Dave’s Monday Blast – February 3, 2020
I’ve had people say to me, “I wish that I had great faith.” Unfortunately, they did not say they wished they had great faith like I have. The truth is, I have found myself in short supply of practical faith over the years. I have prayed many times over the years that my faith would mature. I have prayed for my children since they were little that they would be individuals of great faith; that they would never experience a crisis of faith. While most of us would like God to just drop that kind of confidence into our laps, it’s not the way He operates. Faith increases as a result of our obedience in little things.
Charles Stanley comments: “We all marvel at Abraham’s willingness to offer up Issac at the Lord’s command. But have you ever stopped to consider all of his smaller steps of submission that prepared the way for this enormous test?”
Throughout his lifetime, Abraham obeyed God. At the Lord’s command he left his country (Genesis 12:1 – 4), was circumcised (17:10, 26), conceived Isaac in his old age (21:1 – 3), and sent his son Ishmael away (21:9 – 14). By the time he was asked to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, he already knew that his God would always be faithful to His promises. His previous experiences had taught him to trust the Lord.
Stanley continues: “In the same way, each small step of obedience solidifies our confidence in God. Then, when He challenges us with a more difficult assignment, a firm foundation of assurance enables us to trust and obey Him. Great acts of faith flow from our past interactions with the Lord. By neglecting His simple commands, we miss priceless opportunities to witness His faithfulness.” That good isn’t it!
Are you having trouble trusting God for something big my friends? Maybe it’s because you’ve ignored those “small” and “insignificant” promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Lord considers each of His commands important and promises to reward every act of obedience, regardless of size. Great faith begins with little steps. Hebrews 11:6 informs that without faith it is impossible to please God. Since INTENTIONAL men are committed to pleasing God, a maturing of our faith through consistent obedience is required.
