Ask in Faith

Each Believer is given a measure of faith. (Rom. 12:3) All measures of faith are not the same. Faith is a gift.

When we make a request of God, we ask in faith. (James 1)

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for… (Heb. 11)

Why do we inherently ask God, then ponder how we can accomplish the task for which we asked?

I had a friend, Marc, who prayed about a ministry with Campus Crusade. He believed God was calling him into this ministry.

Soon, I received a "Prayer Letter" in the mail. I was requested to check boxes if I would support him on a one time basis, monthly basis or in prayer.

When questioned, he believed that this is a way that God could provide. God, being God, can provide any way He chooses, however, it does take faith out of the equation. If I believe God is calling me, then I also must believe He will provide without my intervention. True, he may use people to provide but that provision is through God's prompting, not man's. When the finances materialize without involving anyone but God, without asking man (or asking them to pray about it, which is another way of asking them for assistance), then He gets the glory.

Many pastors do the same. They say God is calling them to build a building (or some other project). They then go about asking the members to give, to dig deeper, to pledge… They even go to a secular banking institution and agree to pay a percentage of "God's money" to the bank to give them a loan.

More people are hurt by these tactics and leave the church. This can not be of God, the flock scattered over a building project. They are caused to stumble as they see clergy acting out secular techniques to do God's bidding. They never learn to walk by faith.

If God is truly calling, He will provide.