Living by Faith

Jay Guyer
02/16/16 - Faith

Living By Faith - Part I

 

In religious circles, “faith” is all important, but no one has a monopoly on it and all can increase it.  Until I learn to function like the people of faith (He 11) and more especially like Jesus, who had complete faith, my life for the Lord will be less than it can or should be.  Faith is the fundamental principle in living for Christ, it is a necessary part of my relationship with my Savior, my God and fellowmen.

 

My attempts to live by faith are too often contradicted by common sense.  Self-interest and personal judgments often dominate me as they did Lot.  But the man of faith said, “If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left” (Gn 13:9).  To the degree that I walk by sight/common sense and not by faith in God, I will not become a man of faith.  To the same degree I will not discover what the Lord can and will accomplish through me.

 

When something “goes wrong,” it is easy from a materialistic view point, to conclude that the Lord does not care, does not know or will not help.  However, He promised never to forsake me.  The question is:  Will I abandon Him?  Do I forsake Him because of my small faith in His loving, providential care?  He sincerely wants what is best for me, even though it may not always be apparent to me.  Truly, I need to “know” my Lord, to abandon self (my ideas, interests, preferences, and fears), and walk with Him in complete faith.

 

To “know” Jehovah God is more than knowing facts about Him, knowing the laws He teaches, or the parameters He expects in my life.  The word “know” suggests experience.  From a factual perspective I know my God loves me, is patient with me, even while I may stumble in sin.  But to wake up every morning aware of His new mercies, as Jeremiah did (La 3:22-24), is to know Him by experience. 

 

Most certainly I need to know His will for me and be submissive to it.  But also, I need to be ready at a moment’s notice, to drop what I have feebly planned for today, to seize the moment or opportunity He has provided for me to serve Him and my fellowmen.  That is faith not only in His will, but in His rule in my life!  That is how my Savior functioned on earth as my example, praying for the Father’s will to be done in His life.  Imitating the “mind of Christ” (Ph 2:5) is living by faith.

 

To affirm that Jesus functioned by faith, is evidenced clearly in such things as:  His obedient character, His work habits, His relationships with men, and especially, His prayer life or communion with the Father.  He modeled faith for me to see and experience. 

 

It is encouraging to know that people of faith in very difficult trials always grow.  First, they rarely, if ever, complain about their suffering for the Lord.  Second, they do not ask that the cause or source of their suffering be removed (II Co 12:7-10).  They only hope for encouragement from fellow saints and pray for the Lord’s grace that they might continue His great work.  That is living by faith.

 

Paul’s ambition in life was to “know the power of Christ’s resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, and be conformed to His death” (Ph 3:10).  He further emphasized that I must share in Christ’s sufferings, when he wrote about “dying/suffering” with Him that I might “live/be glorified” with Him (II Ti 2:11-13; Ro 8:17).  The apostle wrote in I Co 1:9, that I have been called into that fellowship of God’s Son.  If I am to fulfill my calling, just what is this fellowship with my Lord?  In Part 2 we will suggest five ways to have fellowship with Him in faith.   Jay Guyer   12/08

Living By Faith - Part II

 

To make my life real in Christ, to be a man of faith in God, to be God’s servant totally, there are at least five things in Christ that I must by my faith share in and identify with:

 

1) Mt 26:36-38   His prayer to follow through – Jesus had no fear of death.  He let His desire for the will of the Father overcome all fear.  At stake were two things:  to fulfill His purpose in man’s redemption and to be an example of complete obedience.  I need to pray like He did to follow through, no matter the cost. 

2) Jn 10:17,18; I Pe 2:24   The Cross as His Goal  – The cross did not just happen.  Jesus purposely, willingly, lovingly, when the time was right, laid down His life and with power took it up again.  My goal in life can be nothing short of the way of the cross, knowing God’s Spirit dwells in me and will likewise raise me from the dead (Ro 8:11). 

3) Ga 6:14   Him Crucified, My Redemption – Paul had nothing (no achievements, strength, education, abilities, etc.) in this life in which he gloried.  My focus needs to be like His, on the great tragedy of the cross for my sin.  Self must be crucified to the world and all my energy consecrated for Him, so that He can sanctify me to serve and honor Him. 

4) Jn 16:14   Jesus Glorified In His Purpose – A pious atmosphere of prayer, and devotion is not necessarily about the death of my Savior.  My life and worship must be stamped in the blood of Jesus, producing wonder and awe, so that how I live is the work of Almighty God. 

5) Jn 12:32   Jesus Lifted Up Before All Men – Too few of us understand why Jesus died.  It was not merely because of His sympathy for mankind.  My difficulty is that I continually need the Cross of Christ because of my spiritual bankruptcy.  I need my sins uncovered by THE Word probing deeply and sharply into my heart (He 4:12,13).  Jesus must be lifted up in my life - He is my propitiation, my purging from sin.

 

Yes, my Great God and Savior created & sustains all things; He waits patiently and forgives the penitent; He promises and gives me hope; He provides for and gives life to all His creation; He monitors and engineers all temptation that I face; He will judge the whole world!  I must believe all of that with real conviction! 

 

On the other hand those considered righteous by Him do “live by faith” (Ro 1:16), they “walk by faith” (II Co 5:7) every day.  This is the faith that Jesus modeled intensely.  It is the faith Abraham had when he spoke with Lot about choices (Gn 13:9).  It is the faith by which Job retained his integrity before God, when he lost his family, his possessions, his health, and his friends.  It is the faith seen in Stephen, while losing his physical life and steadfastly looking into Heaven, focused on Jesus Christ.  Things in this life, plans, appointments, etc., must take a back seat to Divine “interruptions” each day!  Faith is my ticket through the unknown, into the unexpected, outside my comfort zone – a detour from my physical and planned routine.

 

My daily list/schedule is only a beginning point, my feeble effort to serve Jehovah and my fellow men.  I must also be ready for His detours, to partner with Him in the work and opportunities He sets before me.  I cannot imagine Abraham (Gn 22) telling the Lord, “my schedule is full for the rest of this week.”  No!  In fact he rose early the very next morning to obey the Lord.  I cannot imagine the “Good Samaritan” responding like the Levite & Priest apparently did, “I don’t have time for this” (Lk 10).

 

What about those who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or imprisoned today (Mt 25)?  Will my faith find the time, the follow through?  Will my fellowship with Christ, The Crucified be evident?  Am I sacrificing for my cause or by faith for His?  I can and will be glorified with Him one very special day because I live by faith today!    Jay Guyer   12/08