Main Thought for the Week [5.3.21]

Hebrews 11:6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

I believe that faith is the beginning of all things! Therefore, since this is the first “Weekly Word”, let’s start with the topic of faith. The word “faith” means many different things to many different people. For some it may even mean their religion or their belief in God. For others it is just simply means believing in something or someone. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Verse three of that same chapter tells us that by faith the universe was framed by the word of God, so that the things that are seen were not made out of things that are visible. So, you can see by these two verses that faith deals with trust and belief, especially in things that can’t be seen. The word for faith in the Greek is pistas. It simply means: belief, confidence and trust. What you put your faith, belief, confidence and trust in is so important. You can put your faith in the wrong things or the wrong people and end up experiencing frustration and disappointment. We must put our faith in God first and foremost, because He is faithful and He is true! He can be trusted because He sees what you can’t see and He knows what you don’t know. What and who you put your trust in will determine the outcome of what you will experience. It will determine your level of peace. Nonetheless, you can trust God! It might not always make sense and you may not always understand, but you can trust God. In the beginning the earth was dark and void and without form, but God stepped out on nothing and created the beginning of everything. He then took the dust of the earth and breathed in it life and it became a living being. He created everything in the earth in the continuum of time, space and matter and He created you for His creative purposes. A God that holds the whole world in His hands is holding you and your world in His hands. He is the Alpha, the Omega and He is the beginning and the end. He always has been and He always will be. He is tried and true and He is faithful! Faith is the beginning of all things and what and whom you put your faith in matters! Faith is the substance of things hoped for – the evidence of things not seen. Hope and faith in God is not wishful thinking. It is rather a heightened expectation that believes God is Who He said He is and that He can and will do what He said he will do! 

Faith looks foolish until the thing that you are believing for is manifested and here are some biblical accounts that emphasize what I mean:

1. Abraham and Sarah being promised a child in old age – but Isaac was born.
2. Noah building an ark with no rain falling from the sky – but the earth flooded and Noah and his family were saved.
3. Moses stretching a rod over the Red Sea – but the children of Israel crossed over on dry land and inhabited the promise land.
4. The Children of Israel marching around the walls of Jericho Seven times – but the walls came tumbling down.
5. David releasing a stone from a slingshot to kill a giant – but He killed Goliath.
6. Elijah praying for rain and sending his servant to the sea seven times to look for a cloud – but the rain came.
7. Mary being overshadowed by Holy Spirit and becoming pregnant – but Jesus was born of a virgin and He is the savior of all mankind.
8. The little lad giving his lunch to the disciples – but Jesus fed the multitudes with it.
9. The blind man who wiped mud in his eyes – but he regained his eyesight.
10. The disciples casting their net on the other side of the boat for a catch – but they caught so many fish that the net broke and the boat began to sink.
11. The woman with the issue of blood touching the hem of His garment – but she was made whole and healed that very instance.
12. Jesus surrendering His life, dying on a cross, wrapped in grave clothes and laid in a tomb with a stone rolled in front of it – but Jesus got up and He lives today to make intercession for you and me.

Faith is powerful and faith is the beginning of all things! Without faith it is impossible to please God. The beginning of faith and the beginning of pleasing God is believing that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those that earnestly seek Him. So, does faith really matter? Yes it does! And whom and what you put your faith in matters just as much. I want you to know today that you can put your faith in God, because He is faithful!