November 12, 2021 Brethren Letter
Dear Brethren,
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
All begotten Christians probably have asked themselves… “Do I have the kind of living faith that pleases God?” God reveals that it is impossible to please Him without it. Surely, each of us wants to have REAL GODLY FAITH in our lives!
Through the years I’ve known of various members who have prayed repeatedly about something, expecting God to answer in a certain way. Later, if they did not receive the anticipated results, they concluded that God did not answer them. Is that true? Well, the reality may be that God did answer, but they failed to recognize what the answer was.
One thing we know for sure, God truly cares for us in EVERY way. He will not withhold anything that’s in our best interest. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Ephesians 3:20, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…” and in Matthew 6:8 we see that God knows our needs. He ALWAYS understands our situation! “…your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him.”
In the Good News magazine of October 1961, in an article entitled “What is True Liberty?” Mr. Leroy Neff wrote the following on the subject of “FAITH”:
Do You Have Faith?
Some who consider themselves a part of God’s Church do not believe that their Master will provide for them. They do not have FAITH that Jesus Christ IS, and that He is a rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY seek Him. By this lack of faith they are
not in complete subjection to their Master, Jesus Christ. Yet the Bible states that without faith it is impossible to please God.
Do you have that kind of faith? The kind that believes that God means what He says, and that He will supply such needs? Or, are you in rebellion and disobedience to Jesus Christ and harbor doubts that He will take care of these needs?
You have agreed to give your life to Christ. He has agreed to supply all your needs if you seek His kingdom first.
Therefore, you should have complete confidence and trust in
God. You should have complete joy and happiness, realizing that God cares for you and will supply your needs. In fact, God will supply your needs even beyond what you may ask or think.
Brethren, Mr. Neff’s words apply just as much today (in this twenty-first century), as they did in the 1960’s. God NEVER changes from who He has always BEEN, and who He will always BE! “For I am the LORD, I change not… (Malachi 3:6). Being human, we sometimes forget who our GREAT GOD is and what He promises to do for us through Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 6:33 we are told to seek God’s Kingdom FIRST. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). We must always remember this KEY verse. It is PARAMOUNT to the kind of faith we must have. “…but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9).
Again, as we see in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” That is a direct promise from God!
Please have a good Sabbath!
Your Brother in Christ,
Gary Liebold