By Faith Moses - Demonstrate Who You Belong To
There are key indicators (characteristics) of people who live by faith that clearly identify who they belong to. How easy is it for others to see that you belong to God? Is it obvious?
People who belong to God, by faith:
1. Turn from fearing man to fearing Him alone (vs. 23, 28)
- “Fear of God” = living with a profound sense of awe and respect for God’s holiness, power, and authority which impacts the way we live (cf. Heb. 12:28-29)
- God will ultimately reward those who, by faith, live in fear of Him (cf. Ex. 1:20-21; Ex. 2:3-10; Ps. 103:17-18; 115:13, 145:19; 2 Tim. 4:7-8)
- In the most difficult situations, faith empowers us to lay down our fears to do what is right in God’s eyes (cf. Acts 5:29 ff)
Do your actions demonstrate you have more fear of man or God? If you belong to God, then by faith “do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Jesus, Mt. 10:28). Be courageous and allow your actions to clearly demonstrate that you belong to God and fear Him alone.
2. Treasure being identified with Him more than anything else this world can offer (vs. 24-26)
- Be careful; do not believe the lie that you need the things that this world offers in order to be satisfied and live a fulfilled life (cf. Mt. 6:19-21)
- Biblical faith empowers a believer to hold the right values and make the right decisions
- There is nothing more valuable than being identified with Christ (cf. Php. 3:7-11)
Do your desires, devotion, and actions demonstrate that you treasure being identified with Christ more than anything else this world can offer? Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. He knows our hearts and knows whether we truly believe that “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (cf. Php. 1:21). Where is your treasure? If you are not sure, reflect on what your heart is primarily drawn to and devoted to.
3. Trust in His promises even when things don’t make sense (vs. 28-29)
- God often asks those who belong to Him to do things that do not always fit with human wisdom (cf. Isa. 55:8-9)
- On the journey, He does not always expect us to understand, but He does always expect us to trust and obey Him (cf. Prov. 3:5-6; Jer. 17:7)
- Trusting in His promises and moving forward in obedience will allow you to see what only God can do
Where do you place your trust? Do your actions demonstrate that you belong to God and trust in His promises? The Hall of Faith Inductees were commended for their faith (being sure of what they hoped for and certain of what they did not see) and their actions reflected their unwavering trust in God’s promises. As children of the promise, let’s also put our faith into action and keep looking ahead to our reward!
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