Simplicity of Faith

Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

Jesus sent these 12 after giving them instructions: "Don't take the road leading to other nations, and don't enter any Samaritan town. Instead go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go announce this: 'The Kingdom of heaven has come near'. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge. Matthew 10:1,3-8

At the end of the last chapter Jesus had said, "Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Jesus is now commissioning His disciples, empowering them to go into the harvest, thus identifying Himself as 'lord of His harvest.'

I wonder if the disciples did indeed pray and as a result were sent. I wonder what was going on in their minds? 'Wow! I get to do this miracle stuff!' 'I wonder if it will work for me?'

I wonder what today's version of 'the kingdom of heaven has come near' is? How do we announce all that the kingdom of God has for people?

As I seek the Lord for this I am aware that I am being cleansed of all that has gone before. It is as if I am being taken right back to simple faith. I am aware that all my spiritual pores have been clogged with junk and it is all being washed away. I want 'simple faith'. To have this done I have to wait in God's clinic.

In my early christian walk there was one man who walked in simplicity of faith, Bill Beard. He looked like a warfie but was as soft as butter, a lovely man. He knew how to walk in the power of God and I cherish his memory. He was not clever in a natural sense yet he built a large church in Wollongong, NSW, Australia, from nothing, God was with Him.

You might say Pastor Bill, or PB, as we nicknamed him, was my father in the faith. I find myself going back to the beginning of faith, it was pure and undefiled, uncluttered with opinions, voices of man.

At the beginning of faith was joy, freshness, daring to step out and do anything. I have to keep that first love experience because that is where the power is. Jesus had set me free and I loved Him, trusted Him and believed Him.

I saw people healed and delivered at the hands of Bill Beard, I saw the power and glory of God. As this is what I live for then that is where I must go. Back to first love in the now. Amen!