# April 20 2004



## Bladestunner316 (Apr 20, 2004)

By Faith Not Feeling
&quot;The just shall live by faith&quot; (Romans 1:17).

I shall not die, I can, I do, believe in the LORD my God, and this faith will keep me alive. I would be numbered among those who in their lives are just; but even if I were perfect I would not try to live by my righteousness; I would cling to the work of the LORD Jesus and still live by faith in Him and by nothing else. If I were able to give my body to be burned for my LORD Jesus, yet I would not trust in my own courage and constancy, but still would live by faith. 

Were I a martyr at the stake
I'd plead my Saviour's name;
Intreat a pardon for His sake,
And urge no other claim. 

To live by faith is a far surer and happier thing than to live by feelings or by works, The branch, by living in the vine, lives a better life than it would live by itself, even if it were possible for it to live at all apart from the stem. To live by clinging to Jesus, by deriving all from Him, is a sweet and sacred thing. If even the most just must live in this fashion, how much more must I who am a poor sinner! LORD, I believe. I must trust Thee wholly. What else can I do? Trusting Thee is my life....


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## blhowes (Apr 20, 2004)

As I thought about those great things that we should trust Jesus for, such as for courage when we become a martyr, I was reminded that I should trust Jesus for those small things in my life as well. If I can learn to trust Jesus now for the small things in my life, when and if a bigger thing comes along, I can have more assurance that I'll trust Jesus then as well. 

My prayer today is that God will show me those &quot;small things&quot; in my life that I'm not trusting Him for and that He'll teach me to trust.


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## Bladestunner316 (Apr 20, 2004)

blhowes,
My problem is that I dont trust God witht he big things enough over the small things.


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## blhowes (Apr 20, 2004)

[b:5d99fbbadc]Blade wrote:[/b:5d99fbbadc]
My problem is that I dont trust God with the big things enough over the small things.

It sure is neat that, big or small, God can help us to walk by faith, because God remains faithful. 

[b:5d99fbbadc]Josh wrote:[/b:5d99fbbadc]
Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ who has passed his righteousness to us through His life, death and resurrection.


What a blessed truth. 

Rejoicing,
Bob


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## mjbee (Apr 20, 2004)

I don't have a problem with worrying over big or small things right now. I know that if I need food, or socks, I will get them. I know that if I need a roof over my head, I will have it. But if I needed the courage to endure torture without denying my Lord who bought me with His blood...that's a different story. That's where my doubt comes in. 

I have 2 grandchildren. If an evil person was torturing them and threatening to dismember them if I didn't deny the Lord, what would I do? I'm not altogether certain that a man couldn't make me deny the Lord if he used my children or grandbabies as a weapon. 

What say ye?

Melissa


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## Bladestunner316 (Apr 20, 2004)

Its weird you make very good points mellissa during the time im awake im not scared of death or dying but when I dream about it it frightens me. Its a real challenge to your faith, because I can talk the talk and walk it, I can read all theology books my bible in eight languages(Icant) but its that one point when ur on the verge of death that your faith really gets tested and you have stay strong and believe that there is life after death and most of all that Christ is Lord of all.

blade


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## blhowes (Apr 20, 2004)

Melissa,
Those are some tough questions. Is it possible to remain faithful under such a circumstance? I'd say yes, if we can walk by faith and not by sight. Apart from faith, I'd say it'd be extremely difficult to &quot;pass the test&quot;. If we rely on ourselves, we'll fail. If we have faith in God, we'll pass. Peter denied the Lord three times, and then later died a martyr's death. 

Your post reminded me of something I read a long time ago, I think it was in Foxe's Book of Martyrs. A boy and his father were in prison and they were trying to get the father to recant. They threatened him, but he remained faithful. Finally, they told him that they would torture and kill his son if he didn't recant. Faced with this dilemna, he told them he would recant - he loved his son too much to see him suffer so. Before he had the chance to recant, his son stopped him and said something to the effect, &quot;Don't do it! I would rather die knowing that you remained faithful to the Lord, then to live with the shame of knowing that you denied him&quot;

Bob


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## Bladestunner316 (Apr 20, 2004)

It would definetelly take a strong faith to see a loved one suffer for their faith.

blade

p.s. read this by francis nigel lee http://www.puritanboard.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=3928


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