Faith - the Substance of things hoped for

Everyone is familiar with the beautiful passage in Hebrews 11 that describes the nature of faith as well as provides a snapshot of the faith of the saints. We know that "without faith it is impossible to please God" and I hope that we often imitate the disciples when they asked their Master, "Lord, increase our faith."

I have recently been preaching on a series on biblical stewardship (I hope to post some of these messages soon) and will soon be examining some of those things that can serve as an obstacle that prevents us from giving. For some, there is no interest in giving, which is of course a great contradiction of what God requires. For others, previous financial decisions have led us into so much debt that our obligations prevent us from having much left over to give. Perhaps some of us have never recognized that we acutally have a very small amount of faith when it comes to giving.

There is no doubt that the people of God have always been required to give tithes and offerings. There is also no doubt that the people of God have often been too greedy to give to God what He has required. The prophet Malachi wrote to the children of Israel: "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it!"

I believe this may be the only place in the Scriptures that God invites us to try or prove him in the matter of His desire to pour out blessings upon those who give. In similar fashion, the Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Cor 9 (take the time to read the passage) "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." I pray that God will instill in us a great desire to labor on this earth so that we might accomplish much for His glory as obedient saints. Faith is required to accomplish this, as well as such resources as time and money.

We all exercise faith in varying degrees. We go to the store and buy a can of green beans for our meal and it does not cross our mind that we may not have succeeded in our efforts. We place our faith in the testimony of the label that surrounds the tin can. We cannot see or smell through the confines of the container, we simply trust in the testimony of the label that reveals both a picture and a label that reads "Green beans."

Great things have been accomplished by men who had great faith in their cause. I have been reading a book entitled "1776" by David McCollough and I have marveled at the great faith of General Washington as he took over the ragged Continental army, which was nothing more than some rabble in arms. There was really no reason to believe that they might win a war with Great Britain, which was surely a much more efficient and formiddable force. They had little artillerly, hardly any gunpowder, and the troops were raw and undisciplined. It was reported that when Washington was given command and he saw how meagerly supplied the army was and how undisciplined the soldiers were, that he fell silent, unable to even speak for the space of an hour.

Of course, when we open up our tin cans with beans we always find that we were actually successful in accomplishing the mission. We know that General Washington was able to lead his army to victory. Of course, these examples of faith had no real guarantee! We often exhibit great faith in things that in essence offer us no guarantees. I am to be numbered with the foolish ignorant fans that look with anticipation at the dawning of every new Chicago Cubs and Bears season! These teams have proven to be repetitive losers, but this does not prevent us from following with interest their seasons, until we discover that in reality, no, once again, this is not the year - but just wait until next year!

Why are we so reluctant then to place our faith in God, the one whom we know will lift us up and whose Word is sure? Why do we struggle and resist against the promises of God? Why do we so often prefer to trust in our own wisdom and to lean upon our own understanding when we are invited and commanded to trust in God? I fear that we often expect little from God for we are to faithless to attempt much for Him. Our God is a refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. He has promised us much and we need, like the saints that have gone before, to sieze these promises with eyes of faith and to continue to march forward into battle. We need not go alone. We must always pray, "Lord, increase our faith."

In Christ,

Bob