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Faith That Works, July 6
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon,
and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and
Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms,
wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of
weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the
armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34
.
Faith is trusting God—believing that He loves us and knows best what
is for our good. Thus, instead of our own, it leads us to choose His way. In
place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His
strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves,
are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership and accepts its blessing.
Truth, uprightness, purity, have been pointed out as secrets of life’s success.
It is faith that puts us in possession of these principles.
Every good impulse or aspiration is the gift of God; faith receives from
God the life that alone can produce true growth and efficiency.
How to exercise faith should be made very plain. To every promise of
God there are conditions. If we are willing to do His will, all His strength
is ours. Whatever gift He promises is in the promise itself. “The seed is the
word of God” (
Luke 8:11
). As surely as the oak is in the acorn, so surely is
the gift of God in His promise. If we receive the promise, we have the gift.
Faith that enables us to receive God’s gifts is itself a gift, of which some
measure is imparted to every human being. It grows as exercised in appropri-
ating the Word of God. In order to strengthen faith, we must often bring it in
contact with the Word.
In the study of the Bible the student should be led to see the power of God’s
word. In the creation, “He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood
fast.” He “calleth those things which be not as though they were” (
Psalm 33:9
;
Romans 4:17
); for when He calls them, they are.—
Education, 253, 254
.
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