This week we have focused on the call to faith in our devotions. In this blog I am going to highlight the various passages of the week and bring it together at the end.
By Faith
Hebrews 11 is a powerful passage of scripture as it illustrates many great stories of faith. Hebrews 11:39 – 40 says, “All of these people we have mentioned received God’s approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had far better things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can’t receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race.”
Friend, as we face the days ahead we must prepare ourselves to live by faith. To hear and obey God’s word, by faith. To refuse to turn from God with our eyes fixed on the prize, by faith. To travel to the lands God sends us to, by faith. To build an ark for our family, by faith. Know it’s better to suffer for the sake of the King than to own the treasures or approval of this earth, by faith.
At the end of the race, friend, we desire nothing more than to say, ” I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
A Call to Remain Faithful
As we look around there are scoffers whose purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way possible (Jude 18). Evil is called good. Immoral is called moral. Sin is called right. Truth is called hate. The scoffers of the world have loud voices. Loud voices that create division. They live by their natural instincts as they do not live with God’s Spirit within them.
Our job is to remain faithful. Building our life foundation on holy faith. The foundation of our life must be solid and secure in holy faith to stand firm upon when all else around us shakes and crumbles. Pray as directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in a way that God’s blessings can bring favor to your life. Show mercy for those whose faith wavers. Rescue others by sharing bold truth in love as you snatch them from the fiery flames of judgment. But, be careful, friend, that you aren’t contaminated by their sin (Jude 23).
We find ourselves so nice we lose holy. So judging we become condemning. So standoffish we aren’t reachable. So consumed we aren’t discerning. Contaminated. Entangled in the web of the sin of the world. Part of the world when we are called to live IN the world. Separated from Christ. Be careful, to build the foundation of your life on holy faith so as you reach for others you will remain blameless pulling them to truth with you.
Faith
Faith is how we will patiently endure to the end. Faith, according to Hebrews 11, is the evidence of things not seen. By faith we understand the entire universe was formed at God’s command, nothing in existence came from anything that can be seen. To have faith is a choice for us. Before we can choose faith we must have trust. Trust is a firm belief in the character, strength, or TRUTH of someone. We build trust by knowing these things of the individual we place our trust in. We cannot know where to place our faith if we do not KNOW the person well enough to firmly believe in them.
Friend, if you are going to walk in the instability of the world around you in faith, you must trust in WHO Jesus is, and to trust, you must KNOW him. In order to know him, you must pursue him. He will not push himself on you. Make it your purpose today to know Jesus better than you did yesterday, so you can without doubt, trust him, and place your faith in him.
Daniel 11:32 …but the people who know their God will be strong and will resist…
If only I could touch the hem of his garment…FAITH
James 1:2-4 reminds us that whenever trouble comes our way to make it an opportunity for joy. For when our faith is tested we have the chance for endurance to grown. Endurance, fully developed, holds strong character and prepares us to face anything. The world within which we live has trouble on every side. Trouble we cannot even be fully aware of. Anxiety. Fears. Uncertainty. Anger. Violence. Bitterness. Grief. Sorrow. This is a time when we as the body of Christ are being tested in our faith. An opportunity to build endurance for the journey ahead. Allow it to be an opportunity for joy. Build character and be ready for anything the devil throws at you. We already know, we win!
I was reminded this morning as I thought of this scripture of the woman who had hemorrhaged for 12 years. (Matthew 9). Imagine if you will, she bled for 12 years with sickness. Oh, but the Lord, walked by. As he walked by she refused to let her opportunity pass her by. Laser focused, she knew, if only she could touch the hem of His garment, she would be healed. Because He alone is everything she needs. Even after 12 long years of suffering.
Be her today. Drown out the noise. Push past the pressure. Ignore the crowds. Don’t be a bystander. Make your way, in faith, and simply touch the hem of his garment. There you will find healing and your faith will make you whole. Matthew 9:22 “Jesus turned around and said to her, Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well! And the woman was healed at that moment.
