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Sept 29, 2004
How Much Faith Is Enough?
From Martin R. De Haan II, President of RBC Ministries
"Do I Have the Right Kind of Faith?"
Matthew 17:20 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.
How much faith does a person need to:
In each of these cases, you might feel fear or confidence to some degree. But would those emotions be accurate indicators of faith? You could be terrified and yet decide to parachute out of an airplane. Or you could feel very confident and yet decide not to jump into thin air. Faith is more than a feeling.
Faith is primarily a decision to entrust ourselves to something or someone, based on available information. This decision involves the knowledge of essential facts, a personal acceptance of those facts as true and valuable, and a commitment to act in accordance with those facts.
For example, how much faith would it take for you to cross a footbridge over a canyon? First, you would collect some basic facts by visually evaluating the structural reliability of the bridge. Then, if you concluded that it was safe, you would cross the bridge.
Biblical faith operates in much the same way. First, you must learn from the Bible basic information about God, man, sin, and Christ (Acts 10:34-43; Rom. 10:17). Then, once you realize that these facts are true and that they demand a personal response, you must make a decision to believe what God has said and to trust Jesus Christ as your only hope of forgiveness and eternal life (Jn. 10:9; Acts 20:21).
So, how much faith is enough? To answer this, consider the following questions: Do you know the basic information about God, man, sin, and Christ? Have you recognized your hopeless condition without Jesus Christ? Have you accepted His offer of rescue? Have you responded in trust and obedience? If you have answered yes to each of these questions, your faith is enough.
You may ask, though, about the amount of faith you need after you have put your trust in Christ for salvation. Do you have to have great faith in God to get you through the trials of life?
Again the answer is found in whether or not your faith is in the right object. Christ told His disciples that faith in God, even if it was the size of a mustard seed, would be enough to move a mountain (Mt. 17:20). The amount of faith is not the issue, it's the object of our faith that determines its effectiveness.
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Thank You Lord that You have given each of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Show each of us how to use the faith we have. Continue reminding us that it only takes a mustard seed of faith to 'move mountains'. Help each of us share the faith that we have with others. Thank You that as we do this our faith will continue to grow. In the name of Jesus Christ.
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Sept 29, 2004
How Much Faith Is Enough?
From Martin R. De Haan II, President of RBC Ministries
"Do I Have the Right Kind of Faith?"
Matthew 17:20 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.
How much faith does a person need to:
- parachute out of an airplane?
- cross a bridge?
- get married?
- sit on a chair?
- ride a rollercoaster?
- jump into a life raft?
- become a Christian?
In each of these cases, you might feel fear or confidence to some degree. But would those emotions be accurate indicators of faith? You could be terrified and yet decide to parachute out of an airplane. Or you could feel very confident and yet decide not to jump into thin air. Faith is more than a feeling.
Faith is primarily a decision to entrust ourselves to something or someone, based on available information. This decision involves the knowledge of essential facts, a personal acceptance of those facts as true and valuable, and a commitment to act in accordance with those facts.
For example, how much faith would it take for you to cross a footbridge over a canyon? First, you would collect some basic facts by visually evaluating the structural reliability of the bridge. Then, if you concluded that it was safe, you would cross the bridge.
Biblical faith operates in much the same way. First, you must learn from the Bible basic information about God, man, sin, and Christ (Acts 10:34-43; Rom. 10:17). Then, once you realize that these facts are true and that they demand a personal response, you must make a decision to believe what God has said and to trust Jesus Christ as your only hope of forgiveness and eternal life (Jn. 10:9; Acts 20:21).
So, how much faith is enough? To answer this, consider the following questions: Do you know the basic information about God, man, sin, and Christ? Have you recognized your hopeless condition without Jesus Christ? Have you accepted His offer of rescue? Have you responded in trust and obedience? If you have answered yes to each of these questions, your faith is enough.
You may ask, though, about the amount of faith you need after you have put your trust in Christ for salvation. Do you have to have great faith in God to get you through the trials of life?
Again the answer is found in whether or not your faith is in the right object. Christ told His disciples that faith in God, even if it was the size of a mustard seed, would be enough to move a mountain (Mt. 17:20). The amount of faith is not the issue, it's the object of our faith that determines its effectiveness.
_________
Thank You Lord that You have given each of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Show each of us how to use the faith we have. Continue reminding us that it only takes a mustard seed of faith to 'move mountains'. Help each of us share the faith that we have with others. Thank You that as we do this our faith will continue to grow. In the name of Jesus Christ.
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