- Apr 20, 2006
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The girlfriend and I were having a Bible study (over the phone) last night and were reading Acts 4 when the light bulb came on.
Acts 4:
You don't find this kind of faith anymore. Heck I can just look into history and find "Christians" of the middle ages not demonstrating such faith. You don't see people selling their homes and land and bringing it to the church or give it to the needed. Sure, I've pulled a few bucks out of my pocket to buy a homeless person a cheeseburger or a shirt to wear, but I really cannot even fathom selling all my stuff and giving the money away.
Do you think that there is a correlation between the amount of faith you have and your ability (only by Christ Himself) to perform miracles? I do. Christ even says so:
Matthew 17:20
This only makes me realize how little faith I really have, and how much doubt is really there. I have never see miracles like the ones described in the Gospels or in Acts, nor do I see any Christians I know putting their faith in God instead of doctors when health problems arise, or selling their homes and land to follow Christ and carry their cross. Why is this?
Acts 4:
" 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.[a]' 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16"What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old."
...
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
You don't find this kind of faith anymore. Heck I can just look into history and find "Christians" of the middle ages not demonstrating such faith. You don't see people selling their homes and land and bringing it to the church or give it to the needed. Sure, I've pulled a few bucks out of my pocket to buy a homeless person a cheeseburger or a shirt to wear, but I really cannot even fathom selling all my stuff and giving the money away.
Do you think that there is a correlation between the amount of faith you have and your ability (only by Christ Himself) to perform miracles? I do. Christ even says so:
Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
This only makes me realize how little faith I really have, and how much doubt is really there. I have never see miracles like the ones described in the Gospels or in Acts, nor do I see any Christians I know putting their faith in God instead of doctors when health problems arise, or selling their homes and land to follow Christ and carry their cross. Why is this?