“He….encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23
Sometimes I just don’t think that I have enough faith!
Yes,
you heard me right.
Sometimes I just don’t think
that I have enough
faith….especially when I
read Hebrews Chapter 11. Do
you ever feel like that?
Here we are the spiritual
leaders. We are supposed to
always have enough faith.
But when is enough, enough?
Well, whenever I read
Hebrews chapter 11, I always
come away encouraged that I
can have more faith, but I
must be willing to be a
follower of faith. If
anything, this chapter
always challenges me to the
fact that faith is always on
the move. It is not evident
in the lives of those who
stand still. And faith
always seems to amaze!
When was the last time you
were really amazed at
something? Have you ever
wondered what it might have
taken to amaze Jesus? After
all, He created the universe
and has existed forever. He
has seen everything! When He
walked upon earth was He
ever amazed by anything? Did
He ever say, “Wow!” We do
not read in Scriptures that
He was ever astounded by any
one’s righteousness, or any
one’s wisdom. But if we read
the Gospels carefully, we do
see one thing that amazed
our Lord - it was
people’s faith! Remember
when the Roman Centurion
came to Him and asked that
He might heal his servant
and Jesus said, “Let’s go
to your house,” and the
Centurion said, “No, that
isn’t necessary, just speak
the word and he will be
healed!” Luke 7:9, in
essence says, “Jesus was
amazed and said, I have not
found such great faith in
all of Israel!” Remember
the Canaanite woman who came
pleading to Jesus on behalf
of her demon-possessed
daughter and wouldn’t take
no for an answer (Matt.
15:28)? Finally, Jesus said,
you have great faith, your
request is granted.
I would think today that “people’s
faith” is still the only
thing that amazes our Lord,
and others as well. Which
leads me to ask myself, and
you, a very loaded question.
How long has it been since
anything has been
accomplished in my life, my
church, my community that
can be attributed only to
faith and would cause others
to say with amazement,
“Wow!” Do you see why I
sometimes think that I just
don’t have enough faith?
First, in reading Hebrews
11:1-3 we learn the basics
of faith: faith is believing
in God’s promises (vs. 1);
faith is always related to
God’s people (vs. 2); and
faith is believing in God’s
power (vs. 3). The rest of
the chapter acquaints us
with the activity of
faith….it is always on the
move, it always makes us do
more. It challenges us to do
things that we have never
done before.
Abel (vs 4), in
demonstrating faith,
worshipped better than he
had ever before. Enoch
(vs. 5-6), found faith to
take him further that he had
ever gone before - right
into the very presence of
God. Noah (vs. 7),
experienced that faith made
him work harder and longer
than he ever had before -
120 years! Abraham
(vs. 8-19), in demonstrating
his faith, did things he had
never done before. He
exercised faith when He did
not know where he was going
(vs. 8-10); when he did not
know how a son could be born
in Sarah’s old age; and when
he didn’t fully understand
why God would ask him to
place the darling of his
heart, Isaac, upon the
altar. Isaac and Jacob
(vs. 20-21), by faith
planned ahead more than ever
before. Joseph (vs.
22), by faith at death’s
door, never lost sight of
God’s promises, even under
extreme circumstances.
Moses (vs. 23-29), by
faith gave up more things
than he had ever done
before. Joshua (vs.
30), by faith, walked more
on the seventh day than he
had ever walked before.
As I read Hebrews chapter
11, my only expression is,
Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!
I stand in amazement at what
these people did by faith,
and I feel so small, so
insignificant, so inadequate
in my faith! This chapter
teaches me that God only
works through faith and that
when God wants a job done
FAITH gets the contract!
Jesus said to the blind men
who asked to be healed,
“Be it unto you according to
your faith (Matt.
9:29).” Could it be that
nothing is happening in my
life, my church, my
community that amazes
anyone, or causes anyone to
say (especially the Lord),
“Wow” is because I am not
exercising enough faith?
I want to have more faith,
so I must pray with the
disciples, “increase my
faith, Lord.” If
anything is going to happen,
it must happen on my end.
God is able, I must be
willing. Though reading this
chapter makes me feel so
inadequate, it also
challenges me to want to do
more, be more, pray more.
Faith always leaves a trail
of progress so let’s keep
moving on up!
borrowed
from
Maynard H. Belt