God’s Eternal Resolution

Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension are God’s eternal resolution. When Jesus cried out “It’s finished” (John 19:30) the final piece in God’s plan fell into place. This completes God’s Holy Trinity where the believer has an unshakable foundation for eternal life.

Every New Year people make resolutions. They set goals and plan for better things. Their efforts start strong and often run out of energy soon afterward. And what they thought was hope turns out to be wishful thinking.

I use to have trouble keeping New Year resolutions. They weren’t achievable because I set them too high. My life was grounded in pride and full of grandiose ideas. Fantasy was the definition I attached to hope.

No wonder my reaction to broken resolutions ended with resentments. Every time my expectations didn’t turn out to my satisfaction I became bitter. And those behaviors show my life without God’s saving grace.

It wasn’t until God saved me, I found the real resolution. When God rescued me and introduced me to Christ my life took on a profound change. Everything I understood about life wasn’t right since I lived in darkness away from God’s truth.

Christ brought light to my eyes and has been teaching me how to live in God’s will. And this experience leaves me no excuses not to pick up my cross and walk in Christ’s footprints.

The trouble with New Year’s resolutions is leaving God out of the equation. Every time we don’t include Christ in our decisions the outcome doesn’t turn out to our liking. God has commanded us to turn to Him for everything (Proverbs 3:5-6). So the problem isn’t making personal goals, but how we understand the way God wants us to follow.

God’s resolution isn’t an annual solution. Saving faith is a daily and sometimes an hourly reliance on Christ. Sin doesn’t take time off, nor does God’s enemy stop trying to destroy His creation. We can’t afford to be complacent and lose focus on the gift God has given us. Our faith must be active.  

One of the best ways of keeping ourselves in God’s favor is a constant meditation on His word (Joshua 1:8, Psalms 1:2). God doesn’t force Himself on us. He has given us freewill and by placing Him first we understand the real purpose of our wills. 

Without the Holy Spirit, we are separated from Christ, and our souls are heading for eternal trouble. Don’t be mistaken God is watching the earnestness of our faith. Remember, God knows our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7).

The biggest change that occurs from trusting Christ is gaining His wisdom. We don’t have the spiritual knowledge in overcoming sin. Left to our resources, we can’t resist the lusts of the world. But Christ does and by abiding in Jesus, we tap into His strength.  And through living in Christ’s body, we understand it’s better to plan for God’s eternal resolution than one center in preference.

So the next time you set goals, pause and seek Christ guidance. It’s God’s eternal resolution we should consider before making decisions. Everything we do must be for His glory!   

Merry Christmas

Christmas has arrived. The madness of finding a parking space, standing in long checkout lines, going to parties and decorating the house with ornaments has ended. Preparing the Christmas meal is the last item on the list.

The world’s message of Christmas is full of pride, prestige and extravagance. It’s a glorification of a man and a recognition for personal achievement. God’s enemy (Satan) uses this lifestyle to entice weak souls and corrupt their hearts.

The greatest significant testimony to Christ’s birth is the way God guided the three wise men to Bethlehem. God called on them to travel to Christ’s birthplace and worship the King of Israel. Their faith in God was strong since they dropped what they were doing to follow the Lord’s command. And their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh showed they were men of high stature.  

God is remarkable. He has allowed humanity the privilege of connecting with His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Father’s final plan began in the manger where baby Jesus lay. God stopped using prophets hundreds of years before implementing this eternal plan. We are fortunate to receive His generous gift.  

No human is superior to another in God’s house. Every day we have an excellent opportunity to stay in God’s favor by picking up our cross (regardless of personal sacrifice) and walk with Christ. Christmas made this possible. Our Father’s grace has eternal rewards.

Christmas paved the way for you to take your place in God’s kingdom. Remember, without Christ the entrance is closed. So join me and set aside a few minutes of private time and give God praises for Christ.

Merry Christmas and I love you.

God the Creator

It’s not surprising the world rejects God’s message. The evidence of God is everywhere. Our Creator has left His mark on every continent, body of water and throughout the universe. Humanity gives it best shot in denying those facts and dismisses God’s creation of the heavens and the earth. But God is never absent for He is living. Take notice around you and savor God’s undeniable energy.

