Living by Faith

Friday 22 December
READ: Heb. 11:1-40 
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 44:1-3

The Bible tells us that we are saved by grace through faith. It is through the exercise of faith that a man is saved. However, it is not enough to be saved through faith and abandon the faith that is responsible for our salvation. George Muller is remembered for his ministry of supporting thousands of orphans without advertising his needs to man but God alone. At times, lacking the very bread to give the orphans, their needs were always met at meal time. Muller believed in the literal necessity of praying, Give us this day our daily bread: Matt. 6:11. As exceptional as Muller was when compared to contemporary Christians, he only did what all true Christians must do, which is to live by faith. Living by faith is the secret of extra-ordinary life.

There are two ways to live, living by sight and living by faith. The book of Hebrews says without faith it is impossible to please God. The greatest tragedy of man on earth is to live without pleasing God, that is, living without faith. Living by faith draws you closer to God, which takes the burden of daily struggles from you. The faith way of living does not stop your work, but adds value to your work. Considering the wind before sowing is one way to walk by sight. Thank God for the life of Isaac who sowed in a dry land in the year of famine. Because his sowing was an act of faith, he reaped in the same year a hundred fold. God's Word is the root of faith. No man can have faith without the knowledge of God's Word as faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Without faith it is impossible to please God and without the Bible, it is impossible to have faith. So it is God's Word that produces faith in us and our faith makes us to please God and because we please God by faith we obtain good report (Heb. 11:2).

Therefore, faith is the key to a successful living because by it we please God and He in turn gives us good report in life. God gave good report about Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Daniel, Joseph, Moses, and all who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the violence of fire (vs. 33-34). All these set examples for us that living by faith gives great results without struggle.

Prayer/Action
* Ask for the grace to walk by faith and not by sight, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will be filled with the knowledge of God and that your faith will be built on His Word, in the mighty name of Jesus.
* Ask God to increase your faith in Him, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall dwell on high, my place of defence shall be the munitions of the rock: bread shall be given me! My waters shall be sure, in the mighty name of Jesus.