Jeff Calloway

website of a husband, father, writer, follower of Christ, and Apple enthusiast

The Difference Faith Makes

On February 17, 2010, In Jeff's random thoughts, by Jeff Calloway

Let me ask you a few questions. What difference did your faith in Christ make yesterday? What difference will your faith make today? What about tomorrow? God wants your faith to grow. For many of us our faith is about the size of a speck of dust, very miniscule and almost impossible to see. I [...]

Let me ask you a few questions. What difference did your faith in Christ make yesterday? What difference will your faith make today? What about tomorrow? God wants your faith to grow. For many of us our faith is about the size of a speck of dust, very miniscule and almost impossible to see. I use a speck of dust as an illustration because Jesus said in Matthew 17:20, “If we have faith that is the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains.” In other words if you want to see God’s hand move, you must have faith.

Have you ever wondered what faith looks like when it is lived out with the intent of God doing great things in and through your life? The person who lives by faith acknowledges the presence of God. Living faith recognizes that God is in absolutely everything. Living faith gets up in the morning and realizes everywhere we go, God goes too. Living faith has the constant awareness of God’s presence in life. Living faith says, “God I know you are here.; I may not understand what you are doing but I know you are here.” Do you get up in the morning realizing that when you go to work God is going to be there? Faith is a choice. You chose to take God at His Word and act accordingly. You chose to believe the evidence you have seen. Faith is not a feeling. You might say, “I don’t feel like getting up today. I don’t feel like going to work. I don’t feel like going to church. I don’t feel like (you fill in the blank).” You often choose to act regardless of how you feel. Do you remember a time in your life when you experienced faith –when you made a choice to take a risk?

Are you living out your faith in a way that is visible? Is your faith more than words that you may sing in a song on Sunday morning or a subject you talk about around fellow believers? Is your faith making a difference in your life and in the lives of those around you?

Tagged with: Faith • risk taking

Dangerous

On March 16, 2009, In Leadership, by Jeff Calloway

No right thinking, intelligent minded human invites danger into their otherwise safe life so we have been taught. Whenever I think of dangerous, my mind pictures the unknown lurking around the corner. Danger infects with fear and immobilizes even the strongest, fearless men and women. The mantra, “Don’t take chances” has guided our feet along [...]

danger

No right thinking, intelligent minded human invites danger into their otherwise safe life so we have been taught. Whenever I think of dangerous, my mind pictures the unknown lurking around the corner. Danger infects with fear and immobilizes even the strongest, fearless men and women. The mantra, “Don’t take chances” has guided our feet along paths of safety. Danger leads us to be safe. Nothing wrong or sinful with being playing it safe, but I played it safe for too long and missed out on what God can do and I refuse to live like that. Those who know me intimately, know that I have participated in some dangerous actions like bungee jumping, Alaskan wilderness camping, and church planting.

I am sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for my flight back home and unfortunately, every flight coming in and leaving out of Atlanta is late. As I sit and people watch, I have seen dozens of young men and women in Army fatigues possibly being deployed to a dangerous area of the world. These brave young men and women have made a choice to possibly be put in a dangerous position. They are soldiers in the United Sates military defending freedom. Let the following quote from Erwin McManus’ book Unstoppable Force seep into your thoughts. It will change your life as you hopefully begin to live as a dangerous soldier.

“When we believe that God’s purpose intention or promise is that we will be safe from harm, we are utterly disconnected from the movement and power of God. . . the truth of the matter is that the center of God’s will is not a safe place but the most dangerous place in the world! God fears nothing and no one! God moves with intentionality and power. To live outside of God’s will puts us in danger; to live in his will makes us dangerous.” – Erwin McManus, An Unstoppable Force.

I want to be “dangerous” to a dull and boring religion. I want a faith that is considered “dangerous” by our predictable and monotonous culture.” What would the world say to that kind of faith? Heck…what would other Christians say to that kind of faith? Dangerous faith is the kind that believes God can do anything….and we can do anything with Him! I want that kind of faith.¬
I have to be honest…there are times when I think I have that kind of faith….then fold like a cheap suit when the pressure proves to be too much. I hate that. That’s Pee Wee Herman faith. Oh to have the kind of faith that moves mountains, the kind of faith that achieves the impossible. The kind of faith that TRULY believes ‘I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me’. The kind of faith that KNOWS if I ‘submit myself to God, resist the devil, then he will flee’.

Dangerous faith is the kind of faith that grabs hold of the this statement by Jesus; “Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
I want that kind of faith!

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Tagged with: dangerous • Leadership • risk taking

Calculated Risk

On March 20, 2008, In Spiritual Growth, by Jeff Calloway

Do you remember the scene in the third Indiana Jones movie where he went through all those traps in order to save his father? The last trap he encountered happened as he came up to the edge of a cliff. He has a deep chasm in front of him, and he is told to take [...]

indianajoneslastcrusadestepoffaith Do you remember the scene in the third Indiana Jones movie where he went through all those traps in order to save his father? The last trap he encountered happened as he came up to the edge of a cliff. He has a deep chasm in front of him, and he is told to take a step forward into the seemingly nothingness. He steps forward and he lands on a rock ridge. It’s not a bad picture of faith. God tells us to step forward. We don’t know where we’re headed but we land on solid rock. Some people call faith a leap in the dark. I guess you could call it that. I’d rather call it a step into the light. God gives you the next step but not necessarily the step after that, so it’s a little bit scary. You cannot always see where you’re going. That is the risk of faith.

There are moments in our lives when we come to that cliff, where we have to take the risk of faith. What risk of faith are you on the edge of right now? Maybe it’s the risk that you’ve been going to church and hearing about Jesus Christ and realizing there’s something to this. “There’s something to this. I’m being drawn to it.” You want to keep finding out more, but there’s also something in you that wants to retreat from it. It’s a little scary. You have found that He is a God who loves you, there is a church that cares about you and there is something practical that fits into your life. Are you going to retreat, or are you going to run away, or are you going take the risk of faith and follow this through to the end? That’s the risk. Maybe it’s the greatest risk of faith God is challenging you to take right now in your life: To step over that line where you say, “Jesus, I want to live my life for you. I want to give my life to you. I need you to forgive the wrong things that I’ve done. I need you to direct and guide my life.”

If you do not take that risk of faith, what you are giving up: love from God, security and peace in your heart, adventure satisfaction in life? If you don’t take that risk of faith, what joy are you giving up in your life? Let me quickly remind you, when you take that risk you will face challenges. Challenges that will include fighting our enemy (Satan), temptation to quit, as well as many other obstacles placed in our path. Putting faith into practice is not a cakewalk or a bed of roses. It can be painful, so be prepared to go to battle and receive some scars.

Tagged with: indiana jones • risk taking