Monday, March 2, 2020

Where Is Your Faith?

Jesus asked His disciples, "Where is your faith?" because they showed such little faith during the windstorm even after seeing Him perform many miracles. They had every reason to trust and rely upon His goodness and power. However, they got nervous and fearful because the storm was raging and Jesus was sleeping. Our faith is tested when we face a crisis or calamity. Do we freak out in fear and anxiety or do we trust God Who is sovereign over all? The faith of the disciples were tested and they failed. When Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves, all became calm. The disciples were frightened and amazed/astonished at Christ's power and authority over the winds and the water. The creation obeys the Creator. God has everything under control; we have nothing to fear. How we react to the troubles and trials in our lives is a proof/evidence of our faith or lack thereof. Our actions reveal what we really believe.
Fear and worry usually stem from lack of faith or weak faith or misplace of faith or focus. Where is your focus? Look up from the winds and waves of this world to Him Who sits on the throne and is able to still our storms. We don't live by the news; we live by faith in our faithful Almighty God. Put your confidence in Christ alone. I love Psalm 121. It helps me have the right focus, encourages my heart, and strengthens my faith.
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains--
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip--
He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you--
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm--
He will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore."

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see...And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (Hebrews 11:1, 6) God wants us to live by faith, not by fear. Faith (trust, belief, conviction) in God as Creator and Ruler of all things, Provider and Giver of eternal life through Christ Jesus. Faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah, the only Way through Whom we can be saved. Whom or what you place your faith in is of utmost importance. You may have a strong faith in everything else but Christ, and yet perish. Authentic faith brings about conviction of God's truth, confidence (in God), courage, contentment, and comfort no matter what trials and troubles of life we may have to go through. Faith protects our hearts from doubting, fearing, worrying, and wandering. Faith also keeps us spiritually stable in spiritual warfare. Faith in God (of the Bible) is complete confidence/total trust in Who God is and what God does and that God will do what He will do when He wants to do and how He wants to do.  We are sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see because of God alone Who is always faithful and unchangeable, all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving. We can rest in His love, grace, mercy, wisdom, power, goodness, faithfulness, and sovereignty. We trust God, His Word and His promises without terms. Faith is the belief that His Word is true (God says it; I believe it) and that God will act according to His character/attributes and what He says in His Word. God is both the Object and the Origin of our faith.

"How do you walk by faith? By claiming the promises of God and obeying the Word of God, in spite of what you see, how you feel, or what may happen. It means committing yourself to the Lord and relying wholly on Him to meet the need. When we live by faith, it glorifies God, witnesses to a lost world, and builds Christian character into our lives." (Wiersbe)
"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading." (Oswald Chambers) 
"Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of faith is to see what we believe." (St. Augustine) 
"Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right." (Max Lucado)

"Faith endures as seeing Him Who is invisible; endures the disappointments, the hardships, and the heart-aches of life, by recognizing that all comes from the hand of Him Who is too wise to err and too loving to be unkind." (A.W. Pink)

"Faith is a Fantastic Adventure In Trusting Him." (Corrie ten Boom)

Prayer
: Lord Jesus, please help me to trust in You, Your goodness, faithfulness, love, and power in all circumstances, through any crises. Please enable me to fix my eyes on You and rest in You. Please grant me vibrant, childlike faith that dispels all my fear and worry.





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