LIVING FAITH
By Carolyn Dale Newell
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
Many times in Scripture, God required a simple act of faith before He moved. God commanded Moses to raise the rod before He parted the Red Sea (Ex. 14:16-21). Jesus told the blind man to wash in the pool of Siloam, and afterward, the man could see (John 9:7).
God has commanded us to follow simple acts of faith too. We have been commanded: “Do not worry” (Matt. 6:25-34), “Fear not” (Is. 41:10), and “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2). Those simple acts of faith are very difficult for us.
Sometimes, God allows situations to come into our lives, and we must be obedient to those difficult commandments. We must have a lifestyle of faith, and we must lean on God with complete trust. Otherwise, we will just fall apart.
The acrostic for “faith” is “For ALL I trust Him”. What would it look like if we had a lifestyle of complete trust in God, a lifestyle of faith? It would look like Abraham. God commanded him to sacrifice Isaac, and Abraham never hesitated until God provided the ram. Then God said to Abraham, “…because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son…blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven…” (Gen. 22:16-17).
A lifestyle of faith does not equal a lifestyle of ease. It may be quite hard, but we will plunge the depths of God’s blessings, power, mercies, peace, grace, and joy. We will experience God in ways unimaginable. Let’s start living a life of faith.
Father, we know there is no reason to worry, fear, or be anxious, but it seems we are naturally prone to do so. Increase our faith, enabling us to walk by the Spirit and not by flesh. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
Read Galatians 5:16-18.
HIKING THE TRAIL
What is something you can do today to remind yourself not to fall into the pattern of worry, fear, and anxiety?
Copyright 2014 Carolyn Dale Newell.
A Mountain of Faith 