How can faith be practical as
well as spiritual? When we get into our car and turn on the ignition, we have
faith that the motor will start and take us to our desired location.
If we previously had trouble with
our car starting, we still attempt to start the car, hoping beyond hope that
the engine will turn over and the car will transport us to our destination.
This is how faith works in the
spiritual realm as well. We hear the gospel story, and we realize the potential
we could have in life, if our spirit was actually Born Again rather than dead in
sin (Ephesians 2:1; Romans 8:10).
We put our faith in God to fill
us by His Spirit, to regenerate our spirit and to save us from the penalty of
our sins. This is more than blind faith, because we see the results of our belief
in changes in our desires, thoughts, words and deeds.
This change is not affected by
sheer will power or human determination. It is a spiritual change that has
nothing to do with our body or soul (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
It is something, which God does
for us. It is a walk of faith, which does not depend on our human understanding
or self-effort (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 2:8-9).
We cannot be good enough, wise
enough, rich enough or powerful enough to earn our way to heaven. It is a gift
from God just for us (Romans 6:23).
God's Spirit empowers us in the
same way that the engine empowers the car. The power in the car energizes a
dead hunk of steel into immediate life; and the Holy Spirit revives our dead
spirit to live, move and have our being in Christ both now and for eternity
(Acts 17:28).
Our life bears fruit for the
Kingdom of God and our attitude and thoughts change from carnal to spiritual
ones. The peace and joy of God flood our life.
We leave the world of dark
destruction, influenced by sin and Satan's lies; and we enter the brilliant
light of Christ, our ultimate Truth.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for
planting our feet firmly on the Rock of Christ, so that neither temptation from
the devil nor the storms of life can shake the bedrock of our foundation on
Your Word and Your Spirit.
You removed the weight of sin
from our shoulders by the righteousness of Christ, which You freely provide for
us. Thank You for revealing to us by Your Spirit what Christ actually did for
us on the cross, and how this revolutionizes how we view life and the
activities we enjoy both now and in eternity.
Thought for the Day:
Faith in Christ
impacts our daily life now, as well as determines our eternal destination; it
is practical and influences the peace and joy in which we live our life.
