No...not the age old "chicken or the egg" riddle...I have a different question:

Which comes first: faith or revelation?

One might say that faith must come before God can reveal things to you. Much like the scripture that says that He speaks to those who have "ears to hear" Him. In fact, I saw a man on television this morning who wrote a book that I really hope to find, although I did not catch the man's name. The title of the book is "When God Winks". The author's interesting perspective is that "coincidences" such as thinking about someone you haven't thought of in years and then all of the sudden they call, or dreaming about something that happens, or even other little conincidences that occur are actually little ways that God communicates to us, and it's much like a father winking at His children. I really enjoyed what he had to say, and it sortof portrays God's playful side (which I honestly believe He has) or His sense of humor, but on the other hand His deep need and His ever present attempts to communicate daily with those He loves.

Back to my point...there are some people who can dismiss these occurances as simple coincidence and rationalize them until there is nothing divine about them. Those of us who do see these "winks" for what they are are those of us who have the understanding or revelation that God can use the ordianry to speak the extraordinary to our hearts.

But could we have had faith without the revelation?

Let's go back to the first time you remember feeling God knocking at your heart. Did you let Him in the first time? I know I didn't. I had too much playing left to do before I decided that it was time to straighten out my life. But when I finally did decide to answer, it was because of the "tug" that I felt at my heart. God was opening up one of those windows of opportunity that He opens for everyone...and I finally decided to answer the call. Was it through divine revelation that I gained faith? Or was it through a mustard-sized faith that God was able to give me revelation?

Take athiests, for example. I have known a few, or at least read the stories of some who claimed to have no faith whatsoever. But through divine revelation that God gave, only because He is so rich in mercy, they came to have faith...

The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing from the word of God. So is it a revelation that God gives you while you are hearing the word of God that causes you to have faith? Or visa versa? Is it the faith that awakens in you while you are hearing the Word of God that causes you to have revelation?

Not an extremely vital question, but I thought it would be fun to discuss...if anyone is game.

hmmmm... it seems to me to be nearly impossible to not have faith, even a little bit, if you are to believe a revelation came from God. Otherwise, you will most likely think it is a coincidence.

I do know the Bible places much greater emphasis on faith over revelation. Your whole spiritual being is based on faith..."And now these three remain: faith, hope and love." Wow, what a different place this would be if those 3 were in abundance.