How Faith Works #1 – Confidence
Michael Horton and his wife anxiously anticipated the premature delivery of their triplets. He will never forget the moment when the doctor looked at him and announced, “They’re all alive!”
It was not a foregone conclusion (at least for one of them) and until that report, he and his wife were in suspense. All the wishful thinking – even from certified medical professionals – could not alleviate their anxieties, turning possibility into actuality.
Michael could believe all he wanted in a successful delivery. But he had no promise from the doctors to rely upon. And the intensity of his believing had nothing to do with their circumstances.
His confidence developed entirely on the words that the doctor uttered.
Faith works like that. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for” (Hebrews 11:1).
Faith is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house. A foundation gives us confidence that a house will stand. And the foundation of our faith gives us a solid footing to stand upon.
We place our confidence in God’s character. He is who he says he is. We place our confidence in God’s Word. What God says, he will do.
Plus, “what we hope for” from God is not in vain. We often think of hope as an uncertain desire: “I hope it doesn’t rain on Saturday.” “I hope I do well on this test.”
As Christ followers, our hope is based on the unchanging character of God and in his unfailing certain Word.
Something isn’t true just because I believe it to be true, or I wish it to be true. We don’t have faith in faith. We have faith in God (Mark 11:22).
God isn’t God just because I imagine God in my mind. God is God because he is God. And he has revealed himself best and fullest in his Word.
Faith does not make something true, but embraces the truth.
Church history records that in the early days of persecution, a humble Christian was brought before the judges. He told them that nothing they could do could shake him because he believed that if he were true to God, God would be true to him.
The judge asked him, “Do you really think a person like you will go to God and into his glory?” The man said, “I do not think. I know!”
That’s faith.
~ Pastor Dave