Most scientists can’t accept God as the Creator, so they cling to evolution as the answer. Here they argue life came out of mutation and blinded themselves from physical DNA proving life is from creation. Evolution can’t offer the ingredients required to bring forth life. It does not create organisms that reproduce, preserve and repair themselves. Even as believers, it’s hard to fathom the depth of God’s mighty forces.

When we take an honest look at evolution, its flaws are magnified. It doesn’t hold up to its definition. People who live by the evolution code believe life derive out of it. They fail to understand mutations don’t generate new organs. Mutations can make changes within cells, but don’t produce new cells.

Doctor Werner Gitt, a director and professor at the German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology, answered this question. Can new information originate in a living organism through mutation? He responded by saying this: "Mutations can only cause changes in existing information.  There can be no increase in information and, in general, the result of mutations is injurious. New blueprints for new functions or new organs cannot arise.  Mutations cannot be the source of new information." He understands evolution is limited.

Another scientist supporting creation comes from Henry Morris. In 1989, he wrote the book The Long War Against God. In this excellent book, he supplies the facts, separating God’s truth from man’s disbelief on creation. One of Henry’s points is how evolution theory deceives the mind. He said this:  "Evolution's lie permeates and dominates modern thought in every field.  That being the case, it follows inevitably that evolutionary thought is basically responsible for the lethally ominous political developments and the chaotic moral and social disintegrations that have been accelerating everywhere." Mr. Morris gives a powerful definition of a reprobate mind.

God’s unique way of inventing life is remarkable. Nothing can change His personal signature. Satan uses evolution to attack God’s word by discounting the first three chapters of the Bible. In the book of Genesis, it begins with God’s account of creation. It gives testimony to the way He creates everything including humanity.

The first 11 chapters of Genesis are referred to throughout the Bible, Even Christ referred to its validity on six different occasions.

The biggest defense God has against evolution is His Living Spirit. God has given everyone a conscience (Romans 1:18-20). Mutation can’t explain the soul and this shows us the fallacy behind its deception. Regardless if a person believes or not God has provided us the ability to understand right from wrong.

God’s brilliant creativity isn’t limited to humans, but is experienced by His other creatures. The earth is full of fascinating living things attesting to His extraordinary abilities. Human’s coexists with God’s other creations reaffirms He is the alpha and omega. People who deny these facts can’t enjoy God’s kingdom.

Salvation crushes evolution. When we are saved by God, then we understand the truth of our existence. This secures our inheritance in heaven, for we are given Christ. Nothing can overtake Christ’s strength and Satan flees, taking with him every lie, he uses to entice the unstable soul. We are fortunate to have found God’s mercy. 

Christmas:

The Birth of God’s New Covenant

Christmas is on the horizon, and it’s a time for celebrating the birth of God’s new covenant. This day is set aside to remember the birth of Christ. We can’t afford to lose focus on how significant the manger was to our eternal lives.

Most of the world during Christmas is caught up in the chaotic hype of materialism. People are camping out in parking lots so they will be first in line to buy the latest gadgets. Stores keeping their doors open later than normal.

It’s easy to get caught up in the Christmas frenzy. God wants us to have fun. Christmas is a fast pace event. There is so much to get done. Shopping, to do lists, travel arrangements, family arrivals and excited children are challenges. It’s a mental and spiritual exhausting experience.

So let’s pause here and absorb the reason for Christmas?

The events before Christ’s birth wasn’t typical. First God used Mary an unmarried virgin to carry Jesus in her womb (Matthew 1:8). Her life was at stake. God understood the Mosaic Law for unwed pregnancy was death and used Joseph (Matthew 1:19-21) to prevent them from killing her. Here God shows us His mighty power by providing Joseph and Mary a way out of an impossible circumstance.

Then after Christ’s birth another evil threat arose. Three wise men traveled to find Jesus and offer Him gifts. When they reached Jerusalem and ask where Christ birth took place the city became troubled over their message.

These men shared God’s new covenant by calling Christ the King of the Jews, and this got their attention. Herod, the king, asked these wise men where was Christ’s location. And they shared the Micah prophecy as the answer (Micah 5:2).

Herod instructed them to find Him and come back and report His location. But God knew Herod’s heart and had them bypass Jerusalem on the journey back to their homeland (Matthew 2:12). Again, God defeated Satan and saved Christ.   

