Faithing

Have you ever wondered about faith, ..... doubted that you had it, ......wished you had more?

Few things are more misunderstood than faith.

Yet, ..... few things ...... are more important. (Pause)

One day, a young disciple of Christ desiring to fully receive all that God had for him ......visited the home of an elderly Christian.

He had heard that this old man had never lost his first love for Christ ....... over all the years.

The elderly man was sitting on the porch with his dog taking in a beautiful sunset. The young man (Slow) posed this question:

"Why is it sir ....... that so many Christians zealously chase after God during the first year or two after their conversion, ....... but then fall into a complacent ritual of church once or twice a week...... and they end up not looking any different ......than their neighbors ......who aren't even Christians?

I have heard you are not like that.

The old man smiled and replied,......."Let me tell you a story:

One day I was sitting here quietly...... in the sun with my dog.

Suddenly a large white rabbit ran across the field .....in front of us.

Well, .....my dog jumped up, ......and took off after that big white rabbit.

He chased the rabbit over the hills...... with a passion.

Soon, ......other dogs joined him, ...... attracted by his barking.

What a sight it was, ......as the pack of dogs ran barking across the creeks, .....up stony embankments .......and through thickets and thorns!

Gradually, however, .......one by one, ...... the other dogs dropped out of the pursuit,...... discouraged by the course .......and frustrated ...... by the chase.

Only my dog ..... continued to hotly pursue .....the white rabbit."

"In that story, young man, .......lies the answer .....to your question."

The young man sat in confused silence.

Finally, he said,..... "Sir, I don't understand.

What is the connection between a rabbit chase ..... and the quest for God?"

"You fail to understand," answered the well-seasoned old man, ...... "because you failed to ask ..... the obvious question. (Pause)

Why didn't the other dogs .....continue in the chase?

And the answer to that question is ....... they had not seen the rabbit. (Pause)

Beloved ...... unless you see the prize,...... the chase is just .... too difficult.

You will lack the faith, .....the passion ...... the determination to keep up the chase." (Pause)

Faith is a common denominator.

Every one alive ..... daily expresses faith in something.

No one can live a single day ..... without exercising faith.

When you awoke and went into the bathroom this morning ..... you flipped a light switch..... and you had faith ...... that it would work.

When you enter your car...... you turn the key .....and have faith ..... that it will start.

When you mail a letter you have faith the postal system will get it to the right address. ...... At least Someday!

Every time you walk into a building you are expressing faith ..... faith in in the architect and the workmen.

In each instance ..... there was an action.

You flipped a switch,..... you turn a key, ....you mail a letter,...... you walked into a building. (Pause)

I am sure many of you have heard of the great tightrope walker,...... Blondin.

He was one of the greatest tightrope walkers of all time, ......and there are many legends told ......of the feats he performed.

One of the most often told stories of Blondin .....concerns his crossing over the Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

He reportedly did that several times.

At some point he turned to his large audience, ......which included numerous reporters from various newspapers, and he asked them,

"How many believe I can walk across this tightrope over the Falls .....pushing a wheelbarrow?"

People cheered loudly ......they were sure the great Blondin .....could do it.

Then he asked, ......."How many believe I can push a wheelbarrow across the tightrope with a man sitting in it?"

Again, there was a loud response.

Blondin then pointed to one of the most enthusiastic men in the audience, and said, ....."Okay, you ...... get into the wheelbarrow."

Needless to say, .....the man made a quick exit.

Blondin demonstrated that there is often a great difference between belief,..... the faith we SAY we have, ....and the action faith .....we really have.

The measure of our faith is NOT our "talk" ..... it is our "walk".

Faith is what we do.

It is not what ......we say we will do.

(CHAIR Illustration) I believe this Chair will hold my weight (step on chair) but this is Faith..... that it will hold my weight

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You see, .....faith is never something .....just to be talked about.

It is something that must be demonstrated .....in the way we live. (Pause)