June 11, 2021: Our Faith is Based on the Person of Jesus Whom We Have Not Seen but In Whom We Love.

If you think about it, our faith is based on a promise given to us by a Person we have not seen and yet we believe in the very existence of Him and love Him. To a normal person, we might say that this this type of person is crazy to believe this way.

But our faith does not come on our own initiative, but it is given to us by God and by the power of His Holy Spirit: (I Peter 3: 11) "searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow".

Our faith is a gift from God, given to us to be able to believe in the "Person of Jesus Christ", that He died and rose again for us, so that we may be able to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Our faith is not a "blind faith", it is based on the fact that Jesus once lived here on this earth, He was crucified, He died, and rose again by the power of God. And we too, will one day rise again as Jesus did.

1 Peter 3: 6-9

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

So why is our faith put to test by trials in our lives? It is to help us believe and trust God even more...to deepen our faith in Him. Jesus also was put to the test for God's purpose. Our testing of our faith produces patience and endurance so that we may be able to serve God while we are still here on this earth. God is trying to purify our hearts and minds to be more like Jesus during our time here. But our perfection will not be complete until we are taken home to heaven to be with our Lord.

James 1: 3-5

"Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

Our faith is not a "blind faith". It is based on the "Person of Jesus Christ". Our salvation is a gift from God that we accepted by our "surrendering" of ourselves to Him. But let us now keep on "surrendering" daily to Him, so that our faith will produce in us that kind of person that pleases God and brings glorify and honor to Him.