"According to your faith be it unto you." (Matthew 9:29)
Everywhere we look these days, there is distress and chaos in the world. Even those who attempt to make the world a better place are seeing the emerging civil unrest all around. People downtrodden, even when they try to do what is right and just and true. And, as Jesus foretold, we see men's hearts failing them because of fear. But Jesus did not come to make us fearful, but rather, to fill us with His peace and joy - that surpasses all human understanding.
This is why we as believers in Jesus by faith can be different from the world, because we understand that what was prophesied from afore has to come to fruition before that day that our blessed Lord and Saviour appears. Therefore, as Jesus said to His disciples, "Be of good cheer!"
Jesus also said, "Verily I say unto you -- If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done." (Matthew 21:21)
Too often we miss what the Lord Jesus has appointed just for us -- because of the encroaching day to day. We drink the koolaid of this world without fully understanding that Jesus -- who is both Lord and Christ, Almighty God manifest in the flesh -- has a unique purpose for each and every one of us. And His desire for us is to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." (Matthew 25:21, 23, 45)
As such, we need to desire more of Jesus. And, as a consequence, we need to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)
Therefore, instead of focusing on the tomorrows that have yet to come -- and lingering for far too long in the "O ye of little faith" mode -- we need to be like the man sick of palsy, lying on a bed, whose faith along with the faith of his friends knew that Jesus is the redeemer, the healer, the Comforter, the Bread of Life. That Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, beginning and the ending of all things. (Matthew 6:30; Revelation 1:8, 11)
"And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matthew 9:2)
We need to press into the One and Only Lord Jesus who commanded the winds to stop, and the sea to settle. For He alone is our hope. From Him comes our salvation.
Thus, instead of hearing Jesus say, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" or "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" we need to rise to the occasion wherein we were called. (Mark 4:4; Matthew 14:31)
That is, the just shall live by faith, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed. (Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4; Hebrews 10:28)
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3:11) For when we walk by faith and not by sight, we can be confident in His goodness and grace and mercy, that our life here on earth has purpose. And it begins with stepping out in faith and believing in Jesus the Christ, who willingly shed His precious blood on the cross for you and I.
To this end, I include an account of the old covenant faithful in Hebrews 11, who require us in this current dispensation of grace to stand in the offering plate for Jesus -- with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, so that these faithful with us who have received the promise should be made perfect. Hebrews 11 ....
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned ... But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and He that had received the promises offered up His only begotten son, of whom it was said, "That in Isaac shall Thy seed be called" accounting that God was able to raise Him up, even from the dead; from whence also He received Him in a figure.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest He that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth and these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise -- God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect ..."
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