IN WHAT DO YOU DO BASE YOUR FAITH?

[Pastor Bayo Afolaranmi]

Dearly Beloved,

IN WHAT DO YOU DO BASE YOUR FAITH?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:5-8 NIV).

I had an encounter with one of my BBM contacts early in the morning recently. He commented that the Bible verse I used for the day talking about being optimistic was for him as he was going to write an examination later that day. He then requested that I should say some words of prayer with him which I did immediately. However, he insisted and even begged me that I should record my prayer and send it to him as audio message because he believes more in audio prayer than written prayer. I made him understand that if he could not believe in the simple written prayer, it will be difficult for him to believe in my continuous prayer with him. I even doubt if the audio prayer he wanted would be effectual if I granted the request. I wonder why he based his faith in audio prayer.

This BBM contact was different from the centurion that his story was recorded in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. One of the servants of this centurion was sick to the point of death. The centurion came to Jesus Christ and begged Him to come and heal the servant. Jesus Christ agreed to follow the man to his house, but the man replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it" (Matthew 8:8-9 NIV). Jesus Christ did commend such a great faith and the sick servant was healed instantly. The centurion did not believe in the physical presence of Jesus Christ, but he based his faith in efficacious words of Jesus Christ.

Many people nowadays would have preferred that Jesus Christ is physically present to heal them or intervene in their situations. Since this is not possible, these people resort to basing their faith on what they can see, touch, feel, hear, and/or smell before they can believe that they are healed or that Jesus Christ has intervened in their situations. No wonder, such people are being deceived by fake prophets/pastors and modern-day “prayer merchants”.

In what do you base your faith? Base your faith in the efficacy of simple prayer offered in faith to God. Anything short of this is mere wasting of one’s time (see James 1:5-8; Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:22-24; Hebrews 11:6).

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).