From A Park Bench - Faith in The Finished Work of Christ

Hebrews 11 – 6 - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

My faith in the finished work of Jesus is what pleases God. The substance of faith is my positive response to all Christ has provided by grace.

I cannot please God in my human strength, by my wisdom, by my effort, by my self-righteousness, by my own understanding; I cannot live my life by trying to get God’s approval.

I have a heavenly father who is pleased with me, because when he looks at me he sees Jesus. Deep inside my spirit is the fullness of Christ and my faith releases all that is given to me by grace to overflow in my life.

Christ’s death on the cross changed everything, the Old Covenant laws and regulations were made obsolete and Christ through his death opened a new and living way to God. No longer was it all about looking forward to a day, now the day had arrived and God was fully united with man.

I have a perfect mediator between God and me, Jesus Christ and by His grace he has placed in me His faith. Grace has given me the faith of Christ. I have not obtained this by my effort, or by my doing, nor by my works, it has been placed inside me when I received Christ. Christ’s faith is a free gift, given and received by grace.

Christ lives in me, I am holy, I am righteous, I am sanctified, I am redeemed. God sees me as “In Christ”, perfect, secure and rooted in the power of the kingdom of God.

The only limitation I have on my faith is the limitation I choose to give it. God has given me all the riches and blessings of heaven, and can either accept and receive these or reject and miss out.

If I believe for nothing, I will get nothing. If I believe that God only accomplished some things at the cross, I will get some things. If I believe that God accomplished everything at the cross and that he fulfilled every promise God has given, I will start to see that evidence in my life, by grace, through his spirit. It may not be instant, it may take time, it may be little by little, but God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him.

Grace is ‘God riches at Christ’s expense’, faith is my positive response to grace. Pleasing God comes effortlessly as I am overwhelmed and praise him for everything that he won for me at the cross.

Friday’s Five - Faith

Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectations – Andrew Murray

Faith is living and unshakable confidence, a belief in the grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake – Martin Luther

Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservations – Elton Trueblood

True faith is simply an effortless realization of the facts. Christ is the Fact. Faith doesn’t save you, the Fact did. You are not saved by faith. You are saved by free-gift grace. Faith is the simple recognition of the free gift that’s already been given to you. – John Crowder.

Faith is your positive response to what God has already provided by grace – Andrew Wommack

Connexions - Faith is.....

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. – Hebrews 11:1

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:18

 For we live by believing and not by seeing. – 2 Corinthians 5:7

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.- 2 Corinthians 4:18

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me. – John 20:29

Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. – John 14:19

The god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:4

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:6

Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. – 2 Kings 6:17

It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. – Hebrews 11:27

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. – 1 Peter 1:8

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. – 1 Corinthians 13:12

ConneXions - Full Assurance of Faith

Full Assurance of Faith

You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. – Luke 1:77

When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. – John 19:30

At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart – Matthew 27:51

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 6:19-20

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. – John 1:12-13

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” – Galatians 4:6

 And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us. – 1 John 3:24

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:6

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. – John 5:24

For I know the one in whom I trust – 2 Timothy 1:12