Volume 4 Post/Email 1 – Faith(#1)
Greetings ELGUY readers,
I plan to do an entire volume on this topic.
Faith is essential to life, including pleasing God (Heb. 11:6).
And yet, it is a spiritual quality that can be lacking in our lives.
We can struggle to believe, or trust. We can even doubt entirely.
It seems that Jesus challenges his disciples lack of faith continually in the Gospel Narratives. When in a boat during a storm, He says, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mk 4:40) He asks Peter, "Why did you doubt?" when he sinks in the water. (Matthew 14:31) Jesus states that the entire generation is unbelieving (Matthew 17:17), and asks, "How long shall I put up with you?"
When the disciples question Jesus as to why they couldn't drive out a demon, he replies, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)
The positive aspect is that God responds to even a tiny measure of faith. The negative aspect is that many then (and now) lack even this.
Churches today desperately need leadership. Churches desperately need leaders with faith and vision.
How many of us trust God to move mountains? How many of us believe that we can be Christians who walk on water? How many of us believe that we can be churches that walk on water?
There is a Church of Christ in Nashville that has grown from 40, to 80, to 500 in less than 7 years. They attribute their growth to God, and to members and leaders with vision and faith. They are willing to take risks. They are willing to trust God to move mountains, to provide for them, and to bless them.
In contrast, why are so many churches dying? While there might be some unique situations, and perhaps more than one or two variables that affect some situations, a primary reason in most cases is a lack of faith, a lack of leadership, a lack of vision, and a lack of prayer.
Perhaps God is calling more Christians and congregations to repentance, revival, vision and faithfulness?
Jesus commissions you and me to a lifestyle of discipleship and faith that moves mountains.
-Brian
