Even Small Faith Matters to God

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[Janet Easson Martin]

Even Small Faith Matters to God

Just in case you missed this short breathtaking illustration of Faith as Small as a Mustard Seed I wanted to share it again.  It changed the way I viewed prayer.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DSB_At4H8kA&autoplay=1

[Janet Easson Martin]

Start Praying Even If Your Cynical

Before I was a believer I really had no interest in pursuing God. I was the last person in my family one would expect to trust Jesus. I was very much wanting to change - to be a better person because I knew I wasn’t. My faults began to bother me, especially my cynicism. I also had a recurring hurt in my soul that I couldn’t shake. One night out of desperation I cried out to God to help me if he really was there. With a Bible I read only once or twice since childhood I opened to Psalms, and was astounded to see what I felt on those pages. Someone really understood me. I immediately felt a comfort and peace in this knowledge.

The next week I missed the bus to school one day and walked the three miles to my college. About two thirds of the way there it was clear it was about to rain. I asked this God, if he existed, to have someone offer me a ride before it started pouring, but I wasn’t going to stick my thumb out or anything because I’d never done that. Less than 30 seconds later a car pulled up beside me and offered me a ride. Today as I’m writing I’m wondering if perhaps he was an angel sent by God.

When I did come to Christ later that week I remember being quite surprised that I now had a relationship with him because I wasn’t the kind of person who would be seeking him. I kept thinking people MUST have REALLY been praying for me.

All that to say I understand some of where the comedian highlighted below is coming from. I’ve enjoyed his comedy and I also like his suggestion in his interview below — just pray and talk to God even if you’re not sure he’s there.



Dry Bar Double Feature - Jeff Allen, Dry Bar Comedy
https://youtu.be/EEkgTv3LEAc


Atheist Comedian Turns To God, 100 Huntley
https://youtu.be/S2qbTeymLz0

[Janet Easson Martin]

Even Small Faith Matters to God

Praying Even When Your Cynical

Listening to Philip Yancey on Sean McDowell’s November 10th, 2021 podcast about “Leaving An Extemist Fundamentalist Faith: Why Philip Yancey Loves Grace” fascinated me. Yet, it didn’t surprise me because I had been in such a church, with deceptive manipulation to boot. (You guessed it —GCx.)  He shares that he went to a Fundamentalist (Legalistic) College, yet an athiest, where they hated C.S. Lewis. So, Yancey was motivated to start hearing what Lewis had to say. He was relieved and encouraged to listen to Lewis’ “honesty and taking God to task, slamming the door shut on prayer” in his book, “A Grief Observed.” Yancey mentions that this book is actually very biblical (mentioning Job was quite frank with God.)

Through authors like Lewis and G.K. Chesterton, Yancey came to respect a God who not only lets you doubt, but gives you the freedom to doubt,” declaring “God is not an arm twister.” He explains that some ‘good guys at his college who knew where he stood, but did not try to force him or report him’ were the ones who loved him into his breakthrough to faith. He would join their meeting together in which they often prayed together, though he never prayed himself and no one was pressuring him to; until one night he found himself talking to God even in his cynicism.

He came to know a different version of God; not one of Legalism, but of Grace.

[Janet Easson Martin]

“I’M NOT AN ATHEIST ANYMORE”

It seems a lot of young people are interested in listening to what Jordan Peterson has to say on various subjects. He has been more recently talking about subjects from the Bible. A lot of people over the years have asked him if he believes in God. He is painfully honest, quite vulnerable, and more in-depth in his most recent answer to this question, which includes an interesting montage of looking back at some of his speeches.

His “message” blessed me in some of the very things he addresses that my own soul was recently tempted to give into - petty account keeping of others offenses, adding fuel to an ungodly fire, withholding forgiveness, and participating in starting a “war.” I must say his stepping back to have a Christian perspective here on what is really important and what we are called to live out helped me to positively adjust my viewpoint and my attitude.

Here is the link to this candid post:


Jordan Peterson’s INCREDIBLE Journey To GOD / Heartbreaking Moments on His FAITH / “I’m not an atheist anymore,” January 29, 2022

https://youtu.be/x6_ESSfyiYE

[Janet Easson Martin]

You can listen to any small chapter of this 30-day devotional book. Andrew Murray has such a marvelous grasp on grace and walking out the Christian life by faith. Much less to do with our own effort than we think. I LOVE this book. I have underlined many a phrase in the little paperback I have. Today I read chapter Eight. Each chapter is easily found on this link.

Murray talks often about the believers foundation and continued growth that is all based upon OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS God has freely given us in Christ. Claiming it and relying upon it is essential to healthy humble growth. Here’s the link:

Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray (Full Audiobook)

https://youtu.be/V8JSCrj62R4