Comments on: What Does it Mean to Live by Faith?

By: Jules

Jules — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:20:21 +0000

I’m up early this morning and came across your thoughts on faith. I read a wonderful quote the other day that fits in here.

“I love the recklessness of faith. First you leap, and then you grow wings.”

– William Sloane Coffin

Thanks to everyone for writing here. I enjoyed all.

By: NurturingLife

NurturingLife — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:54:18 +0000

Faith. . .

“A giant leap in the dark,” you say?

“Believing Gawd for a miracle,” you presume?

There is one verse that never fails to shine boldly from the pages of Scripture for me, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

The Word of God is THE key to understanding what faith really is because faith is infused in the Word of God and imparted to us when we have ears to hear. It is the very Voice of God vibrating throughout our being (spirit, body, mind, and emotions)in a tone that puts us in harmony with our Creator and HIS will.

It is this same mega-powerful Voice that spoke the Earth into existence that enables me to say, “Amen” to whatever God calls me to do when I haven’t got the slightest idea how I am ever going to be able to do it.

His Word tells me that He is going to gently lead me, give me knowledge, understanding and whatever resources I may need to accomplish His will. He is going to shine a light unto my path–not push me over the cliff into the dark. If darkness does surround me, He is still going to be the light in the darkness.

This is not a game of “chicken” or a test to see if I have “faith” enough to succeed. He has already promised me that He is the author and finisher of my faith. This is not about me. It is about clay in the hand of the Potter and the Potter has SAID that He will accomplish HIS will. Surely anything the Creator of Heaven and Earth can come up with has to be way better than what I think I want, even on one of my “best” days.

By: nankel_23

nankel_23 — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:40:13 +0000

These are all good comments that will help us continue our christain journey helping us to seek the mind of christ in all we do. From my experiences, God has a perfect plan for us for “his plans for us are for good not evil that he will bring us to the expected end. God also grants us our desires that are founded in him. We should always seek the face of God in our desires and “work our faith”. When we put in our best in achieving our desires and it does not work out, then it is not the mind of God.
I once lost my job in a very unjust manner and wept bitterly to God and it seemed like he let me down. I was very bitter with life and living until one day during devotion and weeping the only work that came out of my month was “the latter rain will be better than the former” Since then that has been my prayer and it really came to pass in my life—when I evetually got another job it was indeed better and more rewarding than the one I lost.

By: tu4shore

tu4shore — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:47:33 +0000

I’d like to offer a couple observations on Abraham. First, I’m greatly encouraged by the fact that Abraham was thoroughly human. While he is known for his faith consider: sure he left Ur when told but took along family including his nephew Lot who wound up having a large impact later; after arriving in the promised land for a while he promptly ‘went down to Egypt’ (the first time this regrettable practice, which symbolizes trusting the the world rather than God is mentioned in the Bible) to escape a drought without asking God; he lies that Sarah is his sister rather than trusting God to protect; and of course he and Sarah become impatient so he has Ishmael by the maid rather than wait on God, and so it goes. If this is walking by faith then there is hope for the rest of us!

The most remarkable thing about Abraham wasn’t his performance but rather that he “was a friend of God” — his relationship. We don’t see Abraham seeking after something but rather living and we see God showing up to talk with him and Abraham responding. How often do we just turn away? Instead, Abraham engages – even dickers with God on how many righteous people it would take for God not to destroy Sodom. There wasn’t anything Abraham could do to earn this relationship other than show up, engage and obey. The point is underscored when God fulfills both sides of the covenant by walking between the sacrificed animals. Who is worthy to cut covenant with God? No one, of course. Abraham was a friend of God. May it be so with us.

Lincoln City, Oregon

By: Happy

Happy — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:39:54 +0000

I would like to share an event with you that almost destroyed my faith in God. In 1984 I had a very dear friend whom I loved deeply. She became very ill. I pieced together verses from the Bible and convinced myself that God had told me she would not die. I determined to believe this despite the facts to the contrary. When the doctor told me she was dead, I called him a liar and literally pushed him aside to rush into her room. I begged her to wake up truly believing in my heart that somehow she was not dead. Much depression and confusion followed. Now 24 years later I realize that I had drawn a chalk line for God and tried to use Scripture to make God grant me my wish that my dear friend would not die. God is sovereign and all that He does is done for our good and for His glory. Sometimes it is terribly hard to understand why He does or allows what He does, but this one thing I now know – God is perfect in His love, infinite in His wisdom, and completely sovereign in His love for us. I will praise Him in all things whether or not I understand them. Someday we shall know and understand even as He knows. I will believe Him and trust Him until that day comes!

By: DarleneJoy

DarleneJoy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:57:52 +0000

Faith is, as Scripture says, “Being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” But how to explain this? Faith is believing God is who He says He is…even when things don’t go the way we want them to or think that they should…and surrendering our lives to Him to accomplish His purposes in them (knowing that He will).

My faith is being tested right now – I’ve just found out that the company I’ve been teaching English for here in Lithuania has terminated my contract as of Dec. 19th – and am now in the place of having to make a decision about what direction to take. I want to follow God’s leading, not my own, but that’s often easier said than done.

Yet, I know God’s faithfulness and character as He has proven Himself to me so many times before, so I am confident that He will guide me and help me even as I struggle with the emotions and everything else. This is not a surprise to Him and He has a plan through it all.

By: blowentw

blowentw — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:06:00 +0000

An Bible teacher of mine from many years ago defined faith as “believing what God has said and acting upon it.” I’m not sure that God is so concerned with what motivates our faith -either what He has said or what He has done-, but by the reality of the effect it has on our behavior. Eventually both will impact our lives. James tells us faith without works is dead, and Paul tells us that we are created to do good works.

It seems to me that real faith moves us to do good works; wishful thinking causes us to wait for something to happen to us, to make things better. As someone mentioned earlier, I think David’s point in Psalm 37:4 is that as we grow in our relationship to God, as our understanding of Him deepens (the delighting in the Lord), then those things that are important to Him also become important to us, and God is happy to grant us those desires that conform to His will.

Someone else also made the point that for most of us we rarely need to rely on the Lord for what we need. Usually we are self sufficient, or think we are. It is only when we face crisis times, when we know we cannot take care of a situation ourselves, that we are forced to rely on God and His promises. Maybe one of the reasons our collective faith seems weak is that we rarely have or make the opportunity to exercise it. Even now when 401ks and 403bs have tanked, we still have not lost it all. But are we worried, or are we trusting God for our security and future?

Barry, New Jersey

By: rokdude5

rokdude5 — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:21:52 +0000

For MarkieMark, To echo Christ4life, Heb 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

For Poohpity, my mother-in-law has been recently given a 2 year prognosis WITH CHEMO. We are blessed that she is still here though she has a long road ahead of her that we are hoping is short on the treatment and long on the recovery. You guys are on my prayer list among others.

By: christ4life

christ4life — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:30:21 +0000

ADDENDUM
MarkieMark–My prayers are with you. You feel you’re not worthy, none of us is; but remember in spite of our doubts, fears or shame, it is through Jesus Christ we approach The Throne of Grace. So look to Jesus first and always. He is our Way to the Source of Limitless Blessings.

St.Ann, Jamaica

By: MarkieMark

MarkieMark — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:23:43 +0000

daisymarygoldr – Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! In just a few short days of reading and writing in this blog – I have found so much comfort! I can’t wait to get up every morning and start my day with Oswald Chambers and this blog – God has lead me to this blog (never participated or even read a blog before).