Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Daily Gospel Devotional 2013: A little faith

Luke 17:5-6…

What is faith for? Luke 17:1-4 shows us that one thing we need faith for is to be longsuffering, to bear with one another (cf. Galatians 6:1-2). It is for enduring and engaging despite what happens. This is the difficult task. If someone kept on sinning against me, yet kept asking me to forgive them, I might doubt their sincerity. Yet Jesus commands me to still forgive them.

Jesus describes faith’s potentially incredible power, but faith is not about moving trees, it is about moving obstacles to forgiveness. It is not about obtaining some desired blessing. It is for the spiritual things, the forgiveness, repentance, and restoration (Matthew 18:22). Faith is not really about the quantity, but the quality. Faith is powerful when it is focused rightly.

What type of harvest are you hoping for? Be honest. It isn’t that God won’t give you temporal blessings or that it is wrong to want them. It isn’t, if you have your priorities straight (Matthew 6:33). If you are increasing in spirituality but not yet in temporal needs or wants, are you complaining? If so, it shows what you consider more important.

People who only know Jesus on the surface see this passage as a way to do “big things” in the realms of heath and wealth, and many try and minister to others through this understanding. It fails, and people’s faith fails. They aren’t even looking at the right place. The eyes of faith are not, “God is going to give me what I want”, but “thank God He is God, and He will change me to do what is right, and think of Him as enough”.

The greatest miracles of faith have to do with the restoration of relationships, specifically our relationship and/or fellowship with God (Ephesians 2:8-9 / 1 John 1:9). As we relate to God rightly we will relate to others rightly.  Don’t be misled by charlatans who try and sell some faith formula. Don’t be mumbling because you can’t use faith to get what you want. Be satisfied with God Himself (Psalm 73:26). It is all going to be worth it. Have a little faith. 

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

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