The Power of Faith

“People don’t believe the story is true. Many don’t believe that God is real, or that God can make a difference in their lives. Why should they? Do they ever get to see the transforming power of God made manifest? God is not a fairy tale, but people need to see it, to believe it is true.” This is how I began this morning’s sermon. (You can hear the entire message here after it is posted on Monday, http://cortlandumc.net/January_5_2014.mp3).

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, the young pastor he was mentoring, that a time was coming when people who claimed to be following Jesus would have, “a form of godliness, while denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:5). He knew, even at the early stages of Christianity, that there would be great temptation to leave behind the truth and the power of God, for something that seemed safer and easier. In our day, many hold to forms of faith, practicing rituals and attending services, but one has to wonder, “Where is the power?”

Is it possible, that we have lost faith in the story, or its Author? Do our frustrations and fears hold us back from believing in big things? Have we begun to view life through our own limitations, instead of the limitless possibilities of God?

I confess that, at times, this has been very true for me. I can easily lose sight of the promise from Philippians, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (4:13) In its place, I begin to look at my own strength and abilities, and quickly discover that I come up short. Trapped in the walls of my own ability, I begin to accept my circumstances, and try to do my best to make things a little better.

This, however, is not the life of faith, it is the life of belief, and that is not my (or your) calling! God’s invitation is to a life filled with faith in what God can, and will do. It is so much more than simply believing God exists. It is the opportunity to experience the awesome, life-transforming, circumstance-changing power of God!

A number of years ago, when I was taking martial arts lessons, my instructor had a sign he loved. It was the word “Can’t” written in bold letters, crossed out by a large red line. At the bottom, the sign read, “Can’t is a Four-Letter Word.” This was good motivation, but with God, it is the truth. There is nothing God call us to do, that we cannot accomplish in his strength.

How will people know that the story is true? It will happen as we demonstrate our trust in its authenticity, and as God begins to move in response to our faith.

One of my favorite promises comes from the blessing found at the end of Ephesians Chapter Three, “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine…” (3:20) Think about it – abundantly far more that we can ask, or imagine, and God does it through his power at work in us.

Our God is greater than we imagine, and we are stronger in him than we believe.

How do you strengthen yourself in God?

 

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