Your Measure of Faith

Questioning Our Faith

Daily, we are exposed to a world of diversity...a world driven by the pursuit of power, material things and pleasure. We must function within a social conglomerate that meshes people from various backgrounds and cultures, whose morals and values may differ from our own. The pressure of this conglomerate, added to the responsibilities of family and work, compounded by the technology that orchestrates our lives, can be overwhelming and confusing, causing us to weaken and sometimes question our faith. As a result, we begin to use other people, things and standards in the world as a gauge to measure our lives, our self-worth and our faith. Comparing our lives to others, may bring doubt that God exists; if He has all power; or if we are worthy of His blessings. Our doubts and fears deprive us of the power of His Holy Spirit within us, for it is portioned to us by our measure of faith.

Human Sacrifices

The  darkness that lives amongst us has an insatiable appetite.  It feeds on greed, selfishness, violence and immorality that is conceived in the hearts of men.  In the face of darkness, the morality of society digresses, in order to meet the demands of its hunger.   The darkness creates an illusion of progress and prosperity, freedom and power.  Society is distracted by its endless creativity and heightened pleasure, as well as social problems resulting from moral decay.  While millions fall asleep under the spell of worldly pleasure, they are shackled, chained and enslaved to darkness.  The hungrier the darkness becomes, the more society digresses, until moral decay is beyond extraction.

In order to maintain this overindulgent appetite, society chooses to make human sacrifices.  The old, the poor, weak and sick, minorities and even children are obvious casualties in order to feed its appetite for the sin of the world, but no one is exempt. People become dehumanized.  They become numbers within a system of statistics that determine their status and well-being.  These  facts and figures become guidelines to value and devalue lives, according to their perceived impact upon society.  Desire outweighs need and sets the standards for individuals and families. A society which promotes material wealth, pride and vanity will lead people to seek relationships  based on self-gratification which revolve around what others can do for them, instead of what they can do for others. 

America, is not the only nation who feeds the darkness and sacrifices her children.  She is not alone in her malevolent attitude, nor do the roots of darkness reach only to her shores.  The hungry darkness searches for the rotting corpses of sin throughout the world.  Those who point a finger need only look around them.  If they are not casting the light and love of God, then they are covered in darkness.  Where there are hardened hearts, there is no light, and no place for them in the Kingdom.  Those who do not seek the Kingdom of God, are lovers of the world.  If they are lovers of the world, then they are lovers of darkness and a prisoner to sin.

Some say sin and darkness are the reality of the world. There is nothing we can do.  However, it is a reality created out of fear and pride, comprised of many false layers.  Peel away the layers of equations and data and remove the quagmire of self-gratification strangling relationships, then move beyond the superficial layers of material wealth and want, and find the inescapable reality that the world fears.  It is the reality of the immeasurable unknown, which can only be met with immeasurable faith in God.  Faith that trust God to take care of the past, present and future.  Faith that lives beyond fear.  Faith that lives in God's Truth and Light, for when you accept God's truth, there is no need to create your own false truth that leaves you in darkness.

Measuring Up 

Often, we find ourselves changing in order to please the world.  Sometimes, we may become depressed because we can not meet either our own or others' expectations.  Like Job's companions, other Christians may question our faith because we do not meet their idea of being blessed and faithful to God.  Faith can not be measured by material wealth, status or earthly pleasure.  Faith has a greater reward.  God will open the doors of the Kingdom and give you life everlasting.  Faith reaps the fruits of the Holy Spirit and brings joy more precious than gold.

The adversary always wants to put doubt in our mind as to whether or not we are measuring up to being children of God.  Often, this causes people to set unrealistic and unattainable goals for themselves.  Most people believe they must fix themselves or "get right" before pursuing a relationship with God and other believers.  Many religions and doctrine teach that there are stages, steps, procedures and goals one must meet to achieve a higher state of mind or spirit.  They may lead us to believe that our relationship with God is contingent upon completing these steps. As people observe or come into contact with those who claim to be believers, they may feel inferior and not worthy or capable of being like them .  Some may even be deterred by the behavior or treatment they receive. 
 

Your Measure of Faith

 

The world will tell us that we are hopeless and of no value,  but we are always important to God.  God always wants a relationship with us, even when we feel we are at our worst.  We are made perfect through Him.  Only God can complete the work He has begun.  Our relationship with Him is based on our faith. 

 

We repeat our mistakes over and over again, not because we do not meet the world's standards, but because we need to have faith and trust God more.  Our knowledge of the Word of God and our prayers often lack faith.  We hear the Word but do not receive it into our hearts.  Our pride tells us not to surrender all.  Then, our lack of faith allows us to be led into trials and temptations, leaving our prayers unanswered.  We may believe we are trapped on an endless treadmill, when there is always the option to get off by increasing our faith in God. 

 

You can not measure faith of a Christian by whether or not they attend church regularly.  There may be those who know little or nothing about the Bible, but have more faith that God is able to change their life because they have heard and truly believed.  Who are we to try and squash their faith by telling them that we know more about God and the Bible then they do?  Be encouraged that God's love embraces all who seek Him in spirit and in truth.  Jesus longs to increase His flock and reward our faith.

 

God does not want to withhold anything from us.  We prevent Him from giving to us because of our rejection and rebellion through disobedience and lack of faith.  We are left to wander in the wilderness to grow in faith because we refuse to surrender all to God.  Faith does not come with age.  We are told to come to God with the heart of a child because it is natural for children to place faith in those who care for them. God has given us the spirit of His Son.  If we abide in Christ, He will keep us from sin as well as perfect and reward our faith.