Faith

Belief and trust in and loyalty to God. That is definition number two in the modern Merriam Webster Dictionary. Faith is an affectionate practical confidence in the testimony of God. Part of definition number four in the Original Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. I like both of these and from them we get a good picture of faith. But what about faith in our daily lives? Our faith can be strong, but sometimes it can be weakened. What should we do, and how do we live faithful to God? From his excellent Study Bible, Warren Wiersbe explains how faith works:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

The opening verses of Hebrews 11 are not a definition of faith but a description of what faith does and how it works. True Bible faith is not blind optimism or manufactured hope-so feeling. Neither is it an intellectual assent to a doctrine. Faith does certainly not consist of belief in spite of evidence! That would be superstition. True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word despite circumstances and consequences. Read the last sentence again and let it soak into your mind and heart. This faith operates quite simply. God speaks, and we hear His Word. We trust His Word and act on it no matter what the circumstances are or what the consequences may be. The circumstances may be impossible and the consequences frightening and unknown, but we obey God’s Word just the same and believe Him to do what is right and what is best.

Question

What does your faith look like to God?

What does it look like to others? Take A Look

Hebrews 11:23-29

2 Corinthians 5:7

—Mike