Scott Miller Blog :: Good Stuff

Faith is…Final Post

5.    Trusting if I don't get it

Hebrews 11:39-40 ³⁹These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. ⁴⁰God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

This is the hardest one for me to swallow, but it's true. All of the people mentioned by name or alluded to in Hebrews 11 were all commended for their faith. These people looked forward to a better day and salvation, but none of them received what had been promised in this life.

Of course, they saw some of God's promises fulfilled, but not the promises that referred to the new covenant and the promised eternal kingdom. These people did not live to see the kingdom arrive, but their future citizenship was secure there. Thus, they were able to endure suffering.

Real faith is when you can trust the Lord, and mean it, when you say "your will be done." Even if what you wanted to happen, what you thought was the will of God, hasn't come to pass yet, you still trust Him. It's no lack of faith in any way when we come to the point of saying, "God, your will be done." In fact, that is faith – trusting Him!

Faith is…Part 4

4.    Thanking before I receive it

Hebrews 11:30 ³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

Joshua 6 – maybe take some time to read this story today. God said to march around Jericho 7 times, and then the city walls would fall. That last time, the priests blew the trumpets, the people shouted, they gave praise to God, and the walls fell. In effect, even before the miracle came, they praised God. The same is true for you!

Faith is thanking God in advance, even before the answer is there. Think about this…If I wait until after I get an answer to prayer, to thank God for it, is that faith? No that's gratitude. We need an "attitude of gratitude," but it's got to go past that and get into faith!

By faith, I thank God that my family is blessed…my children are blessed…my wife is blessed…my job/business is blessed. Facing a hard situation, start thanking him even before you see the answer! That's faith!

Faith Is…Part 3

3.    Persisting when I don't feel like it

Hebrews 11:27 ²⁷By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 

For 40 years, Moses wandered around, waiting in the wilderness. Do you think Moses ever felt like giving up??? Read the book of Exodus and see for yourself. I'm sure of it! Like every time when the Israelites started complaining, "Why didn't you leave us to serve the Egyptians," or "The water's bitter, what are we going to drink now," or "We had plenty of food back in Egypt, and now we are going to starve to death in the Desert!"

Did Moses ever feel like giving up! Sure, but he didn't. Scripture says that he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. He kept his eyes on that which was invisible! God help us!

Faith is…Part 2

2.     Obeying when I don't understand it

Hebrews 11:8 By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. 

Abraham had no idea where he was going, but he knew God was leading him. I've been there before. Sometimes we get so busy planning out our lives, that we lose the joy of just blindly following God. That's right, it's a joy! The most exciting times in my life are the times when I know I'm living on the edge with God. The times when I know that if God doesn't come through, I am going to fall on my face.

I wish I were one of those who could sit down and tell you why I/we do everything I/we do. But that's not always possible. I don't always understand what God is doing, but I know if I'm following Him, it's going to all work out! Even when you have no idea where you are going, you just obey - that's faith!

Faith Is…Part 1

1.            Believing when I don’t see it

Hebrews 11:1 ¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

In 1 Kings 18, Elijah did not see the rain, but he knew it was coming.  There are things deep in my heart and in your heart that you know are from the heart of God.  You may not see it, but you know it’s coming!

God’s word for you today is not to get anxious, not to get nervous, but be still and know that He is God!  Stand firm in what you know, and watch as the Lord orchestrates events that you could have never dreamed!