Living Life in Faith...
What would it look like if we lived our lives based on faith? I mean this seriously, because we so often talk about faith but seem to care about it and possess so little! Hebrews (11:1) says "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Now, with that in mind, are you living in faith?
Now, note here, I am NOT, NOT, NOT, pushing a health and wealth, name it and claim it, kind of thing here. Yes, I may hope for a custom made Dodge Viper to appear on my doorstep, but that's not what my hope is built on or for! That is just the selfish nature rearing its head and saying, "GIMME!!!!" Now, let's look at this verse in context and determine what it really means...
Following the verse is a list of people who had "faith." Their faith wasn't necessarily getting what they wanted (or at all!) I mean, just look at the examples he gives and then the fact that he goes on to talk about them dying before seeing what was promised! That doesn't sound anything like the "name it and claim it, you should be healthy, wealthy, and happy if you believe" folks does it?
I mean, the definition of faith given in this verse is acting on what God has revealed about His will and character. Abraham had no assurance other than God's word, and he left everything to follow. Noah became a laughingstock as he built a boat in the desert based on God's word. They believed, but more than belief, they acted on that belief!
Verse 3 shows us why they believe (and the end of verse 1 hints at it!). The confidence of faith is based on the God who fulfills his promises. If He made everything, is there anything He cannot do? There is a reason that Creation is a basic tenet of Jewish and Christian faith. If we don't have a God who is capable and faithful to His creation, there's no point in any kind of redemptive act, as there wasn't anything to be redeemed!
Now, here's the crux of verse 1: The word translated assurance means an active certainty that what God has promised will come to pass despite our not yet seeing it. The author lays it all out there in the rest of the text, culminating in this:
All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
Faith is knowing that this world is not all there is. It is certainty that God called us and has something SO much better in mind. It is life lived through God's promise, whether we see it or not. Do you live life with the certainty that God is with you, for you, and has a better plan for you? Or is this all there is? Can you hold onto God's promise despite not seeing any signs of it or will you lose hope?
My prayer for you today is that you run with confidence in the things you hope for because you have faith in the God who not only made the entirety of creation but sent His son to die for you...
Now, note here, I am NOT, NOT, NOT, pushing a health and wealth, name it and claim it, kind of thing here. Yes, I may hope for a custom made Dodge Viper to appear on my doorstep, but that's not what my hope is built on or for! That is just the selfish nature rearing its head and saying, "GIMME!!!!" Now, let's look at this verse in context and determine what it really means...
Following the verse is a list of people who had "faith." Their faith wasn't necessarily getting what they wanted (or at all!) I mean, just look at the examples he gives and then the fact that he goes on to talk about them dying before seeing what was promised! That doesn't sound anything like the "name it and claim it, you should be healthy, wealthy, and happy if you believe" folks does it?
I mean, the definition of faith given in this verse is acting on what God has revealed about His will and character. Abraham had no assurance other than God's word, and he left everything to follow. Noah became a laughingstock as he built a boat in the desert based on God's word. They believed, but more than belief, they acted on that belief!
Verse 3 shows us why they believe (and the end of verse 1 hints at it!). The confidence of faith is based on the God who fulfills his promises. If He made everything, is there anything He cannot do? There is a reason that Creation is a basic tenet of Jewish and Christian faith. If we don't have a God who is capable and faithful to His creation, there's no point in any kind of redemptive act, as there wasn't anything to be redeemed!
Now, here's the crux of verse 1: The word translated assurance means an active certainty that what God has promised will come to pass despite our not yet seeing it. The author lays it all out there in the rest of the text, culminating in this:
All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
Faith is knowing that this world is not all there is. It is certainty that God called us and has something SO much better in mind. It is life lived through God's promise, whether we see it or not. Do you live life with the certainty that God is with you, for you, and has a better plan for you? Or is this all there is? Can you hold onto God's promise despite not seeing any signs of it or will you lose hope?
My prayer for you today is that you run with confidence in the things you hope for because you have faith in the God who not only made the entirety of creation but sent His son to die for you...
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