"The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' [Jesus] replied, 'If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea," and it will obey you.'" - Luke 17:5-6
So a new week is starting, and everyone is looking for an extra boost to start the week off right. In today's Bible verses, the apostles believe that such an extra boost will be found in a faith boost.
They're right.
But notice what that means.
Notice what it means for God to give and for us to receive a faith boost to start the week off right. Jesus is basically saying that God is eager to answer the request to boost our faith so we can start the week off right. The question is are we ready to receive it.
Jesus says that receiving the faith that God is eager to give is directly tied to speaking with faith in the power and authority that comes with being a Christ-one, i.e. a Christian. Speaking with faith is tied to receiving the faith because speaking in Christ's power is a faith proposition. I mean, who in the world would talk to a mulberry tree, saying, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea"? Only a fool.
Or a Christian.
Who would be crazy enough to speak God's word when you know it's going to get you flogged (prophet Jeremiah), ridiculed (prophet Ezekiel), burned at the stake (John Hus in 1415), excommunicated and outlawed (Martin Luther in 1521), imprisoned (St. Paul), stoned to death (Stephen in Acts 7:59), or crucified (Jesus Christ)?
Only a fool.
Or a person who wants to live out of more than their own strength. A person who wants to live out of the strength of the Living and Almighty God.
No unbeliever is ever going to speak God's word. Why? Because speaking God's word is a faith proposition.
Every believer, though, must speak God's word. Why? (Same reason that an unbeliever won't!) Because speaking God's word is a faith proposition.
Come on, trust Jesus, and you can do this. In fact, it's still a faith proposition if we all do this together. Let's all do together what my brother, Ben DeGreen, Jr., does every day. Each day he sends a text to selected folks with a simple greeting and a simple Bible verse. Here's an example:
"I thought you'd enjoy this verse: Exodus 14:14 - The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Let's all ask God for whom we should cut and paste that greeting and verse into a text or email, and send it to them. Sure, they might do what some people have done with me with this daily devotion, namely, reply to you, telling you, well, very unkind things. That's what makes it a faith proposition in that somebody might reject not only your text with a Bible verse, but they might also reject you!
But the vast majority of humanity is looking for an extra boost to start the week off right. When you send them a simple text like the suggestion above, then they will get the extra boost they need.
And so will you!
Put your faith in Jesus, send the text, and see!
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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