Have you ever had a “crisis of faith”? What was it like? How did you get through it? At one time or another, we have all had crisis of faith. When these times of crises come our faith is tested and we ultimately grow and mature spiritually. Satan’s plan in these tests is to get you to turn from your faith in Christ and coerce you to put your trust in something other than Christ and the True Gospel. God’s plan in these tests is to teach you how to discern truth from lie and cause you to grow in faith. Thus, we can either grow closer to God through these times or be pulled away to believe a lie. The point is, our faith in Christ is crucial. There is nothing more important than your faith in Christ. The devil’s greatest attacks are aimed at undermining that faith. The scriptures give us much warning and exhortation to stand in faith and let nothing deter us from our trust in Christ.

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Hebrews 3:12-15, NKJV.

We each must determine to hold fast to the simple yet powerful Gospel message of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for our justification and forgiveness of sin. If we seek justification or right standing with God on any other foundation we have fallen from grace.

The Apostle Paul summed up today’s text thus…

For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. Galatians 5:4-6 (NLT)

Pastor Mike