Flowers of Faith

What is faith?
There’s a song which begins,
“Faith is just believing that what God says He’ll do.
Faith is just believing His promises are true.”
Paul put it this way, paraphrased in The Message,
“The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God,
this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living.
It’s our handle on what we can’t see. It’s impossible to please God apart from faith.
And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both
that He exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.”
Hebrews 11:1, 6

Faith is trusting God’s word when I can not see.
Jesus told His disciples,
“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” John 20:31
He also told them,
“If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,
‘Remove hence to yonder place’ and it shall remove;
and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20

Faith trusts God as my loving Parent to come through for me.

Faith is a gift for “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3
Faith is a fruit of the Spirit producing flowers in the heart’s Garden of Grace.

Flowers of Faith bring blooms of:

Righteousness

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord
that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith."
Philippians 3:8, 9

“Through the Spirit we wait for the hope of righteousness by faith,
a faith which worketh by love.”
Galatians 5:5, 6

Justification—made right with God

“Therefore having been justified by faith
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand.
The just shall live by faith."
Romans 5:1,2; 1:17

Grace

"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live,
yet not I but Christ liveth in me.
And the life which I now life in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
I do not frustrate the grace of God,
for if righteousness is by the law then Christ died in vain."
Galatians 2:20, 21

Obedience

“Faith without works is dead.” James 2:20
Abel brought a lamb as the sacrifice God requested,
thus showing his faith in a coming Savior.
Noah built a boat, even though he had no concept of rain,
because God told him to.
Abraham followed God’s call to a distant land
even though he didn’t know the destination God had in mind.

Growth

“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
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.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.”
James 1:2-6

Power

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil;
above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
Ephesians 6:10, 11, 16

Eternal Life

“Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art also called.”
2 Timothy 6:12

Focus

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”
Hebrews 12:1, 2

Assurance

“Since we have a high priest over the house of God
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.
Let us hold fast the profession of faith without wavering,
for He is faithful that promised.”
Hebrews 10:21-23

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Hebrews 11:6
Jesus told a story of a widow who persisted asking a judge to avenge her
of an adversary to illustrate how we should always pray and not faint.
Then He added, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh
shall he find faith on the earth.” Luke 18:8

We need flowers of faith in Jesus as our Savior,
and also the faith of Jesus which never let go of His Father’s words.
There will be a group of people who possess a faith that endures.
“Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
Revelation 14:12

May the flowers of faith bloom brightly in your heart’s garden as you pray,
“Lord, increase my faith.”