Little Faith
Most born again believers fall into the category of having "little faith". We believe that God is who He says He is and that He has ALL POWER.
The problem is never with God, but rather in our inability to generate "great faith" in order to get the job done.
Matthew 6:25-34 KJV
(25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
(26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?(27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
(28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
(29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
(30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
• A lack of faith will have us worrying about what are we going to eat, what are we going to drink, where we are going to get our clothes from, how are we going to pay the rent, how am I going to pay my car note etc... God promises to meet our needs, but we still have to believe for it, otherwise we will be consumed with worry. Worry is a direct result of not having enough faith.
Matthew 8:23-27 KJV
(23) And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
(24) And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
(25) And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
(26) And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
(27) But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
• Jesus was sleeping through this terrible storm. The disciples probably would have perished, but for the fact that Jesus was with them. The disciples didn't have enough faith to get them out of this situation mainly because they had no idea they had commanding authority, just like Jesus. The law of faith will work every time. Faith and fear cannot abide in the same space.
Matthew 14:22-33 KJV
(22) And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
(23) And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
(24) But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
(25) And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
(26) And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
(27) But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
(28) And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
(29) And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
(30) But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
(31) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
(32) And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
(33) Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
• Faith must be sustained and expanded. Jesus told Peter that he had little faith although he had just walked on water. We also see the absoluteness of the law of faith. The second Peter doubted, the second the law of faith was negated.
Matthew 16:5-12 KJV
(5) And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
(6) Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
(7) And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
(8) Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
(9) Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
(10) Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
(11) How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
(12) Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
• The disciples forgot all about the power of God. Jesus told them they didn't understand and they didn't remember how God is able to meet the needs of people. Their thinking had slipped back into the natural. They were faithlessly looking for the answer in the natural realm.
• Having little faith will have us wondering how we are going to make ends meet.
Matthew 6:25-34 KJV
(25) Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
(26) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
(27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
(28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
(29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
(30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
• Life consists of so much more than the physical realm. Yet, we spend the majority of our time looking for just about everything in the physical realm.
• Faith helps us to lead worry free lives as we depend on God and his unlimited provisions.
Mark 9:14-24 KJV
(14) And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
(15) And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
(16) And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
(17) And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
(18) And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
(19) He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
(20) And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
(21) And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
(22) And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
(23) Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
(24) And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
• Jesus called them a "faithless generation" meaning the disciples didn't have enough faith to cast out this dumb spirit. Even though they "thought they did!"
Edward E. Hill