Thursday, July 25, 2013

You Can Live by Faith

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."

2 Corinthians 5:7

A woman told her friend that she joined a church. Her friend asked her why she joined that particular church. Her response was that she liked the front doors of the church building because they were glass doors. When her friend questioned what that had to do with joining a church, she said, "I like to know what I'm getting into." Go figure that one. I can't, but I do know most of us had rather walk by sight and not by faith. Yet, if we are to please God, we must walk with Him by faith. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Living by faith is having confidence in God, that He is who He says that He is, and He will do what He says that He will do. It is trusting God and taking Him at His Word. Our faith comes as a gift from God (1 Cor. 13:13), but it is a gift that we must receive and exercise. It's like a muscle in the body. It is a gift of God, but we must exercise it, that it may become useful and stronger. Faith obeys God's Word. Faith is active, not passive. We are to be doers of the Word (James 1:22). God gives us a muscular system, but He will not exercise it for us.

The Bible is like a recipe book to prepare good food. Having the book is never enough. Reading the book is still not enough. It is only enough when we follow the recipe, putting the ingredients together and waiting for it to cook, that we are then able to taste good food. God's Book, the Bible, is our recipe for blessing and to be a blessing to others. It only works when we follow the directions. Living by faith is becoming a doer of the Word.

Father, guide us to live by faith through Christ.