Faith

My Pastor describes faith as calling those things which are not as though they already are. He uses Romans 4 to back that up. Romans 4:18-21 says this: Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. That part is so important.

God's Word is FULL of promises. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of an entire nation of people. He PROMISED. Abraham was old. Really old. Way beyond the child-bearing age. What did he do? Well, at first he kind of laughed. It was truly an unbelievable thing-to have a child when you are that old. But, as God continued to assure him, his tune began to change a little bit. And he had faith that God would do it because he said he would.

As Christians, we are no different than Abraham. Where is our faith level? I can't help but go back and read the entry I wrote here about wanting to get pregnant. Up until that point, I had never wanted anything so bad in all my life. So, what did I do? I asked God for it. And I felt it confirmed to me, in my heart, that in the year 2009 (I asked at the end of 2008), I would have a baby. And I believed God when he spoke that to my heart. I stopped worrying about it, and I put the thoughts of it aside. I stopped taking fertility drugs. This was going to be God's miracle.

Lo and behold, in April of 2009, I found out that I was pregnant. Craig and I were ecstatic. So, what happened to me a few months after that when I went in for my 19 week check up and they found a tumor in my uterus? I probably could have gone into a downward spiral at that point. That would have been simple. I could have started speaking all kinds of negative things. But I didn't. Instead, I had hands layed on me for healing and I was told, "Go back to the doctor and get a good report." I believed I had been healed. God said it. I believe it.

I went back to the doctor (a specialist who used a way more advanced type of ultrasound) and he couldn't find any tumor. It was gone. Why? Because God said he would heal me and I believed it, and he did it.

Why do we make God's Word so complicated? Do we really think that God is so small that he can't heal a simple tumor? Do we think he can't provide finances when they're needed? Why do we do that to God? We're stealing our own blessings!

I want to encourage you today, if you're reading this. God has an incredible benefit package for you if you're born again. Just incredible. There's no reason why you shouldn't be experiencing those benefits. Is there? Ask God to increase your faith. He loves that prayer and HE WILL!