THE GIFT OF FAITH
Last night I opened my bible and found myself at Hebrews 11. I’ve read and heard this taught on many times, “The Heroes of Faith” chapter.
Verse 6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
How can we obtain this necessary faith? I believe it is a gift from God.
Verse7A: By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.
Noah lived in a world so wicked, God determined to destroy everyone but Noah and his family. It had never rained on the earth before, but Noah believed that there would come a flood and built the ark as God directed. How could he have had such faith?
God takes our spark of faith, weak though it may be, and grows it.
Matthew 12:20: A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.
Hebrews 11:11: And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.
Beginning in Genesis16, we read that both Abraham and Sarah laughed when God said they would have children in their old age. They even used another woman, Hagar, to bear a son to Abraham, because they didn’t believe at first that God would fulfill his promise. But in this chapter, they are counted among the heroes of faith because God gifted their spark of faith and increased it.
In Psalm 51, David begged for forgiveness, and expressed faith that God would restore him: Verses 11-12: Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Thank you, Lord, for honoring our attempts at faith and growing us stronger.
by guest author Kathy McKinsey
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