Blog In Audio:
Greetings,
God guides our lives through His voice in our hearts. When we hear Him in our hearts there is a supernatural occurrence that takes place. That occurrence is the miracle of faith. It is a believing Him that empowers us to hear, understand, and to act upon what He has said. The actions that we take are not actions to acquire faith; they are actions inspired by faith. It is actually the Holy Spirit’s voice in the form of the Spirit of Wisdom speaking to our hearts that inspires us to have faith towards God. That faith empowers us to respond with external confessions that testify of His voice within our hearts. Wisdom leads to tomorrow. Wisdom empowers us to move forward in the journey of our relationship with God. This was true for the men and women of old that lived their lives through acts that demonstrated their faith in God. Those men and women are still very much alive in the realm of heaven and they are participants with us in the testimony of God’s story in the generations to the halls of eternity. As leaders, we must be examples and an inspiration to those we lead in living lives with faith towards God. In this, we join the witnesses and Jesus the foundation of our faith.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus is the culmination of those who looked to God in faith in their path of life. He is also the foundation of faith for them and for us all in that He chose a wisdom that was not like the wisdom of the world. It was a wisdom towards God His Father that empowered Him to open the door to a life of faith for us all. It was a wisdom that sought the love and life of God above all things. It was a wisdom that was stronger than the worry or pain that temps us to fear the loss of our own lives in the process of change.
The apostle James said that true faith is demonstrated by works. That journey of faith that is demonstrated by works is for those who seek the wisdom of God in all things. Even as the book of Proverbs, the wisdom of Solomon, is filled with testimonies of works that exhibit the wisdom of God, our works of faith are demonstrations of our faith towards God in life.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
The trials of our lives are really a matter of the testing of our faith. It is the ground that proves our ability to hear God and to grow in knowing God as our friend. It is also a part of our journey in being transformed to become friends of God. God in His faith sees us as friends and through His demonstration in our lives as our friend we come to see Him through the eyes of faith. It is then that our works testify of our faith towards God.
James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
As leaders, we must see God as our friend, and we must understand that the testing of our own faith is proving our friendship with Him. Faith is a matter of relationship and obedience to the faith is a constant and continual response to God’s voice in our hearts. It is the voice of One who loves us that we might walk a path of loving Him. We are called to lead those in our sphere of influence to a path of friendship with God. This is a path of faith. It is a path of being led by the Spirit of Wisdom in all things.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
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House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225
