Do
you see much faith in the world around you? We live in a secular-oriented
society that is virtually devoid of faith. Since most people don't
read the Bible, they don't know much about God.
Many are not even sure there is a God. Others, although they believe
in Him, don't know what kind of God He is. This situation shouldn't
surprise us. After all, it's impossible for people to have living faith
in a God they do not know.
What about you? Have you thought about-do you know-what
God can and will do for you?
The God of the Bible tells us that we can come to know and develop
a relationship with Him. We can know what He has planned for us and
our families in this life and in the future. We can rest assured He
wants good things for us. His Word tells us that "godliness is profitable
for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which
is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8, emphasis added throughout).
Not only can we come to know God, to believe in God, but-much
more-we can learn to believe God.
There is a huge difference. Many people believe in God. They assume
He exists, although they probably haven't given His existence much thought.
But God is not real enough to them, and this lack of reality affects
what they think and do.
To believe God, on the other hand, is to have faith that God will do
for us whatever He has promised to do. He expects us to act on that
belief. He requires that we have living faith in His existence, power
and promises.
Faith isn't some magical ingredient. It does, however, lead to a confident
attitude toward God. Faith motivates our minds to the assurance of God's
power and will to act in our lives. Faith becomes more than a mental
conviction as it grows into a commitment, not only to trust God to involve
Himself in our lives, but to do His will. We can rest assured that God's
will does not include frivolous or unproductive behavior-only "godliness
[that] is profitable for all things."
