"Without Faith It Is Impossible
To Please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe
that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek
Him" Heb. 11:6 NIV
"Consequently, faith comes by hearing the message, and
the message is heard through the Word of Christ" Rom.
10:17 NIV
Here at Shiloh, we teach our men that they must have faith in
God's Word in order to receive anything from God. God's Word
of course, was manifest in the form of the Man, Christ Jesus.
Therefore, all that He said, and did had great significance
toward our salvation and continuous blessings. What Jesus
spoke was truth and perfect Love. However wonderful, this
can be difficult for the unsaved man with his corrupt mind
to receive. But when it is received and believed the most
incredible thing happens. The spirit of that man is now
transformed, recreated and born again. His mind now has the
opportunity to move from corruptible to incorruptible.
All Christians have experienced this mystery, but for some
it is where they stop. That is not what Jesus intended, nor
is this pleasing to God. God wants the faith we were given,
when we first believed, to grow. The Apostle Paul writes in
Romans 12:3; "Do not think of yourselves more highly
than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober
judgment, in accordance of the measure of faith God has
given you". This measure of faith Paul is speaking of,
is given to each of us in accordance with how much we trust
in what we believe.
You see my friends, there is more to believing than just
saying you believe. You must trust God enough to yield to
Him your utmost desires and needs. Each time this is done,
God gives you a measure of faith to receive what He desires
to give you. Without faith it is impossible to receive
anything from God. Trusting is the action that puts feet on
your belief. We trusted God to do exactly what He said He
would do in regards to our salvation. Salvation is not just
inclusive to the born again spirit. It constitutes a
continuous yielding of our desires, and with that yielding
comes a never ending supply of faith. What a wonderful
exchange we get. We give the LORD Jesus the "old man";
(which is corrupt & perishing); He gives us eternal life
and we become "new creations in Christ Jesus"
(1st Cor. 5:17). We give Him our despair and rejection;
He gives us hope, a future and a loving fellowship
(Jer. 29:11).
My question is why hang on to things that bring us pain and
mental torment? Remember as you yield what you have to Him,
He gives you a measure of faith to receive what already has
been provided for you at Calvary. What ever that may be to
you (sickness, disease, your family, your bitterness, your
anger, your spouse, and even your money).
This is a principle of sowing and reaping. What are you
sowing? Trust or doubt?
We can only receive the Good, if we sow trust (faith) in
God. Abraham was called a friend of God because of his
faith which was accounted to him as righteousness (Rom.
4:3). God can only give, when we give up our rights and
yield to His uncompromising Authority. He is the Great
and Awesome God!
Won't you yield to Him today? He loved you enough to have
sent His only begotten Son to die; (Jn. 3:16) that we might
have "life and more in abundance" (Jn. 10:10)
"That the righteous requirement of the Law might be
fulfilled" (Rom. 8:4) for the "righteous shall
live by faith" (Gal. 3:11).
Oh God! Increase my faith, because it is my desire to be
pleasing to you with my life as I "walk by faith and
not by sight" (2nd Cor. 5:7).
We want to remind everyone of the great Gift of God that
was sent from Heaven above for you, and for me. His name
is Jesus. We celebrate His birthday in December, but God
desires that we be reminded of this perfect Gift every
day.
Be blessed this Holiday season.
David Walls, Sr.
