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.