Our Father preserved Christmas so we could be saved and enter His kingdom. Christmas is a time for us to glorify God by giving thanks for the birth of His son Jesus Christ. Here we get to express our gratitude for the compassion God has given to us through His only begotten Son. We do this by worshiping Christ and abiding in His body.

God has given us the gift of salvation. So this Christmas, let’s unite and praise our King Jesus for the promise of our inheritance with God.

Merry Christmas and may Christ shine brighter each day in your life. I love you.

Dead Faith:

Concealed Sin

Did you know it’s possible to have faith and leave God out?

Many people proclaim faith in God, but their actions say otherwise. They speak of God’s word, but lack the wisdom in living holy. Their lives don’t imitate Christ and in times of distress, they are troubled by God’s silence.

What is dead faith?

Dead faith is a self-knowledge of God’s words lacking the qualities of a Spirit-filled life. Here the individual leans on its interpretation of God’s will unaware of the dangers it brings to one’s eternal resting place. Spiritual intelligence can’t stand up against the evil one. We don’t have the strength required to fight Satan.   

In the Epistle of James, we find the Biblical definition of dead faith. Here James points out that faith without works is dead (James 2:20). He emphasized being a doer of God’s word (James 1:22). Words are meaningless until put into action. Action speaks volume in the kingdom of God.

 

One way dead faith enters a believer’s life is through concealed sin. Un-confessed sin is damaging to our spiritual growth. Nothing good comes from hiding sin. Even though God knows we sin our responsibility is to confess our transgression.

Salvation isn’t a free pass.

We must be diligent in our walk with Christ or face eternal consequences. A Christian life is an example of God’s living Spirit manifested through selfless service to God, Christ, and others. A real believer’s life is full of good deeds, helping to spread the good news Christ brings to the faithful.

Unbelievers watch the way Christians behave and this makes it imperative for us to back up our words in action. And a Spirit-filled life radiates a loving, forgiving and compassionate response to life’s difficult terms. Spiritual integrity doesn’t use words for its God’s way of attracting others to a life centered in Christ.    

Holding onto inequity is unwise for we won’t find God’s mercy (Proverbs 28:13). And a life absent of God’s mercy is full of unnecessary pain. Most of our struggles can be traced back to a hidden sin. It shouldn’t surprise us that concealed sin causes us trouble.

A secret sin is an act of disobedience. We are commanded to confess our particular sins (Leviticus 5:4-5). It’s easy to overlook the need of owning up to our sins. We can’t afford to let disobedience rob us of our inheritance with God.

Yes, God has forgiven us, and Christ’s death has taken away sin, but we must be an active participant in our salvation. Remember, God will judge us according to the way we live (Ecclesiastes 12:14). And Christ pointed out the need to look at our sins (Matthew 7:3).

When God saved me, I didn’t understand the value of confessing sins. Salvation was a great revelation and in my spiritual infancy, this worked.

Then one day I had trouble living holy. I couldn’t stop myself from disobeying. My constant prayers and humble approach weren’t paying off, but God was listening. The Lord answered and showed me the way to confess sins. It involved confessing to Christ and asking for the guidance in repenting.

The way this works is simple. One of my biggest stumbling blocks is pride. So when I realize my prideful ways I pause and pray to Christ: “I confess to you Christ, my sin of pride. Forgive me for my trespass. What is my repentance?  Your will always not mine. Amen.” This works for any sin and brings me in line with God’s will. Sometimes I have to wait and listen for the answers. But Christ never leaves me guessing on what I need to do in making amends for my wrongs.   

Our willingness to give God our best effort is crucial to our eternal lives. Christ doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but wants us to strive for spiritual progress. And our admission of wrongful behavior opens the door to Christ’s abundant peace. There is no greater Christian freedom than the one God gives.   

A vibrant faith welcomes self-examination (Haggai 1:5). Concealed sin thrives in darkness blocking Christ’s light. It’s painful looking at our sinful nature but to grow in God’s Spirit, we need to know our misconduct. And confessing our findings makes our faith alive.

We have discussed one way of identifying dead faith. Un- forgiveness, selfish prayers, and judging others are indicators of a faith unfavorable with God. Remember the Pharisees had faith but Christ exposed it as dead. Our hope is secured through a living faith anchored in the body of Christ.

