Faith in Christ

It has been a few weeks since I last posted. School work and meetings, family needs, and Internet issues has made it hard to find the time. Even so, life is going well. We've had a month of school already and progress reports just went out. The kids and I have settled into our routines and are trying to keep up with all our challenges.

Nigeria too has stayed calm. We thank God for that! Our church attendance is even back to where it was two years ago.

This is the 6th Biblical Truths. We had seven of us at Bible Study yesterday as we shared the study below. We shared how it is a challenge to understand the difference of doing good works and being kind to others as a way of showing our thankfulness to God for his love to us. We also discussed how it can be a challenge to hear God in the midst of our busy lives.

We have just two more Biblical Truths to study and then we will begin to study the lives of Christians in the past.

   Faith in Christ                                                           Romans 3:21-24, Romans 8:5-8

Of all the Biblical Truths, this is one that Lutherans should understand most. Martin Luther, like so many others, tried to earn his way into God’s favor. Over time, he realized that his own sinful nature always got in the way of his efforts.

This is the same for so many of us. We try to do what is right, we try to do good and be good, to think kind thoughts, to be there for our family, friends, and church members, but somehow something keeps us from putting God’s will ahead of our own. It’s hard when we try to do what is right and then someone near us does something or says something that just isn’t right or fair and we get annoyed or even angry. Sometimes it’s hard not to lash out with words meant to hurt. But then we have to pick up the pieces and no matter how hard we try or how much it makes sense in the world’s view, defending ourselves with the intent to put others down is just not right in God’s eyes.

Like Luther, we have to understand that if we try to work out our faith with our minds and our wills, it won’t work. We will always fall short. The only answer is to surrender to Christ and put our faith and trust in Him. That’s not to say God’s way will always make sense; often it doesn’t from our human perspective. But trusting with our heart, mind, and soul, even when it seems crazy or impossible, is what Christ wants. We have to come to the point of letting go and letting God take charge of our lives.

How do we do this? We study the word, we study the lives of Christians before us or around us, and we live one day at a time trusting God’s will above our own. We put our dreams to His test and study His ways so that we can understand His direction better. We come to Him in prayer, communicating our desires to Him and weighing them against Jesus’ words in the scripture and seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Those two things, God’s Word and Prayer, are what can make all the difference.

By ourselves, we just can’t do it, but by trusting God’s love at all times, trusting His forgiveness when we stumble or fall, and being open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we read His Word and come to Him in Prayer means that God’s salvation is a sure thing. Through faith in God and His promises we can stand firm no matter what storms come our way.