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Faith
(A Venture NOT a Vision)
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And as they that bare the ark were come unto
Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of
the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
That the waters which came down from above
stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside
Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt
sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
(Josh 3:15-16)
Faith is a venture – not just a vision. The
priests had to step forward and put their feet in the water, BEFORE the Lord
stepped in to do his part. If they had stood on the bank and just “believed” it
would never have happened.
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man
say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? (James 2:14)
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:17)
By faith Abel OFFERED …
By faith Noah … PREPARED
By faith Abraham …WENT OUT …
By faith Abraham …SOJOURNED…
By faith Moses …REFUSED and …CHOSE…
By faith Moses FORSOOK Egypt …
By faith they PASSED THROUGH THE RED SEA…
By faith the harlot Rahab …RECEIVED the spies…
By faith others SUBDUED KINGDOMS, WROUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS, OBTAINED PROMISES,
STOPPED THE MOUTHS OF LIONS
…and on and on we could go quoting Scripture to prove the fact that faith DOES
something. Passive faith is not effectual faith. Passive faith is not saving
faith. Passive faith is dead faith. If something is dead it may not suffer, but
neither does it feel anything else. Passive faith doesn’t accomplish anything,
it doesn’t receive anything, it doesn’t move anything, and it doesn’t obtain
anything. Only faith that steps out and walks forward
Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)
Faith doesn’t always lead us to safety, health,
comfort, and victory as far as this life is concerned. Therefore, those things
must not be a consideration in exercising faith. Faith can also lead you to the
martyr’s stake or to the fiery furnace to die. Faith turns loose of everything
and trusts God completely. Hebrews 11, the same chapter that told us about those
we just mentioned, also tells us of where true faith led others. Listen to this:
… and others were tortured, not accepting
deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
And others had trial of cruel mockings and
scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they
wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained a good report
through faith, received not the promise: (Heb 11:36-39)
The same faith that
subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, and stopped the mouths of lions led
others to cruel mockings, imprisonment, and some were slain with the sword.
Faith puts one foot in front of another and wades in no matter what the cost
- it doesn’t leave you standing on the bank dreaming about it. True faith
marches forward – it does not linger in indecision and uncertainty. Fear does
not stop it. It may march us right into a great victory, or it may march us
right into something that appears to be a disaster at the time, and true faith
may even march us straight to our own death.
Faith is the victory that overcometh the world, (1 John 5:4) but faith is not a
formula for earthly success. It is not a means to obtain our desires in this
life. Faith is not a guarantee from God that we are going to get what we want
and have all the answers for every bad thing that happens to us and to others.
We must keep in mind that these people mentioned in Hebrews 11 overcame the
world, but it cost some of them their very life. True faith doesn’t come cheap,
the cost of truly letting God be all in all is high.
Therefore, most people redefine faith in such a way that they can sit on the
bank and watch the river flow by and wait for God to do something. When God
doesn’t move they are puzzled about why he doesn’t honor their faith. They never
dare to stick their foot in the water for fear of failure and the possible
suffering it might bring them. There is an impossibility directly in their path
and they refuse to go forward until God removes the obstacle for them. Their
idea of faith is to not take a step until God steps first, but that is exactly
the opposite of true faith. They will step out only when they are guaranteed
success without suffering, pain, and loss. What a distorted concept of faith in
God!
While the cost of following God in faith is high, the cost of staying behind is
even higher. When Joshua and the children of Israel crossed the Jordan that day
there were some who didn’t want to cross over and live on the other side. They
were satisfied where they were, so they settled down and raised their families
there. When Jesus crossed the sea to the country of the Gadarenes in Mark 5 He
found the descendants of those people raising hogs and one of them living in the
tombs, full of devils, cutting himself and crying night and day. They traded the
land of milk and honey for mud and devils and stinking hogs. When your faith is
a simply a vision and not a venture it will affect your family and everyone else
your life ever touches for generations.
All through the years I have watched people exercise faith that is nothing more
than dreaming. They dream about what great things God can do, but they never put
their foot in the water. They visit mission fields and dream about it for a
while and then go back to their tent on the desert side of Jordan and criticize
those who do step in. They look out on the fields white unto harvest and dream
about the possibilities of rescuing lost sinners from lives of destruction. But
if there is a chance of failure they won't step in, but say “we will wait on the
Lord.” If it is going to cost everything (rather, if it is going to cost
ANYTHING) they will go back to the tent and stay there. They imagine that they
still have faith and that it is as good as anyone else’s faith. They excuse
themselves by believing that they aren’t “called” to that kind of work. They
have the kind of faith that makes them feel superior to those who are willing to
risk it all and cast off into the deep with God. Some of those people FAIL,
according to these who possess this passive faith. Why, when someone fails that
is undeniable proof that God wasn’t in it and they did it “in the flesh,” or so
they think. Thanks be to God, there is coming a point in time when “…every one
of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom 14:12) Those who stay on the
shore and risk nothing and claim their faith is superior will get to explain it
to those who were scourged, tortured, mocked, slain with the sword, and sawn
asunder for exercising their faith.
True faith sees beyond the present and realizes
that what appears to be failure and defeat here is really just seeds sown that
will bring a harvest later on. Faithless, short-sighted people who only have
hope in this world don’t see that far. The history of Christianity is full of
this truth. Many are the missionaries who perished on some island or in some
jungle without winning a single soul or making any apparent headway for the
kingdom of God. But their sacrifice of themselves in obedience to their faith is
what opened the way for those who followed after who DID take back ground from
the kingdom of darkness.
True faith MUST be tried! What kind of faith is it that never experiences
failure and loss? Faith is only true, saving, effectual faith when it survives
the impossible. When all the circumstances, and all human reasoning, and all the
evidence says you are a fool for continuing to trust God – that is when faith is
revealed for what it really is. Real faith abides – it goes on. It doesn’t wax
and wan with the circumstances and feelings. It doesn’t sit still and dream
about it – it gets up and steps forward, even if it costs everything.
Passive faith says, “I believe it! Every word of God is true.
Well I know He hath not spoken what He cannot, will not, do.
He hath bidden me, ‘Go forward!’ but a closed-up way I see,
When the waters are divided, soon in Canaan’s land I’ll be.
Lo! I hear His voice commanding, ‘Rise and walk: take up they bed’;
And, ‘Stretch forth thy withered member!’ which for so long has been dead.
When I am a little stronger, them, I know I’ll surely stand:
When there comes a thrill of healing, I will use with ease my other hand.
Yes, I know that ‘God is able’ and full willing all to do:
I believe that every promise, sometime, will to me come true.”
Active faith says, “I believe it! And the promise now I take,
Knowing well, as I receive it, God, each promise, real will make.
So I step into the waters, finding there an open way;
Onward press, the land possessing; nothing can my progress stay.
Yea, I rise at His commanding, walk straightway, and joyfully:
This, my hand so sadly shriveled, as I reach, restored shall be.
What beyond His faithful promise, would I wish or do I need?
Looking not for ‘signs or wonders,’ I’ll no contradiction heed.
Well I know that ‘God is able,’ and full willing all to do.
I believe that every promise, at this moment can come true.”
Passive faith but praises in the light,
When sun doth shine.
Active faith will praise in darkest night –
Which faith is thine?
Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)
Mike Miller
02/22/2008
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