faith Archives - Hope Reflected

Tuesday

19

September 2023

Touch His garment

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth." (Mark 5:33) | read more of "Touch His garment" on hopereflected.com

“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.” (Mark 5:25-27)

Is Christ our first instinct or our last resort?

This woman, who had suffered many years of a condition that would have caused her to be ostracized from her community, had tried everything. Then she heard of Jesus. Is Christ our first instinct or our last resort?

We often say, “All we can do is pray,” when really the best we can do is pray! Matthew Henry wrote that “It is usual with people not to apply themselves to Christ, till they have tried in vain all other helpers, and find them, as certainly they will, physicians of no value. And he will be found a sure refuge, even to those who make him their last refuge.”

Christ puts honour upon faith

The woman’s faith certainly wasn’t perfect—who’s faith is?—but she knew enough that if she touched Jesus she would be whole. At the time, if someone in her condition touched anyone, that person would be made unclean, just like her. But not Jesus.

“For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.” (Mark 5:28). She didn’t say this audibly, but to herself.

As Spurgeon said, “Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers which cannot be refused.” The woman with the issue of blood believed that Christ could heal her if only she could touch the hem of His garment. Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary that “Christ puts honour upon faith, because faith gives honour to Christ.”

Like God provided the brazen serpent in the wilderness to heal all those who looked upon it, when we earnestly seek Christ, we can rest assured that He does indeed hear us, and He will honour our faith. First though, we have to come to Him.

Coming to Christ

The woman came to Christ, and she came in humility. There was nothing hid between her and Christ. “But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.” (Mark 5:33)

“To be completely transparent with Christ, we cannot try to cover anything up, and we cannot pray how we think He wants us to pray. We’ve got to show Him everything that’s in our hearts, after all, He knows it already!”
Hope Reflected

The woman came in fearing and trembling, and fell down before Him, as there is no honesty with Christ without humility. The two go hand in hand. To be completely transparent with Christ, we cannot try to cover anything up, and we cannot pray how we think He wants us to pray. We’ve got to show Him everything that’s in our hearts, after all, He knows it already!

We can’t hide anything from Christ

Nothing is hidden from Him, so it really is of no use to try to hide things from Him. The Lord knows every heart and every thought (1 Chronicles 28:9).

“Do not despair, dear heart, but come to the Lord with all thy jagged wounds, black bruises, and running sores. He alone can heal, and He delights to do it. It is our Lord’s office to bind up the brokenhearted, and He is gloriously at home at it.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Originally published as “Touch his garment.” Independent Plus. July 7, 2022: 5. Print. Web.

Monday

17

January 2022

Forgiveness: Lord, increase our faith

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

Forgiveness is often very difficult and hard. Read more about why on hopereflected.com

Why does forgiveness seem like such a hard option?

When someone wrongs us, our initial response is to set up our favourite defence mechanism. For some, it’s avoidance. For others, it’s revenge. For even more, it’s what I call the slow cooker, where we internalize whatever has happened. We put our hurt feelings in the slow cooker and set it to low, or high, and let it cook, stew, burn, and eventually harden to the sides of the slow cooker until getting that thing clean is near impossible. All of these responses are wrong, but it seems as though forgiveness is just as hard an option.

Why?

Forgiveness is part of God’s nature, not ours

To start, forgiveness is part of God’s nature, and because we’re fallen, sinful creatures, forgiveness is not something that comes naturally to us. Some people are born with the natural ability to sing, while others sound best when they keep their mouths closed. Other people have a natural aptitude to dance, while some people are safest when they stand still.

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee,” David prayed in Psalm 86:5. God – without trying – is good and ready to forgive. He doesn’t need time, He doesn’t need to think about it, He is ready to forgive and shower us with mercy when we call on Him.

Forgiveness is an act of humility

Another reason that forgiveness is so hard for us is that forgiveness is an act of humility. C.S. Lewis wrote, “…if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.”

James wrote in his eponymous epistle, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10). Similarly, Peter wrote “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” (1 Peter 5:6). To humble ourselves is first a choice, and also an act of repentance. Each one of us understands how humiliating it can be to go to another and say, “I’m sorry, I was wrong, please forgive me”. It is a difficult task to admit that we are wrong and repent.

