8/15/04
"Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV)
God is continually calling us into deeper and higher levels with Him. We all say we want to follow God and do His will. But how far will we follow Him? Whether you realize it or not, you may have drawn your line in the sand.
Human nature does not like change and gets uncomfortable when faced with what is unfamiliar. But to move with God and carry out His purposes, we need to continue to grow in our faith.
When God wanted to take the Israelites to the promised land, the generation that entered the wilderness remembered the former bondage and feared that their children could be subject to captivity in the new land. Despite God's promises, they were content to settle with staying in the wilderness. They drew their line in the sand.
The next generation did not experience the bondage of Egypt. But they heard about the promised land, and even though they would be entering unfamiliar territory, they wanted more than the desert and were willing to trust God and have faith in His promises.
How do you know if you have drawn a line or are approaching that line? The way to know is that when you get close to that line, you become anxious, uncomfortable, fearful, and doubtful because of former experiences or because beyond that line is the unknown.
At what point would you turn back or stop going forward? Would it be slander, persecutions, losing your family or spouse, loss of ministry, loss of job or home, or fears developed from former experiences?
The place you would withdraw and begin to doubt God's promises is the limit of your faith.
We limit ourselves with the lines we draw, and by doing so, we keep ourselves from the fullness of God's blessings. With faith, you can do the impossible, like walking on water, moving mountains, or walking into your promise.
Recognize that often God puts us in situations that require us to go beyond our current level of faith so that we can grow into a greater measure of faith.
Unbelief only comes to the surface when you have reached the limits of your capacity to believe. If you can recognize that you are approaching the limit of your faith, you can call on God for the help needed to press through to GREATER FAITH!
Lord, I believe. Please help me with my unbelief! (Mark 9:24)
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