Where is Your Faith?

Luke 8:

22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled [with water], and were in jeopardy.
24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said unto them, {Where is your faith}? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

It is a wonderful thing to hear how God performed a miracle in someone’s life. A story of how through impossible odds God came through, and when it seemed like all was lost things turned around and they were the recipient of an absolute miracle. It s an encouragement to us and through the story we are given hope that maybe, just maybe it could happen to us. But then we start listening to our head, and it tells us that there is no way something like that could happen for us. The demon of doubt creeps in and the story becomes nothing more than a fantasy to us.

In our story, the disciples were with Jesus (By the way that is where every great miracle begins..being in the presence of Jesus). Then faced with the sea before them, Jesus speaks to them and says these immortal words, ”Let us go over to the other side”. When I read this I usually think about the journey of life and how that we are traveling to ”the other side”. I am on my way to the other side (Heaven) how about you? As happens on the journey of life sometimes” storms slip in on us. Now they were faced with a decision. Do we attempt to ”ride out the storm” and exercise our faith and work through this trusting God? Or, do we panic and run to Jesus and beg for help. Now there may not seem to be anything wrong with running to Jesus at first. You may even say that this is what we should do. However let me share something with you.

When my children were growing up they both came to a point where they wanted to learn to ride a bicycle. At first I held on to the bicycle, and steadied it and even put on training wheels. After a while though, they were able to ride without my help, but were still using the training wheels. One day, I took the training wheels off. Now when they started out I would again help them but it was taking a little more trust on their part. Trust to know that I had them and they were safe even without the training wheels. One day when they were getting confident, and doing well I stopped, turned loose and let them ride on their own. A time or two, they wobbled and fell, with me catching them. Finally, they got capable enough that I let them go, and when they turned to see where I was they discovered that I was way behind them cheering them on. Now I was excited for them, and was glad to see them finally accomplish riding on their own.

To them it at first was scary, but eventually they became confident and didn’t want my help. They would ride and shout to me ”Daddy look at me, I am riding by myself!”. We were both proud of their accomplishment. I believe this is the exact reason that Jesus went to sleep in the boat that day. He had confidence in them. He had taught them. They had seen Him doing miracles, and He even told them they could too!

John 14:12, ”Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father”.

I firmly believe that Jesus wanted them to take care of the storm. They had heard His words and knew what He had told them. He wanted them to exercise their own faith and calm the storm on their own. Now friend it is not presumptuous to believe that you can exercise your faith in God, and do whatever Jesus says that you can do. The Word says that all God’s promises are already ”Yes” to His children! Beloved, when God tells me yes, I am not going to be foolish enough to tell Him no! Read what the Word says: 2  Corinthians 1:20, ”For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us”’.

I believe God’s promises,’and am not going to call God a liar. Do you realize that when you doubt what the Word says, you are basically calling God a liar! God says it is so, and you say that it isn’t. Now that is what I call dumb, or as my brother-in-law who is now gone on to be with Jesus, used to say, “I may be some dumb but I am not plumb dumb”!

One thing to keep in mind that you may not have thought about. Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. The miracles He did here were done as a man believing in almighty God.  When He calmed the storm, He did the exact same thing he had told them to do.  He spoke to the storm and it obeyed. We live by faith and not by sight, so don’t expect to see it before you believe it. Jesus believed it before he spoke it, and we should to. Remember that if you doubt you will not receive anything from God anyway (see the book of James, chapter 1). When you believe God’s Word, then you start to see it. Many times you will see it in the eyes of faith even before it materializes. I believe that Jesus saw the storm calm before He even spoke to it. You say well He was Jesus. Well, you are you with Jesus inside. We need to do just like He did and see it before we speak it. That is when things will start to happen. Now I agree it may not be easy, but there will come a time if you trust God, that faith will rise up in you and you will just KNOW that your prayers are going to be answered regardless of what anyone says. You KNOW it! Look out…miracle on its way to your house!. How do you know it? God will let you know it. You will just know it. You will feel it, and God will put it into your heart.  Sometimes it is a word, sometimes a sentence. Sometimes He will repeat it over and over through many different totally unrelated sources. Listen to the Holy Spirit…He is trying to tell you to get ready. Become obedient and look for it to happen!! Now I am not going to tell you that I believe that if I needed a new car, I would walk out into my driveway and say, ”I decree that there will be a new car sitting here in the morning when I come back”. Now beloved it could happen, and I am not going say it isn’t, but I am not going to waste my time foolishly naming and claiming something.

I WILL however, when I need something, go to my Father in heaven, and ask believing, and in faith trust that He will meet my need, ”According to His riches”, and not according to my wants. This might seem like a contradiction to you but here is how I believe it. God will give me what I need, and even the desires of my heart when I am righteous before Him and in faith believing. I do not have faith in my faith, dear ones…I have faith in my God! I KNOW He hears and answers my prayers! Just this week, I have been praying for God’s instruction to tell me how to accomplish something I am needing to have happen in my life. No less than three times in the last week He has spoken the same word to me through three different people talking about totally unrelated things, and who didn’t have a clue that God was talking to me through them. Then when I was going to share it with my wife, I decided to ask her what she thought God was telling me, and guess what? She spoke the exact same word that God had told me already three times? Do you think I am going to act on it? You bet your sweet life I am!!

Jesus asked his disciples ”Where is your faith?” I never want Him to ask me the same thing. Yes He calmed the storm for them. Yes the sea stopped its raging and there was calm. Here is what I believe. If they had exercised their faith according to what Jesus had taught them, they could have done it themselves, and Jesus could have been able to get His rest. After all, the ”Man Side” of the God Man was physically tired and needed rest! So bottom line…God has told you what to do. He has told you how to do it. He has taught you the rewards of faith. He has performed miracles for others. He has done mighty things for people of faith down through the ages…All because they exercised their faith in a loving God who ALWAYS does good things for His children!

When you hear others share about their miracles, remember this. God does not love them one bit more than He loves you and he blesses all His children. The difference is that some of His children are walking in faith and others are requiring sight first. The eyes of faith are sufficient when coupled with a sincere trust in the Lord and His love for you.  Speak to that storm and tell it that in the name of Jesus, ”Peace be still”, then praise God for the deliverance from the problem.

So I ask you friend, ”Where is YOUR faith”?

Blessings!
Bro. Tommy