By Faith

Last weekend I picked up Keith and Kristyn Getty's newest cd titled Awaken the Dawn. It has to be one of the best cd's I have ever heard. The songs are powerful, with lyrics proclaiming the truth of God's Word and beautiful musical arrangements with an Irish flavour. I really like nearly all of the songs on the cd. There are only 1 or 2 that I don't care for quite as much, just because I'm not exactly sure where the song lyrics are coming from.

One of my current favourites is definitely "By Faith" (#5 on the cd). It is a deeply encouraging song, centered around one of the main themes of the entire Bible - Faith. I LOVE the chorus. "When Trials Come" (#10) is also one of my favourites.

This past week one of our friends from the church we attended while my husband was in university passed away. She fought a long battle with cancer, and she went to be with the Lord a few days ago. Her funeral was yesterday, but we did not attend because it is a few hours away from where we live now. One of the things I remember most about her was that she desperately wanted her family, who are mostly unbelievers, to be saved. She also had a servant heart, faithfully serving coffee before the morning meeting even when she was quite ill. I know that the gospel message will have been clearly preached at her funeral. I would think that many of her unsaved family members would have been there. How I pray that through our friend's funeral that the Lord would be glorified and that the gospel would fall on fertile soil.

As I was listening to the song By Faith, the last verse really spoke to me. I have several extended family members who do not know Christ. Sometimes I find myself temporarily forgetting just how powerful the gospel is. I need to remember that God is mighty to save.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

I need to have faith that God is still working in the hearts of people and He is still saving people. That song is a reminder to pray fervently for the salvation on those family members who do not know Christ. We need to have faith! God hears the prayers of his people. The reality is that if my unsaved family members die without Christ, they will spend an eternity in hell. Think about that for a minute. Really think about that. I know I need to be constantly reminded of that. Sometimes I find I get so caught up in the "daily grind" that I lose sight of what really matters. The Great Commission is not an option for Christians. We are all called to share the gospel and be a missionary wherever God has placed us. To our children, to our family, to our neighbours, to all those who God places in our path. Sometimes it is hard to have faith when we do not "see" the fruits of our labour. But basing our faith on things that we see is not really faith at all. It really bothers me when I hear pastors talk about statistics of so-called "decisions for Christ" and then use those numbers to measure how "successful" or "unsuccessful" we are. Aren't we just called to be faithful? I don't see why we should even concern ourselves with statistics and numbers. After all, isn't God the only one who truly knows who belongs to Him? We just need to be faithful to God. Let Him take care of the "numbers". I don't think the Bible promises us that we will always see the fruits of our labour. Be faithful and obedient. That's it. Why must we always complicate things so much with "man's methods"?

Here are just a couple Bible verses to consider that relate to faith. All emphasis mine.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? Romans 8:24

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7


Here are the words to that song. Click here to hear the song.

By Faith

Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend

By faith we see the hand of God

In the light of creation's grand design

In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness

Who walk by faith and not by sight

By faith our fathers roamed the earth

With the power of His promise in their hearts

Of a holy city built by God's own hand

A place where peace and justice reign

We will stand as children of the promise

We will fix our eyes on Him our soul's reward

Till the race is finished and the work is done

We'll walk by faith and not by sight

By faith the prophets saw a day

When the longed-for Messiah would appear

With the power to break the chains of sin and death

And rise triumphant from the grave

By faith the church was called to go

In the power of the Spirit to the lost

To deliver captives and to preach good news

In every corner of the earth

We will stand...

By faith this mountain shall be moved

And the power of the gospel shall prevail

For we know in Christ all things are possible

For all who call upon His name

We will stand...