BBD 07.28.08 Real Faith
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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07.28.08
Real Faith
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently
seek Him. - Hebrews 11:6.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you
with My eye. - Psalm 32:8.
Barnabus Shaw along with his wife, Jane, was the first Wesleyan minister to
come to South Africa in 1816 and he had planned to preach the Gospel at Cape
Town. However, he was forbidden from doing so by the governor. Uncertain as
to how to proceed, the Shaws acted on faith according to a passage of
Scripture that God had placed on their hearts (1 Samuel 6). They bought oxen
and a wagon and loaded their belongings into the wagon. Then they did
something really strange - they allowed the oxen to go wherever the oxen
wanted to go. In a month they had traveled about 200 miles and there they
were met by a group of Khoikhoi people. The tribe had left their home and
they were on their way to Cape Town to find a missionary so that they could
learn about the Word of God. What incredible faith!
The Bible is hard for our human minds to accept. Because when we read the
Bible we are suddenly in a world where seas part and people walk across on
dry ground. A world where bushes burn but are not burned up. In this world
of the Bible, manna drops out of the sky to feed the people, not once but
every day (six days a week). In this world of faith people walk on water,
the blind are able to see again, quadriplegics are made to walk and even the
dead are brought back to life!! Even though it seems unbelievable somehow we
believe, and we know that the Bible is true and that God exists. "Now faith
is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
(Hebrews 11:1)."
What is even more amazing is when God's people begin to exercise their
faith. I once heard a sermon about faith and the pastor said the exercise of
faith is:
Believing when you don't see it.
Obeying when you don't understand it.
Giving when you don't have it.
Persisting when you don't feel like it.
Praising before you receive it.
And trusting when you don't get it (i.e. what you have prayed for).
The exercise of that kind of faith is a testimony to a faithless world. Is
your faith being exercised? I ask that because God is still God and we still
must walk by faith and not by sight in this world. Maybe it is time for you
to give up the reins of your life to the Lord and allow Him to guide you
with His eye? It may be that the Lord has something humanly impossible for
you to do that will require real faith. Will you answer His call?
Copyright © 2008. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
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