The Lost Meaning of Thanksgiving

Have you noticed?

Thanksgiving has changed.

Decades ago this Holiday meant a time for our country (USA) to stop and give thanks for the nation. Most businesses closed their doors so they could spend time with family and express gratitude for each other.

I remember a time when walking into a store and saw a big display of Thanksgiving goods. Every section of the store had many choices to buy Thanksgiving nick knacks. I felt connected with Thanksgiving.

This tradition still goes on, but it has lost its punch.

Today the misuse of Christmas has taken preference. Black Friday starts on Thanksgiving night. Stores are displaying Christmas stuffs before Thanksgiving Day. Cities are decorating their streets with Christmas lights the week before Thanksgiving.

It’s not surprising this change has occurred. The USA has gone astray from the spiritual principles their founding fathers set for guidance. They included God in separating themselves from British rule.

In the Bible, we are taught to be watchful. It warns us how the evil one uses the world to destroy the godliness of the human soul. Satan uses family destruction against God is. And the United States government has opened the door for the devil to play havoc in the family.

Abortion (1973) and same-sex marriages (2015) are facts of the unholy direction the United States has taken. That is a sign of how the Devil uses man laws to abolish the family sovereignty of God. Those laws have destroyed human life (Exodus 20:13) and God’s intended purpose of marriage (Genesis 2:24). And no human power can reverse their devastating consequences. It’s up to God.

Remember, we are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are His gift and cannot afford to live outside His commandments. The narrow way is tough to follow for it takes abiding in Christ to stay on heaven’s path. God’s wrath is real. Sodom and Gomorrah reduced to ashes and the great flood of Noah’s generation wiped out the world population (2 Peter 2:5-6). God’s verdict to disbelief is eternal damnation.  

God has blessed me with a family full of love. Each year we gather in Carrollton, Georgia to celebrate Thanksgiving. My family isn’t small. I have four brothers and four sisters. Mom now eighty-six, and dad gone ten years. Six of us will be in attendance along with many nieces and nephews.

Preparation for such a large gathering has many challenges. My sister-in-law is terrific for she prepares most of the meal. Her selfless service is wonderful watch. And I can see God working in her spirit. I’m grateful to be a witness of God guiding her life.

As Christians, we know it’s imperative to place God above everything. We understand giving thanks to God is daily. Our walk with Christ is an hour by hour commitment and not reserved for times of emergencies. Faith without works is fruitless and a setup for disaster.

May Christ be your guiding Light in these dark times.

Evidence of God’s Living Spirit

Everywhere we turn the proof of God is obvious. It’s in His creation of humans, other creatures, the earth, and universe. 

But the evidence doesn’t stop at His creations.

The underlining reality of God is His divine presence. God made us in His image and placed His spirit inside our souls. Every human being is God’s creation, but the choice to experience His living Spirit is up to Him.    

No one can force God to show Himself. Adam and Eve couldn’t nor Noah, Moses or Ruth. The same for John the Baptist, the Twelve Disciples and Paul. You can’t, neither can I.

The essence of God is the elegance of His grace. When Adam and Eve sinned and fell from God’s favor then the way He showed Himself to humanity changed. This original sin gave birth to faith.

In the Old Testament, you will find different ways God tried to teach His people faith. Noah’s generation didn’t understand and found out God’s mighty wrath. The Israelites continued to struggle with faith and held captive several times for their indifference towards Him. God used prophets as guides, but to no avail. Their inability to grasp faith blocked them from God’s Spirit and set in motion His new covenant.

From the beginning, God’s plan included Christ (John 1:1-5). It’s our Messiah who gives us spiritual life so we can live in God’s Spirit. God made Christ as the sole entry into His kingdom and faith in our Messiah opens the door to heaven.   

Real faith is humbling oneself before Christ. A simple belief isn’t enough for even the Pharisees believed God’s existence. And Jesus exposed the Pharisees as disbelievers. So faith goes beyond the knowledge of God.

Faith is sacrificing personal interest, trusting God’s plan and living in the body of Christ. By abandoning ourselves over to Christ’s care without reservations, we receive God’s grace and the gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8). Once God saves us, we are anointed with the Holy Spirit and experience God’s undeniable presence.

