HEBREWS 11:1-3 (1)Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2)For by it the elders obtained a good report. (3)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.
Faith is made up of what we are hoping for. It is proof for things we cannot even see yet. It is believing that you will receive what you ask God for because He is the giver of all good gifts. Our forefathers in the faith have believed and were given a good report. Their faith has increased our faith. The exploits they have done just gives us more reason to trust God will help us through our fiery trials. We use faith to believe the Creation story where God made something out of nothing. God spoke things into existence. Nothing that we see with our eyes was created by using a tool or an element that we know of because God is the only One who can make something out of nothing!
So who in the Bible impressed Jesus with their faith? If you do not know, the answer may surprise you. I will give you a hint. It was not the disciples! Let's find out.
LUKE 7:1-10 (1)Now when He had ended all His sayings in the audience of the people, He entered into Capernaum. (2)And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. (3)And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto Him the elders of the Jews, beseeching Him that He would come and heal his servant. (4)And when they came to Jesus, they besought Him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom He should do this: (5)For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. (6)Then Jesus went with them. And when He was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying unto Him, Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof: (7)Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. (8)For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. (9)When Jesus heard these things, He marvelled at him, and turned Him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto you, I have not found so great, no, not in Israel. (10)And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
Why was Jesus so impressed with this man's faith? He told the crowd following Him that He had not witnessed such great faith in all of Israel! The man was in charge of other people. If he gave an order for one person to go do something, the person did what he was instructed to do. If he told another to come to him, the person came to the man to see what he needed. The man could speak an instruction to a person and watch it be carried out just like he said to do. We know the man was humble. He did not approach Jesus. He sent friends. He did not feel worthy to come to Jesus and ask for anything. He did not feel worthy for Jesus to darken the door of his house. He was humble and then said to Jesus, "I am also a man of authority." So that tells us right there this man acknowledged Jesus had authority. He was not just a religious leader. He had power. And the centurion continued, "I can tell someone to go or come and they do it. So if you will just speak the healing for my servant, my friend, then I know he will recover." Jesus did not need to hear another word. He found a commanding soldier who had more faith than Jesus had found in Israel!
We can have faith like that too. Do we not see the same thing in our daily lives? If we order something online, we get what we order. If I tell my son to come to me, he comes to where I am and find out what I need. If I ask my daughter to pick up something for me on her way home from work, she does it. So if we can wrap our minds around the fact that Jesus has authority. He has all power. He has dominion. He can speak something into existence into our situation and it must be done! He speaks and it is!
This man was not the only one with faith that impressed Jesus. Who else do you think made Jesus stop in his tracks because of their faith? Do you remember the mother from Canaan whose daughter was demon-possessed? Let's go back to that story.
MATTHEW 15:22-28 (22)And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. (23)But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. (24)But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (25)Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me. (26)But He answered her and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs. (27)And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the masters' table. (28)Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
This woman did not move Jesus with her tears. She did not get his attention with her problems. He ignored her. The disciples begged Him to send her away because she was getting on their nerves. He speaks directly to the woman and says, "I was sent to the lost people in Israel." She picked up what He was laying down! She was a woman from Canaan. She was not one of the people He was sent to save. Her persistence did not move Jesus either. She worshiped at His feet and begged Him to help her. He speaks to her again, "It is not appropriate to take bread from my children to feed the dogs." That had to hurt! This was a clear picture that she could easily have taken offence to, but she didn't. She agreed with Him and said, but even dogs get the crumbs that fall from the master's table. You see she knew that she was not who Jesus came to seek out, but she was desperate. She had crazy faith. She kept on asking but He wanted to know how much she believed He could do what she was asking for. She said while you are feeding the children bread, can't I just take a crumb that falls to the ground? That was it! He said, "You have great faith woman! I will answer your prayer just like you want Me to."
When we pray and ask for something, how often do we stop asking because we thought we weren't heard? How many times do we really need something from God that only He can do -- a really big need -- and if we feel that the answer is anything but "yes" we stop asking? How often do we keep pressing and show Him how much we believe Him? This woman said she knew the bread was not for her. She wasn't asking for the bakery. She wasn't even asking for a loaf. She just wanted a taste of the miraculous that only He could do.
So if our Heavenly Father knows our needs before we ask Him, according to Matthew 6:8, then why do we need faith? Why can't He just give us what we need? He knows we need it and want it, right? Let's go back to the faith chapter, Hebrews 11.
HEBREWS 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
If we do not have faith it is impossible to please God. First we must believe that God is who He says He is. We have to trust that He will do what He says He will do. And then we must believe that He will reward those who seek Him steady, earnestly, and with energetic effort. Are we seeking Him like that? Are we steady, consistent, earnestly looking for Him? Are we looking for God to be our gift giver, our wish granter? Or are we building a relationship with our Heavenly Father and asking for things that line up with His perfect will for our lives?
Faith is a very important fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is also one of the nine Spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:9). Faith is something God has given a measure of to everyone (Romans 12:3). What will you do with your fruit? Allow God to prune you and watch that fruit grow. I am growing in faith every single day. And the closer I walk with Jesus the more faith I have. How has your faith grown? Who can you share your faith with this weekend?
I pray that you all have a safe, wonderful weekend. Happy Father's Day to those who are daddies. My father is present with the Lord, but I have a terrific father-in-law and my husband is a wonderful father to our children. And no matter if your dad is alive, absent, gone, or whatever, all of us Christians have a wonderful Heavenly Father to be thankful for and love on this Father's Day and every day! He is so worthy of glory, honor, praise, and worship!
I hope you have enjoyed today's blog post. I pray that something I have shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way! God bless you!!
~Bridgett Owens
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