Dear Christian,

If I have faith, will God calm the storms of my life?  Did God give me faith that I might trust Him for things like a better job, or improved health, or traveling mercies?  What exactly is God's purpose for faith in my life?

    If you're confused when it comes to faith, you're not alone! Many of God's people ask these same questions. They've heard that blessings from God can be purchased using faith as heaven's money. They wonder how faith works in prayer when they see God heal some and not others. They've come before the Lord truly believing that He would grant a specific request, and when He didn't the experience left them bewildered and discouraged. Faith has become a very confusing thing for many. But dear Christian, it need not be this way.  Faith is not as mysterious as some think. In the Bible, God has given us many clear principles as to how faith functions, and the Holy Spirit longs  to teach us these principles, that we might come to truly enjoy life in union with Christ.      

    From Scripture we learn that faith is a gift from God. Romans 12:3 states,"God has allotted to each a measure of faith." Ephesians 6:23 adds, "Peace be to the brethren and love with faith from God the Father." Faith is nothing we have to create within us; it comes to us as a wonderful gift from a gracious God! Faith is the vehicle whereby God links physical beings, you and I, with His spiritual world; so that with faith we might come to embrace things eternal.

    In order for mankind to relate to the physical world, God has given five senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. And although these five senses work well for life on earth, they fall short  when it comes to relating to the world of spiritual things. For our spiritual life we need another sense, and this is what the Bible calls faith. By faith we lay hold of God. We can't do that with our hands. By faith, we understand eternal truth. We can't do that with our minds alone. It is God's gift of faith that opens up to us the whole world of heavenly things.  Some think faith is blind, but the opposite is true. Faith sees better than 20/20. With faith we  see what our physical eyes cannot. Faith is actually an advancement on sight because with the eyes of faith, we can even see God!

    In the eleventh chapter of  the book of Hebrews this truth is developed in a wonderful way.  Many times in that great passage on faith, we see the phrase,  "things not seen."  In verse  one we read,"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." In verse seven we learn that by faith dear Noah was, "warned by God about things not yet seen." Verse eight tells us that our father Abraham went out by faith, not knowing where he was going, "looking for the city whose builder is God." He went out when his destination was not yet seen. Verse twenty-seven refers to Moses, "as seeing Him who is unseen." This is God's purpose for faith, dear believer. God has given us faith that with it we might relate to "things not seen " that is, spiritual things. This is faith's realm, not things visible or earthly, but things invisible and heavenly!

    Whenever we stray from the Bible we end up in trouble. This is particularly true when it comes to faith. And confusion comes into our lives whenever we try to use faith as a means of gaining earthly, visible things, because that's not why God has given us faith. Let me illustrate... Bible faith is not as much concerned about God providing a better job, as it is about doing the job I now have unto the glory of Christ. Real faith is not so much interested in having more money, as it is in living content with what God is presently providing. What is important to faith is not, "Will God heal my affliction?" but, "Will I love God with all my heart regardless of my health?" Heavenly concerns occupy faith's interest, not worldly concerns. What's important to faith are things like pursuing a greater heart knowledge of Christ through Bible study, and trusting God for a holy, thankful life, and living in a spirit of service to the Lord in all things. These are the things, dear Christian, that are important to faith.

    Now some, often for selfish gain, twist the words of God, declaring that with faith we can obtain physical things from Him. They teach that in Hebrews, the words, "things not seen" and things hoped for" refer to physical things that we do not presently have but can gain with faith.  But dear Christian, the context of the chapter clearly does not allow that interpretation. With these words,  God's Holy  Spirit  is referring  to specific subjects,  namely  future  rewards  after death,  (see vss.13 & 16)  and present  relationship with Christ (see vs. 27). When  we  read  about,   "the  assurance  of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen" it is referring to union with Christ. This is why God has given us faith, that we might enjoy an intimate relationship with Jesus in life and in death!     

    Dear Christian, do not be deceived. It is not faith to trust God for a better job or improved health, or traveling mercies. These things do not matter to Bible faith. Trusting God for earthly things may sound spiritual, but it is presuming upon the faithfulness of God. It is spiritual things that matter to faith, not earthly, visible things. In the book of Colossians chapter three we see the real heart outworkings of faith. "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on the earth."

    Our Heavenly Father graciously provides for our needs. But know for sure dear believer, that God's provision in our lives is never the result of our faith. It is always the result of His faithfulness. In other words, God does not provide because we have faith; He provides because He is our loving Father. I'm so glad that our Lord has clarified the proper use of faith in the Christian life. Faith, according to the Bible, goes after spiritual things, namely God Himself, and eternal life with God.

    Now all throughout the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we read of amazing things that God's people did by faith. It says by faith they "conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, became mighty in war" (vs. 33-34). But we also read, in the same chapter, that the people of God,  "were  tortured  not  accepting their release,  in order that they might receive a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.   They  were  stoned,   they  were  sawn in two,  they were tempted,  they  were put to  death  with  the  sword;  they  went  about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground" (vs. 35-38).

     By faith they did those things! By faith they were murdered and tortured!  By faith they were destitute. By faith they were enabled to love God even when He did not deliver them from the sword. Some might say "If they had faith God would have rescued them from those afflictions and trials." But the Scripture says they did trust God! They did live by faith! Dear Christian, faith doesn't guarantee that our lives are going to be free from tribulation. Living by faith doesn't mean trusting God for earthly comforts, because that's not what faith is for! Faith is for our pursuit of heavenly things. Faith actually pursues only one thing, and that is an intimate, progressive union with The Lord Jesus.

    The Bible is full of people who trusted in the Lord. For some that meant they saw mighty miracles; for others that meant they saw no miracles. But all, because they lived by faith, had only one concern on their heart: the pursuit of God! In Hebrews chapter ten we see this wonderful statement, "They accepted joyfully the seizure of their property." Someone stole from them and their attitude was, "So what!" How could this be? How could they accept the taking of their property with joy? They could because they lived by faith. By faith they knew that all physical earthly things are only temporal and passing away, and therefore not worthy of their heart's devotion. They knew the real treasures in life are heavenly, not earthly.

    It's not that a Christian living by faith will ignore earthly responsibilities or seek to separate himself from all that is material and become ascetic.  No!   Christians living by faith will use their  five senses to relate  to this world, but they will use their faith as God has designed, to relate to things unseen. Dear Christian, God wants us to live by faith,  but faith is not designed by God to get all the earthly joys, and comforts, and deliverances we think we need. Faith enjoys the deliverances of God, but it also loves the Lord when He does not deliver, because in all of life, a Christian living by faith will always put God's will above his own will. Perhaps the greatest heart declaration of faith in the Scriptures is found in the words uttered by our dear Saviour Himself, "Not my will, but Thine be done."

    True Faith doesn't try to twist God's arm into getting what it wants from Him. Faith never dictates to God as to what He should do and when He should do it. Surely, faith claims all the promises of God, but it leaves the fulfillment of those promises to Him alone, trusting in His love and His wisdom. Live by faith, dear Christian, trust God in all things, but use faith as God has intended, not for earthly interests, or the pursuit of things seen, but for the pursuit of Christ!

    Once it was the blessing,
        Now it is the Lord;
    Once it was the feeling,
        Now it is His Word;
    Once His gifts I wanted,
        Now the Giver own;
    Once I sought for healing,
        Now Himself alone.

                    - A.B. Simpson