Today I want to begin a new series on a topic that is of vital importance to every believer: faith. You can find links to the other parts of the series at the end of this post.
The dictionary defines faith as “a strong belief in someone or something; complete trust or confidence.” As Christians, we are called to place our belief, trust, and confidence in God.
The goal of this 4-part series is to strengthen our faith and trust in God. There are three levels of faith that we must possess to help us deal with the inevitable challenges of life. The first level of faith is to believe in God and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Hebrews 11:6 says, “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.” Romans 10:9 states, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
If I were to ask you if you believe in God, you would probably say “yes.” But how genuine is your belief? There are at least three evidences of a genuine belief in God and acceptance of Jesus Christ:
- Bible study – If we really believe in God, we will want to know Him the best we can and find out what He wants us to do. We learn this through studying the Bible on a regular basis. In Psalm 119:15-16, the psalmist says, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” Similarly, we should meditate (i.e., focus, reflect, and ponder) on the Word, delight in reading it, and not neglect studying it.
- Worship – Once we get a true picture of who God is, we will have a desire to worship Him because we realize just how majestic, awesome, and worthy He is. We will make our way to the house of the Lord as often as we can to give God the praise He deserves. Psalm 96:9 states, “Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.”
- Obedience – True faith in God leads to obedience to the Bible’s teaching. It’s easy to give lip service and tell God we trust Him. However, we demonstrate our faith in God by doing as He commands and living our lives in accordance with His Word. James 2:17 tells us, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
In what areas of your life do you need to improve to show God that you really and truly believe in Him? Tell me about it in the comments.
Links to the other parts of this series:
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