God says in His Word in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him:…  In Romans 1:17 “…as it is written, the just shall live by faith.”  But it seems easy for American Christians to live, and function in our society by sight and “live” according to our own understanding.  In a way, many professing believers have become like “professional” Christians.  We know how to act, how to look, what to say, and how to put on a pretty good show!  Yet, often there is an unseen internal struggle with the Holy Spirit and His direction and how our  natural senses are directing us.  However, when we settle for less than God’s best, and fail to live by faith in every area of our lives, we cannot live pleasing lives to the Lord.

On Sunday mornings we have been looking at examples of faith from Hebrews chapter 11 and examining the characteristics of faith found in the lives of those listed there.  I believe that these people are chronicled here in order that we might see their example, and it would encourage us to see if these characteristics are true in our lives as well.  Certainly, no one can live by faith until they are saved.  Only a true “life-giving” relationship with Jesus Christ through faith in His shed blood opens the door to any possibility of living a life of faith!  Additionally, as we grow in the Lord and grow in our understanding of who God is and what He is doing in our lives, there will be times when we are challenged to check our thinking, examine our actions, and even increase our faith as we follow the Lord daily.  Often times trials and difficulty in this life are nothing more than opportunities to move past the mediocre and “on to perfection.”  This perfection, of course, has nothing to do with living a sinless life, but rather, to mature in the Lord so that God may use us in a greater way to accomplish His will through us in this world.

So, honestly, what does your life look like?  Are you really living by faith?  Is a life of faith something you desire, but only read about in the lives of the faithful in the Scriptures?  One truth that has been evident as we have moved deeper in our study: Those who are truly living by faith, will have the Lord manifested in their lives!   Both as God reveals Himself and His truth in a deeper way to us personally, and, as He is seen in our lives by those around us (2 Cor. 2:14).

I am crucified with Christ…

Pastor Koehler