Taking God At His Word

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2-3

 

The trials we face are a test of our faith. How we respond to them determines not only our maturity level, it reveals exactly how much we really trust God and take Him at His word. Do we read His word but fail to believe it in our heart? Or do we trust it completely even when we don't see the answers or a change in our circumstance as quickly as we'd like? Over the years I have struggled at times with believing wholeheartedly. Not that I didn't want to believe. But when you've been raised without a father figure (or with a bad one) how you view your father often times becomes how you view God. With my dad, he made all these promises but never kept them. The things he was supposed to do for me, my brother and sister (his children) were done instead for my step sisters and brothers. Dad always told us he loved us, and while I believed he did, I didn't think love meant taking care of your chilren. It was more like lip service. As a result, I developed this mentality that even though God said He loved me and made promises, those promises were really meant for someone else. I had a very difficult time thinking that God would do anything for me. I had tried so hard to do all the right things to make my dad love me, want to be with me, and to be the father he should be. Nothing worked. So how could I expect any of my works to make God love me? I could never be good enough, never do enough. Could I trust His word? One day I had this revelation. God loved me and it had absolutely nothing to do with what I could do for Him. I didn't have to be the straight A student, didn't have to win awards. He loved me flaws and all. Most importantly, He loved me while I was an enemy. And still He sent His son to die for me knowing I didn't deserve it. He made a way where I didn't have to work for salvation. No religious rituals or manmade rules and regulations. Whew! What a relief! As I tried to absorb all of this it was like God was telling me, "I've got it covered. Just believe." So I let down my guard, and tore down those walls that had kept me at arm's length and I decided to give God a chance. It has certainly been the best decision I ever made.

 

Romans 5:8 says: "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

 

If that doesn't say it all, I don't know what could. He died for us while we were sinners. He didn't wait for us to get all cleaned up, as some would suppose. He didn't wait until we did enough good works. We were enemies of God. So who dies for an enemy? God's only Son, Jesus, that's who. And that is true and unconditional love.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yoursleves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."

 

Did you catch that? There's nothing in that statement that says we can do anything to earn salvation. God offered us a gift and we can choose to receive it or not. Think about it like this: if a friend gives you a gift, you receive it, you open it, and you enjoy it. Well, hopefully you enjoy it anyway. But the point is, God gave His son. We can receive Him as our Lord and Savior and then we get to enjoy the benefits of being a child of God. We become co-heirs with Christ. How incredible is that?

  

Galatians 3:29 tells us: "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

 

And in Romans 8:17 we're told: "Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

 

 

All I can say is woo hoo! Thank you Jesus!