Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Got Faith?

There's a lot of talk today about faith. Many use the word faith to refer to a particular type of religion or a particular denomination. "I am of the           faith." Some use the word as if it is a mystical force. "I have my faith." Or "My faith pulled me through." Faith is a very popular word these days. Some folks believe faith is a personal thing and should be kept private. The truth is, there is nothing private about Jesus! He died a very public death to remove your sins and mine. So having faith in Him means living "out loud" for Him!

From the Bible, Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" One is saved as a result of having faith in God's gift of grace...Jesus Christ. From the point we truly trust or believe in Jesus we begin a life-long journey that we must walk.....by faith. (See 2nd Corinthians 5:7)

Faith must be genuine. According to James our faith in Jesus must be proved. That's why we encounter various trials and testings along the way. The result of genuine faith is maturity in Jesus. We grow up!

Faith must do 2 things in order for it to be genuine, Biblical faith.
  1. Faith must point us to someone or something. True faith is not some force floating around for our use as needed. The Bible explains that faith points us to Jesus, or to God, or the Words of Jesus and God. Our faith and trust in Jesus and His Word produces a sturdy foundation on which we stand through the trials and testings. Genuine faith focuses us on God, not on the things of this world.
  2. Faith must also result in our taking some kind of action. "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." (James 2:17) If we truly trust God, we will live for Him, beginning with believing He died and rose on our behalf. If we truly have faith in God's Word, we will learn and speak God's Word, and we will do what it says. Faith prompts action. Faith produces results.
Faith is not a feeling. It is not an emotion. Faith is the means by which we serve God. The Bible teaches that the righteous person shall live by faith. Faith energizes the Word and the promises of God. You must believe to receive! You must believe to serve. You must believe to advance in God's kingdom!

Jesus said, as He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" Ultimately faith brings the glory of God! When God comes in His glory...stuff happens and things change!

Make the choice to live and walk by faith right now. Choose now to believe in Jesus as Savior.  Know the choice must be made to live by faith from today forward! And prepare to see God's glory!

I want to officially welcome those reading my blog from outside the U.S.  Thanks to you in the nations of Lithuania, The United Kingdom, India, South Africa, Honduras,  Guatemala, China, Germany, Nigeria, The Ukraine, The Philippines, Israel, Russia, and Canada. Feel free to share my blog! God bless! 


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