Faith by Grace

How did you come to faith? Was there a specific moment or experience that brought you to faith? Have you ever thought about how and when you came to faith? Do you consider your faith is the same as others? Do you believe your faith is shared with others?

Faith can be tricky to talk about. Some of us can point to a specific moment in time that we came to faith. Others have grown up with it and may not remember a specific moment. We often think our faith is ours alone. However, that is not quite true.

The Apostle Paul tells us that we share our faith with Abraham. If we share our faith with him, we also share our faith with every other Christian around the world, including those we worship with and those who worship down the street. Knowing that we share faith with many others is a comforting thought. We know we are not alone when it comes to faith in God.

Our faith grows as we understand God’s promises and see how he has fulfilled them. This is one aspect of God’s grace. He shows himself, his holiness, by revealing the fulfillment of his promises. By his grace, our faith is deepened. By his grace, our faith grows stronger. By our faith, we believe that God gives us life. We believe that God raises the dead. We believe that God created all things. Our faith is both a gift from God and God strengthens it.

I pray we all know we share our faith with others. I pray we know our faith is an example of God’s grace. I pray each one of us continues to be strengthened in our faith as we experience God fulfilling his promises. Your faith is shared. Your faith comes by God’s grace. God strengthens your faith.

Romans 4:16-17 For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Faith Over Law

Are you a legalist? Do you believe in following the law to the T? Do you follow the rules? Do you desire rules in your workplace and watch diligently to see if others are following them? Do you complain when others do not follow the rules? Are you the same way when it comes to following Jesus?

Let’s get this out of the way first, there is nothing wrong with following rules so long as the rules are for safety. On the other hand, some rules are simply made to please some people and take no account of others. Also, you cannot legislate morality. It simply doesn’t work.

In fact, the Apostle Paul is states morality cannot be legislated in the verse that follows today’s passage. So, what is he saying in today’s passage. He is saying that Abraham’s faith is what made him righteous. It wasn’t his ability to follow the law. It wasn’t his ability to follow rules. It wasn’t because he never lied (Abraham lied more than once to a king). No, it was Abraham’s faith in God that made him righteous.

It we were required to follow God’s law to be righteous, we all would fail. God would end up without any human being able to earn his way into heaven. It is believing in God’s promises, just as Abraham did, that qualifies us to be with God. Unfortunately, we spend too much time complaining about people to break the rules and not near enough time on building our faith and their faith. As our faith grows, we grow closer to God and do a better job of following his commands, even though we still fall short of perfection. Faith is what matters.

I pray we all give up being a legalist. I pray we stop complaining about the failure of others. I pray each one of us seek to build our faith and the faith of others. Stop being a legalist. Stop complaining about others. Put your faith in God’s promises. Build your faith. Build up others faith.

Romans 4:13-14 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

Take the Next Step

Have you been told something would be yours even though someone else owned it at the time? Did you wonder how it would come to pass? Did you trust that it would happen? Or did you blow it off as someone blustering when they said it to you?

Some things can appear to be impossible. If someone told you that a castle would be yours one day, you would probably laugh it off as being absurd. Yet, if the person was someone of power and someone you trusted, you might have a wee bit of wishful thinking that it might happen.

Abram entered a foreign land that was already populated with people. He may have thought of himself as the stranger, the outsider, and that he could never overcome them. Yet, God appeared to him and told him his offspring would occupy the land. Abram must have thought it impossible, even if he believed God could do anything. After all, he had no children at this time and was seventy-five years old. He was embarking on God’s call with his wife and nephew. Things may have not looked bleak, but they sure didn’t look like he would be conquering nations.

When God calls us, we may not think things look promising. However, we must remember that God can do anything. If he calls us to it and promises it will be successful, we can believe God will fulfill his promise. Our task is to take the next step, to follow God’s call, and to continue to believe he will deliver. We don’t have to know every step along the way. We simply need to take the next step.

I pray we all choose to answer God’s call. I pray we trust God will deliver on his promises. I pray each one of us choose to take the next step as we follow the path God has prepared for us. Answer God’s call. Trust God to deliver. Trust God’s promises. Take the next step.

Genesis 12:6-7 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Follow God’s Instruction

How well do you take instructions? Do you follow them without question? Or do you question them? Are you willing to follow instructions blindly? Or do you want an explanation? Do you want to know the expected outcome? Do you want explicit step-by-step instructions?

Some people are good at following instructions. Others are not. Some will follow instructions, trusting the person giving them. Others question every detail. Some can take a general instruction and know what needs to be done to accomplish it. Others need step-by-step instructions.

