Daily Devotional

-May 1, 2021-

Good morning, happy Saturday,

-We Need Faith In Order To Please God-

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

(Hebrews 11:6).

Hebrews chapter 11 is the “Hall of Faith.” All the men and women mentioned there share the same faith in the Lord, but they all manifest it in their own personal and practical way. The phrase used, “By faith,” is used 16 times. Those who are so honored for their faith are: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel.

The very first verse defines faith as, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith believes God and acts upon that belief in willing obedience. Faith believes when it cannot see, it cannot hear, and cannot understand. The key to faith is not its own strength or understanding, but its object which is God Himself.

Belief must always precede sight, otherwise it is not faith. When Jesus stayed away purposely two more days before going back to Bethany where Lazarus was sick. He knew that He would perform a greater miracle of raising him from the dead, rather than merely healing him of his sickness. Both sisters, Mary and Martha told Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (See John 11:21 and John 11:32).

Jesus made a wonderful statement on faith in John 11:40, “…Did I not say to you that if you believe you would see the glory of God?” Thus, we believe, then we will see. The world has it backwards: seeing is believing. When God says it, we must believe it as though it already happened. There is such great confidence and assurance in faith. Faith sees what is unseen, hears what is unheard, and understands what is not known. James wrote, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). We do not believe something unless we act on it. Mary and Martha had to have the stone rolled away from their brother’s tomb in order for him to be raised from the dead though he had been dead four days.

May God give us the faith to believe and the obedience to receive. We must claim God’s promises by faith and apply them to our lives. Our faith grows by what God does for us. He never changes nor does He ever fail.

Have a blessed day walking by faith not by sight. Believe first, then you will see. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean