By faith or bye faith? That is the question. You have the choice. Will you choose to say BYE faith or choose to walk BY faith?
To set this up, I am going to give a few scenarios and I want you to place yourself in each one. If you were given a choice of a type of life to live which of the numbers would you choose?
1) Tortured daily
2)Receiving a loved one back from the dead
3)Constant imprisonment in chains
4)Not being destroyed because of an act of kindness
5) Dying by being stoned or sawed in half
6)Stuck between a rock and a hard place, then a path is made to go through
7)Being destitute, oppressed and mistreated
8) Winning a battle by obeying.
Do the even numbers seem much more appealing? I would say yes, I would much rather live in the even than the odd numbers. Alright, some of yall may be saying okay what does this have to do about anything. Well the Bible gives us examples of people of faith and you know what, both even and odd circumstances represent these people (Heb. 11:4-11). So many people today get comfortable in where they are and to live as a Christian is just words with no weight behind them. I have to be honest, I am preaching to myself. Being comfortable is much more appealing than being uncomfortable BUT I refuse to become/stay complacent. I want more from the Lord because He has more for me. So daily I have to choose how I am going to live my life.
Okay, back to where I was headed.. The Bible called all the evens and odds, people of good reputations because of their faith (Heb.11:39). From the sound of it, to be an odd was not easy but each one decided to walk BY Faith instead of saying BYE Faith. This brings up great questions for Christians today. What is faith? How important is faith? Am I willing to die for my faith?
Alright, so lets define what is FAITH? According to the Webster dictionary it is
-allegiance to duty or a person:loyalty
-belief and trust in and loyalty to God
-something that is believed especially with strong conviction.
Now lets look at the meaning of the words defining faith:
Allegiance: devotion or loyalty
Loyalty: unswerving in allegiance.
Belief: accepted as true, trust or confidence in
Trust: assured reliance, belief in the reliability of
Okay so basically, Faith from the dictionary is unwavering, reliance and devotion to something or someone. Now the Bibles definition is : confidence in what we hope for will actually happen, and evidence of things that are not seen (Heb.11:1) .
Confidence: certainty, trust, allegiance
Evidence: sign, proof
Hope: desire with anticipation or expectation
Faith is the certainty of what you hope for and is the proof of what you can't see. Okay, what are Christians suppose to be anticipating or expecting? We are anticipating eternity and unity with the living God (Jhn. 17: 20-21), expecting the rights of being a child of God (Rom. 8:16;23, Jhn. 1:12) , desiring to be with the Lord forever (Jhn. 14:2-3, Jhn. 3:16). This hope we have is not the kind of earthly hope, this hope is based on certainty which is Jesus Christ. Faith is also proof and what is unseen. As a Christian you know God can not lie, and all his promises are set in stone. Therefore, even when we have not seen a promise fulfilled yet we know it will come forth because we trust and know the source (Titus 1:1-2, Rom. 3:3-4).
Is faith even important? For a Christian, faith (our confidence and evidence) is of the utmost importance.
God says we can't even please him without faith.
God says we can't even please him without faith.
What? What does God mean, I can't please Him without faith (Rom. 3:25,30 ; Heb. 11:6)? Can I have faith in a chair and please Him?? Okay you may be like, now you are being silly. But I am just trying to make a point. There are a lot of things people can have faith in, but God wants the faith of the Bible. The Bible faith is founded on Jesus and He is the only way to reach the Father (Jhn. 14:6, Acts 4:11-12). If our faith is founded on Jesus that means we need to get to know Jesus. How do we do this? I am glad you asked! :) If you are not a Christian the first thing is to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Rms 10:8-11). That is all. If you are a Christian, Jesus tells us He has given us another helper. This helper is the Holy Spirit (Jhn. 14: 25-26). The Holy Spirit testifies who Jesus is because He was there with Jesus ( 1Jhn 5: 6-8, Matt. 3:16-17). He is a witness that lives within in us, allowing us to be a witness to others for Jesus. Isn't that awesome! I am learning the Holy Spirit longs to tell us more of Jesus and to help us resemble more and more like Jesus.