Now filled with God’s Spirit, we find an inner strength beyond our own. We are given the courage to continue picking up our cross, abiding in Christ and living in God’s will. This keeps us in God’s Light, and we know our suffering doesn’t compare to the way Christ suffered on the day of His crucifixion.  

Placing God above everything, loving others, forgiving those who hurt us and selfless service is the evidence of a Spirit-filled soul. Those spiritual attributes radiate to others the way God lives in the life of the faithful.  

I used to live an unsaved life. Everything revolved around me, and my self-serving motives dominated my actions. I was a drunkard, womanizer and ungrateful. The results from living in spiritual darkness killed my spirit and left me suicidal. I wanted to die, but God rescued me.

The Lord saved me, and I’m forever grateful for His mercy. I no longer live in blindness for Christ has shown me the eternal light. God’s Spirit revived my soul, and Christ’s death washed me clean. The evidence of God’s presence renews my faith and inspires me to live holy. God leaves me no excuse not to glorify Him.  

The proof of God’s living Spirit is both internal and external. A life centered in Christ soften the heart tames the tongue and renews the soul. The actions of a Christian show the righteousness of God. God is inescapable.  

 Building a Christian Character

The greatest way to show the world God is alive is centering ourselves in Christ’s sovereignty. A life anchored in God radiates to others a Spirit full of love, forgiveness, and selfless service. A real Christian’s character manifest the way Christ lived when He was here on earth. So it becomes our responsibility to abide in Christ, pick up our cross and stand firm on God’s word.

The essence of a Christian is for Christ to use His faithful believer as a living witness to God’s truth. To the believer, this means unity in the body of Christ. And for the unbeliever, it’s an up close look (1 Peter 2:12) at the impact God has in relieving the pains of sin. This truth doesn’t speak in words. It is lived in spiritual action.

  

   

Building a Christian character is an essential part of a believer’s conviction. It has two key components. First, it includes a sanctified life where faith in God through Christ removes sin and makes us holy. The other is an edified life full of God’s mercy, grace and a continual willingness to grow more Christ-like. They are as crucial to a Christian’s life as are air and water are to our physical survival.

Sanctification begins with God’s gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Here, God has blessed us with His mercy and is pleased with our faith. Glorifying God through trusting in His word is favorable to Him. God wants to save us and does if our faith is in Christ (John 14:6). The Lord preserves our souls so we can glorify Him in heaven. Without this gift, our room in His house doesn’t exist, and we end up in the fire of Gehenna.

Once God saves us, then He anoints us with the Spirit of truth (John 14:16). God uses the Holy Spirit as undeniable proof of His existence. You will know the time it happens for the purity of God’s presence is overwhelming, astounding and extraordinary. Satan can’t match the indescribable love God brings to you. This is a transcending soul changing experience with heavenly rewards. 

It’s the Holy Spirit that unites us to God and Christ as one and completes the Trinity. Here we become spiritually whole, and our souls spared from God’s wrath. God is astonishing and allows us a way out of sin and into His eternal care. And the original sin, Adam and Eve committed washed clean through the baptism of Christ’s resurrection (1 Peter 3:21).

God’s grace is remarkable, and that motivates us to improve our spiritual lives. A willingness to grow under spiritual lines is the backbone of edification. Humility plays an integral role in a holy life. One quality of an edified life is staying teachable and being humble means we learn from Christ’s divine wisdom.

Alone we can’t overcome sin. Our willpower is useless for we don’t have the spiritual muscle required to win the battle over evil. Satan is cunning and uses subtle ways to convince us to walk away from God. This is the reason we can’t afford to become complacent.

Complacency is being satisfied with our current spiritual progress unaware of hidden dangers. Evilness is a patient foe waiting for an opportunity to destroy us and by staying spiritually stagnant the door to disaster swings open. One of the greatest defense against our adversary the devil is to continue strengthening our dedication to Christ. Jesus has defeated evil and for us to have His protection means we must be diligent in our Christian actions.

     

Now we have a general understanding of the characteristics of building a solid Christian foundation, then we can see the need to continue to improve. And God makes His affection so irresistible we want to continue building our eternal lives. 

 Isn't God incredible!

Embracing Christ

Embracing Christ begins at the cross. An acknowledgment of the Crucifixion of Jesus isn’t enough for understanding its relevance. We have to absorb His reason for suffering. Here we need to concede to our innermost selves the eternal significance of Christ’s death. 

