Faith… The final Frontier…

"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. " Matthew 17:20

Being a "Trekkie" I couldn't resist the title of this blog, It just kind of flowed forth easily since “faith” rhymed with "space", Initially it was meant only as a humorous and catchy title but, the more I thought about it, the more truth I realized there is to this!! Isn't our FAITH pivotal in SO many ways, in so many areas on so many levels? Spiritually speaking that is. I think that maybe faith IS the final frontier in our Journey to know God. Once we truly "get" and understand what Jesus is saying in this regard, I think we actually will be able to go where few men have gone before!! 

For example, let's start with the verse I quoted above, does anyone besides me have trouble with this verse?? I mean, really. I can see how my faith could be considered a bit on the low side on a scale of 1 to 10, but surely it is bigger than a "mustard seed"!! But, why then am I not seeing "mountains" move when I pray?? What am I missing here??

The other day when I was listening to the gospels again I heard Jesus say "Have faith in God,.." (Mark 11:22), and I thought, "Hmmm... Where IS my faith and what is it IN?" You know how you can hear and say things for years and not REALLY get it? I think this is one of those times for me. I realized that what I really needed to do is re-evaluate my faith in GOD! That seems to be a very important factor here. Isn't that what Jesus said? Have faith in God? When I thought about having faith and what I tend to have faith IN I realized that I tended to put my faith in MY ability to do things! Looking at the mountain and trying really hard to muster up the faith and believe that it would move (full body flexing and grunting visual here). I had faith in “my efforts" to do things just right and believing that "I" could do it... (whatever "It" was). My faith was in making the thing happen, saying the right words, and believing that God would give ME the ability to do it. Once again, my flesh has taken over and tried to make this about "ME". And yet again, another area that I have taken my eyes off of God and onto myself and I didn't even realize it!!

So, as I continued listening to the gospels I decided to insert "in God" after every time Jesus said "have faith" and, for me, it really did make a difference as to the meaning of what He said! Taking the focus off of the "thing" and onto God. For example, let's take the mustard seed scripture again. He starts off saying "… you have so little faith [in God]. I tell you the truth, if you have faith [in God] as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20. Now, didn’t that change how you looked at that scripture?

Here are a couple more examples:

“Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith [in God] and do not doubt [God], not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.” Matthew 21:21. Doesn’t that “feel” different?? Before, my eyes were on the fig tree and the mountain, now my eyes are on GOD!

“He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith [in God]?" Mark 4:40 ...Ouch.

“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith [in God] even in Israel." Luke 7:9. Now, inserting “in God” in this one has a HUGE impact! He is saying that he has not found anyone in Israel with greater faith in God than a Roman Centurion!! Wow!! Before, just using the word “faith” didn’t seem to have as much of an impact as faith “in God”…!

“But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith [in God] may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."  Luke 22:32. Again, this seems to have a much deeper meaning to me and impact for Peter.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12. Here is speaks it plainly, faith in “ME”, God in the flesh. And we will do what HE has been doing... Not what WE want to do.

So, what exactly does having “faith in God” mean? Tom and I have talked about this many times and we have come to the conclusion that it means; TRUSTING that God is GOOD and that what He says and does is GOOD. And that He will do what He says He will do. No matter what things look or feel like. When we take our eyes off of the mountain, fig tree and our circumstances and place them on God, trusting that all He does is good, HIS will is our main focus and concern and not ours. 

Jesus prayed that we would become “one” with God like He was (John 17:11) and He said many times that He ONLY did what His Father in Heaven told Him to do. He never did his OWN will, but only the Fathers will. So, when we are “one” with God, and we are doing HIS will and not ours, and HE wants that mountain to be moved, guess what. That mountain will move!! Because it is God that is moving it, not us.

The mistake I have made over and over again is thinking God would give ME the power to do MY will!! For example I can say, “God, I have faith, and believe with all my heart, that you will give me 10 thousand dollars because it will help me and I can do great things in Your name with it!” If God does not give it to me I am left wondering what happened. In my mind I had the faith and truly believed in my heart that He would do this! But what I actually had faith in was my desires and the money, and not God. “I” wanted the money and wanted God to want me to have it too… But, that was not God’s will for me. If my eyes are on God, I will be more focused on what HIS will is for me, not mine. And that applies to so many of our circumstances whether it be financial, emotional, physical, relational or spiritual. Are my eyes on those things or on God and His will for me? One of my favorite Oswald-ism's fits here; "Am I looking for the blessings of God, or am I looking for GOD who has the blessings?"

As I was searching for scriptures on faith I found these that confirm what I am saying. These are from the apostles in the early church:

“So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” Acts 27:25. Paul believed GOD would do what he said He would do and that was, that the lives of all who sailed with him would be spared. And it happened just as God said it would.

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”  Romans 3:22

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”  Galatians 3:26

“Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”  1 Peter 1:21

Again, I certainly haven’t figured this all out, and I may be on the caboose of this revelation, but I do feel like I am getting closer to that final frontier than I was before. What is my faith IN? Is it in what “I can do”, or do I have faith in my “faith”, or even better yet, is my faith in a promise of God, or is my faith in GOD Himself?

Father, I thank you for showing me the error of what my faith has been in. Help me to continue to grow in my relationship with You so that I can be one with you as Jesus was one and only desire Your will and not mine. Help me to trust in You more and more every day.