Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Raising your level of Faith

Wow, these past few weeks have been very exciting. A little too exciting for many, the fun is only going to get wilder, with a Presidential election (If this one doesn’t get you praying nothing will) and then the Holidays right behind that. We are in for a couple of crazy months.

The numbers we have been presented with hardly seem real, 700 Billion that’s a big number. I can’t imagine how many people will be affected by this enormous amount
of money.

 

Possibly some good will come out of this whole debauchery, at least one good thing. People will begin to question the way things are done and maybe they will challenge the status quo.

 

We can look back at history and think that things were better at one time then they are today, but in reality it only seems better because we know how things turned out.

( From John 11 )

 

Jesus was visiting a town not far from Bethany, when a message was sent to him that his friend Lazarus was very sick and near death. You would have expected Jesus to head straight to his friends side and pray for Lazarus and heal him, but Jesus doesn’t move.

For two more days Jesus continues to minister to people, praying for them and healing them. Then he announces to his disciples that they are headed back to see Lazarus.

 

Lazarus had been dead for days by time he arrived back in town to see the family, everyone was upset, Martha challenged Jesus as to why he delayed. Martha knew who Jesus was and believed that had he been there her brother would still be alive.

Martha had an incredible faith, but Jesus was challenging their thinking.

Lazarus is dead!

 

Not only was he dead but he had been in the tomb for a couple of days. Jesus was very sad and wept at the death of a friend he loved and cared deeply for.

When all hope was lost and all had given up on Lazarus Jesus speaks and raises him from the dead, He speaks life back into Lazarus.

Lazarus is alive!

 

John 12:24 

24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Think of this story in relation to your own life. We pray the message reaches God and then God responds, not always the way we would like and usually it requires faith on our part to see our prayers answered.

God gives us a vision and passion for his Kingdom and the plans he has for us, but then we must be prepared to die for these things to really grow. Everyone will be challenged in their faith and relationship with God. Your closest friends and family will not understand what you are doing when you choose to follow God. It will not be easy, but it will be worth it.

 

God wants to grow within you amazing gifts and ministries, but the old nature must die. Don’t look back when things get tough, press on for the prize is ahead of you. Put your faith and trust in God, it’s ok if you don’t understand, most of the time we don’t understand what God is doing, but we do understand WHO God is in our lives.

 

Shut off the TV and computer; stop listening to CNN, NBC and FOX and start listening to GOD.

 

We are rich because we have an awesome Father in heaven who will shower us with every gift and blessing if we just ask in faith.

 

Have an awesome week

 

Ps Stephen Alexander.