Becoming More Faithful

Becoming Project Week 1

My goal this week was to study some of the verses I identified in the New Testament which refer to faith.

Matthew 14:31

I began with Matt 14:31 which is Jesus speaking to Peter after he had the faith to get out of the boat and briefly walked on water, but then faltered when he focused on the storm and began to sink.

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Footnotes lead to Mark 4:40 (my third chosen verse) which Jesus said after He calmed the storm, to the Apostles who had feared for their lives, because “there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full” (vs 37).

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?

Footnotes lead to Alma 44:4 in which Moroni speaks to Zarahemnah after the Nephites had surrounded the more numerous Lamanites in battle.

Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith.

And thus we see: if Jesus can calm the storm, cause mortal men to walk on water, and support and keep safe a much-outnumbered army, then he can care for me and give me the support I need and keep me in his care, so long as I am faithful unto him.

Matthew 21:21

Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not … if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

Verse 22 goes on to say

And all things (blessings), whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

And thus we see: God can move mountains. The Apostles could move mountains with enough faith. I need to have faith that God can give me the blessings that I need. My prayers need to have faith, I need to believe. I need to doubt not!

Luke 22:32

In verse 31 Jesus tells Peter:

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Jesus then tells him in verse 32:

 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou are converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And thus we see: Jesus has got our backs! Jesus is greater and more powerful than Satan. Jesus wants our faith to be strong and fail us not. All he asks in return is that we will then go and strengthen our brethren.

The footnote to strengthen points to: Fellowshipping; Missionary Work; Sustaining Church Leaders. I believe sharing testimony of our trials, being strengthened through Christ, and what we have learned through the process, is also a form of strengthening our brethren.