Faith

Let's talk about faith this morning! We know Hebrews 11:1, in fact we know all about the faith chapter and all the Bible characters it talks about and their great faith. Well what about us? Our faith often looks different because times have changed. We don't see people getting miraculously healed when the shadow of a Christian is cast over them (see Acts 5). What we do see is quiet miracles. God doesn't have to come crashing in and put on a show and neither do we. Psalms tells us to be still and know he is God. Jesus was asleep in the storm he calmed the storm. My god is not the author of confusion nor chaos but a God of peace and light. Everything about him is peaceful, even his wrath. In revelation we see that every sin will be done away with and the sinners thrown in the lake of fire, that is done to bring peace to his children. Everything about him is peaceful it always has been the stories in the Bible were not a big show nor a quick one time answered prayer there faith was tried just like ours everyday. Go read psalms and you'll see David felt just like we do like God wasn't listening like he had been forgotten about but he still trusted in God he still had hope. His faith had been shaken but the foundation kept it from crumbling. Consistent prayer is daily communicating with your that you trust in him to bring it to pass. Cry out to him seek his face, yes we have needand we want to blessed but we get so caught up in the materialistic things that we don't seek a savior, a deliver, a friend, the glory of God, the peace of being in his presence. People cannot meet the emotional needs our of hearts only the holy spirit which dwells I us can fulfill those desires. My bible says the joy of the Lord is my strength. God answers our earnest prayers and mees our needs according to HIS perfect timing not when we think or feel like he should have answered us. My favorite scripture is 

Habakkuk 2:2-3 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

This verse is my daily reminder that my dreams and hopes for the future matter that God cares for me. I wouldn't have the dreams I have if they were not a part of God's plan God's plans are good for us he wants for us to prosper and be blessed he desires for us to have good things and enjoy the fruits of our labor. It's not his plan for us to loose everything like Job but what he expects from us is to have faith even when we loose it all. We are not living in a perfect peaceful world we are living in a world of chaos and sin and we should be seeking the lord for who he is he we should be seeking his peace and his spirit asking him to separate us from the world asking him to forgive us and reveal himself to us. By faith whatever we ask for for his glory it will be given to us we forget that. we want we want we want but do we want those things so we can be closer to him. The only thing he wants is a relationship with us a true friendship. Build up your faith and he will strengthen you he will bring it to pass. He wants to perform miracles and meet our needs and desires but we need to build up our faith. So this week that is what we will be talking about building up our faith.