Why trust God?

 

The foundation of trust in God begins with knowing He exists and being convinced that He rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). That trust is attacked when circumstances challenge it. Is God rewarding me when people treat me badly? Or when my body is suffering with pain? Or when doubts come about His goodness for any reason?

The Word of God says He never changes, that His goodness is firm and everlasting. But human faith fluctuates when I stop thinking about God as He has revealed Himself and start measuring Him by the world’s ideas, the comfort level in my life, or the whispers of spiritual enemies that are contrary to what He says.

And yet the principal foundation of faith is not the word of God, but God himself, and God is good, the rewarder of those who seek Him. The Bible says, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4) and by this same goodness, He also leads me to reliance. 

I recall many ‘little’ things, like parking places, workmen fixing without charge things we didn’t know were broken, encouraging phone calls at just the right time, finding the answer to problems when I called out for His help, and how all of that came from His goodness.

If I don’t believe God is good, how could I believe anything that He speaks or promises? If anyone else made a promise to me, I’d trust them only if… but when God makes a promise, His goodness gives credit to what He says. Years of seeing Him come through for me builds my faith, yet His goodness is always there, even if I cannot see it.

Some people acknowledge the power of God, yet without seeing His goodness motivating His power, He is not trusted. Actually, power without good intentions is dangerous, yet as Charnock says, God’s good will without power would be useless. Those who ‘mean well’ but never follow through do not create confidence in themselves, but because God does what He does rooted in His goodness, I am learning to deeply trust Him, even when His powerful actions make no sense or His wisdom in what He does escapes me.

Much of OT faith seems to be built on God’s power. However Hosea wrote: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 3:5) Their fear, meaning faith and worship, would be seen flowing from His goodness.

I’m learning to trust God’s power and wisdom, yet also His goodness. This makes faith deeper and more certain. If I do not understand the means or the why, relying on His goodness in all that happens becomes vital. This wonder and truth settles me far more than any glimpses of knowing why this action or event is happening. As my mother often said, “We must need it or we would not be getting it” and I can rely on ‘whatever’ with greater assurance knowing that God is good and whatever “it” might be, it comes from His goodness.

PRAY: Your Word says much of Your goodness and how that goodness satisfies Your people. I am glad to know that goodness is behind all that You do. “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” (Psalm 27:13) I also rejoice because: 

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4–7)

Because of You, I’ve access to this goodness and not only that, this is the fruit of Your Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and my life can be lived with the same motivation. This is a most humbling thought and a great blessing. Amen.

Faith is a journey. . . .

 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— (Galatians 3:13)

Christ alone is our Redeemer. Christ bore our sins. Christ endured the wrath of God, Christ satisfied the claims of justice against us, as our Substitute. The work of redemption was fully accomplished. ‘Christ has redeemed us.’ Nothing is left to be done by us. Christ has done all. The blood of Christ poured out in death for the atonement of sin accomplished an effectual redemption. ‘Christ has redeemed us.’

Sin has been dealt with. The only sin that keeps anyone from redemption is unbelief in what Christ has done. Lack of faith is our nemesis. Faith is our salvation — yet faith has stages. 

First, the Bible says that the existence of God is made plain in creation and that faith begins with believing this simple truth:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

If a person dismisses all the evidence of God’s existence and thinks He is not a good God, what more can the Holy Spirit reveal to that closed mind?

Faith also includes believing what God says. If not, we make Him a liar — even though Jesus clearly identified Satan as the liar and father of lies. And what does God say that must be believed? Some focus on creation or other truths, but the main thing that halts any hope of moving on in a spiritual journey is refusing to believe this:

For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:22b–23)

A man said to me that he had no trouble believing that Jesus died for the sins of the world and argued that was good enough. I said, “But what about your sin?” Long pause. “Oh, I see what you mean.” He realized that his ‘faith’ was general, not personal. Even the demons believe God exists, but saving faith goes beyond that. Biblical ideas might be in place, but faith that cannot admit sin is not saving faith. John wrote:

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. . . . If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:7–10)

What is missing in that kind of faith is a failure to believe and apply verse 9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

What more can God say to a person who rejects what He says about our sinful condition. If it sounds anything like “I don’t need that” or firmly insists they are okay without a Savior, the journey to God stops. God can barge in and open blind eyes, however He is a God of grace and even tells His people to “correct his opponents with gentleness.” God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, yet it is vital to believe the truth we already know. (2 Timothy 2:25)

God’s kindness “is meant to lead us to repentance” (Romans 2:4) so He “is patient toward us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Without it, the wonder of redemption eludes those who fail to believe what God reveals.

