What Have You Put Your Faith In?

“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” ― James 4:17

When we are confronted with the Truth of God, you and I know it. The troubling question is always, “What are we going to do about it?” The Truth always confronts what is not true. If there is something in your life that is contrary to the nature of God, the Word and the Spirit of Truth will expose it. Once exposed, you are faced with a choice. Do you act in obedience to the Truth or disregard it? That is a kinder way of describing disobedience. Very often we choose to not consider our disregard as disobedience, but rather merely a choice that is available to us.

This is something you can tuck in your pocket: God will not bless us in our disobedience. What you don’t realize at the moment you are confronted with the Truth is that you have entered into Spiritual warfare. Your spiritual nature is doing battle with your old nature, your sinful nature. If you choose to ignore the Truth, it is because your natural self is stronger than your spiritual self and if you think that God will bless you anyway, you are deceiving both your selves.

This principle is immutable. God will not compromise. You can’t make deals with God. “God if you do this, then I will do that.” Obedience begins in the heart and is demonstrated by what we do. Before Abraham took Isaac to the mountain, Isaac was already sacrificed in Abraham’s heart. But at the same time, although Abraham did not know how God would do it, Abraham was confident that God would fulfill His promise to Abraham through Isaac. (Hebrews 11:19)

Obedience is born out of faith in the one whom you obey. We can have faith in God, faith in ourselves, or faith in the world. We never lack faith – the real question is,  “What do you have faith in?” Not what do you “want” to have faith in, but when it is time to exercise your faith – what is it that you are depending upon? Separation from God in the Garden began when Adam put his faith in himself and lost faith with God. My obedience or disobedience do not change who God is, but it does change how I relate to Him and to the world. Your actions and thoughts are shaped by what you have faith in, which is what you worship.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” ― Luke 6:45

Not only does your mouth speak what is in your heart, but what you do in life is derived from what is in your heart and where your devotion is placed. As Christians, we must always be on our guard. Adam did not intend to sin, but he was tempted, and he yielded to the temptation. A word to the wise for all of us. We should not deceive ourselves into thinking the condition of our heart and the sin that has taken up residence there does not matter, that we can serve God in spite of our sin. We might still do “good” things, but what we do does not honor God nor do those deeds have the power of God behind them.

“And he [the rich young ruler] said, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth.’  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.” – Luke 18:21-23

What have you put your faith in?

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone