Thoughts for another day

Sept. 5, 2013.

Today's verse: Isaiah 7:9. If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all. (NRSV – copy. ack)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Faith is your ambassador before the Lord God; your representative at His hand to build goodwill for you because the Lord loves ‘faith’ and His ears are tuned to whatever faith says. You know, Abraham was put into the book of the righteous because He believed; in other words, he had faith.  Countless are the times in Scripture when men have uttered the word of faith in the Name of God and have been victorious.  See, I can hear David, 1 Sam. 17:26, ‘who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he (Goliath) should defy the armies of the living God?’  Can you hear the roar of faith in his statement which empowered him to slay Goliath with a sling and a stone!  It’s laughable how Goliath was slain: not by a man-mountain like him, but a boy; not a hardened warrior, but a shepherd, not with worthy weapons but a stone.  Oh how David and the Israelites must have laughed at this and then cried as they fell on their knees to thank the God of the Jacob who had wrought this.

Faith, only faith, is your guarantee to whatever you want the Lord to do for you.  Hear now the faith of blind Bartimaeus, Mk. 10:47, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ and then in v 52, we see: And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way. Your faith has healed you.’ And instantly the blind man could see!  Oh, the matter of faith is so exciting and invigorating and powerful; remember, God’s awesome power is released when you combine faith with your prayer.  It may be months or even years since you prayed for something and it hasn’t come to you, but keep on plowing in the rich field of belief, ignoring the moss that sneers at you by the wayside taunting and saying, ha, what have you gained by your prayer, nothing; and you will gain nothing.  Rather, keep looking at the hills from where your help comes for He is looking to see whether you believe or not, even as He tells His angels, ‘I know this poor fellow believes in Me.’

And then you will stand firm as He shakes His fist at your problem and pulverizes it into pieces and from them He carves out the blessing you so needed, with His awesome might.  He gives it to you on a platter coated with warmth and love saying, ‘Take this blessing for you believed even when I hid from you!’  And because you held on to your faith, He gives you even more rewards that kindles your heart, so you can go and broadcast the love God has for you and what He did for you.