The Righteous Shall Live By Faith
"We live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)."
What is faith? By definition, faith is "complete trust or confidence in something or someone; strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof." If you are a follower of Christ, it took faith to believe that He is who He says He is. It took faith to believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and then rose again three days later. Faith is simple and complex at the same time. It goes against our human reasoning. It stirs our hearts as God draws us to Himself. Some people may say you just have to have faith in faith itself or faith in something. However, if you put your faith in anything but God you will always be disappointed. You will always be searching to fill the void that only He can fill.
Some put their faith in their job. Others may put their faith in a person. Still others may put their faith in their own ability. There are those who have been deceived into believing that each person is their own god and they can make their own path to heaven. They have man-made rules they follow hoping to find peace and joy, but ultimately will only find death. If your faith is in anything other than the finished work of Jesus Christ, you are headed for destruction. For only through Him can you truly live. He takes out your heart of stone and gives you a heart of flesh. He puts His Spirit within you and teaches you to follow Him. He opens your eyes so you can see. He breaks chains and sets the prisoner free. Sin no longer has mastery over you. Once He calls you, you are His forever. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand (John 10:27-28)."
His word tells us the righteous shall live by faith. This faith is trusting God and knowing that He will do what He says He will do. It is believing that God will work all things together for the good of those who love Him. It is looking beyond our present circumstances knowing that no matter how difficult life may be at times, God is sovereign and He has you and me in the palm of His hand. It is being obedient to His leading even when it goes beyond human reasoning. God told Moses to build an ark because rain was going to flood the earth. Up until that time, no one had ever seen rain. People thought he was crazy and it didn't make sense, but Moses remained obedient and did what God called Him to do. Because of His obedience, he and his family were rescued from the flood. Friend, most often times, the thing God asks you to do may not make much sense. You may have doubts and wrestle with fear, but trust God. He will never ask you to do something He hasn't already made a way for. He will also never ask you to do something that contradicts His word. Remember that He sees the end from the beginning and everything He does is for your good and His glory. The testimony of Abraham comes to mind. God tells him to take his one, his only son to the region of Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Abraham must have wrestled with fear and doubt at the thought of killing his only son whom he loved. Abraham, however, did not waiver in his faith in God. He was obedient to the call even though he did not understand it. Abraham remembered that God had told him before that He would establish His covenant with Issac as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. Abraham did as God asked and he took Issac to the region of Moriah. Issac asked where the lamb was for the burnt offering. Abraham replied, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering my son (Genesis 22:8)." Then, as Abraham reached out his hand to take the knife to slay Issac, an angel told him not to "lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son (Genesis 22:12)." And in that moment, Abraham looked and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. God provided that ram for the burnt offering instead of his son. That day Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14)." What great faith Abraham had. He trusted God and was obedient. He laid aside his will in exchange for God's will even when it seemed there was going to be so much heartache involved.
God wants all of our heart, not just a part of it. He wants first place above all...above our family, above our own desires, above our relationships, above our career. This will involve testing and sacrifice. It is not always an easy path, however, we will one day be richly rewarded. "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)."
God always keeps His promises. He can always be trusted. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Walking by faith is not doubting God or wavering in what you believe. It is full assurance in God that He will do what He says He is going to do. "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised (Romans 4:18-21)."
My friend, don't lose heart and keep pressing on. Trust in the One who holds you and this entire universe in the palm of His hand. "So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For in just a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith (Hebrews 10:35-38)."
What is faith? By definition, faith is "complete trust or confidence in something or someone; strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof." If you are a follower of Christ, it took faith to believe that He is who He says He is. It took faith to believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and then rose again three days later. Faith is simple and complex at the same time. It goes against our human reasoning. It stirs our hearts as God draws us to Himself. Some people may say you just have to have faith in faith itself or faith in something. However, if you put your faith in anything but God you will always be disappointed. You will always be searching to fill the void that only He can fill.
Some put their faith in their job. Others may put their faith in a person. Still others may put their faith in their own ability. There are those who have been deceived into believing that each person is their own god and they can make their own path to heaven. They have man-made rules they follow hoping to find peace and joy, but ultimately will only find death. If your faith is in anything other than the finished work of Jesus Christ, you are headed for destruction. For only through Him can you truly live. He takes out your heart of stone and gives you a heart of flesh. He puts His Spirit within you and teaches you to follow Him. He opens your eyes so you can see. He breaks chains and sets the prisoner free. Sin no longer has mastery over you. Once He calls you, you are His forever. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand (John 10:27-28)."
His word tells us the righteous shall live by faith. This faith is trusting God and knowing that He will do what He says He will do. It is believing that God will work all things together for the good of those who love Him. It is looking beyond our present circumstances knowing that no matter how difficult life may be at times, God is sovereign and He has you and me in the palm of His hand. It is being obedient to His leading even when it goes beyond human reasoning. God told Moses to build an ark because rain was going to flood the earth. Up until that time, no one had ever seen rain. People thought he was crazy and it didn't make sense, but Moses remained obedient and did what God called Him to do. Because of His obedience, he and his family were rescued from the flood. Friend, most often times, the thing God asks you to do may not make much sense. You may have doubts and wrestle with fear, but trust God. He will never ask you to do something He hasn't already made a way for. He will also never ask you to do something that contradicts His word. Remember that He sees the end from the beginning and everything He does is for your good and His glory. The testimony of Abraham comes to mind. God tells him to take his one, his only son to the region of Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Abraham must have wrestled with fear and doubt at the thought of killing his only son whom he loved. Abraham, however, did not waiver in his faith in God. He was obedient to the call even though he did not understand it. Abraham remembered that God had told him before that He would establish His covenant with Issac as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. Abraham did as God asked and he took Issac to the region of Moriah. Issac asked where the lamb was for the burnt offering. Abraham replied, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering my son (Genesis 22:8)." Then, as Abraham reached out his hand to take the knife to slay Issac, an angel told him not to "lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son (Genesis 22:12)." And in that moment, Abraham looked and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. God provided that ram for the burnt offering instead of his son. That day Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14)." What great faith Abraham had. He trusted God and was obedient. He laid aside his will in exchange for God's will even when it seemed there was going to be so much heartache involved.
God wants all of our heart, not just a part of it. He wants first place above all...above our family, above our own desires, above our relationships, above our career. This will involve testing and sacrifice. It is not always an easy path, however, we will one day be richly rewarded. "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)."
God always keeps His promises. He can always be trusted. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Walking by faith is not doubting God or wavering in what you believe. It is full assurance in God that He will do what He says He is going to do. "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised (Romans 4:18-21)."
My friend, don't lose heart and keep pressing on. Trust in the One who holds you and this entire universe in the palm of His hand. "So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For in just a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith (Hebrews 10:35-38)."
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