From the Pastor

 Pastor Mike Burns

 Victory Church

 903.567.2072 (Ext. 3002) 

 MBurns@wordofvictory.org                                   

 

Thursday, January 17, 2013 1:35 AM

Wishful Thinking or Genuine Faith?

Thursday, January 17, 2013 1:35 AM
Thursday, January 17, 2013 1:35 AM

When we read about the heroes of the faith in Hebrew 11, we learn that “by faith [they] conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouth of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, become mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women [even] received back their dead [sons] by resurrection” (verses 33-35). Through faith, the Old Testament saints accomplished some incredible things. Or perhaps better stated, God accomplished incredible things through those who believed in Him. That is an important clarification. The biblical heroes did not simply believe; they believed in God. Their faith was unseen, but was not blind. God was the source of their power and strength. He was their focus and the object of their faith. Their confident trust and full dependence was placed in Him.

Void of the right object, faith is nothing more than wishful thinking. It is pitiful and powerless. But placed in God, faith is the essence of salvation and the heart of the Christian life. The pages of Scripture are filled with examples of people who walked by faith. People like Abel, Enoch, Abraham, , Esau, Jacob, Moses, Joseph, Rahab (now there is a story!), David, Mary, and many others are examples of not perfect individuals, but examples of people who walked by faith. You and I are no different. We are not perfect people, but we can be numbered with those who daily “walk by faith.”  Let’s do it.

 

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