Belief to Faith to Trust
Believing in Jesus is the action verb. This gives us the understanding to respond with Faith. The result of Faith is to Trust our Father in Heaven.
What begins this beautiful growth of Grace within us? The Father’s Love chose us before we were. He prepared the awesome delight of color we call sunrise and sunsets for us. What erases the sameness of life on earth? The changes of the seasons. Each baby born is a new life telling us about the Love of God.
What helps our motivation for the value of living holy lives, without sin? But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16.
Just as children we learn to walk, speak, and feed ourselves, as children of God, we learn to walk in His way, speak of our love for Him and pray, and feed ourselves on The Bread of Life, His Holy Word.
About this, we have much to say, and it is hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14.
Discipline is needed to become proficient at any new learning. Does this hold true for spiritual understanding, too? Yes. My brother, driving across the country, and wouldn’t answer his phone. Concerned for his safety, I prayed, asking God to care for him as he traveled. Suddenly I knew peace in my heart and God gave me His assurance. Any time my faith faltered in the next few days of waiting, I renewed my belief in God.
Faith takes discipline as we learn what to have faith IN. Faith in fellow human beings can is betrayed easily. The promises of gambling or sweepstakes are not a safe place in which to have faith.
Jude, a slave of Jesus, the Anointed and a brother of James, to you, the ones whom God our Father loves and has called and whom Jesus, the Anointed One, has kept. Kindness, peace, love—may they never stop blooming in you and from you. Now to the One who can keep you upright and plant you firmly in His presence—clean, unmarked, and joyful in the light of His glory— to the one and only God, our Savior, through Jesus the Anointed our Lord, be glory and greatness and might and authority; just as it has been since before He created time, may it continue now and into eternity. Amen. Jude 1:1-2, 24-25.
How should we live? These gifts of the Holy Spirit are in our lives from the Lord God when we believe and have faith in Him. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.
How often we are fearful of the future, our well-being, sickness, sudden unexplained noises, but most of all, where we will spend eternity? The following two verses give me assurance. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Psalm 56:3-4.
Faith in God gives us assurance for the decisions of our lives, as each is required as we serve God. Filling our hearts with choosing to love God and others, to experience the joy of Jesus, practicing patience, looking for peace in our actions; being kind, good, and faithful to God. Being gentle with others and controlling our first impulse and our tongue helps us not to lose our first love for Jesus.
When we near the end of life, are we ready to face the judgment of our lives by the Divine Judge and give an answer to the sins we have committed? Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1.
As we read this chapter of the heroes of faith and read of Abraham, and remember what God, unseen, told Abraham. And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)
Joshua asked this question of the people, and it remains pertinent today. Choose this day whom you will serve. He ended Joshua 24:15 with, But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17.
So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19.
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