06/28/2026
Faith in Christ, do you desire it, do you seek it, do you accept it? Can you recognize faith in Jesus when you see it in others? From its inception faith is ethereal in nature so we can’t hold it in our hand, but when we have a touch of it within ourselves we suddenly begin to see evidence of it all around us. When we have accepted faith it can suddenly be measured. So, I ask... do you long to hold a mustard seed of faith in your hand? Or in your heart?
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
Hebrews 11:8 ESV
The great men and women of the bible all had faith... why else would they do the things they did? Why would they suffer in life for something that no man around them had ever seen? A logical man would look at someone who built a massive Arc on dry land as being deranged. A right-thinking person would listen to the story of Paul and Silas remaining in their jail cell after an earthquake had freed them, and think... “These men are crazy! What is wrong with them? They should have run!” But believing in what can’t be seen, faith, changes us and reorders the way we see the world around us. Faith allows us to recognize as substance what so many view as just a misty apparition.
“When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."”
Acts 16:27-28 ESV
So, what is it in our own spiritual life, or our faith in God’s will for us, that we see as real while others believe it to be just a Dream, or count it as the mental workings of a deranged or naive mind? Is God giving us and our offspring an inheritance that seems impossible, or telling us to prepare a means of rescue from a calamity that couldn’t possibly occur? How about giving birth when we are way past childbearing years, or asking us to erect a grand temple when we are on the verge of spiritual starvation?
The interesting thing about all of the biblical stories regarding faith is that despite the disbelievers, the belief in what each of these faithful men and women saw as real came to fruition; maybe not in the manner they anticipated but their faith did manifest itself. Abraham left his home and pitched tents as he roamed the land that God gave him, Sarah gave birth but not until she had sent her handmaiden to Abraham, David did not build the temple but his son Solomon did, Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land but wasn’t allowed to go in himself... and each of these stories builds the faith of those who follow after them. In Hebrews 11 they are called out one after another to bolster our faith in Jesus Christ... to make us see how the unseen becomes reality.
During His life, Jesus reaffirmed faith quite often. Though He is a real man, He works the miracles of faith, and facilitates the faith of those around Him in such a way that it becomes belief and thus comes to fruition... listen:
“And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."”
Mark 5:34 ESV
Or again with the leper:
“And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."”
Luke 17:19 ESV
So, what is our faith revealing to us that God would have us do? What seemingly impossible occurrence will our faith make real for us, or what outlandish quest is the Lord sending us on that only our faith will allow us to travel? Are we opening our hand instead of our heart as we look for our mustard seed of faith? Or perhaps we are afraid to look at all... because we doubt too much and are reluctant to accept it?
Live out your faith and make it real. Hear the voice of God and know that it is more than your imagination, or a misty apparition. Take what is unseen and let it become real in your life. Are you ready to open your hand and find that what was once a seed of faith in your heart has become a belief in your hand?
“He [Jesus] said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the ability to experience faith; thank you for allowing me to hope, and to see those things that are as yet unseen. Thank you Holy Father for revealing your will to me, and giving me first the faith, and then the real vision I need to carry it out. Help me Father as I do those things you ask me to do, and help me Merciful Lord when I call on you in faith for miracles in my life. Let the vapor of my faith become firm in my hand, and real in my heart, as I follow your Son Jesus Christ towards your table. Give my faith substance, give me the courage to pursue it, and strengthen me in my heart as I love you through it. You are my God, and the source of all my hope and belief. You are Holy beyond my understanding, and yet my faith is in you, and I seek you always. Give me faith, and the knowledge of those things I need to do, so that I can accomplish your will today. Turn my faith into the reality of belief and I will glorify you in them, and praise you all day long. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who is the reality of all my hopes and dreams, and Holy are you who is the seed of my faith that overcomes all doubt.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9 ESV
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Amen!
Rich Forbes