Faith in God!

2 Corinthians 1:8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,


What confidence Paul had in God! This is where faith is to be placed. This is what faith is.


Notice he did not live a life of "blessing" in the current definition of that word:


2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.


He went through such a severe trial in Asia that he was thinking he would die. In fact I think he may have died but was raised to life by prayer.


Acts 14:18-20 (Amplified Bible) Even in [the light of] these words they with difficulty prevented the people from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But some Jews arrived there from Antioch and Iconium; and having persuaded the people and won them over, they stoned Paul and [afterward] dragged him out of the town, thinking that he was dead. 20 But the disciples formed a circle about him, and he got up and went back into the town; and on the morrow he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.


The clear thing we see from Paul's life was it was very difficult. He was continually persecuted. Yet he was a man who responded in faith toward God in all these trials. I believe he did so because he knew God.


Faith is based on knowing the truth about someone. It is knowing their character, thier abilities and their role in the world. These three things are what we build faith in other humans by. they are to be what we build faith in Him by/ So when we think of Faith in God it has at least three components that we are to put our complete trust in God in.

Today I was meditating on the first component - Faith in His Character:

Above all else faith in God's character is faith that His Wod is given in integrity and that He will keep what He says. His Word given in Jesus is His full revelation. He is completely worthy of our trust. Further, As we read His Word expressed in scripture we can place the full weight of our faith that it is trustworthy and will lead us in the right direction even when everything in the world screams it won't.  God honors His Word even above the second component we can trust in His Name.

Psalm 138:2 (Amplified Bible)

I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!



God is perfect in His Character. There is nothing hidden or perverse in Him.

James 1:17 (New American Standard Bible)
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

He cannot lie.

Titus 1:2

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

When we place our trust in God and his word we trust in one who is completely trustworthy. He is more trustworthy than our selves.



This is what Paul understood to be the redemption of his perils - "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead," he writes. And he meant it. When we trust in ourselves we trust in one who cannot give life. When we trust in God we trust in the only lifegiver.