A MATURE FAITH
Most everyone especially if you are a student of the bible has heard the story of the three young men that were thrown into the fiery furnace from Daniel chapter 3. My favorite people of 'Mature Faith' are revealed in this story of Shadrach,Mechack and Abednego's and their profound, but simple faith in their God. This is the kind of faith I am looking for in my own walk with God, and I know this is the kind of faith that God is looking for in a people. What a mature belief and profound trust and faith, these young lads had in their God, what a profound since of knowing of their God they had, to be able to say with such conviction: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it…. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods” (vv. 17-18). I know that this is truly one of the best biblical examples of what a mature faith looks like. Many of us who consider ourselves as believers in God ,has only a small resemblance of this kind of maturity of faith, many of us are seriously lacking any depth or maturity,to even believe that God may do or answer what we ask or give us whatever we pray for. This shows a very weak and small faith on our part, yes, but on the other hand if you believe that you should and deserve to get everything you ask for and that it should be granted, that’s not faith so much as it is a spiritual greed and an immature basis for a relationship with the God of Creation.It is a belief in a Santa kinda of God. Which sad to say is what many 'Faith' ministries are dishing out to their followers.
It takes real faith to acknowledge that God has the power to grant our requests but that God may have other ideas and purposes for what we need and so , just might not do it as we would like, but a mature kind of faith is okay with that as well. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith in God was not connected to what God could do for them, their faith was in the knowledge that God is God, and that He will do what is best for His purpose in our situation, what ever that may be, it is the trust that God has a larger view of the situation and that even if the outcome is not as we would like ,it is the trust that the outcome will be as God would have it.. Even if God did not rescue them, they would still believe. Who among us has that kind of faith? I am ashamed to admit that compared to these boys, my faith is not worthy to even mention. As we approach the new year, we are going to be faced with many trials and test, and I really don't think much of Churchdom is prepared for the kind of Faith testing we are in for , like those very mature believers had in the fiery furnace, and the kind of faith that will be required of us. I know my faith 'understanding' needs alot of work done, and a lot of fine tuning to equip me for the coming trials that are in the works.
How often has my faith in God been based on what God can do for me in any given situation? I pray and do not get what I want, so my so called faith suffers. This kind of scenario has been played out in my sad life as a Child of the Most High over and over again, in fact it is not so much of getting some material thing that I have wanted, but the information that I felt I needed in any given situation, if God did not give it to me in a timely manner my faith would fail big time! But just perchance I would pray and I get what I have asked for what little faith I did have would increase, until the next time and then it would tumble again. This is not even close to the kind of faith mentioned many times in the bible, this pitiful display of faith on my part is only being thankful that I had gotten what I have asked for. Mature Biblical faith is an acknowledgment that God is good , no matter what His purpose and will is for me , no matter what the outcome is in our lives it is the assurance that All things are working out for our good, why ?because we have the audacity to believe that God is for us and not against us , no matter what our circumstances might be saying. So what is the purpose of prayer in one's life? To get what we want, or that God's will be done on Earth, in our lives, as it is in Heaven? Can we truly have this kind of faith? If we only worship God to get something we want, is this the God kind of Faith that is necessary to truly walk by and through the Spirit of God? Are we just approaching God as a Santa to give us what we want, or is prayer a means to know who God is in our lives, and that prayer has the capacity to bring our wills into agreement with HIS?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had a faith so deep that even their deaths could not shake it. That kind of faith means that even if we don’t understand, even if we don't see our deliverance , yet, we still believe.
This is the Pattern that our LORD Jesus shown in His life , and this is the pattern that all Biblical Faith examples in the Bible show us we must have. It is my prayer that we get wisdom and revelation knowing on how to truly trust in a loving God whose Will , will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, amen.
BLESSINGS IN CHRIST.
It takes real faith to acknowledge that God has the power to grant our requests but that God may have other ideas and purposes for what we need and so , just might not do it as we would like, but a mature kind of faith is okay with that as well. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith in God was not connected to what God could do for them, their faith was in the knowledge that God is God, and that He will do what is best for His purpose in our situation, what ever that may be, it is the trust that God has a larger view of the situation and that even if the outcome is not as we would like ,it is the trust that the outcome will be as God would have it.. Even if God did not rescue them, they would still believe. Who among us has that kind of faith? I am ashamed to admit that compared to these boys, my faith is not worthy to even mention. As we approach the new year, we are going to be faced with many trials and test, and I really don't think much of Churchdom is prepared for the kind of Faith testing we are in for , like those very mature believers had in the fiery furnace, and the kind of faith that will be required of us. I know my faith 'understanding' needs alot of work done, and a lot of fine tuning to equip me for the coming trials that are in the works.
How often has my faith in God been based on what God can do for me in any given situation? I pray and do not get what I want, so my so called faith suffers. This kind of scenario has been played out in my sad life as a Child of the Most High over and over again, in fact it is not so much of getting some material thing that I have wanted, but the information that I felt I needed in any given situation, if God did not give it to me in a timely manner my faith would fail big time! But just perchance I would pray and I get what I have asked for what little faith I did have would increase, until the next time and then it would tumble again. This is not even close to the kind of faith mentioned many times in the bible, this pitiful display of faith on my part is only being thankful that I had gotten what I have asked for. Mature Biblical faith is an acknowledgment that God is good , no matter what His purpose and will is for me , no matter what the outcome is in our lives it is the assurance that All things are working out for our good, why ?because we have the audacity to believe that God is for us and not against us , no matter what our circumstances might be saying. So what is the purpose of prayer in one's life? To get what we want, or that God's will be done on Earth, in our lives, as it is in Heaven? Can we truly have this kind of faith? If we only worship God to get something we want, is this the God kind of Faith that is necessary to truly walk by and through the Spirit of God? Are we just approaching God as a Santa to give us what we want, or is prayer a means to know who God is in our lives, and that prayer has the capacity to bring our wills into agreement with HIS?
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had a faith so deep that even their deaths could not shake it. That kind of faith means that even if we don’t understand, even if we don't see our deliverance , yet, we still believe.
This is the Pattern that our LORD Jesus shown in His life , and this is the pattern that all Biblical Faith examples in the Bible show us we must have. It is my prayer that we get wisdom and revelation knowing on how to truly trust in a loving God whose Will , will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, amen.
BLESSINGS IN CHRIST.
Add a Comment
About
© 2009 Created by Bill Huffhine on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
You need to be a member of Sojourn to add comments!
Join this social network