Faith: A Measure
Faith
A Measure
God thinks differently than us. His thoughts are greater than ours. Faith is about who we are believing in. Sunday August 17th, 2025, Pastor Mike explains that faith involves trust. Faith is the deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways mankind might not understand at first. Hope, confidence, and peace come from faith. Last week our focus was how faith is like a mustard seed. This week Pastor Mike draws our attention to multiplying our faith.
A measure is a standard unit used to express size, amount, or degree of something. Each one of us have a measure of faith. The measure of faith we decide to use is a personal preference. Scripture does not indicate a standard for the measure of faith. Pastor Mike provides us with a great visual as an analogy of different measures of our faith that we might use. The size of faith can vary from a measure as small as a teaspoon size to as big as a dump truck portion of faith. Picture a train that requires someone to use coal for the furnace inside of the engine to keep the train running. Think about the difference of the outcome if you were to use a teaspoon to transport the coal into the train’s engine compared to the outcome of using a snow shovel to move the coal.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
The measure of faith you put out will be the measure of blessing God will give back. How would you like the measurement to come back to you? Would you prefer your blessings returned to you the size of a teaspoon? Or would you prefer blessings the size of a dump truck load? Often the reluctance to choose a larger measure of faith stems from pride, doubt, or the fear of taking a risk and failing. God’s words and promises are a guarantee. If we choose to believe them with all our heart his truth will come to fruition.
II Kings 13:14-19
Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horseman!” And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So, he took himself a bow and some arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So, he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.” Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so, he took them.” And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so, he struck three times and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”
How measures were used and the result…
The Syrians were Israel's rivals. The king of Israel would seek counsel from his prophet on how to defeat the enemy. King Joash was very upset because his prophet was dying, and he worried without him he wouldn’t be able to defeat the enemy. The king displayed the use of a small measure of faith when he did not take the prophets advice seriously. While the advice might not have made much sense to the king it was an opportunity for him to practice faith. This frustrated the prophet. The Prophet Elisha expressed he could have used a greater measure of faith and because of the king’s doubt, he would not be successful in defeating the enemy. If King Joash knew that striking the ground more would have ensured his enemies defeat, he wouldn’t have stopped as soon as he did. He was reluctant because he didn’t want to look foolish. Pastor Mike challenges us to use a greater measure of faith than what feels comfortable. Since the king did not use the measure of obedience, he missed out on the full blessing he could have received. Having faith requires surrender to make room for God to move in our lives.
The 3 areas the measure of faith is reflected by…
#1. Giving and Worship – These go together:
We give out of our heart, adoration, and resources available.
Matthew 26:6-13
And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
This woman worshipped Jesus with such adoration and a great measure of faith in who He is that she determined He was worth this level of her generosity.
Luke 7:44
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
People that criticize or complain about the measure of your generosity in good faith are ashamed of the measure they give. When you choose to give with great a measure of faith be prepared to have others criticize you as a reflection of their own insecurities.
#2. Humility in your need:
When you have a need you decide how much humility you’re willing to put out to express your need or you can choose to stay prideful and go without help.
Mark 10:46-52
Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So, Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So, Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Because Bartimaeus had a need he was humble enough to cry out to the only one who could help him, Jesus. The others criticized him, but he did not care. He knew they couldn’t help him, but Jesus could, and he was desperate to see. If he hadn’t cried out, Jesus might not have heard him and healed him. His faith was demonstrated through a great measure of humility. It’s likely that every person in that crowd had issues they needed resolved. Bartimaeus was the only one with enough faith to practice humility.
#3. Our compassion for others:
Mark 2:1-5
And again, He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So, when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
When we worship and seek God He shows up. Word spreads of the impact being made in our lives and that draws in others. A group of people brought their friend to Jesus to be healed. They had so much faith Jesus could help this man and so much compassion for their friend that they went to great lengths to ensure he could get to Jesus. Their level of determination was so great they carried him to the rooftop, tore open the roof, and lowered this man down because of their belief that Jesus was the only one who could heal him. They weren’t concerned with the destruction of the roof or what anyone in the crowd would think because of the confidence they had in Jesus. From this outstanding display of faith and compassion Jesus forgave the man’s sins and healed him.
There are many outlets you can use to demonstrate your faith. Through giving and worship, through your humility when you’ve got a need, and when you have compassion for another in wanting to see someone helped, healed, and saved. These stories in scripture reflect when someone used big measures they got big results.
John 3:34
For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
God gives us the Holy Spirit, but not by measure, it is limitless.
