“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

How important is it that we exercise faith in the normal routine of our daily lives? Without it, pleasing God is not possible. It is exciting to consider what lies within the realm of possibility when we are actively trusting God. He is looking for those who will believe His Word and claim His promises. We can sincerely come to Him in faith, knowing “that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” All things are possible with God, but without faith, “it is impossible to please him.”

To be growing Christians who seek to please the Lord, it is imperative that we grow in our faith life. To do so, we must recognize and repent of the serious sin of unbelief, and work at allowing God to replace our doubt with dynamic belief. Most believers do not seriously consider their unbelief as direct disobedience. We can become so accustomed to self-reliance that we fail to realize that we are not actively trusting the Lord. The disciples were reproved on a number of occasions for their unbelief. “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen” (Mark 16:14). Unbelief is the thing that limits God. Not only does unbelief limit God, it also hinders us in our spiritual lives. Doubt must be seen as an enemy to the work, both in our lives and through our lives.

To grow in our faith life, we must make much of God’s Word in our lives. Romans 10:17 tells us, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It is through God’s Word that He reveals His will and provides our confidence in prayer. Through the Words of Scripture, God speaks to our hearts. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (I John 5:14, 15). Our faith motivates us to keep looking to the Lord and trusting Him to act according to His will. As we discover His will in His Word, we can trust Him to bring it to pass. God is pleased as we depend on Him. – Thomas Smith

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.”  Psalms 55:22

 The Lord’s people are often heavy laden, their burdens are heavy and their grief great; but the Lord kindly directs them to cast every burden upon Him, and promises to sustain them. Guilt in the conscience and a sense of sin in the soul, often prove an intolerable burden; but the Lord will remove it by the blood of His Son, and the whisper of His Spirit. The care of a family sinks the spirit, and fills with distress; but Jesus says, “Cast them all on Me.” Losses, crosses, enemies, temptations, and the inward conflict, often burden the soul; but our God will sanctify them to us, sustain us through them, and deliver us out of them all. Our God has determined that we shall use Him, feel our dependance upon Him, and glory only in Him. Believer, He will sustain thee by speaking peace to thy troubled heart; by enabling you to leave your intricate affairs in His hands; by strengthening you with strength in your soul; and by enabling you to contrast the present with the future. Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory. O Jesus, teach me to bring every burden to Thy feet, and to cast every care upon Thee!

 Thou, O Lord, in tender love,
 Wilt all my burdens bear!
 Lift my heart to things above,
 And fix it ever there!    — James Smith, 1840

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” – 2 Timothy 4:2–4

We live in a consumer-oriented world. New products are tested extensively before being brought to market. Even before getting to the contents, the packaging is offered in different sizes, shapes, colors, and writing to see what people will like the best. Opinion polling has become widespread, as people are asked to give their view on a variety of topics. Focus groups and demographic samples are used to try to figure out what people are thinking and what they will respond to positively.

While that has a legitimate role in marketing, it does not when it comes to determining the truth. God is not interested in our opinions. He is not taking a poll to see if we like what He had to say. Yet many churches seem to have a “customer” focus in their approach. They tailor every aspect of the service to be attractive. The problem is that we often prefer to be told comforting lies rather than the hard truth. “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jeremiah 5:31). It is no surprise that some churches have grown to an enormous size, because they cater to what people want to hear.

There is a real danger when we seek out what makes us feel good rather than what makes us live better. Again and again people refused to follow Jesus when He told them the cost of doing so. We must be willing to be corrected by His Word to please Him. Truth never changes, whether we are willing to listen to it or not. (Daily in the Word)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346