A Statement of Faith

Time and again the Bible says, "the just shall live by faith." So I awoke early Sunday morning to fill the buses for my church. I forgot that the buses would not run on Thanksgiving weekend but it is ok. The time was not wasted. The Lord spoke to me as I served Him. God impressed upon my mind this question: "Is your statement of faith more of an intellectual document or a play by play of your life?" So I ask you have you documented in writing just what you believe? If you have formed such a document, how well are you living by that document? Let me see if I can focus in a little more.

I believe that God is all-powerful. Therefore, I should be able to live in such a way that, by all evidence, I display confidence in God to provide for my daily life. I think this is why the Bible says be anxious for nothing. Do not worry is not a suggestion but a display of faith. Do I really believe God is all powerful when I feel the need to worry over so many things? I mean if He is the sovereign king of the universe then why do I worry about tomorrow or the actions of men who are in His hands. The apostles did not fear men because they truly believed God is all-powerful. I read Acts 4-8 last night and I could not get over how much resistance they faced and still kept declaring that bad men must come to term with a good God by repenting of their atrocities towards God and His holy Son, Jesus Christ. How could they do this knowing that they might be stoned for these declarations? Easy, they believed that God is all-powerful and could receive glory through their lives as he ordained them to take place.

I believe that God is all-knowing and then go around defeated or sinning as if God does not see what is taking place. When I act defeated and beat down then I am saying by my actions that I cannot hold my head up because there is no one to turn to in my time of need. But wait; is not God all-knowing? Does God not already know that I have faced adversity and is it not the Almighty who knows how best to use His power to receive glory through the adversity He has allowed to enter my life? How about this one, I try and hide my sins, even the ones in my head. Hello all-knowing God, maybe I should do as He says and confess those sins so I can be cleansed.

I believe God is present everywhere at all times. Does anyone even want me to expand on this one? I am afraid that if most of us got a grip on this fact it would not give us comfort but scare us because when it comes down to it are we holy people? It should give us comfort knowing that no matter what God is always there and able to give us instant wisdom to avoid sin and bring Him glory.

I believe that the Bible is inspired by God is profitable for all areas of life and then I line item veto the parts I do not like. Now do not act shocked by that statement. Chances are that if we were all honest we could discover the same in our lives. I mean how often do we cast every care and burden on the Lord? How about the one where we take of the down trodden of life because we might be entertaining angels unaware? I mean here is the all-powerful, all-knowing God giving me the ability to buy a gift card to McDonald's and then allowing a person to stand on a street corner at a red-light that I must stop at for awhile. I mean if I do what is right and meet the physical need of the person then can I trust that God will use that gift for His glory? I can if I believe the Bible and I am willing to do this to the least of these.

You see these are only a few of the things I say I believe and then find hard to live. I will know the power of God manifested through me when I stop living by humanistic mental assent and begin to live by holy faith. So I know where I need to grow in faith. I pray that very soon my life will be my statement of faith and anyone will be able to see it without reading the written document. How is your statement of faith?