Simplistic Faith; Part 2

Hello Everyone,

I have been meaning to add more on this topic for quite a while and have let time get the best of me. My original post on "Simplistic Faith" was way back in August, WOW!!!. To be honest I have been struggling with writing this post since then. I've had this in draft form since October. LOL.

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There is  a story in the 5th chapter of Mark that I really think can help us understand this concept of Simplistic Faith. I don't typically write about stories like this but it came to mind when I was asking myself what tonight's post should be about. When we first come upon this story in scripture it is right after Jesus calms a storm and crosses the Sea of Galilee, a few times. It is also just after Jesus cast the demon out of the farmer and into the pigs that ran of the side of the mountain. As you can see, Jesus has been ministering in many miraculous ways leading up to this time in "His Story."

This story actually shares with us two miracles and both apply to "Simplistic Faith".  The First part of this story involves a man names Jairus and his daughter. The second part is about a woman who has had a severe bleeding issue for 12 years, many would call this a hemorrhage today. Both of these stories teach us just how much "Simplistic Faith" can effect our circumstances. On the one hand with Jairus, we have his daughter on her death bed and on the other we have this woman who's been in severe pain for most of her adult life. Here is what these two have to say about faith...

Jairus' Story

...“My little daughter is dying,”...“Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Mk. 5:23 NLT 

Woman's Story

...“If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Mk. 5:28 NLT

The result...

Woman's Story

 "Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition." Mk. 5:29 NLT

"And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” Mk. 5:34 NLT

Jairus' Story

"Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around!..." Mk. 5:41-42 NLT

The reality of these two stories in scripture is that these two characters showed a huge amount of faith. They believed 'wholeheartedly' that by simply touching Jesus' hand or robe that their circumstances could change and the result of this faith truly did change the circumstances each character was facing. I know that in the world today we can't actually touch Jesus' hands or his robe but I believe we can have faith like this today. 

It's hard sometimes to have this faith in something as simple as a touch, but the end result can be the same for us as it was for the two people I have shared about today.  We can change our circumstances in life if we place our hope in the right place. God has so much in store for each of us. All he asks in return is that we love Him and believe in His unending power. 

I will leave you this this scripture for now...

"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." Matthew 17:20 NLT

 Thanks again for visiting "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.

Fear is Famine

Greetings, 

Fear is Famine sounds like a strange thing to say doesn't it? I heard this this weekend while I was at a youth rally in Phoenix. I had never really thought of it that way but in makes a lot of since. Think about it for a second or two before we move on...

FEAR IS FAMINE!!!

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I wasn't sure I was going to write about this but after reading a friends blog today and the weekend I had, It seemed more appropriate....

My family and I have a lot of transitions going on right now, and I mean a lot!!  

We have begun laying a foundation for a ministry of our own, we are leaving a place we called home for two years, publishing a book, looking for a new job, preparing my church for transitions of their own, continuously adjusting to raising our two wonderful children (as all parents always should be) and even a few other things.  These transitions have been very stressful for me. (as many of you know, I am really not that good with unknowns and there are a lot of them right now)

This weekend as I spent time listening to and talking with the youth I took on this trip, I found myself pushing these unknowns to the back of my mind. They themselves have been going through a lot on their own and needed someone to be able to listen to them so I did so naturally. The result of this has been, in many ways, an answer to prayer. Instead of focusing so much on what was in front of me in my own life, I was able to help them, at least in a small way, with some pretty serious issues.

Once I got home and was able to seclude myself, I realized that my wife was right when she told me to let go for the weekend, granted she was talking about our upcoming book but the message came across. You see, all of these transitions have weighed heavily upon my heart taking much of my energy and leaving me a bit dry in the spiritual sense. 

Realizing this showed me that in many ways I have been afraid of the transitions taking place in my family right now. This fear had left me in a famine. Just like a drought (or lack of rain) can leave the ground with little energy and dried up, fear can do the same to our spiritual walks. Interesting to think about isn't it.

In the end, I now know that while I may not know the outcome of all of the transitions we are going through, I cannot let them bring fear into my heart. Ultimately if I were to continue on in my present mind set, I would be letting Satan gain spiritual ground in my life and I am not about to let that happen :-).

That's all for now..... 

Thanks again for visiting "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.