Weekly Devotional 5-6-13 The Exercise of Faith
Many see faith as an exercise of confidence in a person or thing qualified by some past experience in that person or thing, but is that really faith? Is it not an assumption that said person or thing will perform in the same manner as they did previously? Is not true faith having confidence in a person or thing that has no prior history of performance? I believe the latter is true.
It is rather easy to place faith (trust-confidence) so called, in a person or thing whose pattern of life or performance has been demonstrated and observed over a period of time. But what about placing faith (trust-confidence) in a person or thing where there is no pattern or history? Such was Noah’s challenge; such was Abraham’s challenge; such was Sarah’s challenge; and such was the challenge of the many mentioned in Hebrews chapter eleven. By faith they each, in their own experience, placed faith in unseen God. Certainly each had some knowledge of Him, but as far as we can learn from Scripture, none had prior personal experience of Him until He called them to His purpose.
“7By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith…“8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore” (Hebrews 11:7-12 NKJV ).
Each of these persons exercised faith (trust—confidence) in unseen God; having faith in promises that by human rational seemed impossible. From an unregenerate human perspective their faith was without explanation. However, their faith was not of human origin. It was originated in God as the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 12:2) explained; In that passage the writer told his readers (and us by extension) that Jesus was (is) the author and finisher of faith, thus it carriers that God was the author and finisher of their faith also. But faith without exercise, as James wrote, is a dead work. Consider his inspired words as recorded in the letter that bears his name,
“14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:14-20 NKJV . )
We Christians are to live by faith and not by sight. When we exercise our faith God is glorified in that exercise for it demonstrates our trust in His power and authority over the seemingly impossible.
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