Dave’s Monday Blast – November 13, 2023
This is a true statement from the Word: If you desire to mature in your faith all you need do is ask! (Matthew 21:22) A familiar passage in Romans 4:18 – 21 reads: “In hope against hope he believed (the context is referencing Abraham) that he might become the father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”
We know that we should trust the Lord in all things, but it can seem overwhelming at times. God doesn’t expect us to instantly have great faith. To this point INTOUCH Ministries comments: “Throughout the gospels, Jesus met people where they were, from Thomas, for whom faith depended on seeing nail marks in the Saviors’s hands, to the centurion, who believed his servant could be healed by a word from Christ (John 20:24 – 27; Matthew 8:5 – 13). And then there’s Peter, who trusted Jesus enough to get out of the boat but found the wind and waves too mind-boggling to continue (Matthew 14:28 – 31). Each time Jesus displayed only grace and understanding”.
Though it’s not a linear progression, INTENTIONAL men of God know that there are three basic stages of faith referenced here by INTOUCH Ministries:
1. There is little faith, which says, “I know He can, but I’m not sure He will.” This is either a “He can’t (Power Problem) or He won’t (Questioning God’s love Problem).”
2. There is growing faith, which says, “God is proving Himself to be trustworthy, and we begin to focus more on Him than on our circumstances.”
3. There is a mature faith, which says, “I believe what God says, so I’m going to act!”
We all want to live with a mature faith. How do we get from position one to position three?
1. Spend lots of time with Him in the Word and in two-way communication, i.e. prayer and meditation.
2. Ask Him to help you trust Him more. Remember when Peter became afraid of the wind and waves, and he cried out to the Lord to save him and immediately Jesus reached out and caught him. He is still walking on water. He will always be there for you as well.