Like humility, forgiveness is a choice. It is something that we do, and that we are called to do over and over and over again, many, many times (Luke 17:4).

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and he shall lift you up.”
James 4:10

Forgiveness is a method of healing

Anyone who has been injured, sick, or undergone surgery knows that the road to recovery is not easy. Some days, healing hurts. Initially, forgiveness may hurt as well. Who wants to uncover old wounds or rip off the bandages hiding our hurt? Spurgeon said, “It is nobler to forgive and let the offense pass. To let an injury rankle in your bosom and to meditate revenge is to keep old wounds open and to make new ones.” Wounds must be treated if they are to heal properly.

When Hezekiah prayed for the Lord to pardon those that prepared their hearts to seek God, we read that the Lord healed the people (2 Chronicles 30:20). Forgiveness is no easy task. Like the disciples, we ought to approach it by asking the Lord to increase our faith.

Originally published as “Lord, increase our faith.” Independent Plus. August 19, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

Thursday

13

January 2022

When fear is holding you back

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"There is neither in heaven nor earth nor hell anything that we need fear when we are once right with God. Settle the centre, and the circumference is secure." (Charles Spurgeon) | Read "When fear holds you back" on hopereflected.com

Fear makes us do funny things

In John 9, Jesus miraculously restored the sight of a man who was blind from birth. If a member of your family were miraculously healed of a life-long ailment or disability, would you not rejoice? And yet, when questioned by the Pharisees about how their son could now see, the parents of this man said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.” (John 9:20-21). Rather than rejoice and profess the glory of God and the healing power of Christ, they were silent. Rather than share their incredible testimony, they stood still.

Fear can affect when and how we share our faith

We may think we’d react differently, but this response is sadly like many of us. We often allow the fear of others to affect when and how we share our faith. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” We get trapped when we’re afraid of others. We do or say things we ought not to. The Message paraphrase puts Proverbs 29:25 like this: “The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in GOD protects you from that.” When our testimony is tested, have we ever said, “I felt trapped!” “I was caught off-guard!” or “I was afraid of what they would think!” as an answer to why we didn’t speak up? Why do we care so much about the opinion of others, when we read right in scripture that, “whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe”?

We act foolishly when we let fear control us. Abraham is an example of this, when he asked his wife Sarah to lie for him in Genesis 12:12, because he was afraid of what others would do if he told the truth. When we choose fear over faith, the outcome is never good. Thankfully, Abraham checked his behavior and changed his ways, ultimately moving forward in his faith.

God can help us break out of the fear trap

When fear is holding us back, only God can help us break out of the trap. Calling on the name of Christ is the only way to go from fearful to fearless. When his parents fizzled out and the Pharisees questioned him, the man who Jesus healed spoke the truth. “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.” (John 9:33). As a result, he was excommunicated. But what man meant for evil, God meant for good.

“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (9:35). Jesus personally seeks us out. He finds us. When a child is afraid, he usually calls out for his mother or father to comfort. Will we call on Christ to come to us? Jesus relieves our fears when He finds us. When fear is holding us back, only God can help us move forward.

“There is neither in heaven nor earth nor hell anything that we need fear when we are once right with God. Settle the centre, and the circumference is secure.”
Charles Spurgeon

Originally published as “When fear is holding us back.” Independent Plus. August 12, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

Monday

22

November 2021

Launch out into the deep

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

An unsuccessful night at work

After working all night, Peter and his crew got out of their boats and started cleaning their nets. Being a fisherman was no easy task; the vocation was a risky one, and the income wasn’t always steady. After this night in particular, Peter and his crew hadn’t caught any fish at all, which meant they wouldn’t have anything to sell at market.

As Peter painstakingly washed his nets, getting rid of any dirt and debris, Jesus got into Peter’s boat and asked him to put out a little from shore (Luke 5:3). Can you imagine? You’re just getting things cleaned up after a non-productive night at work, and someone asks you to get all your equipment back out – equipment that you’ve just cleaned and put away – and head out for another shift? And yet, Peter does it.

Peter was willing; are we?

Peter, without complaint or question, stopped what he was doing and followed Jesus. After Christ finished teaching, he said to Peter, “Launch out into the deep, and let down the nets for a draught.” (Luke 5:4). Peter responded, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” (5:5). Peter was willing to go out his way not just a little bit, but a lot. Can the same be said for us?