Faith allows us to be made/counted as righteous.
Am I saying that as a Christian I can call myself righteous? Imma be honest, before I would have hesitated to answer this question. But being saved is a continual process in where I learn new things, and throw away old ways. The answer to this question is a resounding YES! The Bible says faith is the only way we can be made righteous (Rom. 1: 16-17; 3:27-28, 30). Being righteous is not perfect and never sinning nor is it never making the wrong turn, BUT it is being found in right standing with the Lord. Because of the blood of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, I am made clean before God ( Heb. 10:14, 21-22). Again, when we sin the Holy Spirit reminds us of who we are in Christ which allows us to turn straight back to God and continue to grow more like Jesus.
Faith brings about true joy.
Who doesn't like to be joyful? I mean maybe you don't but I do! I like to be happy, glad and delighted. We are anticipating glorious freedom from death and decay (Rom. 8:21,23). And looking forward to obtaining the full rights as adopted children of the living God. I mean can you even imagine? I will get to share God's glory (Rom. 8:16-17; Rom. 5:1-2). A living God, not fictional superheroes or greek gods, or idols made from human hands to resemble human form. But a living God, the living God wants to spend eternity (forever) with you! He has prepared a place specifically for you and He has chose you to be a part of his family(Jhn 14:3, Rev. 21:1, 3-4). Thank you Jesus! Thank you Holy Spirit! Thank you Father. Oh how I love you Lord!! My joy runneth over Lord, I want nothing else but you Jesus!
Faith enables us to overcome difficulties in life.
Okay, whether you are a Christian or not you will face difficult even painful times and choices. So if this is something I am guaranteed to face I want help through it, I don't want to go through on my own. So how does faith help us through this thing called life? With faith and endurance we are promised to inherit all of Gods promises(Heb 6:11-12). Faith tells us our circumstances does not determine if God loves me. God loves me even when I face trouble and despite this trouble I am still promised the victory through Christ (Rom. 8:35-37). Because of my confident hope in the one who has promised to never leave me or forsake me, I can be sure that for every situation I go through He is with me.
God says our trials and problems help to develop endurance, this endurance develops strength of character which leads to our confident hope in salvation (Rom. 5:3-4). Our hope will never lead to disappointment because the Holy Spirit fills our hears with God's love (Rom. 5:5). So you see every step along the way, the Holy Spirit is with you to remind you that you are loved and that Jesus understands! Doesn't this make since? From the earths perspective pain and sweat come along with trying to get stronger. From the spiritual perspective trials and problems come along with developing endurance. As I am able to withstand harder trials my character builds. I know that Jesus got me through my last trial and I become more sure He will get me through the current trial. I am reminded of Gods love and promises which pushes me to endure till the end where there will be unity, perfectness with God for forever!
Now if you have stuck with me up until now good job! Endure a little bit longer!
So now you are presented with a choice and it is your decision to make. You will go through hard times, you will go through trials, there will be times of laughter and there will be times of tears, these are facts. Life brings about the odds and evens. What then after that? What is left after this life? I am here to tell you eternity is what is after death. Eternity where? Well that is where you decide, eternity with the living God who loves you if you decide to walk BY faith or eternity with the devil who does not care one ounce about you, if you decide to say BYE faith.
Are you all in or all out? Choose today what step you will take. I choose today to walk by faith, I choose every day to walk by faith. No it isn't easy, yes I want to just quit sometimes but yes I will continue to choose Faith because God never waivers from His promises. Even when I am fickle and fail, I have a never failing God who calls for me to come to Him every time!
Thank you Lord for your grace! Thank you Father for sending Jesus to die for my sins and make me righteous before you. Thank you Jesus for sending the Holy Spirit to guide me in all truth and immerse me in your grace and mercy! Holy Spirit continue to teach me who Jesus is, and who I am in Him. God you are sovereign and true there is none like you!! Hallelujah, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!! We praise your name Lord! Grow me in my faith every day. I need you every day! In Jesus' name, AMEN!