You Can Get There From Here

Day 61   Courage To Believe

Matthew 9:22  The Message

Then He reassured her, "Courage daughter.  You took a risk of faith and now you are well.'  The woman was well from then on."

It takes courage to believe and it is a "risk."  Believing is something we decide to do.  God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 15:5 and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars--if indeed you can count them."  Then He said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

In verse 6 we see Abraham's immediate response:  "Abram believed the Lord...."

Now go to Romans 4: 18 which says, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became....without wavering in His faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and Sarah's womb was also dead."

I would say that was a pretty hopeless situation!!

Verse 20 says, "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what He had promised."

Whew!  How did Abraham get to this place??  Beginning in Genesis 12 we read how God called Abram.  Abram heard God's voice and obeyed it. God's hand was on Abram even though he was not perfect (Genesis 12:10-20)  Abram had a working knowledge of the ways of God.  He believed God enough to even give Him his tithe.  (Genesis 14:20).  A man does not do that unless he trusts!!

We see then that knowing God is the basis for all believing.  That's why I encourage you in your regular meetings with God.  In these meetings, you will get to know Him.  As you read His Word and make it personal, you will learn His ways.  As your relationship deepens, you will learn to believe what He is saying.  Then you will have the courage to believe!

Today's Assignment:

1.  Read the following scriptures and make them your   own. 

    Exodus 33:13-14

    Romans 4: 17-25  The Message

2.  What does verse 18 mean to you? 

"When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do."

Prayer:

Today I encourage you to write your own prayer based on what you have read today.  Write your prayer in your journal--no fancy words necessary!