What God Believes

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). We have heard this definition of faith all of our lives. We understand that faith has substance, and evidence, and yet at the same time it is trusting in something without all of its physical attributes present.

How you ever thought about what God believes? You might think that this is not a Biblical idea. After all, if faith involves believing in something that you cannot see, and God sees everything, how could God believe in anything?

I submit to you that God does believe in many things, if indeed we are discussing His will. In fact, I am quite convinced that the whole human experience has something to do with us believing in that which God believes, or allowing His will to become our own.

We have abused faith. We have made it too much about us personally and not enough about God. So I am asking you for a minute to consider what God believes, and to ask yourself if you believe the same:

1. God believes in people – do you? Elijah had given up on people in 1 Kings 19, but God had to remind him about Elisha and 7,000 more.
2. God believes people can change – do you? The apostle Paul learned that John Mark could change for the better. The man who was once worthless in ministry in Paul's eyes later became useful to him (2 Tim. 4:11).
3. God believes in complete and total and continual forgiveness – do you? Peter had to be taught that there was no limit to true forgiveness (Matt. 18:21-22).
4. God believes in impartiality – do you? If we are partial we commit sin and convicted by the law as transgressors (James 2:9).
5. God believes in longsuffering and patience- do you? We account that the longsuffering of God is our salvation (2 Pet. 3:15). Because of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed; his compassions fail not, they are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23).
6. God believes in loving people when they are unlovable – do you? Jesus died for us when we were at our weakest. Christ's death in the midst of our sin is the supreme demonstration of God's love (Rom. 5:6-8)
7. God believes in life after death – do you? Paul learned how to believe in heaven and embrace death (2 Tim. 4:7-8)
8. God believes anything is possible - do you? (Matt. 19:26; Phil. 4:13) The anser to the question in Gen. 18:14 - "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" is..."NO!"
9. God believes that the definition of love is making the ultimate sacrifice – do you? (John 3:16-17; Matt. 16:24-26). If we are going to be disciples of Christ, we have to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. To save our life we must lose it. To gain everything we must give everything.

Do you believe in that which God believes?

"Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.' Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, 'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!'" ~ Mark 9:23-34