Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday November 15, 2007

Most people of achievement, those who believe and use their time, talent and treasure to bring about progress are people of faith. Nothing that will increase profit in business or in life can come about without some exercise of faith. Paul writes in Hebrews 11:6

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

The opposite of faith is fear and fear is a disabler, an emotion that can save your life, but one that must always be weighed reasonably and spiritually.

We are living in times that merely point out the truth of our essential need for faith to be operative in our daily lives and not just a word we mouth on Sunday morning. Faith is simply, though often with difficulty going forth with courage and confidence as the scriptures implore. Often the courage and faith of one man, woman or group trickles down to the those who are cowering, paralyzed by fear.

Shakespeare said it well in Measure for Measure: "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt."

Joyce and I were talking about what study Bibles refer to as the Parable of the Talents, a story in which three men are entrusted with a certain amount of money and in time the Lord asks each what have you gained with the talent. One had gained a considerable amount, another a modest amount and still another had only the original amount. Well the Lord had a fit with the third man because he hid the money under that mattress. Joyce said he was afraid what with gas costing $4.00 per gallon and the president of Iran acting up, it was best to be bearish. Jesus taught that faith in the sewing principle in order to reap is more powerful than $4:00 a gallon gas. Solomon, the wisest man of all time hit this principle hard:

Ecclesiastes 11:4 "He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap."

A man asked me one time, "Larry, what if I exercise faith and this project doesn't work out?" Simple, when a project suffers crop failure the Lord is teaching you some lessons. Learn to ask questions about why the crop failed and if there is anything you should do different when you plant the next crop. We often suffer what we call failure because we did not ask for advice from those who have reaped successfully. We act goofy and get all of our advice from those who have consistently failed.

If you are thinking of a step of faith, keep Shakespeare's words in mind as they are based on biblical truth, "Our doubts are traitors."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

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