Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt
For about two years as a very young adult, I decided to believe there was no God. I did because I didn’t like the thought of going to Hell and was sure that if it existed, I would end up there. I was afraid and so it was easier to adjust my belief system to move God out and declare He did not exist. When I did that, it affected every part of my life. The more I said it, the more I believed it – for a while. I then acted on it and became a crazy party hardy without a conscience.
What we believe affects our life! When you wholeheartedly believe something, it affects every part of your life – especially what you say and how you act. When I decided I didn’t believe in God – it affected what I thought, what I said, and how I acted. That is what “faith” or belief in something does, regardless of whether your beliefs are right or wrong.
That is one reason why apathy is so bad. Apathy is defined as an absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement; a lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting. Apathy doesn’t give a rip about what happens. Consequently it works to undermine or destroy faith or sincere heart belief – the passion or state of heart that pleases God. Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God…” Many people become apathetic because they hate conflict and would rather cave in and avoid having any strong belief or value because they can’t stand the types of persecution that come from others who disagree with them. It’s easier to utter the catch words of the day, “I don’t care” or “whatever.” Apathetic people are never leaders and often lousy followers. They just try to get through a life.
When you believe something strongly – when something becomes a true conviction and an anchor of your heart, it will guide your life. It will affect how and what you think, what you say, and how you act. That is why you better have your beliefs anchored in true knowledge and fact. Many people anchor their beliefs in what they consider to be the true knowledge and fact of science. The problem with that is that science is always changing. The Earth was flat. It was latter declared to be round. Science at one point believed there was just one galaxy. Science later declared there is endless galaxies that are still forming to this day. Science is really only the progressive revelation by discovery of what exists. It is always changing – never stationary – and never entirely agreed upon. Yet people anchor their beliefs on what science reveals thereby affecting what they think, what they say, and how they act.
They often say, “I only believe what I can see or scientifically prove.” That statement is a myth of self-deception. There is not a person on this planet that doesn’t exercise faith in something or someone without verifiable evidence. Everyone exercises faith. You do every time you drive over a bridge or fly in an airplane. You exercise faith that the bridge won’t collapse or the airplane will get you to your destination. You tell someone you will be at your destination at a certain time on a certain flight. That is faith. There is no verifiable evidence of that statement. It is speaking concretely about something in the future. “I will be in San Diego on flight 891 at 10:30 am tomorrow. See you then.” It leads you to buy a ticket and then to tell people you will be traveling. It leads you to board an airplane. You have exercised faith numerous times. Everyone is a person of faith and it does affect their daily thinking, saying, and doing.
This is why it’s so important to establish your faith in the truth of God’s Word. Let it shape what you think, what you say, and what you do. Unlike science, God never changes and His Word never changes. People may create gods. People may mischaracterize and misunderstand God, but that is not His doing or fault. God Himself never changes. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I change not…”
God’s Word tells us that what we have tomorrow comes from what believe, say, and act on today. He modeled it for us from the beginning. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” 
I said all that to say this: You do have faith and exercise it all the time. As long as you do, have faith in God’s promises! 2 Cor. 1:20 says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ…”.
Don’t be apathetic but passionate about God’s promises! Speak them by faith as God modeled for you. Let what you believe – your faith – become what you think, say, and act on. Let what God promises you affect your thoughts, your words, and your actions. Believe in His promises. Believe in this promise to you today.
Psalm 54:4 “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”
In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
Published by Pastor Tim Burt
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