The wonder of Faith

The scriptures have a lot to say about faith.  Hebrews 11:6 "It is impossible to please God without faith."  Romans 10:17 "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ."  A father of a demon possessed son told Jesus "I believe but help me to overcome my unbelief".  The concern that I have for many Christians today is that they have lost the wonder of faith.  Their belief system has exterior markings of faith but their inward attitude is more concerned about fulfilling their churches rituals and traditions.  When God begin to speak to Abraham is was all about the simple faith of trusting God and obeying.  There was not all the trappings of religious organizations during Abraham's time who make religion a life to practice rituals rather then a life to be lived by faith in trusting God for all aspects of their life.  Abraham is consider by the Jews as the father of faith yet during the time of Jesus the religious leaders had hundreds of rules to follow and the wonder of faith was being lost.  Jesus came to save that which is lost.  In the process of the life of Jesus, He worked miracles and the wonder of faith in many was being restored.  The importance of faith cannot be minimized because God does not respond to ritual or sacrifice but to faith.  "The Jesus said, "Did I not tell you if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"  John 11:40.  Jesus did not ask Martha and Mary to go through any kind of religious ritual or practice but to believe, to have faith in Him.  Even today we have some faith teachers that have developed some kind of process or methods to receive from God but it has been and always will be about faith.  Do I believe God?  Do I trust that God has my best interest in mind?  Do I have faith the size of a mustard seed?  That is the question before us today.  I have noticed that when people lose the wonder of faith they also seem to lose the awe and wonder of God.  They begin to make a god of their own imagination rather then to trust in the God of the Bible.  God created the heavens and the earth and all that is within them.  Yet this all powerful God who spoke the worlds into existence wants to have a relationship with me on a personal basis.  This mystery is something I do not understand but I accept it by faith, this wonder of faith that the sovereign all powerful God hears me when I pray, responds to my prayers and who changes me into the image of His Son is the wonder of Faith.  Let us never make our Christian Faith into a set of rules made up by men, let us never lose the wonder of faith for the sake of pacifying ourselves by going through a church ritual but let us everyday stand in awe of our loving God who wants us to trust Him and take Him at His Word.  Let us believe that God has given us great and wonderful promises that He wants to respond to us if we will just have faith that He is the rewarder of those earnestly seek Him.  May the God of all power and love restore the wonder of Faith to His church.

Pastor John