EXERCISING YOUR FAITH

"I will remember that faith, like muscle, must be exercised in order to grow strong. In other words, there must be the occasion, or provocation, of faith. Most of the time my natural inclination is to escape this provocation. But I must put on the right kind of glasses and see provocation, not as a disaster, but as an opportunity for God to work.
(prov·o·ca·tion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (prv-kshn)n.
The act of provoking or inciting.
Something that provokes.)

Miracles occur when there is a tremendous voltage between need and supply. That is like the positive and negative particles that cause a thunderstorm. If I am to see God work dramatically, I must bring an acute need face to face with God's supercharged supply. The need is always there as long as sin and man exist, but the missing element is the intensified power of supply. That is where God seeks a conductor, a man of faith, like Moses, Elijah, or the Lord Jesus. Wherever they went they were natural 'lightning rods' that drew the power from God.

I also must remember that faith decays from lack of stimulus. Quite often I have 'little faith' simply because I have had little opportunity to exercise it. Faith grows by being challenged. If my life is so so average, I do not need to pray for more faith, but for more problems, difficulties, and challenges. That means courage to dare, to launch out, to expose myself to the pains, hurts, and heartaches of this world.

A person without faith is admitting he has no concern for others, for we cannot long spiritually for others without becoming aware of deep, sore, bleeding wounds. By means of our faith those wounds can be healed, and God is waiting for believers! How I long to be like Abraham, who was 'strong in faith, giving glory to God!' (Romans 4:20) That is it -- to be strong enough so that the result is always glory!"from DAILY WITH THE KING, published by MOODY PRESS

"By faith Moses . . . refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin." (Hebrews 11:24-25)

Good words to ponder today.