333 Words

333 WORDS….

Lord Jesus: He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.

Did our Lord really mean that we could heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, multiply bread and fish, quiet storms, and preach with power, just like He did, if we simply believed in Him?

The Amplified: If anyone STEADFASTLY believes in Me…

Oh.

Not frequently, not occasionally, and certainly not rarely. But steadfastly.

Again: He who believes in Me (not frequently, occasionally, or rarely, but steadfastly), the works that I do he will do also.

A passionate young convert is captivated by her newfound Jesus. No, her faith in Lord Jesus is not ‘steadfastly’, more like ‘frequently’. But the trip from frequently to steadfastly is certainly a possibility. If she had ‘steadfastly’ friends possible would become probable.

Anyhow, this passionate young convert, to appease insistent friends, went to church. A ‘Bible-believing’ church. Their hearts were right…. just wanted the new girl to be safe, just like them.

One year later:

In this new environment, things went askew. As passionate slipped to normal, frequently slipped to occasionally. She occasionally believes in Lord Jesus because, now, she only occasionally considers or communes with Him, being so wrapped up in her religion.

Two years later:

Occasionally has further degraded into rarely, believing prayer replaced by begging. The deeper she immersed into religion, the more shallow her relationship…. and more distant from fruit-bearing steadfastly.

Three years later:

Like the prodigal son who “came to himself” she came to herself (re-entered sanity), and sincerely repented of her betrayal. She determined to regain the high ground she had long ago surrendered.

Five years later:

She hasn’t arrived at steadfastly yet, but did pass occasionally and even regained frequently. Steadfastly, it must be said, is a real hard mountain to climb. That’s why few reach the peak.

Peter: We have left all and followed you.

Steadfastly, gateway into the miraculous and the effectual, costs “all”. Family, friends, religion, self-rule, self-everything…. all.