Daily Journal: 22 May

Faith Is How We Live

What is faith?

Faith is the means by which everything unseen is tested. Our faith is tested by God, The Creator of things seen from what is unseen. Without faith, we cannot please God. Faith is in keeping with righteousness. Without being made righteous through Christ, through faith, we cannot hope to see God.

What does it mean to live by faith?

Believers in Christ make decisions on life based on faith in what we believe. We follow a direction in life based on faith. We reach out to others based on faith. We are assured in faith. Faith is compelling, and not of our own nature. Believers in Christ live differently to those who don’t believe. We think differently and have different life perceptions.

Hebrews 11:1-3

(NASB) Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. For by it the people of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.

(GWT) Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. God accepted our ancestors because of their faith. Faith convinces us that God created the world through his word. This means what can be seen was made by something that could not be seen.

Faith is tested

Our faith is often tested. Faith in what we hope for, based on what we believe God’s placed in our hearts to be, to do, to achieve, and to receive. Faith is often tested in waiting. Waiting in faith is not a passive thing. We still put our hands and minds to work towards the faith of something we carry, wherever possible. Faith is received with thanksgiving and continued in thanksgiving.

We may never see all the results of the things we’ve poured our life into, in faith. We recognise we are living by faith towards a more secure future than the future we currently see.

Hebrews 11:13 (GWT)

All these people died having faith. They didn’t receive the things that God had promised them, but they saw these things coming in the distant future and rejoiced. They acknowledged that they were living as strangers with no permanent home on earth.

Hebrews 11:16 (NLT)

But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Faith brings assurance

Making inroads in this life, by faith, towards the things of value that God has placed in our hearts to do, is never wasted, even if we can’t see the results of our labour. We know, by faith, by the assurance of things hoped for, we are doing what God has marked out for us.

We are to keep living by faith, embrace the testing, because our assurance in faith pleases God.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV)

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

Psalm 31:23 (NCV)

Love the Lord, all you who belong to him. The Lord protects those who truly believe, but he punishes the proud as much as they have sinned.

Proverbs 28:20 (NASB)

A faithful person will abound with blessings, But one who hurries to be rich will not go unpunished.