Believe!

Are you a Believer? To be a believer means that you have confidence in the truth or existence of something or someone. A mother of a 10 year old told me that her son is struggling with his belief in Santa Claus. He wants to hang onto the idea that there is a jolly old guy in a red suit who flies around dropping gifts into the homes of good kids, but…. well, you know, it harder all the time to remain convinced that the tale really could be true.

Do you struggle to hang onto your faith in Jesus Christ, trying hard to believe? Does the cruel world beat up on your faith? It is not a terrible thing to admit it! About the worse thing a person who wants to be a Believer can do is to just ‘try harder.’ An examined faith that lets go of immature understanding and settles on those things which are true becomes foundational to life. If Jesus remains the Sunday School figure of your childhood, the ‘magic man’ who makes all your troubles disappear, faith in Him will go the way of believing in old St. Nick! However, if you grow in the knowledge of Who He is and what He promises, faith will deepen, not diminish.

Faith does not grow simpler with maturity, but even in its complexity, it can grow stronger. The Bible says it is the work of godly, gifted Christians to work together until “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:13–15 (NIV)

I am a Believer! I am convinced by the Scripture, the flow of history, the beauty of universe, and my experience of His Presence that God exists and that Jesus Christ came to be my Savior. I know He holds me in His grip, not because I am good, nor because I am desirable – but because of His love. No, I cannot explain why the Lord allows some things happen, nor can I explain why some prayers appear to be answered more positively than others. But my faith is tested and I believe! Can I prove my faith is true and make it real to you? Yes and no. If you’re demanding that I produce the stones on which the Ten Commandments were etched by the finger of God or a lock of Jesus’ hair, I can’t prove a thing. If you’ll look at the life transformation that loving Him has produced in many people, if you’ll let me tell you the story of God’s love in my life, and if you will begin to learn The Story of God’s will and purposes from the Bible – then you will find reasons to believe.

Here’ a word from the Word. Take it with you today, Believer. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. … And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. … Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Hebrews 11:1,6; 12:1 (NLT)

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My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
Oh let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire.

While life's dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread
Be Thou my Guide.
Bid darkness turn to day;
Wipe sorrow's tears away;
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside!

My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Palmer, Ray / Mason, Lowell

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