Faith Is....

 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1...."Faith is living in the light of what God has said, resting in what He has done, and entrusting the future to His care." Paul Tripp

If someone asked you to define for them what real biblical faith is, chances are pretty fair that you would, if you've been a professing part of the church for some time, give them some form of Hebrews 11:1. To do so would be giving a correct doctrinal and theological view of what biblical faith is. But what if they asked you to make it personal, real, and based upon your own life experience? Paul wrote that we are to live ready to give anyone who asks the "reason for our hope." Multitudes, in one way or another, are searching for a reason to hope. We who call Him Lord are supposed to know the reason and joyfully share it. Can we? Can you?

I've written Paul Tripp's definition of faith in my prayer journal. It's my desire that I live out that description each day. To understand what it means to do so. That it would be my day to day experience. An experience I can share and point others to Jesus Christ with. So, how do I go about doing so?

First, what does it mean to "live in the light of His Word?" Christ is the Light of the world. His Word is a Living Word, and in it we find His Light. He is Truth. His Word is Truth. In Him and in His Word there is no darkness. There is power in His Word. There is Life in His Word. To live in the light of His Word is to live in the Light of His presence. That means we are "rooted and grounded" in that Truth. The Truth is a part of who we are. It is not just a mental agreement with that Truth. It is a day by day living experience of its Life and power. Because of it, we can say with Paul, "I know Who I have believed in, and I am persuaded that He will keep everything I've committed unto Him until that day." And beyond that day. That is what it is to be born into a Living Hope. Is living in such a hope your life experience?

How about your resting in what He's done? Has His faithfulness to you yesterday given you peace in your today? In this tumultuous world, is your heart and mind truly at rest because you have settled the question as to whether you can trust Him? He promises to keep us in His perfect peace. Are you experiencing the truth of His promise? What is more indicative of your spiritual life. His peace or the world's unrest? Someone said that we can not talk about His rest unless we are truly living in it. Are you and I talking about, offering to the world a rest that we don't really know much about or experience in any meaningful way?

Last, has the rest we live in today yielded a complete trust in Him for all the unknown that is found in our tomorrows? Can we really leave all the unanswered questions, all the unsolved mysteries, all the "what if's" that are found there in His care? Can we trust Him with all of them? Or, is our assurance under constant assault because of fear that constantly gnaws at our hearts and minds? We can verbally define faith, but those who hear us will be able to tell whether we actually live in it or not. What do they see and say when they look at our faith lives?

We'll each have opportunity this day and every day to define faith and hope for a world desperate for it. Will we be convincing in our witness, or will we leave them still hoping and still searching?

Blessings,
Pastor O