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Living on the Edge from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

Today I want to talk about living on the edge. Too much of the church is playing it safe, staying out of the game, afraid to really let go and trust God to take care of them. This leads to a bland, colorless, powerless version of Christianity that no one is interested in.

Paul wrote to Timothy that in the last days, men would be lovers of themselves, having a form of godliness, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Jesus quoted Isaiah in Mark chapter 7 and said this people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men (Mark 7:6-7).

We can be very religious, and not recognize when God is speaking to us, or even when He is standing right in front of us. The Pharisees did not recognize Jesus, and His words made them angry; imagine that. They had created a religious system that no longer needed God in it.

It is easy to drift into passiveness, no risk, no disappointment, but also no reward. If we don’t pray for someone to be healed, then we won’t be disappointed if they aren’t. If we don’t mention Jesus, then we won’t be rejected, or maybe embarrassed. But we have to remember that Jesus said in Luke 9:26 that “whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

Walking with God sometimes requires radical faith on our part. When we are stuck, God will often require radical choices that make no earthly sense. We just have to trust Him that it will work out. I want to examine the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17, beginning in verse 8:

Then the word of the LORD came to him {Elijah}, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’ ” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:8–16 NKJV

Would the Almighty God of heaven ask a poor widow to give away a portion of her last bit of food during a famine that had lasted for years? Apparently so, but who would do that to a poor widow? God Almighty, the same One that required Abraham to leave his father’s house without knowing where he was going. The One who asked him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice.

This would have made no earthly sense to the widow here at all. It had not rained in three years, there was a drought and food was scarce. Everyone was hungry. In her mind, she should keep the food for her and her son, but she knew in her heart that God was telling her to give some away. For God said that He had “commanded her.” She knew inside what she was to do because of that inner witness.

When she trusted God, took that leap of faith and shared her food with Elijah, God performed a miracle for her. He changed her circumstances. She and her household ate all they wanted for many days because the flour never ran out, and her jar of oil never ran dry. There was always enough for the next meal.

Radical faith requires sacrifice. Hoarding for yourself is never, ever the answer. Psalm 26:5 reads “Those who sow in tears, Shall reap in joy” but too many are clinging to earthly things in a death grip like they are their last hope, when God is saying “Trust Me.” You can cling to your stuff and not have Him, or you can trust Him and when you do, He will give you the stuff as well. Your Father knows what you have need of before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8) and if you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

If you want your circumstances to change, then try something new. Einstein said that: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” If you are making a cake and it always comes out wrong, then you need to try a different recipe.

What if you feel that God is not asking you to do anything? Then ask Him for an opportunity. Peter and the other disciples were in the boat crossing the sea of Galilee when Jesus came walking to them on the water. They screamed in fear thinking that it was a ghost, but Jesus said “It is I, do not be afraid.” Then Peter asked Jesus if he could come to Him on the water. Matthew 14:28:

“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” Matthew 14:28-19 NKJV.

Peter asked, Jesus said “Come”, then Peter walked on the water. That opportunity didn’t exist until Peter asked for it. We can pray and ask the Lord to give us opportunities the same way that Peter did.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please show me who can I can be a blessing to. Show me who I can encourage today. Use me as Your hands and feet on the earth. Speak to me, and through me. Let me live a life of radical faith, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!