Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, the thought of simplicity and value filled my mind.  As I read in the Book of Acts, several things gripped my thoughts.  

The simplicity of faith was one of them.  The matter of trust is the link to everything!  That’s true in every dimension of life, but especially true in God. If we do not truly trust Him, we will never become what He designed us to be.

In Acts 19, the seven sons of Sceva illustrate the misguided idea that religious ritual works. The Name of Jesus is not a magic potion.  It has no power unaccompanied by Faith!  It is His Name, by faith in His Name. Faith releases and connects to the power of the Name.

Another was the value of the Gospel message.  We know how valuable and important it was to Jesus and the New Testament Church, but what about us?  The value of the Gospel message can be directly connected to our experience.

If the message rescued us, transformed us, and gave us new life, we deem it of great value.  If it is just a ticket to heaven, it may not hold the same compelling power for us.

Having an anchor, a memorial stone (experience), is powerful. Paul frequently referred to his Damascus Road experience. It was the ever-present reminder of the genuineness of Jesus, salvation, and his own conversion. My event was far less dramatic, but something that I go to for encouragement time and again. A Bible alone at a kitchen table just after midnight, Jesus came to me and transformed me.   Yours may be going forward in a service with no fanfare.  BUT it holds your heart!

In Acts 20, we see the value of the Gospel to Paul. He took it to the streets, the homes, his work, and the synagogue, etc.   God’s heart is that everyone be redeemed. Without that initial event, nothing else transpires!   How valuable is the Gospel to us? Actions speak louder than words!

LORD, help us to experience the simplicity of faith!