All things are possible!
What is faith? It is said that faith shows the reality of what we hope for, that it is evidence of things that we cannot see. There are many different kinds of faith, such as, the faith you have that your car will start when you turn the key. The faith you have when you sit down in a chair, (without even checking to see if it has four legs), that it will hold your weight. You have faith in your mother’s and father’s love. You also have faith in your spouse, when you take your wedding vows, that he will honor them until the day he dies. The list is nearly endless of things we have faith in without giving it a second thought.
One of the disciples could not fathom how Jesus rose from the dead. He said he would not believe it until he could have proof of it. When Jesus appeared in the room with the disciples he told Thomas to reach with his finger and touch his hands, and touch the wound in his side, “and be not faithless but believing”. Of course this is what Thomas was looking for and he said to Jesus: “My Lord and my God”. But Jesus looked at him and said “Thomas, because thou has seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and yet believed”. That is what true faith is. The Bible tells us that we can attain faith through the Word of God:
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Rom 10:17
We can say all day long that we have faith, but faith is not simply a matter of positive thinking or of our own effort. But our faith grows by reading the stories in the Bible about faithful, God-fearing people. The Bible is a map, if you will, showing us how God can do great works through his people who have faith. Everybody has physical faith, but God wants us to have spiritual faith. He wants you to follow the future He has laid out for you, by faith, trusting that he knows what is best for you. To find out what God has planned for your life, it is important that you stay in the Word on a daily basis. I find it amazing that every time I read the Bible from cover to cover, I find new things that didn’t catch my attention before. Perhaps it’s that my understanding becomes better with each reading, but because I read it my faith grows stronger, and yours will also. When you read Bible verses like the 11th chapter of Hebrews, you can’t help but admire the people of the Bible who stepped out into uncharted land, and unknown futures merely on faith. They parted seas, saved the population of the world from a flood, even trusted by faith, when an angel told a young girl that she would conceive and give birth to the Messiah. So I have to ask, whom do you have faith in, and why?
As parents the best way to teach our children about faith, is for you show them how to live it. Let them see you read your Bible daily, and pray to God. Remember, the Bible says, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Are you raising your children to be deaf to the voice of God?
We as authors, are foolish enough to have faith in ourselves, and our ability to write something that will make sense. We have faith in small insignificant things like the computer booting up, or our friends liking us on Facebook. I think it’s imperative that we put our faith in something that will last for eternity. Have you read your Bible today? Something to think about!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death;
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age,
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child;
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land:
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down,
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
Hebrews Chapter 11
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:23