Without Faith it is Impossible!

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Scripture:

Heb. 11:1 ¶ Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Heb. 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Observation:

The great chapter on faith begins by laying out a definition for us, a definition that helps us understand that trusting in God brings with it an assurance in our hearts regarding the things hoped for and a conviction about things which we cannot see.  Faith is trusting in God and putting all of our hope and trust in him, even when we cannot see him.

While we often talk about what is possible for God to accomplish in our lives, rarely do we hear mention of what is impossible.  There is such a close correlation between faith and what is possible!  If we believe in God, it is possible to please him.  At the same time, if we do not believe, nor put our trust in God, we will not be able to please him. We must believe that he exists and the reward for those who seek him is to get to know him.

Application:

I love to talk about the things that God is doing in this world and I firmly believe, “with God all things are possible!”  I’m one of those who generally tries to focus on the positives and the work that God is doing, recognizing how the impossible becomes the possible when God is in the midst of it all.  But today the Scripture stopped me when I saw what becomes the impossible. 

For one to be a follower of Christ, one must have faith.  Sadly we live in a rationalistic world that wants to be able to see, touch, smell and explain away everything.  When it comes to faith, you can’t explain it all away in human terms.  John Wesley was a young man who had studied the word of God and had even served as a missionary but struggled in the area of faith.  He did not have the assurance of his salvation and this led him to a less than powerful Christian life.  It was one evening on Aldersgate street where all of this was changed and he received the assurance of his salvation.  That assurance moved him from the impossible to the possible.  God had not changed, but John Wesley had been transformed.

It is our faith in God that moves us from the impossible to the possible.  By having faith and trusting in the invisible God we are able to please him and approach him.  We are able to come before the God of all creation, before his throne with our prayers and petitions.  This is an invitation to get to know him on a level that we could never have imagined and the rewards are beyond human comprehension.  Too often we think of rewards in human terms and in regard to our list of prayers being answered.  Instead, God is inviting us into an intimate relationship with him in which we are transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  What kind of an amazing reward is this, to become sons and daughters of the king!

But at the end of the day, none of this is possible without having faith in God.  We must begin our daily walk with a prayer of faith asking God to increase our faith so that the impossible is moved to the possible in him.

Prayer:

Lord, may my faith increase.  Amen.

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