 Faith in Christ goes beyond proclaiming His existence. Yes, spreading the Gospel of Christ is essential, but we must go further. We need to anchor our mind, heart and spirit in God’s will. (James 4:8) Failure in doing so prevents us from receiving the Lord’s gift of salvation.

Christ left us this warning:

“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

God’s will is simple and requires an up close and personal commitment to Christ. Abiding in Christ takes endurance, self-control, and vigorous action. It’s giving Christ our full attention by setting aside time each day and embracing His holiness. This means placing our personal commitments on hold and humbling ourselves before Him. Peter understood the urgency of devotion.  

It’s easy to lean on Christ during good times. But the world is full of temptations, injustices, and unsaved souls. Sometimes life doles out troubles we are incapable of handling alone.

Loss of a job, the death of a loved one and physical illness are everyday occurrences in life. Difficult people, being hurt by others without cause and rudeness are encounters we can’t avoid. And without Christ’s intervention our lives get worse.    

Our response to those tough parts of life is where God looks at our faithfulness and takes notice. The real trial comes when we put forth the spiritual effort and still suffer. Here our trust in God through rigorous faith pays a spiritual reward. We need to remind ourselves, our eternal inheritance came through Christ’s pain. (1 Peter 1:3-7)

Every time we overcome problems with Christ’s help our ability to live righteous increases. Christ removes the weakness of the flesh and strengthens our souls. The mercy of Christ renews our spirits and keeps us thirsty to continue drinking from His eternal well.

The greatest way of preventing the evil one from taking us away from God is to center our lives in Christ’s body. Satan flees from God, for he knows Christ has conquered sin. Embrace Christ and watch the devil run for cover. (James 4:7) 

Salvation in the flesh isn’t the end of suffering, but knowing the freedom God supplies in times of tribulations. We are directed to rejoice in our pain giving glory to Christ for saving our souls. Embracing Christ in the midst of troubling circumstances is favorable to God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

God will release us from suffering, but we need to be patient and remember He works in mysterious ways. Our Father never leaves the faithful in darkness and keeps His promises. 

God makes embracing Christ is so satisfying it becomes our number one priority. We lose interest in selfish things and become selfless servants eager to give than receive. Our lives become useful, meaningful and whole. And we understand the spiritual condition of our souls outweighs our personal interests.

The best way I can testify to the peace God brings in times of suffering is the death of my dad. I was grief stricken and overwhelmed with sorrow. Here I faced the reality of losing a loved one. Christ took my hand and walked me through the negative emotions. The Lord eased the pain and freed me from the chains of sadness. God’s grace sustained me, and I’m forever grateful for His compassion.

We have discussed suffering as a way to embrace Christ. Many more opportunities are available. Pain isn’t the only way. The Bible is full of scriptures directing our actions to conform to God’s will.  Through the Holy Spirit, we know Christ is real. God makes sure He is alive. Embracing Christ isn’t mastered for it’s a daily effort in preparing ourselves for heaven.     

Undeniable Faith  

 

The great fall of Adam and Eve set in motion God’s plan for faith as the way to regain His grace. When they disobeyed God’s command, everything changed. They became ashamed and hid from God. Guilt entered the picture and fear overtook their conscience.

When sin entered Adam and Eve’s heart, those same effects are still felt today. We can’t ignore or escape this truth, and it’s through faith we discover God’s gift of salvation. (Ephesians 2:8)

Adam and Eve came face to face with God’s displeasure. We too are in the same predicament. Our sin is the same. In God’s eyes, we are born into sin (Romans 5:12-14). 

But the Lord’s love for humanity is remarkable and through the bloodshed of His Son we find our way out. Faith in Christ is our responsibility and unlocks the wisdom to stay on the narrow way. (Matthew 7:13-14)

    

God established faith as an act of exerting our wills over to His merciful grace. He wants us to want Him above everything and waits for our walk in faith to do the talking. Through humility, we become open, receptive and conscious of His presence. Seeking Christ in everything we do, say or think is humbling ourselves before God. Christ lives in God’s will and to know Him is living in the Spirit of truth.    

