Do you put much time into Facebook? What about your Faithbook posts? Yes, Faithbook exists! The posts will look like part of Hebrews. When God opens His books at the end of time, it won’t be a ‘short list’ like Hebrews 11. All acts of faith are recorded for reward because, ‘Without faith it is impossible to please Him. We must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that seek Him,’ (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith is tested daily in the real world. Today’s news reported a significant decrease in overall charitable contributions in 2013. Surprised? Our economy has depressed the most generous people in history! But is God bigger than the economy? The Sunday-School-answer is, ‘Yes.’ Do our checkbooks agree?
Today a note from a friend encouraged me to have faith and pray more. That’s good advice and I appreciated it. But a faith based ministry isn’t just about one person. It’s about the prayers & faith of many people. And God has rewarded that greatly.
One of my own faith stories illustrates the need for 2014. It’s a Christmas story and I hope it encourages/challenges you.
Our church choir had a Saturday dress rehearsal for the annual Christmas pageant. During rehearsal, thieves broke into the choir room. They took two purses. One of them belonged to a recently widowed mother (Janice). The family was not well off and the husband’s death made things worse. Janice had planned to do her Christmas shopping right after rehearsal. The money to do it was in her purse. She was devastated. We all were.
It’s another story, but our circumstances were as dire as hers. I had $155.00 to get a family of 7 to the next pay day. Groceries needed to be bought. Faithbook will show obedience to God’s call to give when it was difficult & made no earthly sense. We gave $100.00 to Janice. Others also helped.
We’d been praying about our own needs, and
that evening those prayers were answered. I could have gone back to Janice and helped her out. That would have been a gift from what I could ‘see,’ but not an act of faith as it had been that morning.
Test: Economy says you can’t support this ministry no matter how it’s being blessed. God says…? Pray about it, really! That’s the answer that matters.
Soli Deo Gloria!
