Have you ever lost faith in someone or something? For instance our government, the stock market, Ginsu knives, Fry's rebates, friends, San Diego City pension plan, military intelligence or possibly the so-called Christian church?
Now, I can talk a pretty good talk and be really convincing in conversation but what do my actions show? For illustration purposes suppose I were a car. If I were a car would I leave any oil on the pavement after leaving my parking space? Do I leave rubber on the road or footprints in the sand where ever I travel? Do I make any kind of an impact on the world in which I live? Do I leave any evidence behind? Maybe a skid mark pointing to the fact that I was going too fast or distracted by another driver. Is there enough evidence to convict me of the fact that I am alive, breathing and part of a community of believers?
I have to admit in my own life I have lost faith in many things during the last couple of years.The list is really getting quite long so its hard to find a starting point. But let us begin by examining my faith in God.What if my spiritual faith is like a storage battery? If my faith is like a Sears Die Hard car battery then I can expect after about five years of service I will probably find myself stranded somewhere desperately looking for a good Samaritan to "jump" my car. And usually car batteries pick the perfect time to fail. Late at night, a strange part of town or right before I have a very important appointment that I am already late for. They never choose to give up the ghost while parked in front of O Riley's, Pep Boys or Manny , Moe and Jack's.
So what I do know is faith is believing or putting my trust in something unseen. Like knowing that the chair by my dining room table will support my weight and so I trust to sit down on it without a second thought of it not supporting my big butt. I might have to change the last sentence after this Thursday which turns out to be Thanksgiving.
So spiritual faith is believing in a higher power other than myself. Trusting that God, the ultimate Designer and Creator of all I see around me, will support my weight. But right now my faith feels more like that drained Sears car battery. My headlights are dimming and the crank just does not want to turn over. So is it time to get out of the car and push? The apostle Paul would be saying in a very loud voice "May it never be!".
No, I need to stay in the car and remember that faith is not like a battery that needs to be recharged! Rather its a force from God that continually flows through the ether of space. And because He always surrounds me, allows the Holy Spirit to live inside me, seals my spirit, I have nothing to fear as I walk through the low, discharged valleys of life. Even if I am facing my own passing from this world to the next.I can sit on that chair in faith knowing that it will hold me up.He will hold me up and be there to meet me on the other side.
This is when life starts to get interesting. When I start to live each day trusting, when I lose the fear factor, scales start falling from my eyes and heart, I begin to see the world in a new light. Our God is an awesome God and He reigns from heaven above. He is the ultimate father figure and crack shot life choreographer.
Although today, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. Our enemies can take many forms even human form. The metal weapons of this world don't work against our hideous, blood thirsty enemies that exist in their invisible dimension. Fear and despair are two of their mightiest weapons. These weapons, once released on us, can drain our energies and the life right out of us. Now we can find ourselves doing things we normally would not do.
Friends, read the gospel of John, chapter 14. Its a very comforting chapter about a loving Father and Son who had a plan to redeem all the world from sin and death. It talks of a future home, actually a mansion where we all will thrive. That is all who chose the narrow gate which Jesus said was Himself. "I am the way, the truth and the life no man can come to the Father but by me"
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Stop continually jumping your spiritual car batteries and start a life characterized by walking with the Holy Spirit moment by moment.
Now, I can talk a pretty good talk and be really convincing in conversation but what do my actions show? For illustration purposes suppose I were a car. If I were a car would I leave any oil on the pavement after leaving my parking space? Do I leave rubber on the road or footprints in the sand where ever I travel? Do I make any kind of an impact on the world in which I live? Do I leave any evidence behind? Maybe a skid mark pointing to the fact that I was going too fast or distracted by another driver. Is there enough evidence to convict me of the fact that I am alive, breathing and part of a community of believers?
I have to admit in my own life I have lost faith in many things during the last couple of years.The list is really getting quite long so its hard to find a starting point. But let us begin by examining my faith in God.What if my spiritual faith is like a storage battery? If my faith is like a Sears Die Hard car battery then I can expect after about five years of service I will probably find myself stranded somewhere desperately looking for a good Samaritan to "jump" my car. And usually car batteries pick the perfect time to fail. Late at night, a strange part of town or right before I have a very important appointment that I am already late for. They never choose to give up the ghost while parked in front of O Riley's, Pep Boys or Manny , Moe and Jack's.
So what I do know is faith is believing or putting my trust in something unseen. Like knowing that the chair by my dining room table will support my weight and so I trust to sit down on it without a second thought of it not supporting my big butt. I might have to change the last sentence after this Thursday which turns out to be Thanksgiving.
So spiritual faith is believing in a higher power other than myself. Trusting that God, the ultimate Designer and Creator of all I see around me, will support my weight. But right now my faith feels more like that drained Sears car battery. My headlights are dimming and the crank just does not want to turn over. So is it time to get out of the car and push? The apostle Paul would be saying in a very loud voice "May it never be!".
No, I need to stay in the car and remember that faith is not like a battery that needs to be recharged! Rather its a force from God that continually flows through the ether of space. And because He always surrounds me, allows the Holy Spirit to live inside me, seals my spirit, I have nothing to fear as I walk through the low, discharged valleys of life. Even if I am facing my own passing from this world to the next.I can sit on that chair in faith knowing that it will hold me up.He will hold me up and be there to meet me on the other side.
This is when life starts to get interesting. When I start to live each day trusting, when I lose the fear factor, scales start falling from my eyes and heart, I begin to see the world in a new light. Our God is an awesome God and He reigns from heaven above. He is the ultimate father figure and crack shot life choreographer.
Although today, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. Our enemies can take many forms even human form. The metal weapons of this world don't work against our hideous, blood thirsty enemies that exist in their invisible dimension. Fear and despair are two of their mightiest weapons. These weapons, once released on us, can drain our energies and the life right out of us. Now we can find ourselves doing things we normally would not do.
Friends, read the gospel of John, chapter 14. Its a very comforting chapter about a loving Father and Son who had a plan to redeem all the world from sin and death. It talks of a future home, actually a mansion where we all will thrive. That is all who chose the narrow gate which Jesus said was Himself. "I am the way, the truth and the life no man can come to the Father but by me"
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Stop continually jumping your spiritual car batteries and start a life characterized by walking with the Holy Spirit moment by moment.
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