Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 115:9-13
Ps 115:9-13
9 O house of Israel, trust in the LORD--he is their help and shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD--he is their help and shield. 11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD--he is their help and shield. 12 The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, 13 he will bless those who fear the LORD--small and great alike.
2 Cor 1:8-9
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
James says that one can believe and not be saved. Paul states that anyone who believes will be saved. Both penned their words by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so which is correct? Allow me to borrow an illustration from my late brother. A man was going to walk a tightrope across a great waterfall. As he prepared to make the walk, he asked the crowd if they believed he could do it. They answered with cheers of affirmation and belief. He then asked for a volunteer to get on his shoulders and ride over with him. That raised belief to a new level!
Many will say they believe in God and even in Jesus as the Son of God. We hear affirmations of belief in the Bible as the word of God, of heaven and hell as told about in God’s book. But how many are willing to commit their lives to Jesus as their Lord and actually allow God, his Son and his word guide and control their lives on a daily basis? Do we rely on God or on ourselves, on his word or our own thinking or feelings, on his wisdom or the wisdom of this world?
The kind of faith that can save us is a genuine trust that recognizes God as God and our salvation by his grace. Paul says this grace teaches us to live godly lives and also that we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works. One Greek lexicon defines “faith” or “belief” as trust conjoined with obedience. We must get on the shoulders of God and allow him to carry us over the dangers of life. This is what Jesus meant by loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind.
Heavenly Father forgive me when I fail to trust you with my life. Increase my faith so I will demonstrate an unwavering faith as I trust you in all things. Take away my worry and anxiety as I trust you. Give me wisdom from above and your strength to carry out all you want me to be and to do. Help me follow you in all things as I understand your will for me and my life. Help me share what you have given to me and done for me to help others. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