Author & Finisher of faith
The journey ahead is a long windy road with much uncertainty around the next curve. The road may be slipper and steep requiring careful and precise navigation. Our GPS, Jesus himself. He is the author & finisher of our faith. Look up. Remember his example. He suffered greatly as he knew the joy ahead. Our road looks impassable as we slowly and carefully with white knuckles grip the steering wheel to navigate this journey. Jesus, is our navigation system if we follow his lead and commands. Strip off the sins that weigh you down, fill up your tank in His Word, and run with endurance the race set before us.
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated int he place of honor beside God’s throne.”
Faith Requires Works
As I pondered how faith works while running the race, I pictured the scene below. Running the race focused on the finished line while you pass by others. At first glance that may not seem bad. But as you reach the finish line and look back you see, the broken neighbor you ran by, the hurt family member you passed, the stranger with pleading eyes not noticed before. People. People who needed someone running the race of life to eternity, to pause, and pick them up so they could run with them.
James 2:26 “Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without works.”
Friend, God gives each of us talents to use as we work in the his fields, planting, sowing, harvesting souls for the Kingdom. If we bury those talents, let our faith be without works, it is of no good to the Kingdom. We must run the race with strength and endurance we attain by building our faith through trials. As we run the good race, laser focused on finishing, we must work along the way, to bring others to the prize with us.
I lay before you, Lord, my whole heart, without question…FAITH
James 2:23 “And so it happened just as the scriptures say ~ Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous. He was even called the friend of God.”
At first glance, it is easy to read this passage of scripture, and think, I will believe God so I can be declared righteous and be the friend of God. Believing God must, however, be a bigger act than merely believing. It requires obedience.
Headed to the place of sacrifice, Isaac asks a reasonable question, to which, Abraham, his father, replies with an obedient answer of faith. Genesis 22:8 “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them, together.” Without waver in his voice, without question in his heart, and without frantically searching, Abraham said, God will provide.
Genesis 22:14 “And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh”
Jehovah-jireh ~ the Lord will provide.
In faith, when obedience is birthed, releasing your most prized possession, your most treasured earthly belonging, whatever you desire most. Person. Place. Dream. Obediently submitting to God as a sacrifice of your heart, fully trusting, He will provide. Allows God to be YOUR, Jehovah-jireh where the provision is heavenly and more than you could have ever imagined.
Faith requires obedience.
Faith Carries Us
As I read through the scripture and stories of faith this week we have been called to study, I thought of where we are today. The place in this world we stand. Evil is dances in the streets in broad daylight yet is unseen. Immorality is celebrated. Morality is scoffed at. Division is the goal while unity is called for. Truth is considered hate spewing. Fear of death is all around us.
Yet, in this seemingly impossible place, we stand with a call to faith, remaining faithful, building strength and endurance, and trusting Jesus to be our Jehovah-jireh.
Friend, there is no time like the present, to dig into the very depths of your broken soul with a call to faithfulness in his Word. The word of Jesus is life giving bread that will sustain you to the very end. The road is narrow and few will find it. Be intentional on your path so you don’t sway with the crowds off the narrow road finding yourself lost in the crowd where you will have to push your way out of.
I thought of the children of Israel as they stood on the banks of the Red Sea with Pharoah’s army storming to them with what could only be seen through human eyes as certain defeat. I thought of Moses, as he obediently raised his staff, and heard the swirl of wind begin to crash waves in front of them. I thought of how much he had to in that moment, fully trust, that God alone was his Jehovah-jireh as there was NO world solution to the battle they were in. There was no movement of the land that was going to make Pharoah treat them right, give them freedom, let them go, or make right the wrong of the years of slavery. None. All they had was God and the miraculous. So, he stood, on the banks of the Red Sea, raised his staff, and obeyed God. God provided. Miraculously. Supernatural. He provided. Exodus 14 is a beautiful passage of faith displayed by a man named Moses, who had learned along the journey, to fully trust in who his God was for the provision he needed, as he was led by faith to greatness.
Exodus 14:13 “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will n ever see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
By faith, my friend, you will endure to the end. By faith. Bobbie
