Fighting Faith Atrophy...

Mr. McB and I were talking the other day about faith... what is it? How do we build it? Are we building/growing up our faith?

We just watched the movie, The Book of Eli, and if you have seen it... there is faith.... "the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things unseen." (Heb 11:1) Faith inspires action... to "listen to the voice" as Denzel Washington put it in the movie...

We started talking about faith like a muscle... if it's not used, it starts to "waste away"... atrophy. How much time do I think about my physical appearance and the possible .... no .... definite atrophy taking place? I want to be WAY MORE concerned with the possible atrophy of my faith in our Lord Jesus. Just because I have exercised my faith in the past... doesn't mean my faith automatically continues to grow... It must be exercised! It requires intentional obedience... So... here's what I know...

*Faith comes from hearing... hearing from the WORD: (Rm 10:17)... So... I have to be in the WORD.

* We need to pray for each other so that our faith "does not fail"... (Luke 22:32)

*If I have Faith, but don't show it in LOVE... it's useless... (1 Cor. 13:2)

*I'm saved by Faith... (Eph 2:8)

*Jesus is the perfecter of my faith (Heb 12:2)

* I must ask Jesus in Faith... without doubt (James 1:6)

So... what is my faith inspiring me to do? What is your faith inspiring you to do? Real FAITH comes with real ACTION. I can't just pretend to obey... pretend to love the stranger... orphan... widow... I can't pretend to be in the word... or just trust him for my salvation and not trust him to do great and mighty things through me. If HE can SAVE me with this faith... surely HE can USE me with this Faith...

"Lord... I'm asking that you give us opportunities to 'jump in'... 'chase lions'... and 'love fully'... without thought of ourselves... with all thought on what pleases you... for we know soon... that this jump will feel safe... and you will take us even higher... or deeper... or wilder... or stronger... Thank you for refusing to allow me to sit in a state of atrophy.... I love you...."