When I was in the Marine Corps, I learned something called “Commander’s Intent.” That means a leader would give a general instruction and leave it up to the individual to determine the steps required to complete the mission. Those types of instructions require a person to think. You must understand the desired end state and determine how you can best accomplish it.

God gave Abram (later Abraham) a general command. He didn’t tell Abram where he was going, but God did say he would lead him. He didn’t say how or when Abram would become a great nation, but God did say he would bless him. He didn’t say how Abram would be a blessing, but God had said he would bless Abram. So, Abram had to trust God and trust that God’s blessing would be passed on to Abram’s descendants.

Sometimes God gives us general instructions. They may not come audibly. They may come through a lost job and a new job. They may come through a broken relationship and a new relationship. They may come through an undesired move. I know. I have experienced every one of them. We must be willing to follow God’s instruction and trust he knows what is best for us.

I pray we all are willing to follow God’s instruction. I pray we choose to trust God to lead. I pray each one of us see God working in our lives and listen for him to guide us each and every day. Follow God’s instruction. Trust God to lead. See God working. Listen for God. Know that he will bless you.

Genesis12:1-2 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

Partnership with the Holy Spirit

Who are you partnered with today? Are you partnered with anyone? What is your view of partnership? Will you only partner with someone you agree with? Are you willing to partner with someone who will correct you? Will you partner with someone who will guide you?

Partnerships we experience during our lives can be finicky. Some only last a few weeks or months. Others may last a lifetime. Those that last require give and take from both sides. To be a successful partnership, it requires respect for one another and a willingness to listen.

We have been given the Holy Spirit by God. Just a good partnership requires listening, so does our partnership with the Holy Spirit. He is constantly listening to us, but are we listening to him? Each one of us must answer that question for ourselves. We are to not only be aware the Holy Spirit is always with us but to listen for his guidance as we walk through life.

The Holy Spirit is an onboard teacher for us. He instructs us in the ways of God. He explains the meaning of God’s Word. He guides us along the path we should go, if we are willing to listen and follow. It is not to be a one way partnership, though many of us may view it that way. Think not? Do we only pray for what we want? Or do we listen while we pray for God’s guidance? The answers we provide to those questions indicate how much of a partnership we have with the Holy Spirit. It is by being in partnership with the Holy Spirit that we live the abundant life Jesus promised us.

I pray we all choose to be in equal partnership with the Holy Spirit. I pray we know the Holy Spirit is always with us. I pray each one of us will commit to listening to the Holy Spirit and following his guidance.

Matthew 28:19-20a “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”

Take the Next Step

What are you struggling with? Do you sometimes feel like you are being overwhelmed? Do you wonder if what you believe is true is really true? Have you ever doubted your faith? Are you willing to continue to take the next step forward? Will you go where you are called?

We sometimes struggle with our belief and our faith. Yet, we are not alone. When we look back through the Bible, reading the stories of the great people of faith, we see that they struggled at times as well. However, they were willing to take the next step, and they kept going.

The disciples had seen Jesus after He rose from the dead. They had talked with Him. They had eaten with Him. They were amazed and worshiped Him. They saw His glory. Still, they doubted. But they met Jesus where He told them to meet Him. Through their doubts, they small bit of belief and faith caused them to take the next step. They continued to obey.

We may find ourselves in the same situation. Our faith has wavered. We may have an inkling of doubt. If we want to be like those disciples who carried the gospel to the nations of the known world, we simply need to take the next step. Take the step back into a church. Tell your friend about Jesus. Share your faith with someone you don’t know. Be the one who takes a stand for what is right. Pray every day. Trust God will provide when you are in need. Just take the next step.

I pray we all hold onto our faith. I pray we know we are not alone in our doubts. I pray each one of us are willing to take the next step to continue to follow Jesus and trust He will provide what we need. Hold onto your faith. You are not alone. Take the next step. Trust God will provide.

Matthew 28:16-17 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted.

Be Restored

Do you desire peace? Do you want peace in your life? Do you want peace in your community? Do you want peace in our world? Are you tired of all the arguing, finger pointing, and fighting? Would you like to be restored? Are you willing to be restored?

Many of us say we want peace but are unwilling to actively pursue it. Instead, we want it given to us on a silver platter with no required changes on our part. In other words, we want everyone to agree with us rather than negotiating a compromise that all parties can live with.

Unfortunately, any peace negotiated on this earth is temporary. Someone will violate the agreement and others will be upset. Discord happens and the arguing begins again. Lest you think it is hopeless, true peace is available to us. That true peace comes from God. Only by living in him can we experience true peace. As we live in God and others live in God, we can agree with one another in his name.

