Sometimes you have to encourage yourself. Some times you have to speak victory during the test. No matter how you feel, speak the Word and you will be healed. Speak over yourself. Encourage yourself in the Lord. (lyrics by Donald Lawrence)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Faith - Your Internal Engine

"So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith". (Hebrews 11:6) 

Yesterday we had family dinner at my sister's house after church.  That morning as we arrived at church I commented about what a beautiful day it was.  The sun was shining and the sky was blue.  My husband responded, yes it is but see those clouds over there, there's a storm coming.  And man, was he right.  By the time we walked out the church doors the sky had changed and although I am no meteorologist, I knew they were storm clouds.  We went on over to my sisters and everything was fine but my younger sister had not arrived. She was waiting on my brother to get off work.  The sky was getting darker and darker and about three-thirty she called and asked,  "Is everything okay over that way. Those clouds look so dark".  I didn't want to frighten her so I told her to keep driving and let her know she would make it okay.  As soon as I hung up the phone the rain started and about two minutes later, the hail came.  My nieces and nephews came running in the house frightened.  The hail was so loud on the windows and the wind was so strong, one could only think tornado.  As the garage was coming down I saw the front end of my sister's car.  But the hail was so strong that they could have gotten a concussion if they got out of the car. So they stayed in the car.  With high winds and golf ball size hail.  There was a panic for most of my family in the house.  The children were in the hallway crying.  No one knew what to do.  But I knew what to do.  I started to pray!  And as I was praying, I told the children that everyone would be okay.  No one would be harmed.  And I believed it! In the midst of the storm I stood firm on my faith that God would protect my family. My response was instinctive.  It came natural. 

What is faith?  'It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.  It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see'(Hebrews 11:1)    For the longest time I thought that faith was synonymous with believe.  Which would imply that if I simply believed that something would happen it would. And, furthermore, the more I believed the more faith I would have.  But as I begin to dig a little deeper, I found out that faith and believe are not synonymous.  Believe is a verb while faith is a noun. Faith comes from the Greek word 'pistis'.  It means persuasion, i.e. credence, moral conviction.  It is not an action.  It is the very thing that makes a Christian run.  It is the internal engine of a believer.  It is what enables us to live a Christian life.  It helps us to display the character of our Lord and Savior.  Our engine grows as we study his Word and it becomes a part of our very being.  In other words, faith should be who you are.  You see faith is the creed believers should live by.  In every situation we face, no matter how big or how small, we should have faith that it will turn out okay.  Just like Abraham, when God told him to take the son he had given him and offer him as a sacrifice, he did.  He didn't stop to think about what he was doing.  How crazy it may have sounded.  How hurt his wife would be when he had to go home and tell her what he had done.  He simply did it.  His internal engine began to work instinctively.  He had FAITH!  Just like Noah when God told him to build an ark because the earth would be destroyed by a flood.  Everyone around him laughed and talked about him, called him crazy.  But he didn't let that stop him.  He had FAITH!  It was by faith that Moses, who was royalty, the son of Pharaoh's daughter, gave all of it up to lead God's people to the promised land.  I mean, think about this, really.   He had the best of everything.  People waiting on him, women daunting after him, the best clothes, the finest foods.  But his internal engine was working and he gave it all up.  He, too, had FAITH!

That is why when the storm was raging that day and my sister and her family were trapped inside that Toyota Camry, glass window at the front, the back and on the side, I didn't worry. My God could calm the storm!    I told everyone in the house they would be okay. My internal engine began to work instinctively.  I didn't panic. No worry in my eyes.  I did not doubt.  I knew it would be alright.  My fellow brothers and sisters, the time has come for a tune-up.  When problems arise we must be working on all cylinders.  Our internal FAITH engine has to kick in.  No need to worry or fret.  God is in control.  Read Hebrews 11.  Take a walk with our fellow believers.  They were our same make and model. Created in the image of God. No different than you and I.  And they gained God's approval.  Will you?

Dear Lord,

I say I have faith but I must confess that when situations arise, I often times let my fear get the best of me.  Doubt creeps in.  I try to take control.   No more.  I live to please you in everything I do.  I want my life to be a living testimony to others around me.  Once again I am calling on you for help because I know that in areas where I am weak, You, Oh Lord, are strong.  Thank you!  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen. 

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