Risky Faith PLEASE READ ITS ENTIRETY I HAVE A REQUEST FOR PRAYER AT THE END. Matthew 9:20-22 The Message (MSG) 20-22 Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can just put a finger on his robe, I’ll get well.” Jesus turned—caught her at it. Then he reassured her: “Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you’re well.” The woman was well from then on. Continuing thoughts on Faith. I love how this paraphrase, rights this portion of scripture, it not only lept off the page, but immediately sent me into journey of memories. Since taking a step of faith to become a missionary, no income, no hope of income, no place to live, had to sell and get out of dodge, etc. My faith has grown, however, in 2003, with Family issues, 2007 the start of the Academy, 2009 Four MAJOR crisis hit, this faith building has exploded. What exactly is Risky Faith. My personal definition would be High Risk, High Reward. Am I speaking about for me, not in the sense of so many that maybe thinking that Tom believes in Prosperity Doctrine, I dont at all. Risky Faith would be if God doesnt come through, Im gonna go splat. I know today, there is a major call to a Live Dead initiative, which is to go to the people groups of our world and be willing to die. I agree their should be these efforts without a doubt. We should be funding the sending of these people. However, Christ commended this women, for many of us, it would appear that she got down on her knees and crawled to Jesus just for the shot of touching his garment, and she had faith to believe that if she did she would be healed. So much faith, were the consequences yes, very many especially culturally, she was unclean, she was not to be in the city, she was not to be around people, never would she come close to a Rabbi, of which, Jesus was considered in some communities. She could have been put to death for her actions back in the day. High Risk, High Reward. Today, I believe that is what happens when a person may drive for miles to attend a special meeting, and they have faith and God heals them. I would say that the level of risk cannot be defined by anyone but the person exhibiting that risk. Many of us, might judge the level of risk ourselves, but we dont know what battle is raging within the heart of the seeker, or the level of hurt, loss, anger, pain, who am I to judge. Faith is Risky. I dont believe for a second, that God looks down and condemns our Faith, he determines the value of the outcome. Let me give you a for instance. In 2003, my immediate family went through our first REALLY large crisis. When it began, I began praying for God to intervene. By the end of the first month of the crisis, I was beside myself of why my prayers werent being answered and often asked for permission to take care of it myself, if I had, I would be in jail today. 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, a year and a half later, God stepped in and worked the miracle. Had God taken care of the issue within days, I would NOT have become the man I am today. The Faith in the midst of journey was exactly what He was building in me. So today, when we have students in the academy if I had not gone through what I went through then, today, I would be flustered by the lack of immediate change in situations in the lives of the students that God has granted me Pastoral Care over. I would be frantic trying to fix..... High Risk for Tom has been opening our doors, and purchasing a house, and loving young men and women with Reckless abandon, not looking at the outward appearance, but looking at their hearts, and knowing with investment, and never giving up on, and investing Faith. God will raise up men and women in Oregon that will see the outcome of 315,000 teenagers and equally as many children being given the opportunity to know Christ. How large is my Faith, not large enough yet, cause in the quietness of my time with Christ, and only in the presence of God do I express my lack thereof. So this morning I say God build my Faith. For Who? Who are my High Risk, High Reward efforts toward. My Family (Dalleen, Jessica, Samantha, Oscar, Jon, Krista, my Dad, my siblings), My students (Tyler Tyler Hayes, Aj Griffin, Kyle Brandon Alison, Bri Van Veldhuizen, and Kristin Sizemore, also the potential students for next year), my City (Albany), My State (Oregon) o how my heart pleads for Oregon, my country (USA), my World. My Hope, My Faith is in nothing else other than Jesus. High Risk....as it were, Im on the ground scratching and clawing to get to the hem of His garment. I know, the scratching and clawing doesnt matter, what matters is this, I am a tool for Him to use, I say God use me, to what end, Faith for kids of Oregon, all of them.....What am I risking, all that I am......Today, Ive again, poured my heart out, not so you can say Tom is great, PLEASE DONT. I did this to again, slow your life down and ask yourself this question. Where is my Risky Faith? Do I have any? I dont normally ask for prayer, but my heart is heavy for one of my students: This week in a conversation, it became clear that they do NOT believe at all that anyone loves them. I dont believe that it was a ploy for Drama, but they seriously believed this fact. There risky faith is to believe that many love them, and only want to see the best in their life. I dont understand that type of Risky Faith, it does not compute at all, that one could believe that no one loves them. So please pray for this young one (20+ years old), my heart is heavy and broken for them today. Be blessed.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Apr 2014 16:30:30 +0000
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