Faith bag, do you have one?

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Today I will be looking at faith in a Christian life which is most often challenged by fear, doubt and worry. When we start our Christ like journey we start by faith and in the end it will be by faith, which mean that faith is a critical element in a Christian life. It becomes a sad reality for a Christian to question their faith, asking these questions: Do I have enough faith? Is my faith the same size as a mustard seed? Do I even have faith?

For our comfort the people who journeyed with Jesus Christ on earth asked themselves the same questions ,which means we all at times question our faith Luke 17:5-6 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”.And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Often times when we question our faith it’s when we pray for something and it does not happen or when we pray and do not receive the answer we are expecting.

What is Faith ? Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Substance is “the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists and which has a tangible, solid presence” Dictionary.com. Faith is Substance (Physical matter that can be seen, touched, smelled, tasted and heard) of something you hope for and Evidence is proof or exhibit of something not seen.

Let me introduce to you my handbag faith model : I have a handbag and I put things inside like a pen, purse, lipstick and when I need a pen I know its there.I just open my bag and take it out. So we need to have a ‘faith bag’ which can be similar to my handbag but the difference will be like your faith bag will be like your virtual card. In our faith bag we will put substance of things hoped for example like I hope for healing, the substance that I will put in my faith bag will be the word of God that speak to healing. The evidence of things not seen means I will take out of my faith bag a vision of myself doing things I couldn’t do before.

The problem we often experience is that life has been so difficult and we have been told that “easy come easy go” so many times. Simple things, like to love someone has become so difficult, because of the expectations. We have also made having faith so difficult and resorted to “Seeing is believing” One day in our church service, they asked this man to pray for something and he started tightening his fists, then changed his face and I confess I did not close my eyes , I was watching him. This man started praying by casting ,loosening and binding, it looked like a real war and I was standing there asking myself “does issues of faith have to be this hard Lord?”

When I started reading bible verses about Faith, it did not look that hard. Let’s look at the verses about faith or great faith and apply this to my faith bag model. Lets look at Luke 7:6-9
Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. Now applying the faith bag model :In the centurion faith bag what he puts in as a substance of something hoped for is Jesus word that has authority, and the evidence of things not seen that he has to take out of his faith purse was His servant doing his chores.

Mark 5:27-29,34 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. In the woman faith bag was one touch to Jesus clothes and evidence she had to take out of her faith bag was drying out of blood

This looks too simple and we are looking for difficult things. This evidence you have to see it in your mind or let me say visualise it spiritually. Lets apply this to Jesus journey on earth as He is our teacher and Role Model. Mark 4:38 – 40 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
In Jesus Faith bag was the word of his father, peace and be still and evidence in the faith bag was great calm. I don’t know what is your level of faith and you might be thinking this is too easy, why is everyone not getting what they hope for? I cannot answer that but I have my faith bag and I am seeing grace everyday and I trust this verse Jeremiah 1:12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

I hope faith bag will make you realised that you have been given a measure of faith according to Romans 12 :3 Put it in you faith bag and always cherish it

Lots of Love see you in the next episode where I will discuss my faith bag testimonies