A matter of faith

Recently I heard someone discussing a certain thing saying 'that's not a matter of faith'.   

This statement jumped out at me, and I began thinking about it.  The more I have thought about it, the more I have come to the conclusion that almost everything is a matter of faith.  

Sometimes we seem to separate out faith from our daily lives. Whether I take God at his word is always a matter of faith. For each situation in my life, I can walk in faith or in the flesh.  Even Paul told the Corinthians "Whether you eat or drink, do it for the glory of God". 

What do I mean?  Well, let's look at an example that I faced many times in the beginning of my married life.  We never had enough money.  There was always more month left at the end of the money. It was embarrassing and frustrating. Now a days I know God's promises far better, but then I walked in the flesh (what my five senses were able to discern): we had lack! There are so, so many promises in the bible concerning God's provision for us, I won't even try and list them here, but I didn't know them and I certainly didn't put faith in them, now I know better and I know what his words says about his provision in my life.  Either God is a liar or his word his true.  Faith believes what God says!   

What about being sick? There are so many promises in the bible for health and healing and yet we struggle in our own lives.  Either God is a liar or his word is true.  Faith believes what God says!

Is this to be critical of a person who is struggling, fearful or sick?  No of course not, but I realise in my own life, I live below what God has provided for me, simply because I don't mix faith with his word.  If I don't spend time sowing the seeds of his word in my heart before I need the harvest, then there can be no harvest.   

If a farmer wants a harvest, he must plant the seeds.  If he doesn't plant the seeds, then no matter how much he wants it, hopes for it or prays for it, there can be no harvest. This is the starting point.
STEP 1: We must plant the seeds of God's word firmly in our hearts.

STEP 2: We need a revelation of the love of God, because faith works by love.  When we realised how much we are loved, faith in God's word rises up within us and we see the promises and fruit of a Christian life showing up. 

Finally, STEP 3: We can hear the word, but it must be mixed with faith.   
Hebrews 4:2 (KJV) says "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it"

And Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God.

And one that we all like to ignore Romans 14:23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin!!  

Everything in our lives is a matter of faith!   What we eat, what we say, where we go, whether we are fearful, whether we allow sickness into bodies, whether we submit to poverty....everything.  This sounds simple, but God's gospel isn't meant to be taxing on the brain!  

When we find we don't agree with God's word, there are only two possibilities: either we are right and God is wrong, or the other way around.  It is moments like that we need to go back to Step 1!   There is no condemnation for those of us in Christ, and I don't know anyone who has this nailed 100% all the time, but I personally want to work towards being in faith, more than I am in the flesh. I long to grow in this more consistently with every passing year because I know that walking after the Spirit brings life and peace.  I know that walking in the Spirit brings joy and hope, health and all the good things that God has for me.  More than that, I know that faith is a position of strength when we have to walk through the challenges of this life.  When crisis, challenge or difficulty comes our way, and they will, faith is the thing that will lead us through.

Have a good weekend!