We get so caught up in our work that we put our relationship with Christ on the back burner. We can’t even keep up with simple tasks like reading God’s Word regularly and praying – we make other things higher priority. And yet, how many of us ask why God has not given us more? We put Him off, make excuses, waste time trying to rationalize what He wants us to do and question how it makes it sense, when what we ought to do is simply put out a little from shore. We will never get out into the deep waters Christ has for us if we’re not willing to wade into the shallow waters at all.

Our faith has a ripple effect

Peter, in his acts of faith, saw the results when he and his crew collected such a great multitude of fishes that “their net brake.” (Luke 5:6). The catch was so overwhelming that they needed another boat to help them out! Peter’s acts of faith didn’t just have an impact on him, but on those around him as well. Like waves on the water, our faith has a ripple effect. Our example makes an impression on those around us, whether for good or bad.

Like waves on the water, our faith has a ripple effect.
Hope Reflected

After catching all these fish, and more than compensating for a failed night on the water, rather than saying “Thanks, Lord! Gotta get these fish to market!” Peter instead humbled himself and “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (v. 8). Everyone around saw his response. Unfortunately, when Christ allows us to see success in our earthly ventures, we often let it go to our head. As Matthew Henry said, “Those whom Christ designs to admit the most intimate acquaintance with him he first makes sensible that they deserve to be set at the greatest distance from him.”

Originally published as “And yet, Peter does it.” Independent Plus. July 22, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

Sunday

5

September 2021

Believe to see

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of living." (Psalm 27:13) Read more on hopereflected.com

In our current circumstances

Many are wondering what God’s purpose and plan is in our current circumstances. It would seem that people are more discouraged and down than we’ve ever seen in our time. We are living through a period where God has permitted us to be put into places and positions where we feel completely alone. Could it be that one of His reasons for this is so that we will realize that we are armed with His presence and power?

Enduring such adversities

Lest we think we’ve got it worse today, consider a man whose life was filled with its share of tribulation. Adultery, murder, death of loved ones, living on the run with no home, at odds with his family to the point that they were trying to kill him, relationally challenged to the point that his foes sent armies after him to kill him, “I had fainted,” David says in Psalm 27:13. You think? David’s life was hard! How could anyone endure such adversities? “I had fainted,” David continues, “unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13).

David did two things that we so desperately need to do right now: He believed to see, and he focused on the goodness of the Lord. Read more on hopereflected.com

Believe and focus

David did two things that we desperately need to do right now: He believed to see, and he focused on the goodness of the Lord. Although tribulation is all around us in the land of the living, because we have the Lord and He has armed us, we can believe to see that He has a plan, and we can focus on His goodness. “Faintness of heart is a common infirmity; even he who slew Goliath was subject to its attacks…” Charles Spurgeon wrote. “We must believe to see, not see to believe; we must wait the appointed time, and stay our soul’s hunger with foretastes of the Lord’s eternal goodness which shall soon be our feast and song.”

"We must believe to see, not see to believe," (Charles Spurgeon) Read more on hopereflected.com

“Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond His control.”
Joni Eareckson Tada

We are not alone, even as we go through times of tribulation, live through stressful situations, or are even physically isolated. He has armed us. “These things I have spoken unto you,” Jesus said in John 16:33, “that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Preceding this, Jesus says these words: “I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” (16:32). Jesus spoke these words knowing that He would shortly go to His death and endure the cross.

Trust the One who promises to never leave us or forsake us

Joni Eareckson Tada, a woman who has also seen her share of tribulation, once said that, “Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond His control.” Our present circumstances do not surprise God. He’s not panicking about how He’ll put everything back together. While we may not understand the reasoning for what’s happening all around us, there is no need to stoke the fires of anxiety and stress. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain, but without stain.” May we trust the One who promises that He will never leave or forsake us.

Originally published as “Believe to see.” Independent Plus. April 22, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

Monday

30

March 2020

When things don’t turn out as we planned

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25) | Read more at hopereflected.com

Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote in 1765 about the best laid schemes of mice and men in his poem, “To a Mouse”. In the poem, written after Burns accidentally turned up a mouse’s nest with his plough, Burns considers the mouse more fortunate than he, because “The present only toucheth thee,”. Being human, Burns could not only see his present, he could look back and see his past, and though he couldn’t see the future, he could fret and worry about it.

