April 27, 2023 Long Distance Faith
Standing in the pulpit, presiding at the 77th anniversary of Royal Light Church of Deliverance in Tillery, N. C. last Sunday afternoon was one of the greatest honors of my life. The theme for the service was, “Standing on the Promises of God.”
I reflected mentally upon my roots in that church that was initially pastored by my grandfather, its founder. There, I heard the word of God, accepted Christ, and was first taught about faith—faith that now allows me to “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord” (Prov. 3:5 AMPC).
“Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt me?’” (Matthew 14:31 NLT).
Long Distance Faith
The only light we saw outside our old farmhouse in the Slashes Lowlands at night when I was a small child was from the moon and stars. Nights were dark and we did not venture outside without taking a kerosene lantern or flashlight when we could afford one for fear of stepping on snakes or encountering other unfriendly nocturnal animals. Still, I was never afraid of walking through the darkness when my dad was with me. I had faith that he could handle anything or anyone.
The words written above in red were spoken by Jesus to Peter, as you well know, one night when the disciples had been battling a storm in a little boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. It was pitch black and dark! Clouds had blocked out the light of the moon and the stars. The boat was surrounded by angry winds and billowing waves. Around 3:00 a.m., they became even more afraid when they saw what they thought was an apparition walking on the water toward them. But when Jesus made himself known to them, Peter’s faith spurred him to get out of the boat and walk on the water toward Jesus—for a little while. He had enough faith in Jesus to get started and take a few steps, but not enough to go the distance.
Our faith is often strong when we begin a project, encounter trouble, or when we first get sick. But if it takes too long to complete the project or we don’t get healed right away, our eyes of faith, our confidence in Him, and our willingness to stand on the promises of God often become weak, or we begin to rely on our own insights. Peter had enough faith to start walking on water toward Jesus, but when he saw how much water there was between him and Jesus, he began sinking beneath the water.
We please God only by having and demonstrating faith in him. In so doing, like Peter walking on the water, we are elevated above our troubles. But when we lose faith along the way because the way is too long, and allow doubt to take over, we suddenly begin to sink and drown in our troubles.
God wants us to have enough faith to go the distance! Finish the project! Trust Him with your healing! Trust Him with your troubles! Do not take a few steps and start sinking. Go the distance! Get it done! God will be pleased, and you will be greatly rewarded for your faith in him.
At the end of the service at Royal Light, a young man and a young woman came to the altar in response to an invitation to receive Christ into their lives. As I prayed with them and welcomed them into the family of Jesus, I was reminded that it was the altar of the same church where I had accepted a similar invitation at the tender age of eight. It was where my faith in God began, the faith that brought me through spinal stenosis and a slipped disc last year, the faith that has sustained me through many tests and trials over the many decades since I first believed. Thank God for long-distance faith!
Focus Quote: “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”