The OT laws and rituals pointed to the realities to come. The blood of animals offered for sin had no power to take away sin, but faith in God's promise of a Deliverer was vital. This faith kept His people until their Messiah came to fully redeem those who trust Him. Jesus came to do the will of God and by that will, those who believe are set apart, redeemed, being transformed. By His single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:1–14), an amazing gift that is given to those who believe God exists, that He rewards all who seek Him, that know they are sinful and have no merit to earn this blessing, and therefore trust in Jesus Christ alone for redemption.

PRAY: What can I say? Only Jesus. You have brought me to faith, led me through all the barricades and shown me truth that helped me understand the wonder of who You are and the blessing of Your amazing grace. I bow in adoration and in joy.

Does God need me to make Him happy?

Today’s devotional reading says that every Christian wants to please and honor God. While honoring Him is fitting, I’m wondering if the idea of pleasing God is a fleshy one based on human pride. Does God need anything from me? Can I do anything that I can pat myself on the back for and say that I’ve made God happy? This passage comes to mind:

Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9–14)

As the devotional writer says, self-disciplined people can obey laws, fast, give tithes, and do all sorts of good things, but that does not mean much. We can physically separate ourselves from the world, alter our dress code, change our outward habits and live in seclusion from the world and be distinct, but those things take only self-discipline, not grace. Consider moralists and monks, or some of the cults.

Some say we please God by keeping God's laws, but the Bible says the law was given to show us how far short we fall. No one can do it. Sincerity does not make it so. Only Jesus did this and lived a sinless life.

I remember one elderly man who claimed that he never sinned. He must have skipped reading this:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8–9)

This man was sincere. He claimed that sin dishonored the power of the gospel, yet as John wrote, self-deception does the same thing. The truth is, our old nature may be dead to God but it is still able to affect my thinking and ruin my behavior.

The only true standard of holiness is the Lord Jesus Christ. When I look at His life, I’m fully aware of the futility of trying to live a holy life myself. The Bible is clear; Jesus is my holiness. All who believe in Him and trust His righteousness, his blood, his grace and his intercession are honoring God. If I think I can please Him apart from faith in Christ, then I am pridefully putting myself on a pedestal and speaking from flesh not faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

PRAY: Jesus, You are my righteousness and holiness. You grant faith and all the rewards of trusting You. That means any goodness in me is from You. Not only that, You are complete and need no one to perfect Your joy or anything about You. Even if I obey You and feel pleasure, it is You being glad that I have done it — glad for my sake. You want me to trust You. Faith is how You want me to live and how You enable me through the power of Your Spirit to fit into Your plan for my life. You also allow me to feel Your joy — because You have even given me Your mind. All who believe You, all who trust Your righteousness and Your promises please and honor You for God is pleased with You and You are pleased to live in me. How amazing!

Trusting in what I cannot see… yet!

The hurricane in south USA brought anxiety to my heart. Not only feeling angst for the many people who lost everything, and for those who lost family members, but also one of our adult children lives close to the places that were destroyed. She didn’t call right away, and although I was praying for her and others in that dire situation, I had no affirmation that she was okay, only trusting God that it was so.

Eventually we communicated. Other things were happening in her life but that unreal storm missed her and her family by a couple hours. She knows people who lost everything, and like me, is devastated by this never-before horrendous event.

Today’s devotional reading is about wanting to know what is going on with evidence — in contrast to trusting God when we do not know what is going on. I have a friend that often says that she needs an affirmation to supplement her faith, and finds it hard to trust God when she does not see something happening in regard to her prayers. I’ve questioned that sort of ‘faith’ yet it happens to me too.

The devotional describes this as human thinking. We tend to require some evidence before believing something God says will happen. Even a good feeling about it helps, but something visual is better, or something like a phone call from a family member who could be in danger. I tend to want a strong feeling that something will be okay, a feeling that seems strong and is supposedly reliable. This translates to wanting an affirmation so I can see before I believe that God is answering my prayers. However, this is not the way of faith.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is described much like something my mother wrote in the back of her Bible: “God said it, I believe it. That settles it.”