God has a plan

It seems that not much has changed in the last two hundred and fifty-five years. So often, we spend our time fretting and worrying about the future that we miss out on what God has for us in the present. That’s not to say that planning ahead is a bad thing; on the contrary, the Bible tells us that planning for the future is wise (Proverbs 21:5). The key is, that rather than spend our time worrying, or getting discouraged when things don’t turn out as we planned, we should make a determined effort to direct our focus to God.

David wrote in Psalm 16:8, “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Regardless of his circumstances or the events happening around him, David purposed to set the Lord always before him. Before we make decisions, we should pray; as Anne Graham Lotz puts it, it is always to our benefit to be “pre-prayered” for whatever we face in life.

His plan is bigger than ours

We should also remember that even though we may plan things down to the tiniest detail, sometimes God has a different plan, and His plans are always the best for us. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) We may not understand why He allows heartache and woes; but when we trust Him, we can understand that God always has a plan, and He always has His best for us in mind. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Where is your faith?” Jesus asked the disciples this in Luke 8:25 after He saved them from a storm on the water. When the wind and waters rage, who do we trust, and where do we turn? We should trust God, and turn our eyes to Him. When things don’t turn out as we planned, we can still rest in Him. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

He is the first and the last, He knows our past, present, and He holds the future. He is the author and finisher of our faith.

Originally published as “When things don’t turn out how we plan.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. January 9, 2020: 6. Print. Web.

Friday

20

March 2020

Peter: From Fearful to Faith-Filled

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." (Matthew 14:30) | Read more at hopereflected.com

From fishing to following

Peter was not a man with a formal education; rather, he was a fisherman, to whom we’re first introduced in Matthew 4, when Jesus implores Peter to “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt. 4:19) Right away, without hesitation, both Peter and his brother Andrew leave their nets, and quite literally follow our Lord.

Peter is one of the most relatable of the apostles – in him we can see ourselves, and in him we witness such a redemptive testimony. Peter’s walk with the Lord took him from being fearful to living faith-filled, and reading through the New Testament takes us through his transformation.

Lord, save me

When Christ walks on water in the middle of a storm in Matthew 14, we read that the disciples were afraid. Peter, first questioning, says, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” (14:28) Jesus responds to him, “Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” (14:29) Peter becomes fearful when he takes his eyes off Christ and gets caught up in the storm raging around him. He cries out, “Lord, save me.” (14:30) Isn’t that just like us? We start out with good intentions, we get going, and then we take our eyes off the Lord. We’re quick to rely on our own strength, when we should be resting in the Lord. Years later in his ministry, we witness Peter’s transformation as he encourages fellow Christians to remember that we are “kept by the power of God through faith.” (1 Peter 1:5).

From cowardly to courageous

We see throughout Peter’s time with Christ his change from cowardly to courageous. Preceding Christ’s crucifixion, Peter pledges his allegiance to Christ (Matt. 26:35). Only a short time later, when Christ is betrayed into the hands of the high priest and abandoned by the disciples, we read that Peter “followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.” (Matt. 26:58) Peter watches as Jesus is beaten, abused, and spit upon, and he vehemently denies knowing Christ not just once, but three times in a matter of minutes. Peter then weeps bitterly after he recalls our Lord’s statement to him, “Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.” (26:75) What a picture of us. We boast of our faithfulness, but in times of trial and testing – and when it seems everyone’s against us – we’re swift to shrink back and go silent. This hard lesson was a precursor to Peter’s eponymous epistle where he wrote, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you…” (1 Peter 3:15-16) and that we should be happy if we are “reproached for the name of Christ,” (1 Peter 4:14).

Peter’s transformation from fearful to faith-filled required great perseverance. Like Peter, we must move forward, and continually cast all our cares upon Christ.

Originally published as “Peter: From Fearful to Faith-Filled.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. November 21, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

Monday

10

February 2020

The Significance of Small Things

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also much." (Luke 16:10) | The Significance of Small Things, read more at hopereflected.com

Don’t underestimate the significance of small things

“Remember a small light will do a great deal when it is in a very dark place,” D.L. Moody once said. Don’t underestimate the significance of small things.

