), “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
When a person receives the Spirit of God, does that person receive a portion of His Spirit, or all of Him? I have heard people pray, “Give me a double portion of your Spirit,” which leaves a thought that there is even more of God’s Spirit left to give after a double portion has been granted.
I believe that I received all of God, the fullness of the Godhead, when He entered my soul; not His partial presence. Seeing that I have all of God, I should believe (have faith) that I am able to be God’s hand extended, totally, not just part of His hand or a portion of His voice speaking truth, but the full richness of His glory.
Peter and John had faith that the fullness of the Holy Spirit dwelt within them when they looked upon a man that was lame from his mother’s womb and carried and laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those entering the temple.
Without hesitation, Peter said to the man, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
They knew the power of Jesus’ name and acted upon this knowledge (faith). The man was immediately healed as he leaped up, stood, and walked into the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
“Why did miracles happen then and not now?” you might ask. “Why are Christians so timid to respond to the needs of others? Why do Believers, through their lack of reaching out, not have faith as in days gone by to do the things the disciples did? Why do many Christians fail to realize the full and total power that dwells within them?” At times I ponder these questions and more.
First of all, faith comes from reading the Bible; secondly, it takes putting oneself out there to be viewed as strange, weird, or worst yet, a Christian, while the eyes of the world look on. Does embarrassment enter into this scenario somewhere?
(Luke 9:26), “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
It is easier for Christians to hold back and close their eyes rather than seeing the need, because they lack faith to act upon what God is telling them to do. Some ask themselves, “Will God do it, or will I look stupid when He doesn’t?” This question alone negates faith and waters it down in our spiritual walk with the Lord.
Peter and John saw the need; they knew they had the answer within them, and then acted upon their compassion to see the man made whole. They had mustard seed faith and put it into action.
(Luke 17:5-6), “And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ ” vs.6 “So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.’ ”
(Matthew 17:20-21), “…I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” vs.21 “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
My spirit is stirring within me to seek God through reading more of His Word; to get back to the childlike faith I had in my youth. Mom and Dad taught me at an early age to believe God for healing when they prayed for me, which He did. God was always faithful. In my mind, as a child, it was as simple as…pray, believe (faith) and receive.
My mother-in-law has this kind of faith. Oh, to have faith in God as she; but it comes with a price. She rises early every morning and spends time with God in prayer and faithfully reads the Bible. She is a “prayer warrior” that sees miracles, because her faith moves the hand of God.
When Believers step out in mustard seed faith, things happen. If results fail to take place, we have done our part as God expected us to do. We must then leave it in His providence to do what His will dictates. He is God and His plan is perfect in all things.
When we feel God moving in our heart to do something, we must be in a place with Him to obey. This comes through prayer and supplication. Mustard seed faith will come as we read His Word.
(James 4:17), “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Written by,
Papa Boyd
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