With Simple Faith

My dear friend in Christ, you are not called to be miserable.

Christ has not chosen you so you may trudge on day after day, just barely hoping you might make it to the end of the race. His heart does not desire to see you awake each night awash with your shortcomings and living in perpetual fear and anxiety about your standing with Him.

Consider with me the beautiful lyrics of"With Simple Faith" by Matt Papa and Matt Boswell:

"Only trust Him, only trust Him, turn to Jesus now, He will save you, He will save you, with simple faith and childlike trust."

To be Happy in Jesus

The Gospel is so simple even a child can understand it. Yet as Christians, we can sometimes turn it into a depressing, work-based, and complicated "religion" so heavy it is only for the fittest and toughest of survivors.

Yet the timeless old hymn reminds us:

"Trust and obey, for there’s no other way,

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."

John 3:26 tells us, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

We cannot expect to believe without obeying or vice versa, for they are inseparable in the Christian walk. "The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are at opposite sides of the same coin." (A.W. Tozer).

A Quiet Life?

In Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, he writes,

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (1 Thess. 4:11-12).

There is something precious to be said about living a simple and peaceful life. But don't get me wrong, simple does not mean easy.

A life lived for God is hard and can be filled with doubts and confusion along the way. But oh dear friends the joy we can find in simply relying upon our Father as a child does on a parent, for He truly knows and does what is best

Every Reason to Praise

Believers have the greatest treasure of all: Jesus Christ Himself. Yet not only do we have a Risen Savior, but He delights in us as children and gives us innumerable blessings!

The joy of the Lord is our strength! (Nehemiah 8:10)

He gives us the victory! 1 Cor. 15:57)

He sanctifies our suffering. (Romans 5:3-4)

He will never leave us. (Deut. 31:6)

He rejoices and sings over us! (Zeph. 3:17)

He is preparing a home with greater joy of which we have only gotten mere tastes of here. (John 14:3)

He is coming back for us! (1 Corinthians 15:52)

Dear Friend, Follow Him!

Believe in Him with simple faith and childlike trust. Jesus does not ask us to bear the world's weight on our shoulders or solve every problem and crisis happening. He can do it all, my friend, much better than you or I. 

Instead of being a barely making-it believer, let us be victorious and triumphant in all things because of Christ. He did not set us free to become more burdened; it was for freedom that He broke our chains. (See Galatians 5:1). 

We are called to one thing.

To follow Him.

And how are we to do so?

With simple faith, and childlike trust.