September 9, 2022 Brethren Letter
Dear Brethren,
“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).
Probably, all of us as begotten Christians have asked ourselves, “Do I have the kind of living faith that pleases God?” After all, the Bible does show that it is impossible to PLEASE God without it. Surely, God’s people want to have have this kind of FAITH in their lives.
As an elder, I’ve known Church members who have told me that they’ve prayed about something important (often, MANY times), expecting God to answer their prayers the way they thought He should. After a span of time, not seeing the tangible results they’ve been expecting, they come to a conclusion that God hasn’t been answering their “prayer of faith.” Is that true? Well, maybe the reality is that He DID answer their prayer, and they simply weren’t listening to the answer.
One thing we can know for sure: God truly cares about us! He will never withhold true blessings from us. “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). We see the following in 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 already knows our needs. He’s right there, in knowing 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, as they did in the 1960’s. God NEVER changes from what He has always been and always will 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’re are told to seek God’s Kingdom FIRST, not further somewhere down the list. “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… that KEY verse is PARAMOUNT for us to live by if we’re going to have the kind of faith Christ wants us to have. “…but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9).
Next week, I will continue further with this subject. Have a good night’s rest everyone.
Your Brother in Christ,
Gary Liebold