FAITH....In What?

In what areas do you claim faith, but your actions show unbelief? If you don’t do it, then you really don’t believe it. It is absolutely amazing how easy it is to claim total faith and trust in God when life is comfortable. It’s easy because all of the things that are so incredibly important to us are right there for us. Our home is there, the paycheck to pay the mortgage every month, the money for groceries, the ability to buy birthday presents for the kids, the security of knowing that at the very least everything will pretty much be the same, month by month. It is easy to claim total faith in God, but it is really hard to live it.

What if the very thing that we strive for all of our lives is also the very thing that prevents us from ever experiencing total reliance on God? The American Dream of a nice home, several months of income in savings, and maximum contributions to our 401K, and a great monthly income and the year-end bonus. It sounds great…and it is. There is nothing wrong with it, but as people we become so reliant on our ability to produce the income that gives the home and savings and retirement that if it were ever to go away, most of us would not know how to act. That is where the problem comes in. God doesn’t want us to be reliant on ourselves He wants us to be reliant on Him.

How far will your faith get you? When challenges arise in your life…does your faith go as far as your own resources…as far as your knowledge to fix the situation or are you able to be at peace even when you cannot see the answer? That is when faith truly begins…faith begins when we ourselves cannot see the answer but yet we proceed as though we do. Faith says that God will provide, but even if he does not, you will continue to believe. Let me show you an example of the faith I am talking about…

Daniel 3:16-25 – “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."

How far would your faith get you? Would it last just up to the meeting with the king? Would it last until they tied you up? Or would it make it into the furnace?
Had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wavered in their faith they would have turned to dust the minute they got close to flames. They would have died with those men throwing them into the fire. You must be unwavering in your belief. You must hold fast to your trust and faith in God. God wants us to be decisive. He knows we will make mistakes, but I believe that He would rather have us be decisive and wrong than to be wavering and never make a decision or take action.

You claim faith…but what do your actions say? Take a step towards faith in your actions today!

Have a blessed day,

RodZ


© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved