Humans are people of faith. We all put our faith in something. As Christians, the object of our faith is Jesus Christ – We believe in who he is and what he has done. But it’s not enough to just believe. James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder." So there's much more to it than just believing. Our actions must confirm what we believe. Real faith affects what we do.
From Hebrews 11, here are 4 ways to prove you have faith: (from Ed Skidmore - pastor)
1. Hebrews 11:4 "It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did." The first way to prove our faith is through Worship. Abel worshipped in obedience and with a sincere heart. He brought his sacrifice out of gratitude. To worship is an act of faith. Is our worship acceptable to God? How’s your heart when you come to worship? Genuine Faith leads us to worship. Romans 12:1 says to offer our whole being to God as a living sacrifice.
2. Hebrews 11:5 "It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—"suddenly he disappeared because God took him." In Genesis 5:24. It say that Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him. So we prove our faith by our Walk with God. What does it look like to walk with God? See Matthew 25:34-40 This is what it looks like to prove your faith by walking with God.
3. Hebrews 11:7 “It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before”. We prove our faith through our Work. Maybe you never thought about it, but building an Ark is no small task. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. We are all called to be followers of Christ. That is our vocation, but how we choose to live that out is our occupation. Do your business practices honor God? Do they represent your faith, what you say you believe about who Jesus is? Does your work make an impact for the Kingdom?
4. Hebrews 11:11 "By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise". Perhaps the biggest challenge Abraham faced was that his faith required him to Wait. Faith sometimes requires us to wait: for an answer to prayer; for a job offer; for the results of a medical test; -- sometimes the greatest proof of your faith is that you simply wait, because you know God will come through in the end.
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