By the simple act of holding up his hands, Moses helped lead the Israelites to victory (Exodus 17:11). With the jawbone of a donkey, Samson killed one thousand Philistines and protected his people (Judges 15:16). Using a piece of scarlet cord, Rahab preserved her entire family from certain death (Joshua 2:18). By tithing two mites, the poor widow gave all that she had (Mark 12:42-44). By following a star, the wise men found Jesus (Matt. 2:9). The Bible is filled with the significance of small things, seemingly random things that don’t strike us as that important – until God uses them for His glory. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed,” said Jesus, “ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matt. 17:20) All we need is faith that He is Who He says He is, and that He will do as He promises.

Faith as a grain of mustard seed

Speaking of small things, faith as a grain of mustard seed can be found along the narrow way, by the straight gate. Why is the way narrow, and why is the gate straight? If we think about it, the narrow way is not the popular route. People are always striving for more, trying to do something bigger and better, living large and getting ahead, making it to the top, looking out not for others but for self interests, self care, and success. Our Lord is the exact opposite of all that. Our Lord is all about the significance of small things, and that is how He lived His life here on earth. He was a true minimalist. He had no home, He looked out for others not so He could get ahead, but so He could get to the Cross. He became small and humbled Himself, and in doing so gave us the greatest gift we could ever receive: Eternal life in Him.

We must be faithful in the few

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” (Luke 16:10) If we aren’t willing to serve in the small things, what makes us think that God will use us in big ways? To hear His, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” we must be faithful in the few and see the significance of small things. When our initial thought is that something’s too small to consider or to insignificant to make a difference, remember our Lord, Whose eye is always on the small things, even the sparrow: “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)

Originally published as “The Significance of Small Things.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. September 26, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

Thursday

16

January 2020

The Importance of Fellowship

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

Without Christian fellowship, our faith will falter.

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1) | The Importance of Christian Fellowship | Read more at hopereflected.com

Our church family email group recently sent out a prayer request for one of our members. Wes and I, along with many others in our church, continue to pray for our friend. It is such an encouragement to have a strong community of believers, who pray for one another and care for one another’s well being.

Christian fellowship is powerful – not because of the people who are part of it – but because of Who we serve.

In Anne Graham Lotz’s book, Jesus in Me, she shares how fellowship directly affects our faith by using the analogy of a burning log that is removed from the fire. When it’s not a part of the fire – eventually, the log stops burning. When a fish is removed from water – eventually, the fish stops breathing. When a star runs out of hydrogen – eventually, the star stops being a star. So it is with us; without Christian fellowship, our faith will falter. We need community.

Christian fellowship is powerful – not because of the people who are part of it – but because of Who we serve.

Beyond fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, our church community is one of the places where we have fellowship with our Heavenly Father. J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Fellowship of the Ring (from the Lord of the Rings trilogy) once wrote to his son that, “the only cure for sagging or fainting faith is Communion.” Communion itself is the very act of communing with God. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)

A Shared Faith

Fellowship is a shared faith, even in the face of opposition. In 1 Samuel 20, we read about the strength of David and Jonathan’s friendship, which was based on their shared faith. Even in the face of opposition, these two men shared a common bond: “The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.” (1 Sam. 20:42) Fellowship between believers is a friendship that stands the test of time, and also provides an encouragement you won’t find in other earthly relationships. “A friend is someone,” said C.S. Lewis, “who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

The Power of Fellowship

Fellowship also equips us with strength in the midst of suffering. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were persecuted for their faith and thrown into the fire, the very man that put them there said, “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of fire? … I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:24-25) That is the power of fellowship – it’s not just between us as Christians, it’s between us and Christ! We were called into His fellowship! It reminds us that we are not alone.

