The Forest Through the Trees-FAITH

Today we took a hike in the forest.  It was a beautiful, crisp day, so the sun was a warm welcome as it came shinning through the trees.

There were many symbolic messages I noticed as I was hiking.  Faith can be like a tree, tall and sure, strong and steady.  It must be strong from the inside, not just a facade on the outside.

If you just depend on "seeing" with the eyes, you could easily get lost, as you cannot see clearly when in the middle, it looks all so very similar. You could get lost.  You must depend on "seeing" with the eye of faith.

Hebrews 11:1

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, 

the evidence of things not seen.

I then saw a tree that was losing its branches, lost limbs laid all around the base and it was starting to crumble under the weight of its stature.  

I wondered why, and as I came around to the side of it I could see it had rotted from the inside.  It had grown strong and tall for many years, but the inside had become weakened by disease. 

 As a result the tree had started to die.

Luke 6:43

43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; 

neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

This has many applications.  Faith has to be built up and strengthened from the inside, not just to be on the outside, but internally.  We must take Faith and the principles of Faith, as taught in "Lectures on Faith" and internalize them so we can change and become strong in and through Jesus Christ from the inside out.  

Then at the end as we were coming out this was a solitary tree, different and standing alone, small, branches out wide with a curved trunk, 

 not tall and straight.

It was so unique, it had a plaque at the base of the tree telling of its origin and history as it dared to stand a midst such opposition to it's own nature, but still be vibrant and strong in it's own way.

Faith must be strong enough to stand on it's own and even stand out when opposed to and have a sure foundation.

The following is from: "Lectures on Faith" 

Lecture 1

 18. The Savior says the reason the disciples could 

not cast out the devil was their unbelief: "For verily 

I say unto you," said he, "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" (Matt 

17:19-20).

24. Faith, then, is the first great governing principle 

which has power, dominion, and authority over all 

things. By it they exist; by it they are upheld; by it 

they are changed; or by it they remain, agreeable 

to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and 

without power there could be no creation nor 

existence!

I thank God for a beautiful day and the lessons I learned from Him today.