The Olympics are an incredible example of going against the odds. So often most of these athletes have been told that what they are seeking to do is impossible. This is not feasible or affordable, yet in the pursuit of Gold, these men and women choose to ignore the odds and press on to achieve their dreams. They risk everything, as we tragically experienced in these Winter Olympics in the death of an Olympian.
The Scriptures clearly tell us it is impossible to please God if we don’t live by faith. We must not settle for comfortable or safe when God’s work is to be done. Amazingly, people are willing to spend 8 to 10 hours a day training, eating right, saving every dime and travel half way around the world to be a part of the Olympics and defy all odds. Yet many of us, as Christians, have never acted on our faith in obedience to God in challenging and difficult situations.
The story of the woman at the well intrigues me because Jesus was willing to stop and talk to a woman who no one thought was worth the time. She was a woman of the streets who knew many men. No respectable man, much less a teacher of the word of God, would talk to her. Yet Jesus not only met with her at the well, but went out of His way to go to her town, to see that He could share with her the gift of living water, so that she would never thirst again. Ultimately she came to receive Christ as her Savior and brought her entire village with her to meet Jesus. Only God knew the potential this woman had to bring her town to the Lord. He saw in her what she didn’t see in herself.
How sad it is for those of us who have experienced this same miracle of salvation to quit believing God to work miracles in others lives through us. The disciples went to the village and transacted with these Samaritans and led no one to Christ. Oh, to believe God beyond all the odds for His miraculous power to transform others lives, no matter their past, their education, their race or their training. Would we, the body of Christ, believe God for miracles because He is able?
This past week I was sharing with a business person about our ministry and seeing the Lord transform former drug dealers, prostitutes, materialistic business men and women, to love God and each other and see them work together to bring glory to God by blessing urban communities in our cities. He said these kinds of results are 1 in a 1,000 and not to expect them to happen very much. It broke my heart how quickly we back away from the faith to believe God for hundreds of 1 in a 1,000 in one community to bring glory to Him. For many of you who are battling economic needs, or illness, bankers and doctors have given you percentages and timelines until you are bankrupt or no longer among us. Let me exhort us all to keep your eyes on Jesus, the author & perfecter of our faith. You are not a percentage, a timeline, a bank account, or a failure, but through Christ Jesus you are a new creation, a joint heir, and more than a conquerer. I pray wherever you find yourself in your walk with God that you will join me in believing God against all odds to be a glorious, loving God who longs to meet our every need, to enable us to expand His love and bring glory to His name. Let’s remember the Gold we are going for won’t tarnish or ever be forgotten when we lay our crowns before our Savior in heaven.
Medically I feel great because of your love and sustaining prayers. We are daily getting to meet new people battling cancer and are praying for them and believing God with them for their healing against all odds. Please feel free to send me names and numbers of people to pray for and contact if you wish. You bless me and humble me daily.
Great word of encouragement supported by your example of faith, Mike.
Hebrews 11:3 tells us: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
How often do we stop at the visible, relying on the facts instead of standing on the Truth? How often do we allow the circumstances as seen through our limited lens and the opinions or perspectives of those around us to stop us short of a declaration that Truth prevails?
God commanded the entire universe into existence from the invisible, not the visible . . . yet, we rely so heavily on what we can see, touch and feel. Same God; same possibilities.
Thank you, Mike, for sharing your life and faith with us and for declaring in word and deed that you believe the Truth of Hebrews 11:3.
Pastor Fechner! It was so great to see you today at World Impact Day. You are such an amazing blessing. Please know how much my family loves you and lifts you up in prayer.
ps I appreciate your teachable attitude and real life convicting examples…. especially the one about how God changed your heart toward hospitals. Eye opening. I am learning so much!!
Mike,
Your blogs should be required reading for all members of Prestonwood. You are such an inspiration to me even though I hardly know you. It only takes thinking about your faith and your challenges to get me going each day with my little battles.
May God continue to be your source of faith.
“God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
We are who God says we are.
We can do all things through Christ.
God’s word is alive and active in us who live by faith.”
(from a Beth Moore study on Believing God).
God bless you!!
Charles
Mike,
You have given us several wonderful exhortations in your latest post. Although your illness is something none of us would have wished for you, it has turned into a blessing in that many of us have gained spiritual insights through your writings. In my job, I hear from so many that would be encouraged by the following words you wrote: “You are not a percentage, a timeline, a bank account, or a failure, but through Christ Jesus you are a new creation, a joint heir, and more than a conquerer. I pray wherever you find yourself in your walk with God that you will join me in believing God against all odds to be a glorious, loving God who longs to meet our every need, to enable us to expand His love and bring glory to His name.” Thank you for this encouragement! There Is Hope, and I have been blessed to see God answer in many miraculous ways over the past few years. To God be the glory.