Rediscovering the journey of faith.
‘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 11:6 NIV]
Faith is an important word in the Bible. The word "faith" is used more than 300 times in the New Testament. Beyond any doubt, the most powerful, influential people on earth do not occupy elected office, run industries, or control the Government. The most influential people are people of faith. The single most important thing in a person's life is faith in God. Ephesians 2:8-9 declares only by faith in Jesus Christ can a person be saved, have his sins forgiven, and receive eternal life with God in heaven.
Martin Luther said: "Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible. Then, it accepts the impossible, does without the indispensable and bears the intolerable."
First of all, let us apprehend what faith is not: Faith, for instance, is not positive thinking; that is something quite different. Faith is not hoping for the best, hoping that everything will turn out all right. Faith is not a feeling of optimism. Faith is no better than its object. Faith is none of these things, though all of them have been branded as faith. The Bible says in Romans 14"Whatever is not of faith, is sin." Faith in optimism is nothing but positive thinking. If you put faith in positive thinking, you are going to become discouraged. Therefore Weak faith in God is better than strong faith in anything else. Faith is what counts. It is not the size of your faith it is the object of your faith that really counts. “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” (Heb. 10:19)
2 Corinthians 5:7 gives a reminder and exhortation that believers are to "walk by faith, not by sight." "Walk" speaks of how we live our lives, conduct ourselves, behave, and use the time and opportunities God has ordained for us. Walking "by sight" speaks of choosing to live based upon how things naturally appear, feel, and seem at first glance. Those who walk by sight rely upon fleshly instincts and temporal pleasures to make decisions. They are concerned with the present rather than the eternal and with blending in with the world rather than with keeping the commands of Christ. Walking by sight is selfish, shallow, and according to the Scripture, a totally insensible way to live. Walking by faith, on the other hand, makes sense if we understand what faith is and the profound glory of what it accomplishes and gives back to us in return.
Now, in the context of Hebrews 11, this verse flows naturally from verse 5, which says “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--"he disappeared, because God took him." For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. (Heb 11:5NLT) Enoch’s journey led him to God, and when he found God, he walked with him. He began walking with God after the birth of his son Methuselah that is; Enoch’s life was such that it put delight in the heart of God and walked with God for 300 years. He is one of only two people in the Bible who did not die—the other being Elijah. Enoch’s story teaches us that death for the believer is not a dreadful event—though on earth it often seems terrible. For the believer in Jesus, death is a transition from this life to the next. It is the doorway through which we enter the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Before you are taken from this life you must be commended as one who pleases God. Our supreme purpose in this life is to please God. Unless you and I please God we will not go to heaven. Why? No one who does not please God will be found in heaven. But it is impossible to please God Without faith. Hebrews 10:38 says “the just shall live by faith;" The "just" is referring to believers; who are justified by Faith “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) We as believers are to live by faith. In other words, the righteous man trusts, not in himself, but in God. His faith is directed upward, not inward! So let us consider rediscovering the journey of faith or what it means, walking by Faith?
1. WALKING BY FAITH MEANS, LIVING WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE.
A "perspective" is a point of view, a way of thinking about a matter. Having an eternal perspective means evaluating the beliefs, events and decisions of life from God's point of view. It is using God's word and His values as the measuring stick with which to evaluate life. It is recognizing that everything done in the present has an eternal consequence, and should be evaluated in that light. An eternal perspective, however, enables us to live in light of God's truth rather than what we perceive to be true through our limited knowledge. Living according to God's wisdom will appear to be foolishness to the world but is based on the true measure of reality: God's eternal truth. In John 14:6, Jesus said that He is The Truth -not just another truth. Psalm 119:160 says that the sum of God’s Word is truth.
To walk by faith is to fear God more than man; to obey the Bible even when it conflicts with man’s commands; to choose righteousness over sin, no matter what the cost; to trust God in every circumstance; and to believe God rewards those who seek Him, regardless of who says otherwise
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is one of the best known of the great chapters of the Bible. This chapter centers on, and focuses upon, what faith is. Well, what is faith then? It is faith in God, not faith in faith. The first seven verses of this wonderful chapter answer that question, and the rest of the chapter tells us how it works. The author is not discussing faith in general, but faith in God. If this is important, then it is essential that we know what it is. In these seven verses: There is a definition in which we see the ingredients of faith. This, by the way, is the only definition of faith in the Bible. The definition is followed by a deduction, in which we have revealed the significance, the implications, of faith. Then there is a demonstration, in which we see illustrations of faith. The first and second verses and the sixth verse, taken together, help define faith for us. Here we see the ingredients of faith:
Verse one says “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The word "substance" is from the Greek word hupostasis, meaning: that which stands under, a foundation. Thus it speaks of the ground on which one builds a hope. So "faith is the title deed of things hoped for."Faith is a foundation to our hopes; it is a guarantee and assurance. The verse goes on to say that faith is, "the evidence of things not seen." This doesn't expand or add to what has already been said but it confirms it. The assurance or foundation or guarantee spoken of in the first part of the verse is now termed evidence or conviction and the things hoped for are precisely the things not seen.
