You’ve probably read all the same doom and gloom articles that I have… massive inflation coming, housing bubble popping, get out of Dodge while you still can.
But that’s where faith comes in. “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
We get mad at the squirrels for “thinking with their stomachs,” and messing up our dumpster, spreading trash everywhere as they scavenge for food. But, too often, we “think with our emotions” instead of with faith in God, and that makes a spiritual mess all the same.
“Believing that God is” is about trusting that He has this human life thing figured out. He knows right where you are, right where your finances are, right where your family is, and exactly what you need.
Last week was our Missions Revival, and we heard sermon after sermon on, basically, trusting the Lord!
What’s that mean? What does it mean to trust the Lord?
It means what the rest of Hebrews 11 means… we live day by day with the assurance that God is in control. Noah prepared an ark in the face of the unknown. Abraham obeyed God without all the details. Moses’ mother disobeyed the law to preserve his life and bring up Israel’s deliverer. Moses disregarded riches to obey God.
“…and others were tortured… they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword… being destitute, afflicted, tormented.” (see verses 32–40)
Well, that doesn’t sound like much fun! It’s certainly not what Joel Osteen told me last Sunday! He said I’m a child of the King of kings, and a king wouldn’t want his children to be poor.
Living by faith is certainly not like living with a heavenly piggy bank. Or else all those martyrs in Hebrews 11 sure didn’t “have enough faith.”
No, faith is not about US. It’s about HIM.
My “faith” in a rapelling rope has nothing to do with how much I believe in the rope; it has everything to do with the strength of the rope itself.
Our faith is not something we muster; it’s a choice to believe that God is able to do what is best in you, for you, and through you.
Trusting God means staying obedient to His Word and taking each next step with his glory in view. —Pastor Ryan