A Measure
God thinks differently than us. His thoughts are greater than ours. Faith is about who we are believing in. Sunday August 17th, 2025, Pastor Mike explains that faith involves trust. Faith is the deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways mankind might not understand at first. Hope, confidence, and peace come from faith. Last week our focus was how faith is like a mustard seed. This week Pastor Mike draws our attention to multiplying our faith.
A measure is a standard unit used to express size, amount, or degree of something. Each one of us have a measure of faith. The measure of faith we decide to use is a personal preference. Scripture does not indicate a standard for the measure of faith. Pastor Mike provides us with a great visual as an analogy of different measures of our faith that we might use. The size of faith can vary from a measure as small as a teaspoon size to as big as a dump truck portion of faith. Picture a train that requires someone to use coal for the furnace inside of the engine to keep the train running. Think about the difference of the outcome if you were to use a teaspoon to transport the coal into the train’s engine compared to the outcome of using a snow shovel to move the coal.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
The measure of faith you put out will be the measure of blessing God will give back. How would you like the measurement to come back to you? Would you prefer your blessings returned to you the size of a teaspoon? Or would you prefer blessings the size of a dump truck load? Often the reluctance to choose a larger measure of faith stems from pride, doubt, or the fear of taking a risk and failing. God’s words and promises are a guarantee. If we choose to believe them with all our heart his truth will come to fruition.
II Kings 13:14-19
Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horseman!” And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So, he took himself a bow and some arrows. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So, he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.” Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so, he took them.” And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so, he struck three times and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”
How measures were used and the result…
The Syrians were Israel's rivals. The king of Israel would seek counsel from his prophet on how to defeat the enemy. King Joash was very upset because his prophet was dying, and he worried without him he wouldn’t be able to defeat the enemy. The king displayed the use of a small measure of faith when he did not take the prophets advice seriously. While the advice might not have made much sense to the king it was an opportunity for him to practice faith. This frustrated the prophet. The Prophet Elisha expressed he could have used a greater measure of faith and because of the king’s doubt, he would not be successful in defeating the enemy. If King Joash knew that striking the ground more would have ensured his enemies defeat, he wouldn’t have stopped as soon as he did. He was reluctant because he didn’t want to look foolish. Pastor Mike challenges us to use a greater measure of faith than what feels comfortable. Since the king did not use the measure of obedience, he missed out on the full blessing he could have received. Having faith requires surrender to make room for God to move in our lives.
The 3 areas the measure of faith is reflected by…
#1. Giving and Worship – These go together:
We give out of our heart, adoration, and resources available.
Matthew 26:6-13
And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
This woman worshipped Jesus with such adoration and a great measure of faith in who He is that she determined He was worth this level of her generosity.
Luke 7:44
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
People that criticize or complain about the measure of your generosity in good faith are ashamed of the measure they give. When you choose to give with great a measure of faith be prepared to have others criticize you as a reflection of their own insecurities.
#2. Humility in your need:
When you have a need you decide how much humility you’re willing to put out to express your need or you can choose to stay prideful and go without help.
Mark 10:46-52
Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So, Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So, Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Because Bartimaeus had a need he was humble enough to cry out to the only one who could help him, Jesus. The others criticized him, but he did not care. He knew they couldn’t help him, but Jesus could, and he was desperate to see. If he hadn’t cried out, Jesus might not have heard him and healed him. His faith was demonstrated through a great measure of humility. It’s likely that every person in that crowd had issues they needed resolved. Bartimaeus was the only one with enough faith to practice humility.
#3. Our compassion for others:
Mark 2:1-5
And again, He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So, when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
When we worship and seek God He shows up. Word spreads of the impact being made in our lives and that draws in others. A group of people brought their friend to Jesus to be healed. They had so much faith Jesus could help this man and so much compassion for their friend that they went to great lengths to ensure he could get to Jesus. Their level of determination was so great they carried him to the rooftop, tore open the roof, and lowered this man down because of their belief that Jesus was the only one who could heal him. They weren’t concerned with the destruction of the roof or what anyone in the crowd would think because of the confidence they had in Jesus. From this outstanding display of faith and compassion Jesus forgave the man’s sins and healed him.
There are many outlets you can use to demonstrate your faith. Through giving and worship, through your humility when you’ve got a need, and when you have compassion for another in wanting to see someone helped, healed, and saved. These stories in scripture reflect when someone used big measures they got big results.
John 3:34
For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
God gives us the Holy Spirit, but not by measure, it is limitless.
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