I trust you are enjoying this fall weather as much as Phyllis and I are. There’s not much we enjoy more than sitting on our front porch, enjoying the cooler weather, watching the trees change color, and fellowshipping with the Lord together. If you’re not enjoying moments like these, I encourage you to make a special effort to do so. Admiring God’s beautiful creation facilitates the peace and joy that God has promised us. 

This past month, I committed to ministering on the fundamentals of faith at our home church, and it has been so refreshing. Just like the cooler weather brings refreshing to our physical and mental well-being, digging into the depths of faith, that which I first sank my spiritual teeth into, is so refreshing. It affects our spirit, soul, and body!

Many years ago, Phyllis and I went on a mission trip to Europe with some ministry friends. We got adjoining rooms at the hotel where we stayed, but before we got there, we had been to the store to purchase snacks. After checking in, they took the basket of snacks to their room and told us to come over whenever we wanted something.

After a little while, I got hungry, so I opened my door to go into their room, but their door was still closed. I had to knock to get them to open their door to me so I could go in and get the snacks. 

In the same way, we have adjoining rooms with God. God’s door is called grace, and it was opened 2,000 years ago. Our door, however, is called faith, which is required to receive all God’s promises. 

Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Through this door of grace, He provided everything we could possibly need for this life and the one to come. He has a plethora of “snacks” and benefits–exceeding great and precious promises available to you and me. 

When you hear the word, “promise,” you may think of something in the future, but that’s inaccurate where God’s promises are concerned. His promises were made and fulfilled when Jesus went to the cross and rose up victoriously. Everyone who existed before that moment looked forward to the future for promises to be fulfilled. However, you and I look back to that time; that’s when the promises became ours because that’s when we became the seed of Abraham. 

Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Though the door of grace was opened 2,000 years ago, my door of faith must be open today because it is an ingredient in this equation that only works NOW. If I’m not in the “now” with my faith, though the blessings are still there and available to me, God can’t do anything more for me because He did it all already. 

Have you heard the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink?” Regardless of how thirsty that horse gets, you won’t be able to make him drink. In the same way, you can’t make someone do anything, nor can God make you do anything. God has given us the information and knowledge we need through His Word, and the more knowledge we have of the Father and the Lord Jesus, the greater our faith grows. 

Throughout the Word of God, we see that faith is quantifiable by the moments Jesus called out great faith, weak faith, little faith, and strong faith. Do you remember the time Jesus and Peter walked on the water? Have you or anyone else you have known ever walked on water? In my personal surveys throughout decades of ministry, I have never heard of anyone walking on water other than Jesus and Peter. To me, that is a remarkable feat, and one that most people would think took great faith to do. However, notice Jesus’ and Peter’s dialogue in this moment.

Matthew 14:28-31, “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, “Come.” And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, “Lord, save me.” And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

Regardless of Peter doing what only one other person had ever done, Jesus called him out for his “little” faith. Why is that? Because the magnitude of the miracle was not determined by the magnitude of faith. 

Peter’s response to the simple word, “Come” facilitated that phenomenal miracle. Unfortunately, he got distracted and turned his eyes to the circumstances around him, which is why Jesus called him out for little faith. How often do we do the same thing? We step out based on the pure and sincere Word of God and then get distracted by what our physical eyes communicate to us. 

Though being called out for little faith was probably not an enjoyable moment for Peter, I have great respect for him because his work for the kingdom of God far outweighs any of his weak moments. Let’s learn from this “little faith” moment by keeping our eyes focused where they belong and keeping our ears “hearing and hearing” the Word of God. This is how pure and solid Bible faith grows stronger, and in the days we live, we need our faith stronger than ever.

I invite you to continue building your faith, regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey. Take the opportunity to watch our recent series, Fundamentals of Faith, on our YouTube channel. Thank you for your love and partnership with this ministry. Phyllis and I appreciate you so very much.