Faith In Stages

Today scripture reading comes from:

Mark 8:22-38 KJV
(22)  And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
(23)  And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
(24)  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
(25)  After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
(26)  And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
(27)  And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
(28)  And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
(29)  And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
(30)  And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
(31)  And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
(32)  And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
(33)  But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
(34)  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(35)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
(36)  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
(37)  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
(38)  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

The blinders of faith are often hard to understand. As I cleaned my glasses the other day, I pulled out old pair I had and looked through the reading glass of the bifocal. It was blurry and unable to read so clear but still legible. I put on my newer pair that still old after cleaning and decide they were easier to see with and all i really needed to do was clean my glasses more often. Yet the improvement of the newer glasses compare to the old was still a big change. Enough that it told me I need the newer of the two pair. The story of man healed with two stages is much like having two pair of glasses looking through them. First stage brought the hope of being able to see verse not being able to see. Faith is much like being blind and then being able to see a little clearer and then final healing is seeing clearly so faith is made whole and all doubt is erased.

Jesus asked the disciples who he was, but the truth of the matter he was showing them how the people believed that he was a good man, a prophet and teacher. Jesus then asked his disciples who they believed He was. Peter spoke and said the Christ. Christ means anointed. Did Peter understand anymore then the crowd. Only that Jesus had a special task from God to do. Was it more then a prophet, did Peter understand. Jesus began to talk about his death and resurrection and Peter rebuked him. Peter did not understand the purpose God had anointed Jesus to fulfill. He understood not that he Jesus would have to die to rise again. Perhaps he knew and understood there would be resurrection for judgment but he did not understand the resurrection that Christ spoke about. The resurrection that brought eternal life. The resurrection that must come to bring hope to all of eternal life in heaven with God. Peter was growing in faith in stages. He and the other disciples did not fully grasp all Jesus spoke. The human instinct to protect was Peter. Not understanding Jesus had to die to be resurrected and have victory over the grave.

Jesus went on to say one had to be willing to take up his cross and follow after Jesus. What does that entail going about doing good, caring for people and teaching about God and the Holy Spirit. To teach about Jesus. To tell of his love for man and that He died loving mankind. To show compassion for another is a risk one must take. If one walks by the Spirit of God the love one shows is more then just the normal means of compassion, but going the extra mile to help even if it at risk to oneself to show the love of God. Common sense sometimes has to be put into play here, and then other times it about self sacrifice for the sake of another. It being on a housetop in a flood and only room in a boat for one more person. Do you send the person that sitting with you or claim that seat for yourself. You might live to see another boat and then you might not. Spiritually the person you has the opportunity to share Christ with might be fixing to drown. Do you risk sharing Christ or do you shut your mouth once more. Never fear sharing Christ and his love for mankind. Never be afraid to put a person in the boat of safety while you are standing on the roof not sure if the next boat is heaven or ark to dry land. Either way you are saved, what about the person sitting beside you in a class, work, or a bus. What about the person in store or doctor's office. Always ask of God how can I minister today. Be like the blind man needing two healings. One to have the hope of faith and then result of faith fully come. Ask God to give you the faith to share the Gospel and the love of Jesus. Take each step of faith in stages. Understanding you will one day understand more clearly then you do even now.