"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb 11:1).
"Now faith" - Faith is always connected with the present and is neither of the past nor of the future. Faith is not hope, expecting, something to happen later; Faith is 'now', in the present - not expecting but accepting, what God promised in His Word.
Hebrews chapter 11 begins with faith (1st verse) and ends with the word "perfect" (last verse) - it signifies that without faith there is no perfection. So, faith is what the devil steals from us first. The very first words of Satan (the serpent) were aimed at destroying faith in God's holy word (Gen 3:1). That's why Jesus wondered whether He would find faith on the earth when He returned.
Faith is the sixth sense, the invisible eye with which invisible things are seen, experienced and enjoyed (and invisible things are eternal - II Cor 4:18). Faith enables to see what others otherwise cannot.
"Faith is the substance." The substance of one's life is faith, and the substance of every blessing from God is faith - without which our life will be like chaff. If we are like chaff, when the devil sifts us, as he sifted Peter, we will get blown away. It's only through faith that we can overcome - the world, sin, sickness, the devil, and ultimately, death. If faith leaves us, a fear will captivate us. Chaff has all the appearance of wheat in terms of colour, size, etc. but it is weightless and useless - so is a faith-less man. "Mene mene tekel upharsin." 'Tekel' means, 'I have weighed you in the balances and you are found wanting (weightless).'
Dear child of God, pray that your faith in the Word of God may increase so that you may be a man of substance.
- TPM, Morning Manna
Oh what a coincidence! This morning I had some doubts with some doctrines of the church and today's Manna helped me to be firm in my faith.
ReplyDeleteThanks...
Dilu.