Faith is simpler that it seems

Faith is simpler that it seems. Yet faith in anyone outside of our selves is so difficult so as to be laughable. The tendency of man is to look within and drum up courage and rightness, striving all the while to turn our ideals into fruit. Such fruit is just rotten.

AW Tozer wrote, “The man who has struggled to purify himself and has had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the perfect One.  While he looks at Christ the very things he has so long been trying to do will be getting done within him. It will be God working in him to will and to do.

Faith is not in itself a meritorious act; the merit is in the One toward Whom it is directed. Faith is a redirecting of our sight, a getting out of the focus of our own vision and getting God into focus. Sin has twisted our vision inward and made it self-regarding. Unbelief has put self where God should be, and is perilously close to the sin of Lucifer who said, "I will set my throne above the throne of God." Faith looks out instead of in and the whole life falls into line.

All this may seem too simple. But we have no apology to make. To those who would seek to climb into heaven after help or descend into hell God says, "The word is nigh thee, even the word of faith." The word induces us to lift up our eyes unto the Lord and the blessed work of faith begins.”

 

A man can no more purify himself than an apple tree can purify rotten fruit.  Our faith must be in Jesus. our eyes must look to him. The abundant life we seek is found in him.  Our rest is all in him. It's Christ Jesus! And when rest is found in him, we rest complete.