Day of Praise

Wed, 07/05/17, "Day of Praise"

"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." - Hebrews 11:6

It's a good thing that God is for us. 

Because we are totally at the mercy of God. 

In today's verse, God tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). 

But where does faith come from? God tells us in Ephesians 2:8-10 that faith is a gift from God!

And why do we need this faith that God gives us? 

We need this faith:
1) To believe that God even actually exists so we can believe that someone is actually there when we pray,
2) To believe that God, who exists, actually cares about what we're praying,
3) To believe that God, who cares, can actually do something for the people and about the situations in our prayers,
4) To believe that God, who can do something, may choose to actually do something that doesn't align with our timing or our will or our plans,
5) To believe that God, who may choose to do something that doesn't align with our wishes, is true to the promise of his word to actually work through all things together for good (AND THAT MEANS ALL THINGS!!!), and
6) To believe that God has confirmed all the above through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ whose shed blood made us clean from sin and whose resurrection made the Way for Almighty God to live in us so we can live a new life, the Abundant Life, by the empowerment and personal guidance of Holy Spirit. 

Without faith (that God works in us through Holy Spirit), there is no forgiveness or divine indwelling, so there's no confidence in God's promises, so there's conflict between our plans and God's, so there's no confidence that God will act, so there's no sense that God cares, so there's little reason to believe that anybody's even listening because who knows if he even exists?

And I don't know about you, but if all the above is missing from my life, I sure don't want to ask God to bless my enemies which is the only way to be free of all bitterness and resentment which eats up my insides far more than it hurts my enemies. 

And if all the above is missing from my life, I sure don't want to live generously and see the reality that even Canadian secular studies have shown where generous people have a chemical reaction in their body that actually makes them happier and calmer and more fun to be around. (Do ya think that's what God knew long before the rest of us when in 2 Corinthians 9:7 God says, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver"?)

I'll admit. It's a strange life that we believers live. It truly requires faith. But once you've tasted it, is there anyone who really doesn't want more?

And that's exactly what God wants to give us.

More!

Aaaaah, so that's what God means by "he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

"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." - Hebrews 11:6

Praise God!