Faith Step

Faith Step by Gene Poore When we accept Christ as our personal savior, a new world opens. As a new Christian, we learn Christians “Walk by faith, not by sight. . . .” (2COR 5:7). When Christians walk with God, each step becomes a faith-step. When Christians pray to God, we pray without doubting. Expecting an answer to each prayer reflects a step in faith. Yet, praying carries out half a faith step. We cannot ask God to do something and then sit, awaiting results. What if a farmer prayed for bumper crops, but instead of sowing seed, the farmer rocked away planting time on his porch. Later, when the farmer checked his unplowed ground for profitable results, how much produce would the granger harvest? What if a cleric prayed for inspiration for Sunday’s Sermon, and then lounged in front of the television from Monday through Saturday night? How many saved or unsaved souls would hear a Spirit-filled salvation message on the Lord’s Day? Although God does the heavy work, even simple prayers need personal action to bring fruition. Taking a faith step toward a prayer’s goal obeys scripture. Jesus commanded a faith step for His miracles. Jesus required a faith step to complete His miracles. When changing water into wine, Jesus told the servants, “Fill the waterpots with water.” (JOH 2:7). After the servants took that faith step preparing for the miracle, Jesus completed the miracle. When Jesus “Anointed the eyes of the blind man . . .” with clay and spittle, Jesus completed His part of the miracle. Jesus then directed the blind man to take a step in faith. “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. . . .” (JOH 9:6-7). After the sightless man went and washed, he returned no longer blind. What if the blind man had not taken that step in faith? Was the blind man’s faith step not his part of the miracle? How many prayers remain unanswered because we prayed but never took the faith step to “fill the waterpots,” or “went and washed?” During one of the Lord’s greatest miracles, Jesus told those at Lazarus’ grave, “Take ye away the stone.” (JOH 11:39). Why? Could not the Son of God, who walked on water and stilled the stormy sea, move a single boulder with a single word? Christians know Jesus could. However, Christians also know Jesus wanted those present to take a faith step. Lazarus’ resurrection offers a powerful sermon for each soul who raises barriers between their heart and Christ. Each soul must respond to Jesus’ command, “Take ye away the stone.” A positive response will be a soul-saving faith step.