Faith is ever growing, and God is giving me the stepping stones to getting to the faith he wants for all of us. Speaking to Him through prayer has been hard for me, I've never been really good at talking to people aloud, so one of my friends suggested I write to Him, it was my way of telling him everything. But We're not here about that today! Today we are here to talk about trust and faith.
As Christians we are called to trust the Lord with everything we have and everything we are, to believe He can do anything and that He will do what is for our best. It's hard to remember God holds so much power in his hands, the power to do ANYTHING! more then we could possibly ever imagine. I have kept my prayers short and simple, thinking I couldn't ask for much else, but God can do the impossible, He can make any prayer I have come true in the most unexpected and glorious way possible. Recently I read the book Sinner by Ted Dekker while reading Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtrick (Which I will do a review on later)
But reading Sinner brought my eyes opened to a brand new world that's very much like ours, frighteningly so. In the book the first amendment, the freedom of speech, is altered! So that speaking outside of the church about your religion is considered Hate Speech, and therefore against the law. But what really got me was this one old lady near the end of the book, Holly, though was under the influence of a great power, still held strong
"The woman was trembling head to foot, as were five others, hands to their mouths, without being able to fully comprehend where the extreme emotion was coming from. Without realizing it, they were facing more then the simple fear of the National Guard
"they're coming for you" Darcy said "You're all terrified for good reason, and you're going to demand that Johnny take you out of here" She gave them a gentle smile and stopped ten feet from them "Aren't you?"
"Leave?" One of them asked. A thin brute.
"Yes leave this valley"
"No" Said Holly. She was crying earnestly now "No, you don't understand, we can't leave"
Darcy blinked "Oh? but you will leave"
A moment of silent stalemate
"No!" The woman screamed 'No, you can't make me leave. I will not be silenced! I will not deny the love of my Christ! Take my head, take my home, take my husband, but you won't take my heart!"
Darcy was too stunned to reply. The woman was resisting her? Her brain scrambled for reasoning. Surely she could find and act on the morsel of doubt in this woman's mind. That sliver of fear.
That spot that resented God, even.
"You've betrayed Christ before" She said
"Yes!" The woman's hands flew to her face and she wept bitterly. "Yes! And I can't betray him again. Never!""
An expert from Sinner by Ted Dekker
After reading this one little scene I saw a glimpse of the strong faith that was more common in biblical times. It was the strong faith that I wanted in myself. I prayed to God, not in written letters, but in my heart and soul, for the faith Holly had even when slapped with the fact that she had betrayed Christ before. I feel He is giving me what I asked for, strengthening my faith with new tests, and though some of them have been very hard I more then happy with how I am becoming stronger through Christ.
Here's just a little verse I read that thought fit one of the characters, Black, in the story very well.
"He will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them" 2 Thessalonians 2:10
Another very interesting thing about the story of Sinner is the chapter of the bible Ted Dekker drew inspiration from Matthew 24. After reading that one chapter I saw what Dekker was trying to show us in his story. Jesus' love cannot be silenced. I will continue to speak of the love Christ offers to all his children, we shouldn't wait to speak up when it becomes a problem, our time to speak is now. Share the love you have been given, we don't know the day Christ will return, but every second on this earth counts for something. Don't wait too long, don't be silenced, and don't be discouraged. The Lord is with you and with Him all things are possible
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