Not only will we experience peace by living in God, but we are restored. We are restored to God. Our self-worth is restored. Our self-confidence is restored. Our joy is restored. Our faith is restored. Ultimately, our life is restored. The restoration is God’s work, and he desires to restore us to him and to ourselves. We all are restored as we live in God and follow his precepts.

I pray we all desire peace. I pray we actively work to achieve peace with one another. I pray each one of us will live in God so that we may be restored and experience his peace. Desire peace. Work for peace. Compromise to achieve peace. Live in God. Be restored. Experience God’s peace.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Be restored; listen to my appeal; agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

God Given Authority

Do you sometimes wish that you were in charge? Would you like to make the decisions for a particular situation? Have you been the decisionmaker and wish you were not? Are you aware that you have been given authority? Have you accepted the authority given to you?

It seems we all have our opinions of what we would do if we were in charge. We even ask the question: “What would you do if you were king or queen for a day?” Yet, those who are in charge of departments or organizations will tell you authority comes with responsibility.

We often forget that we have been given authority by God. He has given us the authority to rule over the animal kingdom. Many do not know they have been given authority. Others forget responsibility is a significant part of being in authority. That responsibility requires us to care for animals just as God cares for us. We are to provide food, water, and love to them. At the same time, we are to guide and discipline them.

It is a tremendous honor and responsibility God has given us. He has entrusted us with his creation. We must tend to it to keep it healthy. We are to use it wisely. God has put his creation at our disposal so that we may live and prosper. Yet, we are not to abuse it. It is a balancing act that requires us to think and make wise decisions.

I pray we all know that God has given us authority. I pray we are responsible when governing God’s creation. I pray each one of us learn to balance caring for and using God’s creation. God has given you authority. With authority comes responsibility. Use God’s creation wisely.

Psalm 8:6-8

You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; 

you have put all things under their feet, 

all sheep and oxen, 

and also the beasts of the field, 

the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, 

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

Important to God

Do you like to be thought of? Do you like when people show you respect? Do you like it when others consider your situation and your needs? Do you like it when they take time to acknowledge all you have done? What if no one did those things? How would you feel?

Being thought of, appreciated, and respected are important to us. Having our needs considered and taken care of is important to us. When none of those things happen, we can feel unappreciated, ignored, depressed, and even helpless or worthless. But that is not the truth.

Though each of us are just one of the billions of people on this earth, we are important to God. No one person is more important than another, yet each of us is very important to God. Our feeble minds, weakness when compared to God’s power, and our inability to fully comprehend who God is does not stop God from making us important to him.

No, by human standards, God should not care for us as much as he does. But that is what makes God so much different than us. Regardless of how little or how much money we make, we are important. Regardless of how many talents we have, we are important. Regardless of what others think about us, we are important. Though God has every reason to discard us, he does not. Instead, he welcomes us with open arms and tells us we are important to him.

I pray we all feel appreciated and respected. I pray we trust that God will take care of our needs. I pray each one of us takes refuge in God’s love for us and know that we are important to God. Trust God. Know God cares. Trust God to provide. Take refuge in God. You are important to God.

Psalm 8:3-4

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, 

the moon and the stars that you have established; 

what are humans that you are mindful of them, 

mortals that you care for them?

Rest

How often do you rest? When do you take time to be quiet and decompress? Do you do that regularly? Or only when you have worn yourself down to the point you are forced to rest? Have you not heard that God made the seventh day holy, a day of rest?

In our hurried and harried culture, resting can be seen as a weakness. For those professionals who are pursuing the corporate climb, there is no rest. We work long hours each week and spend long hours on recreation, but very little time resting as God intended.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. He made the seventh day holy and commanded a rest because he knows we need it. That rest is not just a physical rest. We also need a mental rest. We need a time to connect spiritually with God. We may chase after rest in many ways. We go camping, boating, have family picnics, go to sporting events, concerts, and any number of other entertaining and distracting activities.

But the rest God commanded was to sit quietly, connect with him, and renew ourselves. We cannot be renewed with continued activity. To be renewed, we must rest our mind, body, and soul. Think about it like this, the fastest way to recharge the battery on your smart phone is to turn it off while it is plugged in. The same is true for us. To recharge and renew ourselves, we must turn off the activity and plug into God.

I pray we all know that we need rest for our mind, body, and soul. I pray we make time to unplug from all the activity. I pray each one of us will plug into God regularly to recharge and renew ourselves. Rest your mind. Rest your body. Rest your soul. Unplug from activity. Plug into God.

Genesis 2:2-3 On the sixth day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.