Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This Week’s Devotional Topic
BELIEF, FAITH & TRUST
The elements of belief, faith & trust are a spiritual ‘trifecta’ when it comes to our everyday life in Christ. Each of these are an important part of our relationship with God. And when all three are active it is a “win, win, win”.
I’ve heard these words used in a modern-day example, with a Jet Plane: First, you have a ‘belief’ that it was designed by professionals and statistically a pretty safe way to travel. At that point, you are just standing in the terminal. It is not enough to just believe that it will do what you want it to do. Belief will not get you to your destination. That’s when ‘faith’ becomes a factor. By faith, you move toward the door to the plane. Your faith might even get you into the plane but even at that point, you can turn around and walk back. It is not until you demonstrate your ‘trust’ by sitting down in the plane and buckling your seatbelt that you can expect to actually begin your flight.
Please listen carefully now as we look at scripture references to belief, faith and trust.
Belief: To have confidence in, persuaded, opposite of unbelief.
II Chronicles 20:20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Faith: To recognize as true, having expectation, reliance upon.
Hebrews 11:1-3 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
Heb 11:6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
Heb 11:27-29 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons. It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.
Heb 11:33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.
Heb 11:39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.
Trust To wait patiently, ready to confidently act upon your belief with faith.
Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Psalms 37:3-5 Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.
Here’s a clear example of exercising your faith to the point of ‘trust’ from the words of Christ in Matthew 6.
Matthew 6:28-34 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
This week’s Scripture:
II Chronicles 20:20; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9; Mark 1:15; 9:23; John 20:31; Hebrews 11:1-39; Proverbs 3:5,6; Psalms 37:3-5 and Matthew 6:28-34
See this week’s playlist
