It just occurred to me that Hebrews 11 - the 'faith' chapter lists a whole bunch of people who had faith to believe and did mighty things in and for the Kingdom of God. As you see, I didn't start with a scripture today, because there are many scriptures I could have put up there... but not just scriptures, real-time newspaper articles of everyday 'normal' people having faith in God and doing what seems impossible.
Biblically-speaking, what about the woman in 1 Kings, who had nothing but a handful of flour and a small amount of oil. She was about to fix it for herself and her son to eat one last meal before they had nothing and would die. Elijah came along and asked for some water and bread. The woman said, she didn't have enough flour or oil. Elijah then said first make a loaf for me, then for you and your son - and the flour and oil will never run out. What about her faith? Can you imagine what you would've been thinking on your way back to the house? No matter what she was thinking, she made that loaf for him. THAT is faith. Then to her surprise, she made more for herself and her son. Then, to top it off there was more left!
What about the jailer in the Acts. He had a couple of prisoners, Paul and Silas who were supposedly really bad news. So much so that, the night before they were stripped and SEVERELY flogged, then they were beaten with rods. So they were literally torn up, battered and bruised, maybe even had broken bones. They were a mess. They started singing at midnight, really? Singing? Yeah. Singing and praising God. But it wasn't their faith that gets to me, it's the faith of the jailer. Maybe other prisoners around them started to sing and believe also, I don't know. The jailer hears a rumbling as an earthquake that shook the prison down to it's foundations. He sees the prison doors open - and no one around! Acts says that 'everyone's chains fell off'. It wasn't only Paul and Silas that were set free, EVERYONE was set free! He thought himself already dead because he was negligent in his duties as guard as he was sleeping. He was probably in a state of shock so much so that he was in despair, so he was about to kill himself - But God.... Paul and Silas (and amazingly all the other prisoners - who had to have some faith in Paul and Silas) - they yelled to him not to do it, they were all still there. The jailer - seeing the demonstration the faith of Paul and Silas - and that it was their 'God' who set them free, came and fell on his knees before them and asked how he could be saved! He and his household became Christians. THAT is faith. Paul and Silas stuck around - went to the jailer house - and in the morning the magistrate called for the jailer to set them free. Of course, they were already free... I'm just wondering if the Lord did all of that just so the jailer and his wife could be saved (and probably a few prisoners got their lives turned around also). Did he go after that one lost sheep (or a few) to bring them home?
What about today.... the news is filled with terror and turmoil and negative acts happening all around the world. What about the stories that get through once in a while that tell of someone's act of kindness and gives the glory to God. Or of Christians in other countries and even our own at times, who are persecuted for holding onto their faith. There are still good people filled with faith in our God and Father, in the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power of the Holy Spirit do remarkable things.... some huge - being filled with the Spirit and having supernatural faith and strength to rescue someone from burning buildings... some not so huge in the natural, such as believing that God can heal not only physical issues, but deep emotional pain and watching it happen.
We are all called to be soldiers of faith. Let's put on our armor today and exercise it.
Inspiring.... I almost want to watch and read it everyday for the rest of my life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz_VA8ER1I4
Biblically-speaking, what about the woman in 1 Kings, who had nothing but a handful of flour and a small amount of oil. She was about to fix it for herself and her son to eat one last meal before they had nothing and would die. Elijah came along and asked for some water and bread. The woman said, she didn't have enough flour or oil. Elijah then said first make a loaf for me, then for you and your son - and the flour and oil will never run out. What about her faith? Can you imagine what you would've been thinking on your way back to the house? No matter what she was thinking, she made that loaf for him. THAT is faith. Then to her surprise, she made more for herself and her son. Then, to top it off there was more left!
What about the jailer in the Acts. He had a couple of prisoners, Paul and Silas who were supposedly really bad news. So much so that, the night before they were stripped and SEVERELY flogged, then they were beaten with rods. So they were literally torn up, battered and bruised, maybe even had broken bones. They were a mess. They started singing at midnight, really? Singing? Yeah. Singing and praising God. But it wasn't their faith that gets to me, it's the faith of the jailer. Maybe other prisoners around them started to sing and believe also, I don't know. The jailer hears a rumbling as an earthquake that shook the prison down to it's foundations. He sees the prison doors open - and no one around! Acts says that 'everyone's chains fell off'. It wasn't only Paul and Silas that were set free, EVERYONE was set free! He thought himself already dead because he was negligent in his duties as guard as he was sleeping. He was probably in a state of shock so much so that he was in despair, so he was about to kill himself - But God.... Paul and Silas (and amazingly all the other prisoners - who had to have some faith in Paul and Silas) - they yelled to him not to do it, they were all still there. The jailer - seeing the demonstration the faith of Paul and Silas - and that it was their 'God' who set them free, came and fell on his knees before them and asked how he could be saved! He and his household became Christians. THAT is faith. Paul and Silas stuck around - went to the jailer house - and in the morning the magistrate called for the jailer to set them free. Of course, they were already free... I'm just wondering if the Lord did all of that just so the jailer and his wife could be saved (and probably a few prisoners got their lives turned around also). Did he go after that one lost sheep (or a few) to bring them home?
What about today.... the news is filled with terror and turmoil and negative acts happening all around the world. What about the stories that get through once in a while that tell of someone's act of kindness and gives the glory to God. Or of Christians in other countries and even our own at times, who are persecuted for holding onto their faith. There are still good people filled with faith in our God and Father, in the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power of the Holy Spirit do remarkable things.... some huge - being filled with the Spirit and having supernatural faith and strength to rescue someone from burning buildings... some not so huge in the natural, such as believing that God can heal not only physical issues, but deep emotional pain and watching it happen.
We are all called to be soldiers of faith. Let's put on our armor today and exercise it.
Inspiring.... I almost want to watch and read it everyday for the rest of my life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz_VA8ER1I4
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