It’s been buzzing around my head for a couple of weeks now and I listened to a talk by Pastor Steven Furtick (Elevation Church, Charlotte, USA) which re-inforced the point and has had me looping through an endless cycle that I really have got to apply immediately to stand any chance of stepping in to what God has planned for us.
It’s simple really, and pretty obvious, but we so often get it wrong.
Faith requires Action which then results in Faith.
Confused? It’s really not complex. For us to HAVE faith, we’ve got to ACT in faith which will then lead to us GROWING in faith and moving forward. Think about it. When a person takes those first steps of faith, there is an act involved – even if it’s simply raising a hand or saying a little prayer. There is an Action, which then leads to an increase of Faith… which then leads to more Actions, leading to more Faith.
We’re so busy over the next few months that moving house seems a crazy goal, and yet I firmly believe it’s what God is calling us to. It aint going to happen though, unless we get off our backsides and do things that will enable us to take the step of faith.
God can move mountains, but He may well ask for people to get behind the wheels of a JCB to achieve it. He doesn’t NEED us in order for His goals to be achieved, but how else will we grow and develop if not through the lessons we learn executing Gods pland for us?
It’s like the old joke of the man stranded on the roof of his house in a flood. A woman in a boat comes along and offers him a ride, the man replies “God will rescue me, I’m waiting on Him”. A helicopter flies by and offers to rescue him, they are given the same reply. Eventually the man drowns and when he gets to heaven he asks God “Why didn’t you save me” – to which God replies “Who do you think sent the Boat and the Helicopter?”
It’s an exciting, frightening, stressful, wonderful time at the moment and I genuinely feel Gods presence over our future – but it isn’t going to happen unless I get off my backside and get on with bringing about Gods plans.
How about you? I’m sure I’m not the only one who sometimes needs a nudge and a kick into action instead of sitting on the roof of my house.
P.S. As a friend commented – remember FAF. If you don’t put it into action you’re just faffing around 🙂
Hi Mike,
Thanks for being a part of the kick!!!
I started to write a poem re ‘Moving Mountains’…. Here is as far as I got in very raw form!!
With faith I can move a mountain
thats what the scripture says
Yes faith as small as a mustard seed
will see it on its way
I’ve sat here many hours
and bid that mountain MOVE
Alas its where its allways been…
The reality is that the mountain is the ‘stuff’ in our lives! As you say, we must take the faith we have and move, stepping out in faith and faith is increased as we see God move in our situation.
My own mountain in reality is huge! I could sit on my backside and wonder at the aches and pains, but my mountain would in reality get bigger. As I have got back into the stride of work, some of the pains have got lesser and the positive outcome of prayer is that work is pouring in and as a result, seeing dust begining to fly off the mountain.
At a time like this it would be easy to quit tithing and reduce the mountain quicker, but I believe that in honouring God with the tithe, we are blessed beyond measure. I guess that the results are work in abundance.
Last year, I was owed £5000 by a company in difficulty. I prayed one of those half serious prayers that went something like..’Well Lord, I’m owed 5 grand! if I dont get paid, you wont!’ I got home and after a couple of phone calls was told that £1000 could be bacs’d that night!!! Wow, A prayer of thanks went up Thankyou to the God of equality…10% each!!!
As for FAF….I am reminded of a talk I did on Changing our world…COW! The headings were self others society SOS an urgent plea for help! Sticking with the cow theme altered the headings to self udders society!!
Mike thanks for an inspiring and helpful blog
Baz