Oswald Chambers' 4 Thoughts on Faith
"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading."
"The root of faith is the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest snares is the idea that God is sure to lead us to success.
"The final stage in the life of faith is attainment of character."
"The life of faith is not a life of mounting up with wings, but a life of walking and not fainting."
Oswald Chambers, My Upmost for His Highest, circa 1915
Love is an action. Jesus says to His disciples, "If you love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
The disciples naturally ask, "Which commandment is the most important?"
Jesus answers, "The greatest commandment is this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is this: love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt. 22:35-40)
Love for God, love for people. These demonstrate faith.
Knowledge:
If I say I have knowledge of a particular subject, I'm asserting what I trust to be true.
Knowledge of Christ is summed up in Romans 10:9 "Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved."
2. allowing God's love to overtake our natural tendencies so that it spills out in worship to God and service to others.
(For more on this, go here)
Our tendency is to doubt. That's normal. Examples:
Yeah, there will be resistance both inwardly and outwardly. Faith is the essence of pressing into the Lord and pressing on with love. Without resistance, there's no press. The pressure is why faith produces character. (James 1:2-8; Romans 5:4)
When we feel like, "I'm no good at this faith thing," but we keep loving anyway, THAT IS FAITH. We're doing it. Actually, the SPIRIT of GOD is doing it in us, and we're letting Him. That's IT! Faith is at work in us!
"The root of faith is the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest snares is the idea that God is sure to lead us to success.
"The final stage in the life of faith is attainment of character."
"The life of faith is not a life of mounting up with wings, but a life of walking and not fainting."
Oswald Chambers, My Upmost for His Highest, circa 1915
My journal notes this morning in response to Oswald's thoughts on faith
...Faith = love + knowledge...
Love:Love is an action. Jesus says to His disciples, "If you love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
The disciples naturally ask, "Which commandment is the most important?"
Jesus answers, "The greatest commandment is this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is this: love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt. 22:35-40)
Love for God, love for people. These demonstrate faith.
Knowledge:
If I say I have knowledge of a particular subject, I'm asserting what I trust to be true.
Knowledge of Christ is summed up in Romans 10:9 "Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved."
...Faith is two basic things...
1. confession of our need for a Savior while affirming that Jesus Christ is that Savior,2. allowing God's love to overtake our natural tendencies so that it spills out in worship to God and service to others.
(For more on this, go here)
...When you doubt the strength of your faith...
Our tendency is to doubt. That's normal. Examples:
- Is my faith real?
- If my faith were strong, shouldn't it be easier to love?
- Is it really love if I choose to do it rather than do it because I feel it?
- Is it real faith when I fight against myself?
Yeah, there will be resistance both inwardly and outwardly. Faith is the essence of pressing into the Lord and pressing on with love. Without resistance, there's no press. The pressure is why faith produces character. (James 1:2-8; Romans 5:4)
When we feel like, "I'm no good at this faith thing," but we keep loving anyway, THAT IS FAITH. We're doing it. Actually, the SPIRIT of GOD is doing it in us, and we're letting Him. That's IT! Faith is at work in us!
Press on, my friends.
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