The Principles God Respects: Living by Faith is the Key to Success

"And without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

Whether you are a young believer or have walked with the Lord for years, God expects you to walk in faith-that is, to walk according to the principles God sets forth in Hebrews 11:6. The important idea to remember here is to believe God exists and to keep Him foremost in your mind and actions. He cares for you, but at the same time, unless you exercise faith (trust and confidence) in Him and His Word, your Christian life will not prosper as it should.

Although there are many ways you can live for the Lord and serve Him, unless you perform these acts by faith, they won't count for much in your Christian life. In fact, Hebrews 11:6 spells out what God requires of us: that is, to live and walk by faith. The great reformer, Martin Luther, discovered this truth back in 1517 when God showed him how to obtain peace with God.

Luther was a Catholic monk who spent hours on his knees trying to find forgiveness for his sins. Then, the Lord revealed Romans 1:17 to him: "The just shall live by faith." From that moment on, Luther knew his sins were forgiven and he had peace with God.