Living a Life of Faith

Earlier, I wrote about the marks of the early church. By way of reminder, here is the list I came up with from my study of the first half of the book of Acts:

• They persevered in prayer
• They were filled with the Holy Spirit
• They took steps of faith
• They loved each other and built community
• They graciously gave
• They boldly proclaimed God's Word
• They spoke with authority
• They pointed people to God and His Word
  

This time I wanted to talk about their willingness to take steps of faith. What does it mean? How did they do it? What steps of faith do I need to take? And personally, how are you doing in the area of taking steps of faith? All of these questions are ones worthy of our consideration, so let’s take a look at stepping out in faith!

I often go back and look at what the Bible (actually God) says about faith. Hebrews chapter 11 is a great place to begin any discussion on how to define faith. Verse one says that Faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen. Verse six tells us …and without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is (He exists) and that He (God) is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11 is chocked full stories of our Biblical heroes walking by faith.

We are also reminded by Paul that anything that is not done in faith is sin. So what does all this mean to us? How do we process living a life of walking by faith or taking steps of faith?
It is being convinced of something you can’t see. You and I are confronted daily with a world system that doesn’t have a place for God to work in and among us. We read God’s Word and realize that we are called to live and abide at a level far above what those under the authority of this world system live.

The first century church lived this out so clearly. Even in the face of persecution and death Peter and John told the religious leaders (the guys who used their influence to have Christ crucified) that you decide whether it is right to obey you rather than God, but we can’t stop speaking what we have seen and heard. They were convinced of the reality of Jesus being God in the flesh and they stepped out in faith accordingly. No mere man would keep them from doing what they knew Jesus (God incarnate) told them to do. Confronted by angry crowds Paul continued to talk about Jesus. In a Philippian jail Paul and Silas after having been beaten with rods sang praises to God until the place shook.

You don’t hold your story in the face of threats or death if you are not convinced you are right. Jesus had called them to follow Him and they understood it might lead to the same place it took Jesus – to their death! They clearly understood that if God was for them who could be against them! They lived consistently with what they had seen and heard from Jesus. They were so compelled that nothing else mattered. I guess you could say that for them, that the overwhelming truth about who Jesus is was more real to them than the people who sought to silence them.

My problem is not believing that Jesus has clearly spoken to us His children from His Word. My problem is that the giants and landmines in my life seem to be more real (at the very least more present). The voice of God is dulled by the deafening screams of my busy life.

Taking steps of faith require that I clearly hear from God. There are tons and tons of things that I already know and about which God has clearly communicated. My faith steps have to begin there and it is in walking through those little things that God will reveal more of Himself and His desires for me. Will I stay away from the stuff that is clearly commanded in scripture to stay away from? Will I choose to honor the relationships that God has so clearly called me to submission: God? Parents? Spouse? Employer?

I want to hear God tell me to do something big and new and impressive. He calls us to the little, the ordinary and mundane. It is in the diligent step forward in the face of opposition or apathy that we feel His gentle embrace. Piper put it this way, we never more glorify God than we are most satisfied in Him. Are you pulled this way and that by things over than all that God has for you? Is it enough when God says no more and don’t cross this line? Is your appetite for Him only whetted after you spend time with Him or is it off to the next thing?

Our faith is only active when we see and hear from God where to go and what to do. If we are satisfied by the created and don’t hunger for the Creator we will not dare to step out boldly. We won’t live a life of faith. God is calling you upwards to a life of faith a life filled with Him and a life beyond your wildest dreams. Will you dare to live that way?