Have you ever tried to impress God with your
spiritual accomplishments? Maybe once or twice, or even more than that? You’ve
even expected some kind of celebration dance from the angels in heaven chanting A-W-E-S-O-M-E... Have you?
Doing good deserves a reward. It is just fair… and,
why not? You’ve worked really hard to learn Biblical principles and you are
following them the best way you can; every single day. Shouldn’t God be impressed?
To be honest, I’ve tried to impress God with good
behavior and sacrificial actions more than a few times in my Christian life (i.e. prayer,
fasting, piety, submission, good conduct, missionary work, etc, etc, etc.) But after 30+ years
as a believer and 20+ years in ministry, I’ve learned that God is not moved by good behavior or good deeds alone, He is moved by faith.
Hebrews 11: 6 But
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.
But wait a minute. Does this mean God doesn’t look
at our actions, just our faith? Not at all! "For as the body
without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead." (James
24:26) My actions alone are
incomplete without faith!
People with unrelenting faith, the kind of
faith that believes the impossible, move the heart of God. Their faith is the fuel that empowers their actions. When people demonstrate a faith that is stubborn
enough to "act" by a conviction birthed out of the Word of God, not
by circumstances… they steal God’s heart.
Hebrews 11: 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which
he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his
gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
Hebrews 11: 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in
reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he
condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according
to faith.
Hebrews 11: 8, 12 By faith
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by
going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went
out, not knowing where he was going. And so from this one man, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
If we add "By faith" before
our actions, we will revolutionize our walk with God. Like Abel,
Noah, Abraham, and many others in the Bible, we will see the impressive work of
the Holy Spirit transforming our lives and transforming our thinking. Every
time we “act” in “faith” we will move God’s heart on our behalf and we will impact not
just our own lives, but also our generation.
Lourdes
Read the "Top 10 People Who Impressed Jesus" from Current of Living Water website: http://www.solliday.org/top-10-people-impressed-jesus/
