Search Results for: Q: what is the limit of your faith

Do you believe this? John 11:26
Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God? John 11:40

Jesus asked this question to Martha, whose brother Lazarus had died. She was devastated that Jesus hadn't arrived in time to heal her brother. Jesus told her Lazarus would rise again. She replied, "Yeah, I know at the last day…" Jesus tells her, "I AM the resurrection. Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She answers, "Lord, I believe You are the Christ."

Later they stand at the tomb and Jesus commands it to be opened. Martha protests because her brother has been dead four days now. Jesus responds, "Did I not say to you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

In Monday's post, we looked at unbelief, a willful choice to discount the evidence. With Martha, something different was going on. She was wrestling with doubt. Doubt says, "I want to believe, but…"

God isn't going to do this for me – Martha had seen Jesus heal others, knew He had raised the dead, but maybe she wasn't special enough to rate a miracle like that. Jesus was going to show her how special she really was.

This is too much – Martha admitted the stopping point of her faith: I believe You are the Christ. Or, Lord, I believe up to this point but I can't handle anymore. Jesus intended to show her what "Christ" meant.

This has never been done before – Jesus had raised hours-dead folks, but never a days-dead corpse. It was beyond what she could imagine. Jesus was going to expand her horizons.

God honors that desire to strengthen faith, and doubt marks the areas that need work. Doubt is intensely personal, as is its resolution. It is part of our growth. We can seize the opportunity to grow if we do several things:

• Identify it – In what areas do you doubt God?
• Admit it – Tell God specifically what you trust and where you waver.
• Watch for God's hand – He will address your concerns, and then challenge you to take faith steps further than you've ever gone before.

When you do, "you will see the glory of God."

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Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me? John 14:9

Philip asked for Jesus to show them the Father. After a discussion of death, and denial and departing, (in John 13) Philip needed a little reassurance from Christ. Just show us the Father. Give us some proof that this is the real deal.

We've talked about doubt and unbelief as we've looked at Jesus' questions. Philip taps into another issue that plagues us as believers- the stall tactic. Just a few chapters back, Jesus plainly says He and the Father are one. Philip knew this. But knowing it, grasping it, required action, and Philip was NOT ready for that just yet. So he stalled.

I have already answered that question
There is no more truth. There are no more answers. Jesus Christ is God, complete and undiluted. The Creator God of Genesis? Jesus. The thundering God on Sinai? Jesus. The God of wrath and judgment the prophets warned of? Jesus. The Savior and Redeemer? Jesus.

There's work to do
Jesus then follows the questions with a mind-blowing statement. You will do greater (more) works than I did. You guys are going to carry this message all over, to far more people than I got a chance to talk to in My 3 years. My earthly face-to-face ministry is ending. The rest depends on you.

You have all you need
Jesus assures them that anything they need to accomplish this mission is available to them through prayer. In addition, the Holy Spirit (Jesus again) will not just with us, but IN us.

No more stalling.