Faith Life 9 (FAITH HELPS UNDERSTANDING)

GRACE ABOUNDS ONLINE BIBLE STUDY

THEME: FAITH LIFE OF CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS (PART 9)

TOPIC: FAITH HELPS UNDERSTANDING

SPEAKER: Peter Ayoola Fakeye (PAF)

Hebrew 11:3

I want to first talk about the first phrase in the scripture above; 'By faith we understand...' The first thing I will want you to note from the text is that faith in Christ helps us to have a proper understanding of God. I understand that people do say that "God's way is past finding out, and that our 'pea nut' brain can't be able to comprehend God." There is a lot of truth behind those statements. But I want you to know that God want us to understand Him. We may not be able to have a full grasp, but God want us to understand Him and His ways progressively. We will see that in many scriptures, God explained Himself to people. If we can't understand Him, then there is no point for Him to have explained Himself to people. It's true we can't understand God with mere logic but the truth is that there is nothing illogical about God. In fact, He created logic and reasoning. Therefore there is nothing illogical in His move. It's just the stand point from which we are seeing God. We can only get an understanding of God and His move progressively by Faith in His Son, Jesus. (Philippians 3:10-11)

When we engage Faith, God forms a correct picture of Himself in us.This means that God is never far from the thoughts of a faithful person. Brethren, there is nothing illogical about God's move, it just depends on where our value of reasoning comes from. Faith in Christ is the value for a spiritual understanding. We get to understand God's ways as we appropriate Christ by Faith.

Isaiah 1:18

From the scripture above, we'll see that God want to engage our entire being including our reasoning. It's part of the relationship process; in which when we see things, we see it as God. This is someone's reasoning that has been fine-tune (by the power of the Holy Spirit) to how God reason. Faith doesn't deny reasoning, rather faith engages our reasoning with the picture and images of Christ's grace and love.

Now going back to our text (Hebrew 11:3); the "world" in that verse from the Greek translation does not mean 'cosmos' (entire universe), but it means 'aions' (ages). This literally means the period of time. This verse is telling us that there is an unseen hand that is guiding the course of the periods through which mankind had lived. This unseen hand is the revealed word of God which is the Christ Himself.

God is the one guiding and controlling the events of things. Men may think they are in control of what is happening, and some even think satan is in control. No! God is in full control. Although, God is not the one coordinating all the wars, the hurricane, the natural disasters, and the terrible things happening all over the world, but it's the devil that have set up those things to distract us from seeing God at work. Therefore, many believers are carried away by the activities of the devil because he has painted himself as the one in charge. But he's a liar, the devil is a defeated foe and we know his time is limited here and it will soon be up for him. Brothers and sisters, God has never lost charge of being in control at any period of time. (Daniel 4:17)

For example, God's word has revealed to us that the promised Messiah will be hung on the cross. And we have also seen it in types and symbols throughout the old testament. The question is if God is not in control, how then is it that Christ came at the appointed time during the Roman government? And we understand that they are the only government that punish offenders by crucifixion. When we see biblical history we will see a divine arrangements and design from generation to another which are consistent with the revealed word of God. They didn't happen accidentally or coincidentally, but they happened because there is a God that controls time and season.

God has never lost control. In fact, the devil didn't even understand the move of God, the Bible says, 'if he had known he would not have crucified the Lord of glory' (1 Corinthians 2:8), because God is in charge. Hallelujah!

We have a God that is ruling in the affair of men, and at the end of the day, everything will need to bow to the Lordship of His rule and reign (Philippians 2:11). But it takes faith to understand and know this, because when we look at everything that is happening around us, there is a tendency to feel that God has forsaken us when we are not in Faith. We understand by what we read in His Word that He is working toward His ends, and what goes from His mouth (in terms of law, direction, and prophecy) will surely come to pass.

There is an unseen hand (the revealed word) putting events together, and it takes the person of faith to understand that history is not an endless cycle of repetition; but it is heading somewhere, to an end that the original plan and purpose of God for man can be established, which is to share in the life of God (spirit, soul and body) forever. God is drawing things to a conclusion, and we are coming to the end of an age. God is framing and manipulating events in preparation for this age to climax and end, so that a new and glorious age can begin.

If we are not very careful, we will confused what the devil is doing to what God is working out. That's why you need to stay in faith in Christ Jesus, so as to have an understanding of the move of God. This will make us relate with God appropriately, stick to His plan, and His will for our lives and not stay on the enemy's lane. Believers in Christ, we are living in a confused generation. They don't really know what they are doing. But it's only a man of faith that is not confused; he is so focus on what God has planned for his life.

In conclusion, God has a plan and destiny He has purposed to accomplish in your life in the process of time while you are still on this earth. I want to tell you that God is not done with you. But you'll need to stay faith in Christ and what He has done, so that you will not be distracted by the rant of the enemy. You may not fully comprehend what is ahead now, but stick with Jesus in the process and I am certain that in the process of time, it will be revealed and you shall also be revealed. Grace!

Stay blessed

Grace Abounds!