# 9b – When We Can’t Find Faith (Part 2 of 2)

3) Faith to recognize God’s answer

photo credit: Dean Williams 2012

In fact, I felt like my mother! I felt hunched like she had been. I felt I had her white hair, her facial creases, and her tired smile. So convinced was I that I anxiously glanced around the empty room. Mom, if your senior-citizen friends were to walk in here right now, would they say to me, ‘Ana, what are you doing here’?

Peace descended. Fear left. My body quieted. Joyfully, I hunkered down—so happy that God chose to answer this particularly strange prayer of mine.

When I came to, I felt like myself again.

I was surprised to see my aunt sitting next to my bed. Unexpectedly, a tear rolled down my face, which prompted her to ask, “How’re you doing? You okay?” This aunt and my mom were very close sisters-in-law. I responded that I was okay and thanked her for coming.

After she left, my heart beamed a silent prayer of gratitude to God for this extra special gesture on his part because in a strange way, mom had visited me twice: first, literally, as spirit-wind and then second, figuratively, in the flesh as aunty (Matt. 11:9, 10, 14 - John the Baptist as Elijah).

What is faith? For me faith is the proof of things I cannot see; the reality of what I hoped for and took hold of, during my time of need (Heb. 11:1).

 

Faith is accepting the proof and the reality when they appear in whatever form God chooses to package it.

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Scriptures from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV).

 

# 9a – When We Can’t Find Faith (Part 1 of 2)

3) Faith to recognize God’s answer

photo credit: Dean Williams 2012

It was the morning of my surgery for cancer. This time, it was a second go-round. This time, it was two different cancers in the same location. This time, all the prayers leading up to surgery seemed to lose their power. All I could feel was fear! Why weren’t the prayers from the fellowship working? Immediately, I looked to God.

Meanwhile, my body suffered its own earthquakes as I continued to shake on that hospital bed. The shaking wouldn’t stop. What’s wrong? I can’t be that scared, right Lord? The hospital assistant saw how “cold” I was and kindly brought me a blanket and hot pad for my feet. I guess I am scared, Lord.

“It’s almost our time to go up,” he said as his finger pointed in that direction. I hoped he wasn’t being prophetic. He left me alone for a little bit. Good! I needed more time to find the faith that up to now seemed to elude me.

“Lord,” I prayed, “if you are willing, please send my mother to visit me”. Although mom had passed months earlier, I remembered that God was the God of the living, not of the dead (Matt. 22:32). And, since mom was a Christian, I knew she was not dead, just sleeping (Matt. 9:24).

Suddenly, I felt a “wind” blow into my body (John 3:8). I looked around to see where the “wind” had come from and realized that I was looking around my hospital room through my mother’s eyes!

 

(When We Can’t Find Faith…continues in Part 2 of 2).

 Scriptures from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV).

 

# 8 – The Plan, the Provision, and Works of Faith

2) Help others do the works of faith

photo credit: Dean Williams 2012

God decided to wipe out all corrupt flesh (Gen. 6:12, 13). Yet, God’s grace made provision for one righteous man, Noah. Once God did this, Noah became a participant in the plan, not a bystander. Thus, Noah had to work out his salvation with works of faith—called ark-building.

But what if Noah had decided to just “have faith” in God’s provision, and did nothing that the works of faith required?? Would his bystander-mentality still have saved him and his family? Or, would God have let him perish, along with his dead faith? Doesn’t Scripture say that faith without works is dead, being alone (James 2:17)?

The last days’ catastrophic events are to once again purge the earth of corrupt flesh. Have we bothered to do our own ark-building? For example, have we grown in grace*, cast off the works of darkness*, put on Christ*, and been diligent to be found of God in peace—without spot—and blameless*? These are works of faith. If we believe for the rapture, yet have done nothing of the works of faith to prepare ourselves for it, then our faith is dead.

Moreover, if we do nothing to work out our precious salvation, nor accompany our faith with works to inherit the promises, we are lazy believers (Heb. 6:1-12)! God has yet to retract or change his plan for lazy fools. Ready or not, even Jesus will not open the door for fools when the time comes (Matt. 25:1-12).

Like Father, like Son.

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*2 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 13:12; Rom. 13:14; 2 Pet. 3:14, respectively - Scriptures from The King James Version of the bible.