Have you ever looked at a cookbook? You see a photo that looks delicious so you read through the recipe. You may or may not make it. That depends on the how hard or how much time it would take to make. If you are up for the challenge you get the ingredients and hopefully it looks like the photo and tastes as good as you hope.
While just looking at recipes and even reading them is good, it is so much better when you follow the directions and actually make it. You can actually see the end result and taste its goodness. It often becomes a staple in your recipe box to make again. You might make it and bring it to a gathering where others enjoy it too. You become known for your mother’s banana bread or your sister’s meatballs.
Take this thought a step farther. Faith is like a recipe. You can read all the ingredients that go into having faith and you don’t have to take it any farther. All you will have, though, is head knowledge about faith without experiencing faith like God intends. Having head knowledge only is like reading a recipe without ever making it. Praise God that He gives you what you need to stir up the ingredients and make something beautiful. He does this by baking His ingredients within your heart.
You can find the recipe for faith in the Bible.
Jesus is the Master Chef when it comes to cooking up some faith. He helps you to take what you read, ie: the ingredients to build your faith, and turn it into something beautiful where you can share it with others. When you take the time to learn about the ingredients and who Jesus is, deep, meaningful faith is created.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8
When you take the time to study what God deems important and allow His ingredients of faith to be ingested, faith grows roots that go deep in God. The Holy Spirit takes what you eat and creates within you new life. What once was dead in trespasses has now been removed, and new life has been born. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:4, and Ephesians 4:22-24 to be encouraged that it is worth your time to make the recipe of faith and let God make what He wants to make within you.
When you take the time to hear God’s voice and respond to what He is saying to you, you become a beacon of light that your spouse, children, family, and friends will benefit from. They, too, will see the handiwork of God by how you live your life.
Harmony is what is created when you add the faith of many believers together.
So, are you hungry? Do you desire to try a new recipe or are you willing to dig in the back of the cookbook for the tried and true recipe that stands the test of time? Whether this is your first time cooking or not, God will show you how to create something wonderful. Why don’t you begin practicing today for the holidays are coming up. Everyone will want to know your recipe for what is new with you.
Carol J German 