Jesus said to her, ’Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ —John 11:40
It is interesting that, from time to time, I start thinking devotionals are motivational, profound, cool...but not pertinent to my life, until I find myself in life and devotional in the same breath. Like the past five days.
This one is a personalized rewrite, for me, from Oswald Chambers.
Every time I venture out in my life of faith, I will find something in my circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict my faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can I trust Jesus Christ where my common sense cannot trust Him? Can I venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of my commonsense life continue to shout, "It’s all a lie"? When I am on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, "Oh yes, I believe God can do it," but I have to come down from the mountain t o the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at my Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42 ). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, "I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ " the testing of my faith begins ( Philippians 4:19 ). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become my intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging my faith right now? The test will either prove my faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" Matthew 11:6 ). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. "We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . ." ( Hebrews 3:14 ). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges me will strengthen my faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of my physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake me (see Hebrews 13:5-6 ).
It is interesting that, from time to time, I start thinking devotionals are motivational, profound, cool...but not pertinent to my life, until I find myself in life and devotional in the same breath. Like the past five days.
This one is a personalized rewrite, for me, from Oswald Chambers.
Every time I venture out in my life of faith, I will find something in my circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict my faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can I trust Jesus Christ where my common sense cannot trust Him? Can I venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of my commonsense life continue to shout, "It’s all a lie"? When I am on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, "Oh yes, I believe God can do it," but I have to come down from the mountain t o the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at my Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42 ). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, "I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ " the testing of my faith begins ( Philippians 4:19 ). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become my intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging my faith right now? The test will either prove my faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" Matthew 11:6 ). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. "We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . ." ( Hebrews 3:14 ). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges me will strengthen my faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of my physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake me (see Hebrews 13:5-6 ).
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