Who Put the Vinegar in the Salt?
Part X:
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men”
(Matthew 5:13NIV).
“Just have a little Faith.” How often have we been challenged with these words? What is Faith and why is it so hard?
The Bible defines Faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11; 1 & 2). The heroes of old gauged their actions on promises yet to be fulfilled, even some that did not find fulfillment within their lifetime.
Has the church today lost the passion to follow after something promised yet not yet seen? Are there no more believers like Elijah, who challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel? Or are we like the Israelites, who having clearly seen the cloud before us, continue to cave at the first sign of trouble? Is it any wonder the world views Christianity as ineffective when those who are called by His name turn tail and run?
If we don’t learn to trust God in the morning, how will we trust Him in the night?
Faith is a living thing. Few believers start out ready to venture across the Red Sea. But God grows our Faith through the mundane as well as the miraculous. When difficulty arises, we can either step out on dry land or we can turn back to Egypt. The choice is ours. But the sooner we follow the lifestyle of Faith, the easier it becomes to trust.
Here are a few modern day Faith heroes.
By Faith, a mother watched her doubtful child release a balloon containing their address into the air. “No one will find this,” the child said. The mother encouraged her to have a little Faith. A few days later they received a note. Their balloon was found wedged in a fence one hundred miles away. Whenever doubt comes, the mother holds to the memory of that balloon and trusts in the God of the unknown.
By Faith, a husband obeyed God’s call to start his own business, in spite of the financial risk, not knowing how the mortgage would get paid. God provided and the couple learned that He is the source of their daily bread.
By Faith, Peggy, who knew nothing about computers, followed God’s direction to become a writer. She is amazed at how God has used her words in spite of her limitations.
By Faith, K&D, enrolled an estranged couple in a retreat and transported them to the event. Because of their Faith, a marriage was saved.
By Faith, after the deaths of a daughter and a mother within a two-year time span, a woman gave her grief over to God, finding comfort the world could never have provided.
By Faith, a wife prayed for her husband’s salvation. Through her surgery, God spoke to him, drawing him into saving Grace.
By Faith, Martha journeyed through the valley of cancer discovering the peace of God that transcends all understanding.
These modern-day Faith heroes planted their Faith in an unfailing God and the resulting harvest far exceeded their expectations. We can choose to doubt or we can choose to believe. But if we choose to believe, Faith can still move mountains.
“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20b NIV).