I often cannot see what God is doing, but if He makes a promise or any statement about something, my faith cannot be in seeing it happen, but in the reality that God said it would happen. Consider this well-known verse:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Do I mope about waiting until I die to see if I have eternal life before I can believe it? Obviously if I did that, then my faith was not in what the Word of God says, but in the evidence before my eyes. That would not only be foolish, it would be too late then to believe, and is not a walk of faith in this life either.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
… for we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

The facts are whatever God says. He tells me to believe in Christ and I will live eternally. I cannot base my faith on any affirmation, for the affirmation comes with a caveat — faith comes first, not after it. This applies to now, everyday life, not just after I die.

The sad part is that no matter how many times God affirms that He will take care of something, looking for proof or evidence that He will do it is a mere demonstration that I am not taking Him at His Word, not believing Him at all. Such “faith” is not faith but unbelief, and not only that, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)

PRAY: Jesus, I know that You love me because You say so. Even though the evidence is Calvary, this is not about my feelings or even about what I can see. There are days when I don’t feel loved and it seems nothing is happening to prove it. But Your Word is enough. Today I am tired, and for that problem, You give me this promise:

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29–31)

And You ask me to move ahead in faith that You will do it rather than sitting here waiting for it to happen before I believe You. I’m aware that You want me to move into this day, faint, weary, even exhausted, but trusting You to give me what I need before I see it happen. Again, a timely truth and another test of faith…

The process of becoming God’s child…

When I make a quilt, the steps are in order: select pattern and fabric, cut as required, sew pieces as the pattern says, make a ‘sandwich’ with backing, batting and the finished quilt top, sew the layers together, finish with a bound edge or facing, then label and find a home for it. 

The process of becoming a Christian follows certain steps also. Their order: first believe there is a God and that He is there for me…

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Second, believe what He says about Himself. Many false gods and ideas exist so check out His Word. It says much more than I can grasp, but the essentials are there: He loves me and wants me to know Him through faith.

Next, believe what He says about my condition. For many, this is the most difficult part… “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) God also says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way” … even going our own way, no matter how good it looks, God calls it sin. (Isaiah 53:6)

Without these steps of acknowledging God and admitting my need, the process stops at that point. I cannot make a quilt with chunks and bits, but need to move forward. In salvation, moving forward means realizing and admitting that I fall short.

However, these first steps do not mean anyone can now become a Christian and start doing Christian things. Jesus says what is next and considered carefully:

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:28–40)

I cannot do “good works” without participating in the life of Christ. He will give me that life when my faith and hope is in Him, not in what I have done or want to do. The rest of the NT is clear that good works identify me as a Christian but they do not make me one. Only Christ can give forgiveness and eternal life, and both are in Him. He is my righteousness and my Savior.

Like quilting, after that “sandwich” is made and sewn together by the power of God and the internal dwelling of the Holy Spirit, only then can Jesus be fully realized and enjoyed. He gives me new life and changes everything.

PRAY: Lord, as I make quilts, I’m thinking of You and how You took me through the process of knowing Your existence, realizing Your goodness, seeing that I do not measure up to what You created me to be, and remembering that glorious moment when You gave me Your life and the faith to wholly trust You. While all this is ‘old hat’ in a way, reviewing redemption is a good idea. You remind me of what You rescued me from (a scrap bin) and that You are making my life like Your life; lovely and useful, like a quilt. May I always remember to confess both my sin and Your amazing goodness. This is Your power to make my life is a warm blessing to those around me, just like Your life is a total blessing to me.

Peace has a caveat

 

Do not, as children do, keep digging up your plants to see if they are growing. Trust the divine Husbandman absolutely and always. Accept each moment’s dispensation as it comes to you from His hands. Say a continual yes to your Father’s will. Finally, in this, as in all the other cares of your life:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

Doing this is easier in some instances than others. Suppose I’m anxious about giving a lesson next week and anxious that I will do it with the Spirit’s fullness. Next week comes, it happens and God blesses it. But what about the salvation of a grandchild who lives far away and there is little interaction with him or her? I am hearing that this child is far from loving and living for Jesus. No good news, ever. Can I experience the peace of God in that situation that seems to have no light at the end of the tunnel?

