Give Me Faith....

My title is the title of a sermon series from Steven Furtick at Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. It is a series that addresses what I feel every Christian struggles with. Is my faith strong enough? Is my faith real? Is my faith something that can withstand the fire? For me lately, I have been in a lull where I am just going day to day and have not really had the umph that I would like in my walk. Of course it is self induced, but more importantly I have chosen to bow to the idols in my life that is brought on by the "music" surrounding me. In Daniel 3:13-30 it is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The king, I'll call him King Neb, has issued a decree that when the music is heard all will bow and worship the 90ft idol that he has constructed. As the story goes on we see that the three men do not bow down and that the consequence of this is to be thrown into a firey furnace. This was a direct result of their "disobedience" to this earthly king, authority, decree, accepted way of life. And because of this their faith was tested. The scripture goes onto say with their response they stated three things: 1. They did not recognize the enemy by name. They did not give respect to the force behind this issue. 2. They did not have to defend their faith. This was not their job to put time and energy into doing so. Thier actions spoke for themselves. 3. They had an attitude about their faith that stated that even if the Lord didn't deliever them they would not bow because they had their convictions of only serving the one true God. I know for me recently that the trials of my faith have been a refining fire. I, unlike the three guys, have a little smoky flavor. But I know that I have not been consumed. This is for me to grow and for my faith to go to the next level. We need to know that EVERY trial is an opportunity for us to be refined. And just as they were delivered from the flames so too will we be, because Christ is with us in those times. "Look!! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth, looks like a son of the gods." God is always with us. We just need to know that the trials in our life aren't meant to burn us but rather refine us.