Your Daily Devotional for July 16, 2007

 

July 16,  2007

 

 

Showing Our Faith

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

 

Hebrews 12:1-2

 

 

Over the past few days we have seen how God desires for us to have faith as we pray. It is faith that pleases God and brings about victory. We have seen what faith is and how God blesses it. Today we will see two ways we can display our faith.

 

First, we display our faith by running the race that is set before us. We see in our verses today that we are running a race. This is not a physical race, but a spiritual one. Our race includes hurdles and things that get in our way. But we must display faith in God by continuing to run our race despite the setbacks.

 

Some people can fall out of the race by thinking of where they have been. Looking back at the things behind us will cause us to stumble! There may be things in the past that we regret, but if we have repented of them, we don't need to think about them anymore! God doesn't remember our sins if they are under the blood and neither should we. We must set our eyes on the place we are right now and display our faith by running the race before us.

 

Second, we can display our faith by focusing on Jesus. In Hebrews 12:2 we see, "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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." The word looking in that verse means "to look away from all else unto a certain object." We should look away from all other distractions and fix our eyes on our Lord. When we look to Him during our race, we display our faith in Him.

 

George Muller was a man who displayed his faith. The story is told of one time when things looked bleak for the children of George Muller's orphanage at Ashley Downs in England. It was time for breakfast and there was no food. A small girl, whose father was a close friend of Muller, was visiting in the home. Muller took her hand and said, "Come and see what our Father will do." In the dining room, long tables were set with empty plates and empty mugs. Not only was there no food in the kitchen, but there was no money in the home's account. Muller prayed, "Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat."

 

Immediately, they heard a knock at the door. When they opened it, there stood the local baker. "Mr. Muller," he said, "I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you had no bread for breakfast, so I got up at two o'clock and baked fresh bread. Here it is." Muller thanked him and gave praise to God. Soon, a second knock was heard. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. He said he would like to give the children the milk so he could empty the cart and repair it. Not only did George Muller have faith that God would provide, but he displayed that faith by setting the table and being ready for God to bless him.

 

Are you displaying your faith in God? We can show others that we trust God by running the race before us with our eyes fixed on Christ. There will be distractions or discouragements that come into our lives, but we must determine to have faith in God and keep running. Ask God right now to help you display your faith by running the race He has given you today.

 

Daily Bible Reading

Psalm 16-17 • Acts 20:1-16

 

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