How strong is your faith in God?

Is it strong enough to cause others to think? Consider these words:

Donald Barnhouse was preaching in a church where the pastor’s wife was scheduled to have a baby. One evening the service began without the pastor. Everyone assumed the pastor was at the hospital with his dear wife.

Barnhouse was about halfway through the message when the pastor entered the church. All of the people smiled at the pastor in the belief that all was well. The pastor, though, did not return the smile.

The service was soon finished. The pastor asked to speak with Barnhouse in private. The two of them went to a quiet room and shut the door.

 The pastor then blurted out, “My wife has given birth to a mongoloid child. She doesn’t know yet and I don’t know how to tell her.”

 Barnhouse said, “God has a purpose in this for you and your wife. God has given you this child to love. Tell her that God has blessed us with a mongoloid child and remind her of how much God loves all of you at this time.”

 The pastor hurried back to the hospital and talked with his wife. It was hard for them to understand, but they put the matter in the hands of the Lord.

 The pastor and his wife did not know this, but the switchboard operator was close enough that she listened to their conversation. This woman was an outspoken critic of the Bible and Christianity. Yet the faith of this pastor and his wife astonished her. All of this started her to thinking about her own soul.

 On the following Sunday that operator along with seventy nurses attended the pastor’s church. When the pastor gave the invitation, more than two dozen of those hospital workers came forward and received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!

Bottom line: Real faith WILL BE seen by others and will often affect others, sometimes even bringing them to Christ for salvation. That is why Peter instructed those with unsaved husbands, “They may be won to Christ by the behavior (faith on display) of the wives” (1 Peter 3:1). Never underestimate the power of your faith in God! After all, your faith is not in YOUR faith but it is in YOUR God and YOUR God moves mountains through faith! O, may your faith shine this week to all that God brings your way!!!

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. Mark 11:22 NIV

Tom Swartzwelder was born again at the age of nine in an old-fashioned revival meeting. Tom received his B.A. from Tennessee Temple University and his M. Div from Luther Rice Seminary. He has pastored for nearly forty years in both bi-vocational and full-time roles. He provides practical how-to-do-ministry resources for the disciples of Jesus Christ at http://www.godsgreenhouse.net. Tom’s latest book is “God Speaks–Today!”