FAITH IS an attribute of the heart, rather than of the head. Then comes "the conviction of things not seen" -- not only a desire for something better, but an awareness of something else: That is faith. It means we become aware that we are surrounded by an invisible spirit kingdom, that which is seen is not the whole explanation of life, that there are realities which cannot be seen, weighed, measured, analyzed, or touched, and yet which are as real and as vital as anything we can see. In fact they are more real because they are the explanation of the things which can be seen. We must understand there is a spiritual kingdom that exists.
Again Verse 6 says the same: “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Now to come to God, of course, you have to believe that He is. God the Father is to be approached unto, through Christ the Mediator, by the guidance and assistance of the Spirit: and he must believe in the perfections of God; that he is omniscient, and knows his person and wants; is omnipotent, and can do for him, beyond his thoughts and petitions; is all sufficient, and that his grace is sufficient for him; that he is immutable, in his purposes and covenant; that he is true and faithful to his promises; and is the God of grace, love, and mercy: and he must believe in him, not only as the God of nature and providence, but as his covenant God and Father in Christ and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;
2. WALKING BY FAITH MEANS BELIEVEING THAT GOD IS AS GOOD AS HIS WORD.
(In other words giving the Word of God first place in your life, making it your final authority)
“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. (Hebrews 11:11)
Friends, Life is unpredictable. Wealth disappears, jobs end, relationships fail. Even health is not guaranteed. However the good news is that we can experience inner peace that is not threatened by life's challenges. Many people believe that they draw closer to God through blessings, but really, we discover God’s true love, mercy and grace through difficult situations and circumstances. We can experience calmness beyond human comprehension when we submit to His will and trust Him to provide for our needs. Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God .Trust God and obeys His word; leave all the consequences to Him. God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm. Remember our faith is only as strong as the tests it survives. C. H. Spurgeon spoke volumes when he said: "A little faith will take your soul to heaven; but, a great faith will brings heaven to your soul!"
Faith connects you to God; it is your admission that you are dependent upon Him; that your hope is in Him. It pleases Him, because it is Him you are trusting and no one and nothing else. Romans 10:17 says: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. So faith is simply taking God at His word, and acting upon it. Our faith is to be in God, we must come to him, we must believe that he exists; we must be more interested in pleasing God than in pleasing ourselves or others. He only rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Faith is where you please God, admit your dependence upon Him, and continually seek to rely upon Him and His grace. It is by faith that you are saved; you are justified; cleansed, and look forward to the return of Jesus.
3. WALKING BY FAITH MEANS ACCEPTING GOD’S CALL WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE IT WILL LEAD.
Abraham, for example, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going” (Heb 11:8). He obeyed God and relied on Him to clear the path. When God calls, there are no guarantees about his vocation. Abraham truly didn’t know where he was going, didn’t know how he would get there, didn’t know how long it would take, and he didn’t even know for sure how he would know he was there when he got there. All he knew was that God had called him. Everything else was up in the air.
No wonder many of Abraham’s associates might thought he was crazy. Why would anyone want to leave home town, friends, relative and occupation? Obeying God’s call meant giving up his friends, his career, his traditions, his home, his position, his influence, and his country. More than that, it meant risking his health and his future on a vague promise from an unseen God to lead him to a “land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1-3). When Abraham left Ur, he burned his bridges behind him. For him there could be no turning back. Once he left the walls of Ur, he was on his own, following God’s call into the unknown. The life of faith means, “I am going to be the man or woman God wants me to be no matter where it leads. I don’t know the future, but I trust him to work out the details. In the meantime, I step out by faith and follow where he leads me.”
Billy Graham said, "The strongest principle of life and blessings lies n our choice. Our life is the sum result of all the choices we make, both consciously and unconsciously. If we can control the process of choosing, we can take control of all aspects of our life. We can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of our life. So start with what is right rather than what is acceptable. If you don’t make a decision, then time will make it for you, and time will always side against you."
