Our faith is like a muscle. We each have this muscle and over time it either becomes stronger or weaker. I continue to press on with trying to keep my faith muscle as strong and as in shape as I can be. I listen to preachers teach the word of God, I attend church as much as I possible can, I visit other churches and learn through their systems and leaders and how refreshing to get anothers heart for God, as well as reading as much as I can get my hands on - but more importantly - I am in the mess of peoples lives and doing life with them and not just standing on the corner yelling at them. I also take time and I admit I need more time to do this - of down time. One on one time alone with Christ. You may be thinking dang dude, you are busy how to you do all this? Yes I am busy but I cant afford not to make time for Christ. I can't look at my family and properly lead them, I cant look my son and wife in the eyes and know they have my whole heart, I cant lead the students in my life, I cant be that fatherly figure to "mykids" the way God has called me - IF I DONT LOVE GOD FIRST ABOVE All THINGS.
Matthew 22: Shares with us the greatest commandment as the Pharisees question Jesus and try to trick him into saying something that would swerve their agenda over his. Jesus handles it perfectly when he says:
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, "Love your neighbor as yourself".

As I do life with so many people it becomes increasingly difficult to have enough faith at times for all to lean on. I heard Pastor Furtick say a few weeks ago, Sometimes we need someone elses faith until we can stand on our own. - That still rings in my ears and pressures my heart today. This past weekend as I reflect back on my walks on the beach and my time spent with Kyle - we left foot prints in the sand. They are only temporary and in time the wind and the waves will wash the evidence away as if we were not even there. I think about all the seeds I am sowing and the lasting impressions of Christ I am leaving behind for others. I am no more spiritual than anyone around me - I think in some ways I am just a little more hungry than they are. I seek wisdom from God and not myself. I don't want to go somewhere where God is not and it takes work to be able to do that. It takes time spent in Gods word, Speaking God word not only in what you say but in what you do - thus Doing Gods word.
Those 3 things make it Faith ~ ALIVE.
Hearing Gods word initiates our faith. Speaking Gods word activates our faith. Doing Gods word demonstrates our faith.
A lot of people get the information in Gods word but no real transformation happens because we don't do anything with it.
I am guilty of this as well but I see it every single day where students for example claim to shining for Christ but are no different than the people around them in their classes and in their school. They don't stand out in any way what so ever other than the fact they go to church on Sundays, sometimes, and maybe attend a Wed night service with their friends. Jesus hung out with sinners, bad people, worst of the worst - not so that he can boast about them but to transform them to preach the Good News through their transformed lives. We cannot surround ourselves with people like us, who looks like us, who we are comfortable with, who believe like us, who live in the same social scene as we do - sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone and be in a place in our hearts that hurt for people. No matter their background or where they are in life.
I think for many reasons, that is why I love going to the Center of Hope at the Salvation Army in Charlotte. It gives us a chance to extend grace to these hurting folks. Christ would have been there and so should we. We need to rise up loved ones and work to Hear Gods word, Speak Gods word and DO Gods word in our lives. God has to do something in us before He can do something through us. That change begins by filling our hearts with the things of Him and letting go those material worldly things that keep our faith where it rests today.
Are you planting seeds in the lives of the people around you for Christ? Are you just going through the motions, going to school, doing enough to get by, doing 8-5 in your job or sitting on the couch in the evenings instead of leading and engaging in your family?
There is SO much more going on that what we see. Sad that far too many of us are feared to step up and step out.
If you will commit to a life of consistently hearing, speaking and doing Gods word, your faith will start to swell and your spirit will gain size incrementally but also substantially.
Mature your faith ... and as Peter did in Matthew 14 - get out of the boat because of your faith.

Lonnie~