Daily Devotion, March 17, 2021

By grace, you have been saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8).

Faith is one of the key words and concepts in the New Testament. We spoke of it yesterday, and we continue the conversation today. What is faith? Faith in the natural world is a belief in something or someone. We have faith that our automobiles will not suddenly burst into flames (although it does happen!). We believe that our commercial airplanes will bring us safely to our destination (although they do crash occasionally!). Christian faith is different. By faith, we believe things that we cannot see but are revealed to us by God in His Word. We believe Jesus died for our sins, but we have no actual first-hand knowledge of that event. We believe it because God tells us it is so. We believe in a heaven we have never seen, but God has told us heaven is real.

How do we obtain saving faith? Paul writes, “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). We open our minds and hearts to divine truth revealed in Scripture, believing what we read. The more we engage in this practice, the stronger our faith.

How does saving faith act? Back to yesterday’s devotion. True faith loves the commands of God and seeks to obey Him. When our faith is weak, it is time to go to the source. The Bible is like a gas station. The more we fill our hearts with divine truth, the more our faith grows. God has shown us how to develop a strong faith. If you have a Bible it’s not difficult!

Merciful Father, I thank You for making it clear how I may obtain a strong faith. Please guide my daily life so that I always find time for Your Word. I want to be a doer of Your Word and not just a hearer that Jesus Christ may be honored by my life. In His glorious name, I pray. Amen.