Daily Devotional
Faith Is the Heart’s Response to God’s Character
August 14, 2017
What is faith? Faith is the heart’s response to the character of God. When Jesus Christ came to this earth, He left behind all the splendor, all the glory, all that is in heaven. What do you think Jesus looked like? Like the paintings that depict Him in white flowing robes, like He just stepped out of a beauty salon, moving around with a dinner plate behind His head? No. If that’s the way He looked, then why did Judas have to point Him out so the soldiers could take Him away?
The Bible says, “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” (Isaiah 53:2) Or, more clearly stated, “He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” (RSV)
In appearance he was an ordinary, nondescript person. Yet there was in Him all of the glory, all of the serenity, all of the dignity, all of the majesty, all of the purity, all of the character of God in human flesh. But not because of outward extravagance. And when He did miracles, they were not publicity stunts. We would admire Him, but not because of outward extravagance.
Why did He come as He did? Because He wanted us to respond to Him by faith, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.
When your eye is right, it responds to light. When your ear is right, it responds to sound. When your heart is right, it responds to God, and that response is called F-A-I-T-H. Faith is the heart’s response to God. That is the reason the Bible says, “Beware lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief.” Unbelief comes out of the heart. Faith honors God and God honors faith.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