4. WALKING BY FAITH MEANS WAITING FOR GOD’S TIME TO FULFILL HIS PROMISES.
“By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; Abraham lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise” (Heb 11:9). There is within all of us a natural desire to settle down. The older I get, the less I like to move, and the more I value coming home being with family. Moving has a way of making us feel unsettled, uprooted, and adrift in the world. Bible says Abraham “lived in tents.” Tents speak of impermanence, of the possibility of moving on at any moment, of the fact that you live on land you do not personally own. That’s Abraham. He didn’t own anything in the Promised Land. God had promised to give him the land, yet he lived like a “stranger in a foreign country.” Like Abraham I left my home town Kerala1987, so I do understand what it means because as a missionary I live like a “stranger in Northern part of India more than 27 plus years ” We may have to live in tents for a while. Who can say what tomorrow will bring? Our challenge is to be like Abraham and cling to the promises of God no matter what happens. We may have to say at some point, “We would rather die with the Lord than live without him.” In God’s time every promise will be fulfilled. Meanwhile, we watch and wait and walk by faith.
5. WALKING BY FAITH MEANS FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE SOURCE& PERFECTER OF FAITH. (Hebrews 12:2)
Abraham looked for a city “designed and built by God. “For he was looking forward to a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb 11:9). Why? Because he knew all earthly cities eventually crumble to the dust. Even if you do not believe in Bible or if you do not care about prophecy, one thing is true: Against Facts there are no arguments. What are facts? -Facts are things that are already proven in history. For example, the city of Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire, was destroyed in 612 B.C. The fall of that great city was not a matter of chance, but rather a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Nineveh was established by Nimrod, "the mighty hunter" (Genesis 10:8–10) the prophet Nahum predicted the destruction of Nineveh in the book that bears his name. (Nahum 1:8-10, 3:13)
The history concerning the interpretation of the book of Daniel is more exciting than any other interpretation history of any biblical book. As you may know that World Big Empires, like, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome; these empires were considered the most powerful kingdom of the ancient world. But they all crumbled to the ground and disappeared as a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. That’s the way it is with all earthly cities. Nothing built by man lasts forever. No wonder Abraham was looking for a city built and designed by God. Revelation 21 describes that city as “the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (21:2). In his vision John saw a city of breathtaking beauty, shining with the glory of God, “and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal” (21:11). Christians have always looked to the New Jerusalem as the final abode for the people of God, the place where we will spend eternity together in the presence of the Lord. But note this: Heaven is a city. It’s a real place filled with real people. That’s the city Abraham was looking for when he left Ur of the Chaldeans. Abraham was going to heaven and he knew it. That one fact—and that alone—explains his life. He had his heart set on heaven.
In the city that God builds, there are no tears, there is no sorrow … no regret … no remorse. Bitterness gone forever, failure left far behind, suffering redeemed and rewarded. There are no eyeglasses, no braces, no wheelchairs, no false teeth, and no hearing aids. There are no hospitals, no nursing homes, no paramedics, no Doctors have to find new jobs, and they aren’t needed anymore. Aspirin gone, accidents over, cancer disappeared, heart attacks banished, cancer and AIDS are a distant memory. In heaven no one grows old and feeble. There is one other thing you won’t find in heaven. There are no cemeteries in the city God builds. Why? There are no funerals … for in that glad city no one ever dies. If you make it to that city, you live forever, never to die again. Either you believe in heaven or you don’t. It’s a real country.
As earthly foundations are destroyed, many people are discovering that Jesus is the firm foundation for life and for death. If we build on the things of this world, we are bound to be disappointed in the end. But if we build our lives on Jesus Christ, when death comes we will discover that the foundation is firm indeed. It is precisely at this point that the cross of Christ becomes so relevant. When Jesus died, he made the full payment for your sins so that you could have a personal relationship with God. He paid the price so your sins could be forgiven and you could go to heaven. He made a way for you to have full assurance of your eternal destiny. Those who trust in him have nothing to fear at the moment of death. He is the one true firm foundation that can stand the test of time. Build your life on Jesus and when the ground shakes beneath your feet and the things of the earth crumble to the ground, your life will be secure because you have built on the foundation that can never be moved.
There are two worlds you live in, one very tangible, and the other very intangible. You experience the tangible world through your five senses. Your ability to see, smell, taste, touch, and hear sets the boundaries—the outer limits—to which this world can expand. The intangible world contains all the unseen stuff. You cannot with your senses detect anything directly going on in this intangible world, yet because of how it influences the tangible world, you know it exists. For example, you cannot with your senses detect something like oxygen, but you know it exists because of how your lungs inhale. Or gravity except that when you throw something up in the air, it always returns to your hand. The spiritual world is much like the intangible world in that you would know nothing of it if not for the expression it makes on your everyday life. But isn’t that what you want—a practical representation of your Christian life working itself out in the here-and-now? Right now you are connected to both the natural and the spiritual. You live in the natural world, but something inside of you calls to the fact that your final destination was never meant to be the natural world. You live in the natural, but much of you longs for the spiritual. You live physically trapped in a body with a desire to one-day leave it behind and “go home” to where you truly belong.