The context of these verses offer a few clues. It speaks of agreeing with those Christians that I serve God alongside. It says to rejoice in the Lord making Him my source of joy. It also says to let my reasonableness or gentleness be visible to everyone. It also tells me to think of good things and put into practice all that God is teaching me. This ‘peace of God that surpasses understanding’ is not for those who fight with others, find joy only in circumstances going their way, are harsh, and have a mind filled with garbage. Disobedience is certainly a barrier to peace.

These things, when present in my life, are indications that I’m not trusting God. How then can I pray for someone in faith? It is impossible. It goes without saying that faith can be described as “surpassing understanding” similar to the peace of God. It is humanly beyond me that I can trust what cannot be seen and to be certain to the point that I have no worries about the issues at hand, yet…

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

This is like being blind and stepping off solid ground without seeing the suspension bridge across a chasm. It is like putting my fork into the plate in front of me without seeing what will go into my mouth. Faith cannot see what I hope for, but knowing God is good and will take care of me is my assurance. It is not assumption that ‘all will be okay’ with some sort of Pollyanna thinking at its roots, but faith that is rooted in God, in His power and His promises. If He says it, it will happen. Faith is not blind in the sense that it is ‘I hope so’ but that it is based on a real God who is personal and cares:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Believing He exists goes beyond a hopeful notion that there is someone out there. It is trust, not a notion. It is knowing something, not merely hoping. And rewards for seeking are real, not hope so. Seeking is about diligence, not a mere glance around for evidence but looking with an expectation of finding because the evidence is already there — in God.

God knows how to make Himself known. Many who live in places where missionary work is banned are having dreams and visions that God is using to show them that He not only exists but that Jesus Christ died for their sin and offers them eternal life. He can speak His Word, with or without a book.

That said, those who have the Bible are told to tell others about Jesus because “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) For this reason, Jesus tells me:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20)

Again, I am not given the visual results of faith, only the commands to do what God says and trust that He will grant faith to others as He sees fit.

PRAY: Jesus, in some ways praying is easier than sharing the gospel, yet either way, faith in You is required — and doing either one is impossible without it. Grant me the faith needed to be totally obedient, both in speaking to You and in sharing You with others.

Ask better questions

The past day or so a loose cough seemed harmless, but it kept me awake all last night and I woke up with a dry, sore throat and feeling weak. Tested. It is not Covid, but it is not pleasant either. After more sleep, a bite of food and lots of water, I still feel yucky. This does not happen very often so my tendency is to feel sorry for myself.

Charnock uses this verse to combat my self-centered whimpering:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

He goes on to point out that believing God exists is not enough. I must also believe that He rewards those who seek Him. After all, even the demons believe and tremble. (James 2:19) and the whole world knows that God exists:

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19–20)

The problem is not believing in the existence of God. Denying it makes such a person a fool. The problem is denying God’s goodness.

In God’s strange way of revealing truth, He uses today’s devotional to back up what Charnock wrote about more than one hundred years before. The devotional says if I want to see God, my inner questioning must be not about me, or why am I sick, but about Him. How does God feel toward me? Is His love for me warm enough? Has He enough zeal? Does He feel my need deeply enough? Is He sufficiently in earnest? 

These questions reflect anxiety in the human heart, yet by asking them, they expose the irreverence in my heart also. By asking them, I know the answers. Just as I know God exists, I also know that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. My doubts and disappointments at having a miserable day are silenced by turning my focus on who God is and what He has revealed to me. Truth about God grants a profound and absolute conviction that God is and must be enough.

Because God is, all must go right for us, even if I don’t understand it or don’t like it. God lives; His children must be cared for as well. What else could He do, being what He is? Neglect, indifference, forgetfulness, ignorance, are all impossible to God. He knows everything, He cares about everything, He can manage everything, and He loves us. What more could I ask?

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:21–26)

PRAY: Lord, the cough is less yet the sense of weakness increases. But these wise writers know the truth, the value and benefit, even the reward of seeking You. You don’t always change my situation, but You do change my heart so that I can rejoice in trials and remember that You use all things for my good. Just asking the right questions enables me to rest in Your love and wisdom. Amen!

