Nougat 1

Do you promise … I solemnly swear – sounds familiar? That’s the sound of someone making an oath of faithfulness. Sometimes when we operate in our own strength, there’s a slip between promise and act. God calls us to a new standard – by God’s Spirit. Here’s today’s Holy Nougat

““Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” Habakkuk 2:4 NLT

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

Although the NLT uses faithfulness to describe the fruit, the Greek and the KJV simply suggests ‘Faith’. Although similar, it’s not quite the same. Faith speaks to what we believe; Faithfulness to how we live it. In another sense, they are one and the same. According to Strong‘a, pistis can be understood in the following ways: – a strong unwavering conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God

• the general quality or characteristic of being unwavering in such profession (fidelity, faithfulness, commitment)

• continuance of faith in one’s profession

To me, this underscores that when we believe in Jesus, His deity and sovereignty; our actions will demonstrate the same. For, because of our Faith, we remain Faithful. In other words, using a favourite expression of mine, we become ‘Souled Out’ to God. Our every action is done according to God’s Spirit and purpose, and our decisions are fed by our conviction.

When Faith is a God-given aspect of our lives, it shows. Thus notions of giving us when God seems silent, or our plans don’t materialize as we anticipated. And, having time to bask in God’s presence through prayer, fellowship and spending time with and in God’s Word.

Thus when the days of trials, trauma and testing come, we are able to stand. Just like Habakkuk. Such was his relationship with God that when there was naught left to go wrong in Israel, Habakkuk went running to God. And, it can be the same with us. So much so we boldly declare like Habakkuk, ‘though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord!’ (ch 3)

Quick self check: are we rejoicing in or rejecting the Lord? It may be an indicator of our Faith/fullness.

—

May all we seek be found in Christ