Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen. For by it the elders obtained
a good report. Through faith we
understand that the worlds were
framed by the word of God, so that
things that which are seen were not
made if things which do appear.
Hebrews 11:1-3
I do hope that your New Years Day was a good day, a day, to enjoy that even though January first is just another day in the calendar of days. We put emphasis on that day as it is the first of the next year. This first day of a new calendar year is a day when we take time to reflect on the past year see what was good and what was bad, and then plan to make the needed changes to make this year better than the last.
This blog is all about making changes from the Inside/Out, to change our belief in God to a conversion to God. Belief is one thing, conversion is another and that other is to make the needed changes in ourselves to conform to Jesus Christ our God manifested in the flesh. To change is not an easy thing to do for change from a certain belief or action to another is not always understood because there are things you wish to do but do not see how this could be possible. This is true of our changing from the Inside/Out. Our natural inclination is to do what we will to do, those things we want to do and when our spiritual life is confronted we find ourselves fighting any change, especially if there is no, or little, understanding about God and His desires to change us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ.
Sometimes, due to our not understanding the will of God for us we pause our going forward in our spiritual life, or we begin to do things that make us feel as though we are doing the will of God. We fight this lack of understanding and not knowing the will of God and our minds are blank as to know what to do. It is in these times that God is taking time to teach us about sanctification, or to show you what service with God means so that what is done is according to the will of God and not due to our natural inclinations. We run ahead of God in these dark times and we run before knowing the guidance of God. Are you now in doubt? STOP? DON'T GO FORWARD! WAIT!
God will clearly show you the way, that is, He will if you are looking to Him to show you the way. First business is to build your relationship with Jesus Christ. Second business is to examine from Scripture what God is teaching you and what you are to do: severance of a relationship that is outside the will of God, or, a business relationship that must be severed. Whatever it is, wait upon God and find His will for you and if you are looking you will be shown His will for you. If you do not do this then you will make decisions that will end up in difficulties that might take years to make right. Wait for God's providential will and He will move you to be a witness for Him that you could not be without being in His will. Natural devotion will deny Jesus and be placed upon some other thing, and somewhere you will deny Jesus.
So, we come to this famous recognized chapter in the Bible, Hebrews chapter 11, the faith chapter as it is so called because it speaks of faith throughout this chapter to teach us about this thing called: faith. There are two kinds of faith, one is to just believe without having a foundation for faith. Example: tires on a car that are made by men and factories that we have possibly never seen or know much about and we believe or have faith that they are made so well that a person can travel at high speeds safely. Yes, there are examples by others showing that they travel at high speeds without a problem, but this is not to say that you will not have a problem with a tire that might have been made poorly, but with faith we travel at high speeds. The second faith is one that has a foundation, a foundation based upon truth. Even though we may not have seen the beginning of this world, how God made the world from nothing, we have by means of His revelation that He did do this and that He is in control of all things that occur in this creation. Our faith is not in the creation, or that it exists, we see it, our faith is in the One who created the world. The foundation of this faith is by the truth of His word whereby God has revealed to us Himself so that we can have a sure foundation for our faith.
The Greek words are better to aid us in our understanding about faith: "ύπόστασις," meaning assurance, understanding, a quality of confidence which leads a person to endure, or undertake anything, and "έλεγχος" meaning conviction, although this conviction does not mean a person will change, but there is assurance, confidence, understanding so that by the use of both words a person can understand the substance of faith, confidence and conviction based upon the truth of God's word. We have Faith in the unseen thing that things were made of things which appear, appear to be made by the unseen God.
This faith, this faith based upon a sure and true foundation can only be secured if one will take the time to study, pray, and put into action this faith that leads a person to follow the will of God with assurance that even in this thing called creation, unseen, is the same as our faith in the unseen God, a God who has revealed Himself so that our faith has substance.
In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
Grow in faith: Faith in God
Richard L. Crumb
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