"Where Is Your Faith?"

"Where Is Your Faith?"

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!" Luke 8:22-25

Jesus called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, Simon,  Judas , and Judas Iscariot. And in their presence He taught a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and healed them of their diseases and torments from unclean spirits.  The bible records:

And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. Luke 6:19

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.  And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.  When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."  Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."  So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.  Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."  And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region. Luke 7:11-17

Jesus not only healed all who came to him but raised the only son of a widow from the dead and presented him back to his mother. He demonstrated that God had visited His people. So when the disciples obeyed the command of Jesus to cross over to the other side of the lake and a windstorm came down on the lake, filling them with water, causing them to be in jeopardy He was surprised at their reaction. He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a great calm.  Then He said to them, "Where is your faith?"

The disciples had seen that when all those who were sick with various diseases were brought to Jesus He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them and with authority and power commanded the unclean spirits, and they came out. So how come their faith was so limited in not believing that a vessel with Jesus in it could not sink no matter what storm came against them?  Hadn’t they seen Jesus produced a net breaking boat sinking load of fish? The bible records:

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the Word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,  and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;  and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Luke 5:1-11

Obedience by Peter to Jesus command in spite of His protest "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net" resulted in their catching a great number of fish so that their net was breaking. As a result they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Yet in spite of all this, the disciples went into panic when their boat was filling up with water?  This is something that all of God’s people do, they forget so quickly God’s great miracle working power when they run into a storm in life.

It’s very easy for men to forget and not believe that God’s great love, care, concern and miracle working power for them is unchanging. But for the righteous, the name of the Lord is still a strong tower and the righteous can run into it and be safe! They can also use the name of the Lord to still the storms and to speak to them just like Jesus did for He told them:

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. Matthew 21:21-22

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-14

But if we willfully disobey the Word of God and do things that are contrary to the Word of God then we cannot expect a positive miracle from God.  And yes God will give us a miracle for our disobedience but it probably will be a negative one for not all of God’s signs and wonders and works are edifying. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

That they may set their hope in God,  And not forget the works of God,  But keep His commandments;  And may not be like their fathers,  A stubborn and rebellious generation,  A generation that did not set its heart aright,  And whose spirit was not faithful to God. The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle. They did not keep the covenant of God;  They refused to walk in His law, And forgot His works  And His wonders that He had shown them.  Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers,  In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.  He divided the sea and caused them to pass through;  And He made the waters stand up like a heap.  In the daytime also He led them with the cloud,  And all the night with a light of fire.  He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.  He also brought streams out of the rock,  And caused waters to run down like rivers. But they sinned even more against Him  By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.  And they tested God in their heart  By asking for the food of their fancy.  Yes, they spoke against God:  They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?  Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out,  And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?" Psalm 78:7-20

The wrath of God came against them, And slew the stoutest of them,  And struck down the choice men of Israel. Psalm 78:31

Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion states that for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction.  Automatically the judgments of God will come upon those who choose to be stubborn and rebellious for God’s word is unchanging:

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; Deuteronomy 30:19

Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.  "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,  nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Matthew 4:25-32

The Word of God is clear that the choice between life and death, and blessing and cursing belongs to us. God who loves us will not override our right to choose and impose blessings on us even though it would be for our own good. And the Devil can’t put death and cursing on us unless we permit it by choosing death and cursing by our own free will. But when we disobey the Word of God we open the door to the enemy to come in and wreak havoc in our lives! God’s word is unchanging:

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. "Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation." Matthew 12:43-45

I have heard many preachers talk about how seven is a perfect number in the bible and all the significance of this number.  So why did Jesus choose the number seven when He talked about unclean spirits?   The rejection of light doesn't give more light but rather darkness and similarly the rejection of truth gives more lies. Unfortunately we by our own choices and actions determine where we will be blessed or cursed in the current time of life as Jesus promised:

"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  Matthew 13:12

God who is no respecter of persons and shows partiality to no one and especially evil and wicked ones takes away things from people who don’t have much in the first place. Jesus said to his murders and their supporter and friends who reaped what they sowed in 70 A.D. that they should weep for themselves. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  "For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'  "Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' "For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?" Luke 23:26-31

"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, '  These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. "Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. "And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. "I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. Revelation 2:18-23

WALTER KAMBULOW

VICTORY MINISTRIES