In the Old Testament, the Lord used prophets as guides in identifying real faith. The Israelites struggled with the faith required to stay in His favor. They didn't understand the essence of this precious and eternal act of glorification. Their lack of faith caused them immense suffering.

What faith is favorable to God? 

A faith centered in trust and exemplifying His holiness. It’s a faith showing the world the inner strength He provides in turning away from sin. A strong endurance to stay spiritual in the midst of deception, wickedness, and the hurt caused by other sinners. And Christ holds the key to a faith acceptable to God. No other faith can grab the Lord’s attention than the one placed in Jesus. (John 14:6)

Faith is the fundamental principle connecting us with God’s kingdom. An active faith is abiding by God’s command, regardless of personal sacrifice. One of the finest examples of faith in action is Abraham. He was a faithful servant of God. His wife Sarah (unable to bear children) received a miracle from the Lord and gave birth to Isaac. Then one day God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. (Genesis 20:18; 21:1-7)

Abraham’s love for God was stronger than the one he had for his son. He didn’t bargain, plead or ask the Lord to change His command. God took notice of his unshakable faith and spared his son’s sacrifice. The outcome resulted in God blessing Abraham’s offspring with a spiritual strength stronger than their enemies (Genesis 22:1-19).

Abraham understood the penalty of disobedience and put aside his personal feelings. He did as God asked. His faith is incredible and an excellent model for us to learn the quality of an unwavering trust in God.

Another great biblical illustration of faith is when Christ converted the Samaritan woman. In her conversation with Christ, the reality of her sinful ways couldn’t be denied. The truth, Christ spoke to her changed the way she believed. As the result of Christ’s intervention, she was reborn. (John 4:1-26) 

Apostle John’s account of the Samaritan woman’s talk with Christ didn’t stop with her miracle. It showed another way of faith. When she returned home and proclaimed Christ, many believed in Him from her spoken truth. Then when Jesus stayed in their town, many more believed in Him. (John 4:39-42).

When we proclaim Christ as the savior of the world, then God sees our faithfulness. Here we are losing ourselves in Christ and finding our spiritual lives. We are living in His Spirit and have gained the freedom from sin. Our faith is on solid ground, and we are no longer afraid of physical deaths. And our hope is secured for we understand God’s eternal promise.

How do we know our faith is real?

The Holy Spirit is the answer. God releases His Spirit in the soul of those who believe in Christ. We become embraced with His love and are awakened to His holiness. God leaves no doubt who He is and the Holy Spirit is the proof of God.

Real faith motivates us to be more Christ-like, and we become disgusted with sin. Our whole outlook on life changes and we see the world in a Christian way. We rely more on Christ and less on ourselves. Trials and tribulations become spiritual opportunities where we enjoy the challenge they bring in strengthening our walk in Christ.

True faith is developing a passion for Christ and striving to live holy. It has no room for complacency.  Faithfulness is understanding the room for improvement and accepting the weakness of the flesh. It’s easy to become complacent and stop growing.

A living faith is based on repentance, forgiveness and love. It’s centered in serious devotion, bible study and selfless serving. Confession of sin becomes an integral part of a faithful follower. Self-control becomes automatic and when the flesh fails the believer’s trust in Christ prevails. Take those actions and experience Christ's impact.

In my journey with God the results from living His word have been astonishing. One incident involved falling victim to a financial scam. When I first approached by the scammer my response was silence.

Then one day while attending church, God commanded me to take action. The Lord called on me to offer my services. A lady who claimed to be dying from cancer needed my help. She wanted some help in donating funds to orphanages. 

I relied on Christ every step of the way for His guidance. My consultation was with God making sure I was in His will. I ended up sending over a thousand dollars. When the scam was exposed my reaction wasn’t full of revenge, but centered in Christian morals.

It was disappointing, but I understood the value of acting on God’s commands. I was grateful to give the money and Christ supplied me with a plan of action to restore my finances. My forgiveness for them was from the heart and I asked God to fulfill His will in their lives before doing something for me. I grew closer to Christ and enjoyed the way God used me.

Faith goes beyond belief. Each of us has found incredible strength as the result of trusting God’s infinite plan. Every time we are in distress and turn to Christ those troubles melt away. Faith in action is our greatest defense against God’s enemy. Our victory over sin is the direct result of Christ’s sacrifice and faith is essential in knowing the significance of the cross.