ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 15 January 2012

Hi all,

Today’s Scriptures focus on faith. I’m always reticent when it comes to speaking or writing about faith. Unfortunately it’s one of those topics in Christianity which everyone has heard about and has fixed ideas on. Indeed, the “Church” has just passed through a time when “Faith” was taught by all and sundry. Sadly sundry seems to have won the speaking contest and has left many of us down-stream without a paddle.

Before I proceed with this, please allow me to make it clear that Phyllida and I were very much a part of the faith movement. We loved it and learned many lessons that we still regard as invaluable. We are much indebted to men like Jerry Savelle and the Hagin family. That’s where our roots are.

Oddly enough, the best message we heard on faith was in 1982 in Rhema Randburg by Lester Sumrall. He called it “The Trajectory of Life”. The little illustration he gave at the time, lives with us today. He spoke of a young girl standing on the stage. Her father walked up to the stage and said to her, “Come on honey, Jump!” The little girl took one look at her father. Then she ran up to the edge of the stage and leaped into his arms accompanied by shrieks of delighted laughter. A few moments later, Lester tried it out on the little girl. “Come on honey, Jump!” She looked at him, then looked round for her parents. She couldn’t see them. So she looked back at Lester sadly and shook her head. Lester then asked a profound question. He asked us why the little girl didn‘t jump? He was as big as her father and as strong as her father and his arms were just as good. But she wouldn’t jump. “Why?” he asked. His answer was simple. She had no faith in Lester, because she didn’t know him. He then told us that faith was knowing God.

Since that day, Phyllida and I have taught people that faith was not a “commodity” that you can have more or less of. Faith is knowing God. The more we know Him, the more faith we have; and the more we trust Him. We have taught this now for almost 30 years. At times we have been accused of having no faith. Be that as it may, the fact is we have developed a relationship with Him. It may not be all that it could be. But we trust Him to the best of our ability and as the relationship has deepened, so has our trust and thereby faith in Him.

Today’s meditation takes a look at faith from this particular angle. Some of our brothers and sisters may not agree. But that’s fine. Eugene Peterson translates Hebrews eleven verse one as follows: - ¹ The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. Heb 11:1 MSG

This “definition” is a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ. He makes everything in life worth living. It’s not a “magic handle” on getting stuff from God. Who wants “stuff” when we can have Jesus?

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland.

According to your faith

The big misunderstanding about our “faith” today, Is thinking we can measure it. It doesn’t work that way. The faith we often speak of is a “quality” of God. He is the One Who gives it. It isn’t something odd. It isn’t something that we own; it never will be ours. The Father distributes it, a bit like April showers. There isn’t “lots” or “little” He gives it as He wills. According to His Holy ways the Master comes and fills, Believers with what’s needed; within a circumstance. It’s not a Holy lottery that we can leave to chance. It’s trusting the Lord Jesus for what you think is needed. It never rests upon how much that you have prayed and pleaded. It never does take very much; a mustard seed in me, Could cause a giant sycamore to jump into the sea! The essence is believing that Jesus Christ can do, Everything that’s needed to make the dream come true. “According to your faith”, He said. Not faith in me or you. But trusting only in what Christ, the Lord of Life can do. We cannot generate it. We cannot make it come! It’s not something inflatable. To think that way is dumb! It’s always very simple. It’s like the A B C. It starts and ends with Jesus. It’s His ability. Of course we’d like to do it. Of course we’d like the power. But only He can ever cause the seed to bloom and flower. In fact, if I could do it, why should I trust in Him? Then life would be a fairy tale like those by brothers Grimm! It isn’t fatalism. It isn’t cast in stone. It’s going to the King of Kings and trusting Him alone. A pious Christian guru can never get it done. But when we put our faith in Christ, God’s One and Only Son, Things get into proportion. That’s when we get things right; For only He can ever change the darkness into light. So when we think of having faith, don’t make a big mistake. Don’t run around and punch the air, don’t tremble, scream or shake. There really is no purpose. You cannot bring it on. The pagan priests on Carmel succeeded – not a one! That’s when you ask Him humbly, if He will intervene. It’s not some “quantity of faith” but hope in the unseen! An absolute assurance in what the Lord can do; And not relying on the “faith” you’ve got inside of you. The fact is there is nothing that “faith” can bring about. But when your faith’s in Jesus Christ, the answer’s not in doubt. Jim Strickland – Written Sunday 15th January 2012.