Thursday, January 17, 2008

Walk By Faith!

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Throughout the Scriptures there is a constant theme that under-girds our discussion on genuine faith that is accompanied by works. It is best expressed as WALK BY FAITH. WALK-that's what we are to do. BY FAITH is what we are believing God to do. So, in most every incident of life there is God's part and man's part.

By faith Noah built a boat. Noah worked very hard to build a boat by faith that God was going to do His part-to save the lives of Noah's family in a boat that floats in the flood. Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. Joshua led his troops around the city to do their part by faith that God would do His part-to knock down the walls supernaturally.

Check out in the letter to the church of Jesus in Galatia: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

In another passage in the letter to the church of Jesus in Philippi: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. That is man's part. I am to work out in my life the salvation I have in my heart. This is my responsibility-to flesh out this faith life in my body. Now, if this was the entire story, we could easily be quite discouraged and overwhelmed. But watch what the rest of the passage says. It goes on with: for it is God who works in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure-the thing that pleases him. My work to work out my own salvation is totally dependent upon God's work-to work in me with empowerment.

Here's how it works. You are to do the possible (that's your part), by faith that God will do the impossible (that's God's work). You cannot do the impossible, so don't try. He will not be held responsible to do the possible, so don't wait for God to do something that you can easily do yourself.

It's 100% YOU and 100% GOD. Now don't get upset with this. God's 100% is far greater than yours. So now, live your life each day by faith. This gives you something significant to do while depending upon the God of gods to supernaturally intervene. So let go and let God! It's the only way to freely and fully live!