February 26

“God does not deal with the sinner according to the fervor of his wrestlings or pleadings but according to his faith....if this is God’s rule with regard to the poor awakened sinner, how much more must it be the rule regarding His own family who have been born of the Spirit and upon whom He has bestowed all the riches that are in Christ.”  Hannah W. Smith, Walking in the Light, p. 35

I’ve already written about the fact that without faith we cannot please God, but that had been sparked by the word “please” and how our faith affects God.  Now the word “faith” is what is illuminating itself because I’m finally understanding that faith is what freedom in Christ is all about.  We put our faith in all sorts of things every day.  It’s as automatic as putting our feet down on the floor when we get out of bed, trusting our slippers are right where we left them, to flipping on the light switch and trusting we’ll be able to see our way through the dark.  Yet we have trouble trusting that He who has saved us will not forsake us.  This shows just how powerful Satan is.  If it mattered to Satan that our feet were warm and that we could see through the dark I’d guess we’d have trouble trusting those things, too.  But, of course, it doesn’t matter. Satan only cares whether we trust God or not. So let us be aware of any doubt and discouragement lurking in the shadows of our minds waiting to pounce because it’s our faith in our loving Savior to keep us that will protect us from this doubt and discouragement, which serves only to bind the power of God here on earth.

“According to your faith be it done to you.”  Matthew 9:29