From the Pulpit: By faith!

Here’s a short quiz regarding how you might see things. True or False… 

A Christian never struggles with doubt.

A Christian is never tripped up by sin.

A Christian is free from imperfections. 

A Christian is always shielded from hard times, suffering and tragedy.

A Christian always holds onto God’s promises without wavering in hope.

The correct answer for each question is false. 

This is sometimes how we think as Christians! The truth is that an authentic life of faith is a constant battle against temptations, pain, stumbling and falling.  

We may fail our family, friends and other believers. We back down when we should stand up; we lose hope when we should look to our Lord in confidence. We look at ourselves with disdain because we’re not perfect.

Christians like anyone deal with financial problems, endure accidents and injuries, suffer from sickness and disease, and walk through deep valleys of heartbreak and despair. There is no force field that protects Christians from the effects of this fallen world or from our own mortality. Yet we get back up, maybe dirtied and bruised, but stronger as we embrace God’s truth.

In the Book of Hebrews, Chapter 11, we see tremendous examples of faith – like Moses. Verse 27 – “It was by faith Moses kept his eyes on the one who is invisible”. In this chapter, we see many names, each with their own story: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Esau, Joseph, and many more. But there is never constant victory without struggle.

In fact, believers throughout history, are commended for their faith as they dealt with both triumph and tragedy, deliverance and affliction. They trusted God to experience His reward after this life. As they waited, we also wait for the day when all men and women of faith will be made perfect in Christ. 

Faith is the confidence of what we hope for. Not by luck or chance and especially not by ourselves, but on our solid hope in Christ. It’s the evidence of things we can’t see. And we can see it evidenced through God’s creation and His Spirit at work in the lives of those who struggled just like us. Our hope is built around a true faith in God. 

God chooses to work through the lives of His faithful followers … even into our day!

God is God, He is all knowing. He sees what is in store for us as we seek to not only follow the Living God, but he chooses to work through our lives as we seek to keep our focus always on Him.