Live by Faith part 3
I've been thinking a lot about the term "the just shall live by faith." And today I took out two words from that phrase. I took out "the" and "shall." Which left me with "just live by faith." And I think that's how strongly I need to say it: Just live by faith. Don't worry about anything else. Don't tell your God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big your God is. And I'm not saying don't take your problems to God. You absolutely should cast your cares on Him, because He cares for you. That's Biblical. But in reality you can either let mole hills become mountains, or you can understand what it means that everything is under our feet. We don't "need" to overcome, because HE already overcame. And in Him WE have already overcome. But in order to experience that, we need to live by faith. Faith is not hoping something will happen someday. Faith is knowing what happened 2,000 years ago on the cross. Look at Romans 1:17 (I told you I was going to quote a verse or two with my phrase in it), "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith." And I think one way to interpret "from faith to faith" is... from our faith to HIS faith. I truly believe the that point of our faith is to connect us to His faith. To bring us to a place where we have faith in HIM, so that He can do what He already wants to do. Because while I believe that God is a gentleman, and generally speaking doesn't force His will on us, I think He's just waiting in the wings to explode in our lives exceeding abundantly more than we could ever ask or think. When we have faith in God, it gives God the excuse--if I can say it that way--to show up big in our lives. Don't get me wrong, He's always there. Whether we know it or not, see it or not, believe it or not. He swore He'd never leave us nor forsake us. But what I'm talking about is the idea of power and manifestation in our lives. The power and manifestation of love in our lives. And the simple truth is: What you magnify in your life is what will manifest in your life. What you feed is what will grow. What you allow is what will continue. So what we need to do is set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Stop TRYING to overcome--and make it a split decision as to whether you will or won't--and start having faith in the One who already overcame! Let me say it another way: "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Be of good cheer, because the One you have faith in has perfect faith. All things are possible for Him that believes. So believe in Him that believes. Live by faith... and let Him live in you. And through you. And as you. Believe that He can do it. Believe that He is willing to do it. Be still and know that He is God... and LET Him do it. Just live by faith, man. What have you got to lose? If things seem bad and getting worse, but there's an alternative--a more excellent way--why not take that road less travelled? Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word (which is Jesus, which is love) of God. So if you hear that Word... believe it. Let it (HIM) take you where it (HE) wants you to go. Because its an abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love! And it can only be lived by faith!