journey onWord with us

Last Thursday, I had a front row seat in watching my Lord engineer an event that I could have never created. It was one of those circumstances that causes me to reflect on why I too often live based on my own ability, and not His supernatural ability. Most likely, I’ll not know the full impact of the God-authored event on this side of heaven. But there is no doubt that God did something special … and I got a front row seat. Again, I must ask myself why I trust less and stress more, all while seeing our all-powerful God at work over and over, and over.

While reading Scripture and the words of Jesus this week, I have seen the power of Christ bleed through scenes in the book of Mark. He fed the four thousand, healed a blind man, and was transfigured before Peter, James and John. Wow, what a powerful God we serve! During my reading I was also mesmerized by the scene where Christ delivered a defining challenge to His disciples.

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”
Mark 8:29

It struck me that without confessing Christ as Savior, no one can be saved. There is only one way that leads to God, and that is through Christ. I trust that you know Him.

It seems safe to assume that most, if not all, those who read our articles have either already confessed Christ as Savior, or are at least curious about issues of faith. You likely believe deeply in Christ’s power to accomplish the miracles mentioned above, and even would agree that God does special miracles like the one I witnessed last week. But like me, you may often find yourself affirming truths, but frustrated by not applying them as you should.  While praying this morning, I was challenged about really believing that the items on my prayer list could be accomplished. I do! But again, affirming truth alone, without applying the principles of His Word is futile.  God is no less able to work in your life and mine than He was to author the event that I saw last Thursday.  The issue is not God, but me (and us).

There are lots of reasons why we find ourselves living in a world where the distinctiveness of our faith is blurred in the eyes of those who don’t know Christ as Savior. One of the key issues (at least to me), is that there doesn’t seem to be much difference in the way that believers and non-believers act and react to the stresses of life. Among the believers I know, there is not much issue with affirming biblical truth, but living its principles is a sticking point (therefore, very little distinctiveness).  We must all ask ourselves, “Is my faith contagious to those around me?”  What I saw this week in Scripture, and last week amidst the everyday of my life, reminded me of God’s awesome power. When you and I rest in that power, and live out His Word, our faith is distinctive and contagious.

If you are a Christ-follower, yet you aren’t seeing much of His power at work in your life, don’t be afraid to honestly ask the Father why. And then accept that the following verse can be a reality for you. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)  If you have yet to believe, but are curious, we would love to begin a dialog about who we say He is.  Don’t wait another day.