Now Faith Is

There is great wisdom in getting specific as the meme jestfully suggests. Although that is a bit humorous, it does lead into a topic many don't consider often enough, that being how to get very specific with God.

If you have ever been in a romantic relationship then you know that while big events and larger gifts can be great, it is often the smallest details that can make a world of difference. Noticing a slight change in someone's appearance or complementing your significant other on something they said or did can be very powerful. So it is with the Holy Spirit.

I have played keyboards most of my life so in 1986 (I was 16) a man of God came to minister in New Albany, Ohio. He talked with me after the meeting and mentioned that he had heard me playing and wanted to know.. and this was the quote he used.. "if God was to give you any keyboard you wanted, what would it be?" I got very religious very fast and said Well, He's God, whatever he would want me to have. "No Son", he said wagging his finger at me. "You must learn to be specific. Faith only works when it gets specific".

Nearly 20 years later in 2005 I still didn't own a keyboard but was borrowing one from a local church. I had it plugged into a worship/chat room we ran at the time and hearing me play, a random stranger sent me a message complementing me on my gift. I thanked him. He then said to me verbatim what the man of God said to me nearly two decades earlier...  "if God was to give you any keyboard you wanted, what would it be?" I figured I needed to take that more seriously this time so I instantly began to search and found what I wanted.  It was close to $1000 and I sent him over a link to it so he could see it.  He thanked me and said he would pray about buying it for me.  If you didn't know, few things are more common than a Christian saying they will pray about it instead of just saying no to something so I didn't think anything more about it.

About a week later I get a letter from Canada, opened it and it was an International Money Order for $1000 US Dollars. In the memo it had one word... "Keyboard".  I was blown away to say the least. Even in the excitement of the moment, I wasn't prepared for what the Lord said next. He slayed my pride and changed my life forever ongoing with what he said next. He said to me in His familiar gentle voice,  Mark, I have wanted to do that for you for almost 20 years now...but you would not get specific.

I was broken and from that day forward I stopped saying things like "Whatever God wants me to have" or "God will do whatever he wants to do".  It it's truly Faith, it's going to be specific.

What are you believing God for today?  Do you need a husband or a wife? If so, how old should they be? What color hair should they have? Do you need money? If so, how much? As in down to the penny, exactly how much do you need? Hebrews 11:1 says "Now, Faith Is... ".  Think about those three words before you go any further into Hebrews 11. Now, Faith Is... 

Perhaps it is time for you to take your prayers to the next level. I would suggest that God is a GOOD God and if you are waiting on Him, you are likely deceived a bit as it is far more likely that He is waiting on you to get more specific. For many, that will require you to set some goals and boundaries. For others it will mean you need to take some time and consider what it is that you really want.  Either way, it's time to narrow the focus and get specific. After all, Now, Faith Is...  :)

More Soon,

​M-

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