Living a Life of Faith

Something stood out to me quite profoundly yesterday as I was having devotions very early in the morning.

When God wakes us up Family and we can’t seem to go back to sleep, don’t allow your thoughts to run away with you, don’t do your own thing, talk to God and listen to Him speaking back to you.

One of the ways we communicate with God is through getting into His Word. And as we mature physically, we must also mature spiritually. And so, while we may not be able to retain everything we study, there must be something that resonates with us and makes us want to explore further what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to us.

So as I was studying, I came across this sentence that gave me such reassurance. Because as much as we say we are Christians and we believe in Jesus Christ, at one point or another, something happens to shake our faith and perhaps even cause us to do some deep reflection. 

We are familiar with the scripture in Romans 5:1, which says, ”Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.“ NLT version.

We have heard many sermons on the topic of faith and we ourselves have perhaps struggled with the subject.

We can all, I believe, quickly recite the King James Version definition of faith as found in Hebrews 11:1 - ”Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.“

But when it comes to living a life of faith, many of us struggle sometimes. The questions come when we see our loved ones die, when our own health fails, when our marriages break up no matter how hard we try to keep the bond, when we lose our jobs, when we see our children making wrong choices that negatively impact their lives, when we hear news about crime and violence and innocent people suffering all over the world especially in our backyard.

It is in these times Family, that we have to ask God to strengthen our faith. Because our faith in God is ultimately what is going to see us through this life.

 

Reading from The Passion Translation, 2 Corinthians 5:7 says ”for we live by faith, not by what we see with our eyes.“

Hebrews 11:6 ”And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who passionately seek him.“

Mark 11:22-24 ”Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you! Listen to the truth I speak to you: Whoever says to this mountain with great faith and does not doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer—be convinced that you have received it and it will be yours.“

And Romans 1:17 says ”This gospel unveils a continual revelation of God’s righteousness—a perfect righteousness given to us when we believe. And it moves us from receiving life through faith, to the power of living by faith. This is what the Scripture means when it says: “We are right with God through life-giving faith!”“

So as I was having devotions yesterday morning, I read where the writer, expounding on Romans 5:1, said, by faith in Jesus, we are justified before Him. This means that through Jesus’ own right-living, we are made right before Him. Even though we still make mistakes, we stand innocent before God because of Jesus.

That gave me great reassurance.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get real discouraged after I keep on failing God over and over and over again. And don’t judge now, let us pray for one another. Because some people are out there committing adultery and fornication while others are sowing seeds of discord, but each is called by the same name S I N sin.

And here’s where I remember this favourite hymn:

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;

To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources

Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,

Our God ever yearns His resources to share;

Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;

The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

So when those trials come Family, we draw for our faith in God. We remind ourselves of how faithful God is to us and we ask Him to strengthen our faith in His existence, His promises, and His plan for our lives. 

Faith Family, goes beyond mere quoting scriptures and being able to share an encouraging word to others. 

Living a life of faith Family, doesn’t involve pretending that all is well but when you think no one is looking you are going to the obeah man seeking a quick fix, or playing the lottery hoping to get rich quick instead of finding work to do. 

Living a life of faith Family, involves activating our trust in our faithful God to lead us in the right direction. It is rooted in a relationship with God, which though may waver, will endure by the grace of God.

So how do we live a life of faith in the midst of these challenging times? We dig deeper in God's Word. Romans 10:17 NLT ”So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.“

How do we live a life of faith? By deepening our relationship with God. James 4:8 Passion Translation says ”Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.“

How can we live a life of faith? By constantly reflecting on how many times God has been faithful to us. I like how The Message version of The Bible puts this one - Psalm 9:9-10 ”God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry you knocked.“

And certainly we know that we can live a life of faith when we are held accountable by like minded believers who we can draw strength from especially in trying times. Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT ”Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.“ 

As I mentioned earlier and we all know, life is filled with challenges and if we are not prayed up, we can lose faith. But I hasten to add, we don’t have to lose our faith in God, no matter what’s going on around us. 

Yes we may have some doubts, but if we have genuine faith, rooted in a relationship with God, we can endure whatever comes our way, by God's grace.

I want to share with us acronym I found for the word FAITH (F A I T H):

F - Foundation in God's Word: Psalms 119:105 ”Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.“

A - Assurance in His Promises: Jer 29:11 ”For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.“

I - Intimacy in Prayer: Philippians 4:6-7 ”Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.“

T - Trust His Timing: Ecclesiastes 3:1 ”For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.“

And H - Hope in Christ Jesus: Romans 15:13 ”I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.“

Family, as God grants us the breath us life day after day, even amidst everything that we are facing, may we continue to focus on His Sovereignty, maintain a close relationship with Him through prayer, remember His plans and purpose for our lives, rely on His promises, trust in His timing,  find hope in Jesus Christ and stay rooted and grounded in the Word of God.

aub - 4 March 2024

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