Dear Reader
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Dear Friends,
The true character of faith is to depend upon God—not only in the face of difficulty, but even in the face of impossibility. Faith does not rest upon human resources or favorable circumstances; it rests upon the promises of God. To the natural mind, such confidence may sometimes appear imprudent. Yet faith is not carelessness, nor does it reject the wise use of the means God provides. Rather, it refuses to place its confidence in those means instead of in God. When human ability reaches its limit, God’s power is most clearly revealed. What is impossible with man is possible with God. Faith, therefore, looks beyond visible circumstances and waits upon the One who accomplishes all things according to His will.
True faith is concerned first with the will of God. It does not allow human limitations, outward appearances, or the reasoning of flesh and blood to have the final word. Once assured of God’s will, faith trusts His wisdom, His timing, and His way of fulfilling His purpose.
When faith grows weak, we are tempted to calculate every human resource before taking a step. We begin to ask whether the circumstances are favorable and whether success appears likely.
But strong faith begins with a different question: “What has God said?” This does not mean that faith neglects wisdom or preparation. It means that neither wisdom, preparation, nor human ability can take the place of dependence upon God. The means may be useful, but the power belongs to Him.
Let us remember, when something appears achievable by human strength alone, we may easily forget our need for the energy of the Holy Spirit. But the work of God must always be accomplished in dependence upon God. Faith looks beyond what man can do and rests confidently in what God has promised to do.
Therefore, do not lose heart when the way seems difficult or even impossible. The God who calls you is faithful, and He will accomplish His purpose in His own time. Keep trusting, keep praying, and keep moving forward in obedience.
Faith may not always see the path ahead, but it knows the One who leads the way—and He will never fail.
Thank you for the encouraging e-mails that we often receive. It is our prayer that the Lord will use Toward the Mark to help you to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. We would like you to visit our website for the previous articles. Please keep praying for the Lord’s blessing on Toward the Mark.
Yours in our soon-coming Lord,
Emil S. Nashed
Please send your questions and comments to:
Toward The Mark
c/o Wayne Christian Assembly
60 Smith Lane
Wayne, NJ 07470-5354
Attention: Emil S. Nashed
www.towardthemark.org
