Faith In Prayer

The section on importunity was really good (in "Mighty Prevailing Prayer"), but I'll have to come back to that. I need to write about faith . . .

God knew that I needed to read this book. He is SO good to me! :0) You see, God asked me to believe Him for some things . . . And then the testing came and, by His grace, I stood firm. But then the testing doubled and tripled . . . and . I . wavered. Aargh. I didn't want to! I know that God can do anything, and I know that He keeps His promises, He CANNOT lie. . . . But did I hear Him right?? Did He REALLY say what I think He said??

"How often we are double-minded in our praying. We believe that God can answer our prayer. Obviously we have some hope that He will answer it, or we would not pray. But oh, how often we do not really expect God to answer . . . If we are totally honest, however, we would admit we do not feel sure that God will answer the need for which we pray."

From what I see in scripture, to doubt God is to contend with Him and to judge Him unfaithful. Jesus often rebuked "little faith", which worries about the provision of food and clothes, and is afraid when it sees the storm.

Hebrews tells us that we are to live.by.faith and that we cannot please God without faith. But what is faith? Is it believing that God can do anything? According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is a lot more than that. Faith is the CONFIDENCE, the assurance, of things HOPED FOR, and the PERSUASION, the conviction, of things NOT SEEN. In other words, faith is seeing what you can't see with your physical eyes. Being convinced of His ability AND His desire to do something. And it means keeping your eyes on Him for all you're worth.

"Doubt, anxiety, fear, and worry focus primarily on circumstances, but faith focuses primarily on God . . . Faith is not blind to the needs. Faith faces reality but sees reality as measured by God, not as measured by man . . . Faith is God-conscious, God-focused, and God-believing . . . Faith is highly specific. It claims definite answers from God . . . It believes for God's answer for the need before you."

Lord, no more doubt. I want YOUR kind of faith. Real faith.

PS ~ 30 more chapters . . . ;0)