Faith

[jamesglewisf]

What is faith? Here is the best definition I have ever seen:Faith is living as though the Bible is true, even when I do not feel like it is true. And the reason I can know it is true is because God said it is true.What exactly does that mean? Faith is believing that God is truthful. It is believing that if He said it in the Bible it is true. Faith is putting into action your belief in the veracity of God.

Faith is not based upon my circumstances. It is not based on what I am feeling. Faith is based on truth.

When my first daughter died, there were many questions to be answered. We'll look at some of them.

[jamesglewisf]

Why did my baby die? Was God punishing me? It sure fealt like He was punishing me. How could He let my baby die? In John 9:2-3, the disciples asked Jesus why a man was born blind. Was it his sin or his parents sins that caused it. Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened that the work of God might be displayed in His life." So, do I go with my feelings that God is punishing me or do I go with what Jesus said that sometimes bad things happen and no one is to blame?

[jamesglewisf]

Why did my baby die? Doesn't God love me? It sure didn't feel like He loved me. When my wife held our dead baby in her arms, she said, "I just don't understand..." How do you complete that sentence? I thought "...how God could let this happen." She finished, "I just don't understand how God could give up His only Son to die on the cross for me. I could never do that. He must really love me." Where did she get that? John 3:16. She lived as though the Bible was true, even when she didn't feel like it was true.

[jamesglewisf]

When I mess up and do something I shouldn't, does God still love me? It doesn't feel like He should. Jeremiah 31:3 says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love." God's love for me never stops.

[jamesglewisf]

When I keep blowing it and messing up with the same sin, will God keep forgiving me or get tired of it and stop?
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.Wow, we are supposed to forgive someone up to 70 times 7 times. That's a lot. God will forgive me regardless of how many times I blow it. His requirement of us to do so tells us this. He also promises it in 1 John 1:9
I John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.There is no limitation there. So, I am going to live as though I am forgiven, even though I don't feel like it.

[jamesglewisf]

Your situation will change daily. There will be good and bad circumstances in your life. Faith is not based upon your circumstances. Faith is based on trusting in the truthfulness of God. Faith is living as though the Bible is true, even when I do not feel like it is true. And the reason I can know it is true is because God said it is true.

[Lisa]

AMEN! My heart is about to burst with that! So well said. Thank you Jim. :) What a wonderful reminder to start the day on. **sigh** **basking in the love of Christ** :)

What a fitting 150th post! :)

[PsalmReader]

Wow Jim! I cried, I smiled... You are blessed with a wonderful, loving wife. I can tell that already! Can she be my friend??! :) God is good. I am amazed by His blessings each day.

[Freezerwaffle]

Thank you for this inspiration! :-)

[Karenluvs6]

I hope that one day, I can hold the faith that you and your family holds, in Christ and to understand why these things do happen.
Your wife is a remarkable woman Jim....she is very strong.
God has obviously blessed you both.

[momofnine]

WOW Jim - What a testimony! Thank you for sharing.

[keithster]

Wow! Thanks.

I think today's Living on the Edge hit this in a big way. "The Courageous Soul" was all about how to handle discouragement.

I certainly have my share of that. It was a great broadcast. Chip Ingram definitely has a teaching gift.

http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Living_on_the_Edge/

[PsalmReader's Mom]

Jim, reading this has been a bright spot in my day. Thank you. To me, faith is like the trust you see in a child's eyes . . . total belief, no questions that matter. {pinky}

[momofmany38]

Thank you......for what you have put on here.....

i have had many moments in my life......that i thought that ALL of my faith was GONE......one of them is when i too..... lost a child.....but i finally realized that my son was in a much better place than i was.....he was with MY LORD AND SAVIOR......and then.......i had problems in my marriage......really....not too long ago......and i had someone SPECIAL......teach me......that my faith was just being put to the test.....today....my faith was COMPLETELY restored......as my husband's home burnt.....i thought that something was wrong....like "what else could God possibly do to punish US"......but then......when everything was being looked over AFTER the fire.....everything was destroyed......one thing remained undamaged....in perfect condition.......THE CROSS that we had hung on our wall.....GOD IS GREAT!!!!!

[PsalmReader's Mom]

Was reading back over this thread Mr. Jim just to get another blessing from it. Another part of faith, to me, is knowing that God will always keep His promises and will never let anything happen to us that we cannot handle in His strength. I love Psalm 91. "In the shadow of the Almighty." We have all had our hard times, heartaches and disappointments. But everytime God walks beside us through those times we come out on the other side a little stronger and maybe a little wiser. Once again I say "I'm not the kind of Christian my preacher brags on" . . . many, many faults. But I have a happy heart because Someone very special lives there. Your oasis that you have created for us here must surely be stamped "Approved!" Don't you think our God probably smiles and enjoys our fun with us? {pinky}