‘O Ye Of Little Faith’

By C. J. Refsland on December 2, 2013 • ( 1 )

There is 2 events in the Bible that God has laid on my heart this last couple of days. I have heard this more than once with the message, warn my people. The first is when Jesus calmed the storm. They had set off across the lake and Jesus had fallen asleep. There came a huge storm and threatened the security of the boat and those in it. The disciples grew afraid and woke Jesus. Jesus said this: Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Then in a similar incident after Jesus had fed the five thousand, he sent His disciples on ahead of Him in the boat, and later that night, Jesus went to them. They were afraid seeing a man walking on the water in the wind, approaching the boat, so Peter told Him, if it’s you Lord tell me to come to you on the water. So Jesus said ‘Come.’ Peter walked on the water toward Jesus, but the wind scared him and He began to sink. He called out to the Lord to save Him, And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him and said unto him, “O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?”

Now imagine they had just witnessed the Lord earlier calm the storm, they had witnessed numerous miracles, including feeding 5,000 people with a child’s lunch, and yet they doubted .

This fits so much with our life today, and prophecy. Jesus has given us numerous promises of protection and yet we doubt. We would rather believe in a man’s (John Darby) twisting of scripture to say that we won’t have to worry about any of this because we will be secretly taken to heaven before any fearful events happen. I might point out that all of the disciples but John were tortured and murdered in tribulation for their belief in Christ. And even John didn’t escape tribulation or persecution. He was boiled in oil and sent to Patmos for torture. They didn’t believe that they would secretly be taken to Christ for 7 years and return. And Paul was an expert in the Torah, or Old Testament. He taught from this. They all did, even Jesus. That’s all they had. If this was true Jesus would have taught it, and certainly Paul would have followed. God is not the author of confusion.

Now there is another event in the Bible that also applies here. Paul was captured taken before Festus & Agrippa, and sent to Rome on a ship. (Read Acts 27) Paul tried to warn the crew not to take off, as they could perish in the coming storm, but they wouldn’t listen. Well they didn’t have a very good time, the ship was coming apart and they had went without food, for a long time, and Paul stood up and said I warned you but you didn’t listen. But then he said:

And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

Now their trouble wasn’t over, and many grew fearful and tried to leave the ship and Paul told the men, unless you stay with the ship you will lose your life. How wonderful is this for us too! Unless we stay with the ship, we will perish. Unless we keep our eyes focused on Jesus we will perish. He promised us ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you.’ And yes we will see Him coming in the clouds with Great Glory and we will be drawn to Him, and rule with Him. But unless we stay the course and stay with the ship we will perish. Jesus even warns of this in Revelation. He speaks of those who overcome and endure to the end. (Revelation 1,2&3)

Jesus even prayed this on the eve of His arrest and crucifixion. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

In Revelation 13 after John tells us of the Beast out of the Sea. In verse 8 John tells us that all inhabitants of the earth will worship this beast, all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

Then he tells us : He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The Saints are present here. They are here past Chapter 3 when some say the church is absent from this time on. We are present when the Beast comes, we are present through tribulation. We are not more special than Jesus or the Apostles, or the souls under the alter, or our Brothers and sisters facing death at this moment.

Acts tells us this: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Jesus tells this in several places. Once with Peter at the Last Supper Jesus told Peter this:

“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”

Even though Peter denied Christ 3 times that night, He knew what would happen, it frightened him and Satan played on that fear. But Peter knew full well his mission, he nor the others taught a secret rapture. When Peter’s wife was brought to his window before his crucifixion he told her ‘Stay with the Lord.’ Not it’s ok, because you will escape.

Do we have that little Faith, that we have to believe we won’t endure Tribulation so there’s no need to prepare, instead of Believing that our Messiah, the Lion of The Tribe of Judah, The Kings of Kings, is not powerful enough to protect us from the ensuing wrath? Pray that you will be able to endure to the end as the Apostles did. Peter went to the cross saying I don’t deserve to be crucified as my Lord, and he was crucified upside down. Imagine that, he didn’t say I don’t deserve this, I should be taken away.

Jesus tells us this: Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Strengthen your Faith, trust in the Lord. He will protect us, He will be with us no matter what we endure. Fear not for I am with you! Even unto the end of time! Increase your Faith in the ability of our Father to deliver us. Remember this is the same God that delivered Israel from Egypt, the same God the same Power. If your on the fence, turn to Him while there is still time, while He can still be found. Things are about to get very confusing, and turbulent, but as with Paul, stay with the ship and you will not perish. For we have a job to do, we are to aid in Shepherding the Flock. We have a job to do, to bring more into the fold in the middle of tribulation! We have a job to do and we will be surrounded by the Lord, by His power and Grace to aid in this Harvest.