So on we go with encouraging words regarding our dependency on God. We have been looking at how our faith is connected with dependence. You can’t be dependent on God, at least like you need to be, if you don’t have strong faith. I like to think my goal is developing world-overcoming faith.
Did you determine if you are at the beginning of your development (not far from where you started), or well on your way (into another country as you are on your way), or are you already in Cape Horn in attaining World Overcoming faith (see yesterday’s blog post)?
Okay, so let’s define faith. If you’ve been following the blog series on Dependency, then this is a little bit of review:
Hebrews 11:1 & 3
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
This is really good! Several take-aways here:
- Faith has substance.
- If it has substance it is real, it just can’t be seen (I call this the 4th Demension)
- Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not real – evidence is proof that something exists.
- The worlds (interestingly plural) were framed through Faith, so things were not made of things which are seen.
Let me ask another question – where does Faith come from? Before reading the answer below, take a moment to run some thoughts through your own mind as to where Faith comes from. Pause now to think about it.
Faith Comes from (Hearing) the Word of God
- Romans 10:17 (KJV) – Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
- I believe that is speaking of two things:
- The written word of God
- And the spoken word of God, which is always tested and in line with the written word.
- I believe that is speaking of two things:
So if faith comes by hearing the word of God, someone shared the word of God with you when you were yet a sinner, before you came to Jesus. You heard (faith comes by hearing), which gave you substance of what you hoped for (eternal life in a relationship with Jesus), and even though you didn’t see or feel God, you believed and accepted Jesus by the “measure of faith” (we talked about that yesterday) that you were given. Now (or when you did that), you became a new (baby) Christian. At that moment, it was time to begin to grow, or develop that measure of faith that you were given. Time to be developing World-Overcoming Faith, a total dependency on God.
Crucial Issues Medically if a Baby Doesn’t Develop & Grow
Here’s my point in developing your faith: In the world it is sad when we see someone who is adult aged, yet still has the mind and body of a child. We try to find medical answers as to why they aren’t developing. But it is not uncommon for there to be adult-aged believers who still have the mind of a one or two year old (baby) Christian. I hope you can see how this is very connected with our every-day-walkin’-around-kind-of-life and our dependence on God. Still more to come regarding this over the next few days.
Challenge for today – Work on developing World-Overcoming Faith. Go to the gym (spiritually speaking), even if it is a home-gym. Now start that development program. Even 3 sets of 20 T-raises or arm raises with a 5 lbs. weight is tough. But we are talking about your life here, literally. Just like our physical body and what is going on with it is a matter of life or death, our spiritual development is a matter of life or death. And just as much if not more. So let’s do it – let’s become World-Overcoming believers as we get on that road, that journey, in getting to Cape Horn. So be it!
Side Note – “Wow, Scott is on some sort of faith kick!” Why yes I am. If faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (more on this tomorrow), then I am on a “hearing the word of God” kick! See what I did there? 😉 (a joke Carmen and I use).
