Faith

---

Faith: Living Or Dead?
© 2006
by

Stephen A. Peterson


I recently did research about Oklahoma and learned that it has more than 10,000 lakes to rival the states of Minnesota and Florida that boast their numbers. This fact would hardly be significant except that every surface lake in Oklahoma is man-made! A fact that the majority of Oklahoma do not know let along people throughout the United States. Likewise, when one travels throughout the state, they will note that many of Oklahoma rivers are full of dust or mud. They look more like rocky or unused roads rather than sources of water. When it does rain during the summer months a very thin trickle of water may be observed. It is only when the spring and early fall rains come do these riverbeds behave like the rivers they are said to be.

At times, I find many Christians are like Oklahoma lakes and rivers. That is, they are artificial as the lakes and empty much of the time of their sustaining and living waters needed by Christians and the nation as a whole. Like the lakes, many Christians are artificial (nominal—Christians only in name). Nothing they do reflect Christianity or Christian principles. They are seen at church on Sunday but once service is over so is their Christianity. Like Superman they become adulterers/fornicator, supporters of abortion, homosexuality, use pornography, cheat on their taxes to name a few anti-Christian activities. They do not pray nor do they read their Bibles.

Many other Christians are like the riverbeds—dried or hardly any water. At times, they are dried up for days even weeks at a time. When members of the Body of Christ need an ear or empathy for low point in their lives, barely a trickle of water flows from them to help or assist a person in need.

Now at times, only sometimes, do such Christians feel the urge to quench the thirst of a spiritually and socially stressed and depressed world. If they do get involved, this generally occurs when they are challenged by another, more enthusiastic Christian or they are threatened and are merely responding to a threat to the traditional religious belief, traditions and behaviors they are accustomed to.

Lakes nor do rivers provide these systems with water. They can only prepare themselves to hold and move water (Daily Prayer/Biblical reading). Every Christian, at times, behave in an artificial manner and becomes as dry as an Oklahoma riverbed and need the thirst quenching life of prayer, the Good News and the Body of Christ to be renewed. Once renewed to respond as a Christian—that is, to provide the living waters of faith to every man, woman and child.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE