While pondering topics to write about this week, my thoughts were naturally leaning towards Christmas themes. The birth of Jesus, and all the miracles that surround it, are why we emphasize the expression that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” However, there was a specific word that continually captured my attention, and popped up every single day in one way or another. It was in my Bible reading time, songs I heard, and even television shows that happened to be on when I walked into a room. Knowing that God works in mysterious ways, and seeing and hearing the word “faith” continuously, had me thinking that this was the topic for discussion. So, I decided to dive into the subject and see where God would lead.
“Faith” is a Small Word That Encompasses Extraordinary Purpose!
For followers of Jesus, “faith” is a fundamental principle that must exist. Faith requires trust and the Bible explains it like this:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)
This verse is one that I’ve heard quoted hundreds of times, and it is likely that you have also. I decided to look up various definitions of the word, and I liked the Cambridge Dictionary version that says “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.”
I believe it’s reasonable to say that “faith” is not always an easy concept to comprehend. Human nature more readily relies on the fact that we need to see things in order to believe, yet Christianity requires faith without seeing. These are radically different concepts to navigate.
Faith is Required in Almost Every Aspect of Christianity
The Bible says: “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. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)
We must believe that God exists, and that He is who He says He is. We do this, even though we can not see God face to face. This is a key element of our relationship with God and where faith is required on our part.
We are often referred to as “Believers,” and I think this title emphasizes the fact that we believe in God without actually seeing Him, and it puzzles nonbelievers greatly.
Sadly, this is also what makes Christianity harder for some people to accept. They refuse to believe in something that they can not see.
We Must Have Faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!
Faith is required as we read the details encompassing the miraculous birth of Jesus. If, by chance, you haven’t read the scriptures, I encourage you to do so. Both Matthew and Luke have written accounts of the birth of Jesus, and you can find them here: Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:26-2:40. (NKJV)
These scriptures document the events leading up to His birth, and even tell us that the angels gave Mary and Joseph His name. Jesus is the Son of God, and He is also called Immanuel, which means “God With Us!” That’s an amazing thing to ponder!
Prophecies foretold His coming, and the Christmas story is the fulfillment of God’s plan for salvation.
Though we were not there to witness the birth of Jesus firsthand; we still must have faith to believe that it happened just as the Bible tells us it did!
We Must Have Faith that Jesus Christ is Savior!
Perhaps the biggest step of faith we ever take, is in choosing to trust that Jesus has made a way for us to be free from our sins. Jesus made that possible by taking our punishment on the cross. We did nothing to earn salvation, nor to deserve it.
This salvation is a result of God’s grace toward us as stated in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith…”
Nothing says it better than John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus fulfilled His Father’s will and offers salvation to all who have faith to believe.
For more information regarding the steps of salvation please refer to one of my previous columns: “Jesus Loves You: Accepting The Concept Of Unconditional Love.”
Our Testimonies of Faith are Extremely Important!
God was revealing the topic of faith for my column, and I decided to share some specifics of this with my son, Dylan. Honestly, I’m sure he didn’t think much of it at the time. But, for some reason, I felt compelled to share it with him, and felt the need to give him a little proof that could illustrate my thought process in choosing a topic to write about. I do not normally do this, so I’m sure he thought it was rather odd!
I told him some of the places that the word “faith” had continually shown up, even though I had been thinking of writing about the birth of Jesus. One of those included a hunting program that was playing on television, which was very strange! (Dylan knows I do not watch hunting btw)
Honestly, I wasn’t paying much attention to it all, and was cleaning up, going about my business as usual, until I heard the speaker say, “Shoot By sight; Walk By Faith.” (from Jeff Danker’s BuckVentures)
My head snapped up, like really?! How cool is that?!
This was “So like something God would do,” so I had to share it with Dylan! He didn’t say much at the time, and didn’t need to. I just had an opportunity to share something that was important to me, with no expectations otherwise, so I did.
Obedience Sometimes Leads to Unexpected Things!
It wasn’t like I really needed more confirmation on my topic. Afterall, I had already written most of my column. God’s plan however, included giving me one more affirmation.
You see, I took a break and opened my email to see a link to Pastor Steven Furtick’s One Minute Motivation. I clicked into it, and yes, you probably guessed it! “Faith” was in the message titled “Believing By Faith,” and his emphasis was on two words, “By Faith.”
I quickly went to show Dylan! I clicked on the YouTube link to the message, and he listened for a minute. Then he actually looked up and smiled at me! He got it! He made the connection in his mind with what I had been saying! This mom’s heart rejoiced in seeing that moment of understanding, and it made my heart happy!
God Really Does Work in Mysterious Ways!
As I reflect on my week, I clearly see how God used so many different things to help me choose a topic. Then He gave me a chance to share the mysterious ways he communicated it to me. Consequently, I strongly feel like sharing parts of this process with Dylan was part of God’s plan all along, unbeknownst to me!
Dylan saw firsthand how I was seeking God’s direction for ideas to write about. He also witnessed God’s faithfulness in providing one for me! Maybe that was why writing about “faith” seemed so important all along! It gave me the ability to share mine!
There is not a mapped out plan for future posts. Instead, just a determination to seek God’s direction as I go along. It may take me a while to zero in on His intended message, but God is patient with me! He doesn’t give up, He just continues to lead me to it, with little hints all along the way.
God reveals things to me and allows me to be the messenger of things that will promote the Gospel of Jesus, and I will be forever grateful for the ability to do this! Thank you for reading my posts and following along! Together, we can promote Jesus to the world!
Have a Wonderful Christmas Season! Look For Ways to Share Your Faith With Others!
JESUS REALLY IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! HAVE FAITH TO BELIEVE IT!
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