Friday, February 19, 2010

Ark Building Faith: Part Deux

After I wrote the preceding blog I had several thoughts jump into my mind. I'm sure you know I am a woman who muses over things by now. Anyway, I was thinking about the ark. It was built to the specific directive of Father God. He told Noah what type of wood to use, the dimensions, number of stories, windows and openings, etc. He told him to gather the animals in pairs of male and female of each species on the earth and to have areas prepared for them in the ark. He told Noah to bring food for his family and the animals and to bring extra animals for sacrifice. Now, God told him all this, but Noah was still operating by faith. As I wrote before, there had never been rain or a flood on the earth. Noah had no idea of the number of animals or the species and would have had to have help in getting them gathered for the boat ride. It took years for the ark to be built and I'm sure there were many difficult times and seasons during the building of the vessel that would keep them safe and get them to their new life. Father God's directions were so specific and perfect for the situation that later ships were built using the same ratio of dimensions to keep them afloat with the least danger of capsizing or sinking. But, it was all through obedience and faith on Noah's part that his family was saved.

When we operate out of that same obedience and faith to Abba Father's instructions, we are in the process of building a vessel that will be able to ride out the floods and rains in our lives. Our vessel (life) has been given with specific criteria to help us come through those floods victoriously! It normally takes years and can be an unfamiliar journey of walking in faith that what God has said He will do and how He says to do it will come to pass even when we don't see it. Faith! When we build our lives based on faith in the Word of God, our vessel is sound for the journey and less likely to capsize or sink when the flood levels rise! What an awesome thing! God pre-designed us to walk by faith and when we do, we please Him and are blessed with assurance in His plan! Don't you just love our extraordinary Father?!!!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Ark Faith

What is faith? Sure, I know the biblical definition that "faith is being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we don't see it" but, what is faith? I've been told that it is like sitting in a chair and believing the chair will hold me up, but is that really what faith is? I believe faith is bigger than a chair that holds me up. Noah built the ark under the directive of God when there had never been rain on the earth. He faced ridicule and rejection and yet, kept building until the ark was complete and the animals inside. Funny thing was, the rain didn't start immediately once they were all in. Did Noah or his family question his God during that wait? Probably some did. I'm sure those on the outside were laughing and mocking for a time. But then, the rain started and didn't stop and the laughing and mocking became cries and pleas for entrance to the ark. Noah and his family were saved because he knew God's word concerning the coming event was true even though he had never seen rain before. Faith.

The entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a recounting of many men and women of the Bible who chose to operate on a faith account rather than a visual one. Hebrews 12:1 states that we have been surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means! It is not trusting a chair to hold you up! It is heavy-duty, all encompassing trust that Abba Father is bigger than circumstances, bigger than reports, bigger than enemies, bigger than death and bigger than knowledge.

As I walk through my current circumstances, I'm having to walk in faith. Have I had doubts and fears to deal with? Sure, I have. I am choosing to walk into the unknown with the All-Knowing One. Would it be easier to do it my way and get a quick "fix" to my circumstances. Probably would be, but then I would miss out on the wonderful reward of knowing I have trusted God to do what He has said He will do. I can't please Him if I walk only in what I can see - I have to have faith! Sixty is not the age, in the natural realm, to be "starting over", but it is the age in the spirtual realm that I believe will produce the greatest life I have ever had - by faith! Many of my family and friends are having rough times in the current economic climate and are being faced with an uncertain future. What's going to happen and when are big questions in many hearts. We have to settle who and what we are going to believe. Are we going to believe there are "giants in the land' or are we going to believe that Abba Father has led or allowed us to reach this place in our lives so He can prove Himself mighty on our behalf and bring good for us out of the circumstances? What's it going to be? Faith or fear? Life or death? I encourage us all to choose faith and in choosing faith we will experience abundant life in God's favor and blessing! I love you! Be blessed today.