Dear Ones:
If there is one thing that the Lord will not accept, or abide by, it is FAITHLESSNESS…or commonly known as “unbelief.” Nothing is possible without faith, and all becomes possible with it. Why is this so? It is because of the nature of God…He is FAITHFUL. What does this mean? When we look at the Lord Jesus, we see one who is full of faith. Though He is tempted, and this, to the extreme on the cross, yet He is full of faith in His Father. What is the basis of that faith? It is the immutable, unvarying nature of God to not only be perfectly committed to doing all, and exactly as He has declared, but being absolutely able, willing, in the fulfillment of that Word. Christ as the living Word, and the declared written Word of God, are without discrepancy, dissonance, and diversity. They are in a very real way, one and the same, as God IS what He declares, and for every promise and statement of truth, there is the changeless engagement of God. To put it simply, as Henry Ironside wrote: “God said it; I believe it; That settles it.”
One of the greatest, if not the greatest, affront to God, is unbelief…the choice of refusing to trust Him. And yet, He is the ONLY one who IS truly trustworthy, as He only is the truth, and always exists according to eternal truth. The author of the book to the Hebrews wrote: “But without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6) Now, one measure by which we KNOW that we are trusting God is seen in the measure of our expectation in Him. We see this in this verse, “…He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” In Matthew’s gospel, we find in regard to the soul’s pursuit of God in the quiet place, the “closet,” or place of aloneness with God, that the Lord Jesus said: “….pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (6:6) What is occurring here? We see a single soul, who is called of God to seek Him, who believes Him, that He is faithful, and as a result, knows that God the Father will “see,” “hear,” and respond…reward. The basis for this whole relationship is FAITH IN THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.
Scripture tells us several times: “The just shall LIVE by faith.” Paul writes to the Galatians, “…the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the FAITH of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (2:20) In Mark’s gospel, we read where the Lord Jesus said: “Have faith in God,” …”and shall not doubt in his heart…” (11:22-24) We see that these statements all say the same thing, that we are not to doubt, or question, the faithfulness of God, the Word of God. We might not trust ourselves to understand the will of God, but we are always to defer to trusting the God our Maker and Redeemer, because He is perfectly and absolutely trustworthy.
One last word. There are times in difficulties, afflictions, opposition, or suffering, that we might be tempted to “…cast away our confidence.” (Heb. 10:35) As long as we are in this body, and on this earth, we will be faced with challenges to faith. Paul will refer to this experience as “the good fight.” When these challenges arise, let us not “let go,” or “cast away our confidence,” which might be the temptation. Let us trust the Lord to strengthen our hearts to believe Him, overcoming these obstacles to faith. Let us trust Him for grace to look more singularly, intently at Christ who is the Author and Finisher of faith.
“I had fainted, unless I had believed to SEE the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Ps. 27:13-14)
Love, Dad