Faith Is

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
One of my favorite stories of faith in the Bible is the story of the woman that had an issue of blood for 12 years (you can read the full story in Matt 9, Mark 5 and Luke 8). 

She had reached the end of her resources and was without hope, then someone told her about Jesus. She went to find Jesus, hoping against hope that He would heal her. When she found Him, there were so many people around Him that she couldn’t get close enough to speak to Him. So she reasoned that if she could just touch Him, she would be healed...

“As He was passing, she reached forward and succeeded in barely touching the border of His garment.  But in that moment, she knew that she was healed, in that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of perfect health” (Desire of Ages, Chapter 36).

No one saw the touch but Jesus knew, “The Savior could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual contact of the careless throng.  Such trust should not be passed without comment.  He would speak to the humble woman words of comfort that would be to her a well spring of joy, words that would be a blessing to His followers to the close of time.” (ibid)
“And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”  (Luke 8:48)
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Faith is more than just believing, James tells us that, “… faith without works is dead (James 2:20). Faith is belief in action, I may believe that the chair will hold me up and give me rest but it will not happen if I don’t sit in the chair, putting my belief in action by actually sitting down.
Finally, may I leave you with a definition of a living faith? Faith is believing God’s word and expecting the word to do what it says it will do. Like the lady in our story, put your faith to work today.

Challenge: 
List 3 ways your can put your faith to work this week. Let's build each other up by practicing faith.

BY Shirley Hope