Monday, July 14, 2014

Faith is a Matter of Trust

Where lies the secret strength of faith?

This question was part of my devotional reading for today from "Morning and Evening" by Charles H. Spurgeon.  He goes on to write: 

"It lies in the food it feeds on; for faith studies what the promise is - an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God; and faith says, 'My God could not have given this promise, except from love and grace; therefore it is quite certain his Word will be fulfilled.'  Then faith thinketh, 'Who gave this promise?'  It considers not so much its greatness, as, 'Who is the author of it?'  


In fact, this is the primary work that God has given to people.  

Jesus said: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”  JOHN 6:29

...but more than that, it is to believe God.  

 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness.”  
ROMANS 4:3 


The ultimate temptation is not to cause us to do wrong,
it is to cause us to disbelieve the Lord and
to cause us to not trust Him.
 

The value in knowing the Lord, knowing His Word, knowing His faithfulness throughout all generations, is to believe Him.  This is not merely believing in Him, in the possibility that He will do what He says.  It is BELIEVING Him and knowing that what He has promised will certainly be done in the fullness of time.  

When we look at life from an eternal perspective, we gain a clearer understanding of how the Lord works.  Whenever tempted to think that the Lord is not responding to a particular situation satisfactorily, I try to broaden my view to see what He is working out for eternity.  Just because I cannot "see" what is happening in any particular circumstance, does not mean that He has ceased to be faithful.  My view is so limited!

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  HEBREWS 11:1

Hebrews 11 gives examples of many ancients who have been commended for their faith.

Where are you trusting God when you cannot see what He is doing?  

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