Thursday 10/02/08

Faith is (1)

      Notice two important things about faith: (1) Faith is a substance. In the U.S., people trade in dollars; in Europe they trade in Euros. But in God’s Kingdom, faith is “the coin of the realm!” It’s what’s required to do business with God (See Heb 11:6). And it grows only by feeding on His Word (See Ro 10:17). (2) Faith must be connected to hope. If you’re not hoping for anything, you don’t need faith. But your hope must be based on what God’s Word says. When God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations, Abraham spent the next twenty years looking for a son, even though the situation seemed impossible. How did he do it?

      (a) “He believed – God, who…calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Ro 4:17 NKJV). God “sees” it, then He reveals it to you. And His willingness to bless you with it, rests on your willingness to believe Him for it. (b) “Who, contrary to hope…believed…according to what was spoken” (Ro 4:18 NKJV). What has God said?  That’s what your hope should be built on. (c) “He did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old)” (Ro 4:19 NKJV). You say, “But considering the circumstances…!” No, believe God; He’s bigger than the circumstances! (d) “He did not waver…through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform” (Ro 4:20-21 NKJV). So, strengthen your faith through the Scriptures. Keep giving glory to God for what He’s promised you. Be resolute. Such faith honors God, and God honors such faith!