Use it or Lose it…

Along with Smith’s devotional, I’m reading Stephen Charnock’s amazing “Existence and Attributes of God” — a definite faith-builder and classic written in 1853. Today’s reading says reason shows there is a God yet as Scripture says, this knowledge is suppressed by doing evil.

In a similar way, Smith’s devotional says that the NT believers had no doubt about God and there would be no growth of the Christian faith if they were filled with the doubts and questions of the modern church. From this readings, I see two things.

One, the modern Christian is not reading and being informed by the Bible as those early believers  were relying on the Scriptures that they had.

Two, the modern Christian is not in the Word of God and not obedient to it, however many profess faith but suppress the truth they do know by living unrighteous lives. Too many Christians are behaving as worldly people and their behavior is ruining their faith.

Charnock points to the “atheistical bubblings” in human hearts and his observations could apply to Christians. We, at times, live by our own thoughts and ideas, denying God simply by ignoring His will and instead doing our own thing. Practical atheism, if it becomes a habit of life, is a faith-killer. It fits those described as people who: “profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” (Titus 1:16)

This is not to say these people actually do know God but that they are professing faith, which is distinct from a true knowledge of God. Today’s churches are occupied by many who profess faith but it is not real. It means they live a secret atheism and that failure to trust God is the root of all the wickedness in our world. It is also the root of all powerless in the church.

Charnock also says that by reason, God is known to exist. The Bible says it also:

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:19–21)

The prior verse explains what happens: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18)

Whatever else people might know about God, all people know He exists. Yet if that understanding is suppressed by sin, then evil begins to win the human heart. Charnock puts it this way:

The existence of God is the foundation of all religion.We cannot pay God a due and regular homage unless we understand him in his perfections, what he is; and we can pay him no homage at all, unless we believe that he is.

His words fit with this NT truth: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Popular thought has kicked God out of schools, public and political activities, and much of life. Unlike the NT days where no one doubted that God exists and that He rewards those who seek Him, we live in a world where evil is suppressing righteousness and that doubt about God is affecting Christians and the church. It has become very necessary to urge God’s people to daily consider God and His nature lest that wickedness which overflows in the world also overflows in the lives of God’s people.

PRAY: Jesus, I am so very thankful that You said You would build Your church and the gates of hell could not prevent it. As I listen to world news and as I talk with other Christians, I can see how the evil that is outside is a threat to those of us who have been saved from it. We put ourselves in danger by not clinging to what we know, and by not seeking and obeying You. Most important is reading, studying, meditating on and doing what Your Word says, telling others about You, and being willing to die rather than deny the truth You have given us. We can overcome because:

Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And we have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony, for they love not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:10–11, slightly personalized)

God’s work or my will?

A stubborn man who rejected God in every way told me that he could become a Christian anytime he wanted, but he simply was not interested. I told him that if he decided within himself to do that without the enabling of God, he would not be able to have faith or become a Christian. He argued with me saying this was totally a matter of his will. It was not about God doing anything.

Had he known the Bible, he likely would defend his view with verses that emphasize the will and choices of people, such as:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. (1 Chronicles 28:9)

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

As MacArthur points out, those verses seem to contradict Paul’s teaching that, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10–12) and the words of Jesus: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44)

The former passages are about people believing God and receiving Christ for salvation. The latter are about God enabling man to do so. How does this make sense? Note how these verses tie the two together:

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake. (Philippians 1:29)

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. (Acts 16:14)

Unless God grants faith (it is a gift) and opens a person’s heart, salvation will not be presented as a choice to anyone. Not only that, on the day that He visits us, He has already been opening our hearts, making changes in our thinking and our desires so that the invitation not only appeals but makes sense. Two Bible versions put it this way: “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed” . . . and “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11)

PRAY: Jesus, I know that You are the author and finisher of our salvation. For that reason, my main prayer for the unsaved is that You will open their hearts to say YES to You as You feed them truth on their journey to Calvary. May they realize their part is to simply agree with You. My heart’s desire and prayer is that they may be saved, whatever it takes and however long it takes. (Romans 10:1)

PONDER: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)