Gospel News · September - December 2014

9
“Faith Without Works is Dead” (James 3:17)
| Bro Joseph Kwesi (Ghana)
F
aith does not make things easy, just
possible. When you pray, move your feet.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the
Lord, and he delights in His way” (Psalms
37:23). The size of a mustard seed is very tiny
and yet it can produce a big plant. The word
of God teaches that all we need is faith the
size of a mustard seed.
Your problem will be large or small according
to whether your thinking is large or small. I
have learned that all my problems, which I
call challenges, will either stop me, stress me
or stretch me according to the size of my
thinking and faith. Each time that I have been
stretched to go beyond my comfort zone, God
was there. Each time I was stretched, I
tapped into my power of creative problem-
solving, my flexibility, my sense of humour,
my intelligence, my ability to let go, my inner
strength and, yes, stretched to give, be, and
do more than I ever knew was possible.
Once you have been stretched to a new level
of faith, vision and endurance, you cannot go
back to old thinking. Stretching your faith
and using mental muscles to move mountains
will allow you to be the head and not the tail
of your circumstances. Life’s circumstances
may be pressing you right now: are you going
to allow your challenges to stop you, stress
you or stretch you? “Without faith, nothing
is possible; with it, anything is possible”.
In Mark, Jesus said: “With people it is
impossible, but with God all things are
possible” (10:27).
“Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not
dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen
thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteous-
ness. Behold, all they that were incensed
against thee shall be ashamed and
confounded; they shall be as nothing, and
they that strive with thee shall perish”
(Isaiah 4:10-14). “Thou shalt seek them, and
shall not find them, even them that
contended with thee, they that war against
thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of
nought. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy
right hand, saying unto thee, ‘Fear not, I will
help thee.’” The Lord Almighty will greatly
do everything for us if only we have faith and
trust in him.
Nobody told me the road would be easy. And
I don’t believe He brought me this far to
leave me. “Be of good courage and He shall
strengthen your heart” (Psalms 31:24).
Look back to thank Him
Look forward trusting Him
Look around to see how to serve Him
Look up to praise Him.
Whenever times get hard, when you don’t
know how you got wherever you are, let
alone how you are going to make it out, out
of the pain, out of the heartache, out of the
terrible sorrow or situation you find yourself
in, remember that God never built a staircase
to nowhere. And you do what you can, He will
do what you can’t.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you
don’t see the whole staircase.”
“The value of consistent prayer is not that He
will hear us, but that we will hear Him.”
“The elevator to success is out of order; you
will have to use the stairs one step at a
time.”
“For a journey of a thousand miles, start by
taking a single step.”
1) You say, “It’s impossible.” God says, “All
things are possible” (Luke 18:27)
2) You say, “I’m too tired.” God says, “I will
give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30).
3) You say, “Nobody really loves me”. God
says, “I love you” (John 3:16; 13:34).
~ continued ...