“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?” asked A.W. Tozer. “They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.” Fellowship doesn’t necessarily mean freedom from disagreements – so long as we’re humans there will be no perfect church – but it is something that we are called to in Christ (Phil. 2). We are called to be likeminded, to be of one accord, of one mind. As Psalm 133 begins, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Originally published as “The Importance of Christian Fellowship.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. September 12, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

Monday

9

September 2019

A Measure of Faith

Written by H, Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"We walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) | Read more at hopereflected.com

While most people are familiar with Hebrews 11 (also known as the Faith chapter of the Bible), the first direct reference of faith in the Bible – at least from my observation – happens much earlier, in Deuteronomy 32, when God says that the children of Israel have no faith.

Faith is a necessary virtue

Faith is much like hope, in that it’s a virtue necessary to believe in God, but it’s something that can only be seen in how we live. D.L. Moody once said that, “Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible, the other 99 will read the Christian.” Our faith is demonstrated in the way that we live. “The things which are not seen are eternal,” Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:18. That is faith.

Faith is a lifestyle

“The just shall live by faith,” is a statement that repeats twice in Scripture; once in the Old Testament in Habakkuk 2:4, and again in Romans 1:17. Regardless of the season, a lifestyle of faith means that we must keep walking and “continue in the faith” (Acts 14:22) even though such a way of living is not without its challenges. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7 that, “we walk by faith, not by sight,” and it’s because of our trust in God that we can be confident as we move through life. It’s not in and of ourselves, or our friends, or our earthly establishments – we can be confident because we walk by faith.

Abound in faith

Furthermore, in 2 Corinthians 8:7, we’re called to abound in faith. Abound, meaning to be filled up, to overflow, be abundant, and flourishing. The only way to flourish in your faith is to follow Christ, and follow hard. On our best days, are we really doing that? We fail at living a lifestyle of faith because as humans, it’s our nature to compartmentalize faith, when really faith is too vast to ever be classified or catalogued by our finite minds. We just can’t handle it.

Also important to remember is that the apostles asked our Lord to increase their faith (Luke 17:5), and they were on to something. Inside each one of us is a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). For some, that faith is fleeting (Luke 8:13), and for others that faith is overflowing (Matthew 8:10). D.L. Moody once said that, “A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul.” The measure of faith inside us is waiting for us to wake up and ask God to grow it, and therein is the difference between fleeting faith and overflowing faith. Faith requires action. Like a garden, your faith will only grow if you plant the proper seeds, provide your soul with regular watering from God’s Word, and keep short accounts with any weeds and pests.

A lifestyle of faith is a life lived with intention, and with purpose.

Originally published as “Faith.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. May 30, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

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faith Archive

19

Is Christ our first instinct or our last resort?

Christ puts honour upon faith

Coming to Christ

We can’t hide anything from Christ

Originally published as “Touch his garment.” Independent Plus. July 7, 2022: 5. Print. Web.

17

Why does forgiveness seem like such a hard option?

Forgiveness is part of God’s nature, not ours

Forgiveness is an act of humility

Forgiveness is a method of healing

Originally published as “Lord, increase our faith.” Independent Plus. August 19, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

13

Fear makes us do funny things

Fear can affect when and how we share our faith

God can help us break out of the fear trap

Originally published as “When fear is holding us back.” Independent Plus. August 12, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

22

An unsuccessful night at work

Peter was willing; are we?

Our faith has a ripple effect

Originally published as “And yet, Peter does it.” Independent Plus. July 22, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

5

In our current circumstances

Enduring such adversities

Believe and focus

Trust the One who promises to never leave us or forsake us

Originally published as “Believe to see.” Independent Plus. April 22, 2021: 5. Print. Web.

30

God has a plan

His plan is bigger than ours

Originally published as “When things don’t turn out how we plan.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. January 9, 2020: 6. Print. Web.

20

From fishing to following

Lord, save me

From cowardly to courageous

Originally published as “Peter: From Fearful to Faith-Filled.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. November 21, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

10

Don’t underestimate the significance of small things

Faith as a grain of mustard seed

We must be faithful in the few

Originally published as “The Significance of Small Things.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. September 26, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

16

Without Christian fellowship, our faith will falter.

Christian fellowship is powerful – not because of the people who are part of it – but because of Who we serve.

A Shared Faith

The Power of Fellowship

Originally published as “The Importance of Christian Fellowship.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. September 12, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

9

Faith is a necessary virtue

Faith is a lifestyle

Abound in faith

Originally published as “Faith.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. May 30, 2019: 6. Print. Web.

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