Faith as a Child

Faith as a child

What does faith as a child mean ?

When my daughter was younger she always wanted to see a turtle . I made the statement for her to pray and ask God to allow her to see one. And that is what she did. Without hesitation she prayed and said, I just know I will see one soon . That is a child with faith. She did not doubt, or argue or complain, she simply prayed, asked God and stated, “ I know I will see one soon.” Now it was not very long after that , one day we were playing ball in our yard. Our yard is completely fenced in, but yet under our hedges along the fence she yelled ,”daddy a turtle”. Of course being the great believer in God I was, I told her, no honey it can't be its just a rock laying there, and to me that's what it appeared to be. But not her, she yelled again,” that's no rock, it's moving, its a turtle, God gave me a turtle. And yes as I reached down to pick it up, sure enough a beautiful turtle. I carried it over into the grass so she could watch it closer, and she was smiling and said, “ See the turtle, God did it.”

How many times have we taught our kids God can do anything.? All we need to do is believe and trust Him in everything we do. And always pray and ask God, and He will supply and help us in all things . But here like so many, I struggled to simply accept what God did,even when I was the one instructing them to have faith . Faith as a child, is simple Trust and Belief. The Bible tells us, “All things,whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer , believing, ye shall receive.” ( Matthew 21:22) That is exactly what she did. But as we get older we tend for some reason to question and doubt and even simply refuse to accept that simple thing. The Bible also tells us,” But let him ask in faith , nothing wavering. For he that wavereth, is like the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed . For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”( James 1:6-7)

In the next verse in James 1:8 it says,” A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

I knew God could do it, but I never expected Him to, well not in that manner anyway. But again here I was suppose to be the teacher and yet here I was the one being taught. The Bible tells us ,” Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.” (Luke 18:17,Mark10:15) How can we approach God or enter into His presence and further expect to enter heaven one day with Him, when we speak words contrary to Him . God is about Faith and belief. When we tell our kids or anyone God will do this or that, and yet then in almost the same breath say, but don't get upset if He doesn't or whatever. No God does when we are lined up with His word and obeying His will.

We as born again believers in Christ, have to abide in Him and His word totally and without doubts or wavering in any manner. The Power of God is not among the people of God anymore because we have let down that standard of belief and faith that was once among us . Yes, God still delivers, He still heals, He still sets men free. He does answer prayer, and supplies every need. The fault is not with God, the problem and fault lies within us. He has not changed at all. The Bible tells us,” If you abide in me , and my word abides in you, ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” It says IT WILL be Done. That's not a maybe or might or somewhere sometime, IT WILL. Children trust and know when a parent tells them it will, it simply will, they do not question or doubt or waver, they accept, and that is faith of a child.

Now by God's command, we also are to be that child. We are to accept, have trust and belief and not question, not complain and or murmur. Just Believe . We can not enter into the kingdom of God unless we do enter as children. Children simply Believe and trust and accept. That is exactly what we are to do in all things. We are to take God at His word. And that is every word He speaks. The children of Israel complained, murmured and doubted and even after God showed them so many things they still refused to accept Him by faith. What do you mean , they were God's chosen people? Yes, they were. But look at what took place among them time and again. God kept showing them, blessing them and doing everything for them, and yet every time He instructed them to do something or accept something, they complained, murmured and then refused and rejected what He said. How many of us do that everyday, and many never realizing when we do. ?

I taught my child to believe and trust God, and yet when they did, I with my mouth gave seeds of doubt. “ But , No honey it can't be,” remember ? How often we do these things without realizing the damage and words and seeds of doubt being planted to those we speak to daily. We as children of God are to live and speak the things of God . In Ephesians 5:8 it says, “ For ye were sometimes,darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord ! Walk as children of light.” What is Light you ask ? God is the Light. 1 John 1:5 states,” God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” The Bible also tells us that ,”Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” How are we the light of the world ? By God and His word abiding in us.

But it also tells us, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only ,deceiving your own selves.

For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass : for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” ( James 1:22-24) Only by doing His word does that light of God shine through us into the darkness of the world.

But it goes so much deeper then that. We as children of God daily have to renew our mind to be like Christ our Lord. If and when we do not read and study and abide in His word and allow His spirit to abide in us, we get weak and fail. We let down, we stumble and we by our own negative words bring doubt and unbelief . And also to many people rely on man to tell them what the Bible says. They attend meetings every week in churches and temples and synagogues and yet rarely if ever read or study or even pray. But when something occurs in their life some need or tragedy they rush to ask God and then get mad when it does not go their way, or there is no answer.

We can not rely on man or some group or some organization or attending church service or temples or synagogues , No we must put all out Trust and confidence in God and Him alone . It is the Spirit of God alone that instructs and teaches us His word. “ But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you : but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lie ,and even as it hath taught you , ye shall abide in Him.” ( 1 John 2:27) Man makes mistakes and misunderstands and gets high minded and gets tangled up in pleasing people and flattering them, as the scripture above stated they waver and look in a glass and soon forget what manner of man they were, so why would you put any confidence in a man. Put all your confidence in God and His word, and if the man is speaking the word it is still the word of God you hear, not the men or women who speak it. They are mortal men, who like you are subject to failure or mistakes or sin, but God and His word, are pure and they sin not , nor fail or make mistakes. Cling to God and His word alone and be as that child who without doubt or waver accepts, trusts and knows that if God said it, it will be just as He said it would be. That friends is child like faith. “ Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” ( Ephesians 5:1)

Have faith as children by allowing the Holy Ghost ( Spirit of God) to lead and direct you through His word, in all things. Before you make any decisions, pray and ask God and believe He will answer and will instruct you on what way you are to go . And be patient and allow Him to speak to you and He will. Sometimes it's through dreams or someone will simply speak His word, or a vision, and by scripture your answer is seen. God reveals Himself to many people through many ways. He knows in what manner is best for you to accept Him. But be patient and wait , like a little child just know He will respond, but in His time . Just as my child waited and knew without doubt or question she would see the turtle, so we must have that same child like believe and faith, that we Will receive when we pray and ask according to His Word and His will.

Later on in another time she asked to see a snake, because she had never seen one of them either and I tell you I do not like snakes, but she prayed and asked to see a just a little one. And again as before, one day playing with a friend , she screamed, “ a snake there is a snake .” I ran out to find a little snake in the yard once again God answered her prayer . Simple thing, but even in simplicity or complexity, God answers prayer, if we will just believe and come to Him as a little child, by faith and trust in His word . God honors faith, be warned parents and instruct your kids on what they pray for , she wanted to see a bear, No , do not ask to see a bear , I told her , somethings , you just do not ask for , that's where my lesson was learned !!

The Bible Man