http://www.myutmost.org/10/1030.html
Faith
Hebrews 11:6
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”
Key Passages
Faith in antagonism to common sense is fanaticism, and common sense in antagonism to faith is rationalism. The life of faith brings the two into a right relation.
Nothing Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, it is revelation sense, and it reaches the shores where common sense fails.
To turn head faith into a personal possession is a fight always, not sometimes.
God brings us into circumstances in order to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make its object real.
Faith is the whole man rightly related to God by the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
My Own Thoughts
“To turn head faith into a personal possession is a fight always, not sometimes.”... That really feels like the fight I have been in for about 3 years now. Taking all this stuff I was told and taught and making it my belief. Not just something I say I believe, and regretfully do not live. I can see God working in lots of circumstances in my life, which makes it all the more amazing that I struggle so much... I know He's there, I see Him moving, I see Him acting, and yet I fail miserably at living the life He wants me to live. The life of bringing the kingdom to those around me and those I come in contact with in any way... I love that line “... the nature of faith is to make its object real.” I can feel that. I no longer sense a desire to believe, but I sense an amazing to desire to see what I have believed in. I know its there, I just want to see it clearly, without the veil. Even if its just the edge of his robe, the train of His glory as He passes by me...
The other night I was at a worship event at my church and it had to be one of the most intense worship experiences I have been a part of, at least in a very very long time. I had trouble settling into the service for a while because I felt like I needed to get something out of it. Like I needed to be ministered to. Then about 3 songs in, something in my head snapped. I realized suddenly that I was there to worship God... this is not a time for me to be worried about getting anything out of this. This was a time of giving God glory no matter what the circumstances were in my life, and what I thought I needed to get out of this experience. I had to worship Him because He is God, and that is all there is to it. When this snapped into my head I had a sense come over me like a warm blanket that He was in the room with me right at that moment. I almost felt like I could see Him. My faith for that instance seemed to be more real than ever. Then we took communion, and I've never taken a communion like it before. It seemed very literal and real. When they elders who were handing out the bread and wine said “this is Christ body broken for you” and “this is Christ blood poured out for you”, I've never felt a closer connection with communion. It basically ruined me... I lost control of myself emotionally for a little while and it took a lot of work to get my usual tough guy persona back. But through the experience and afterwards I was so amazed at how real my faith became when I stopped thinking of myself and what I needed, and I was able to praise God simply because He is God and He deserves our praise.
So the short of it, take your eyes off yourself and your own need for one minute and see how real God can become. Stop thinking of yourself for just a little while. God could show up and do something amazing, or He might choose not to sometimes. Either way, He is worthy to be praised, despite how we feel.
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