“The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4; quoted in Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).

“We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

We are all about faith.

Every human on the planet lives by faith.  There is no one, no matter how scientifically driven or how agnostically-convicted, who does not live by faith in those around him–the druggist, the chef, the doctor, the other motorists.

Almost everything Christians do, we do by faith.  This means the presence of two huge elements: A strong confidence in Jesus Christ (the very essence of faith) and the absence of something (which is what makes this faith, not sight).

We believe…yet we still have unanswered questions or doubts arise or fears persist.  We believe…but we don’t have enough resources to go forward, or the vote was negative, or our advisors counsel against it.

We believe….without a lot of information most of us would love to have, like where exactly is it we are going in this life, how will we know when we arrive, what will we do then, and what are we do to if problems arise.  (I’m channeling Abraham and Sarah as they left Haran for the Promised Land.  See Hebrews 11:8).

1. We are saved by faith.  We do not know all this involves and have a hundred questions.  But we know Jesus is Lord and we are sinners and He alone is the Savior.  So, we act on faith and bow before Him, saying “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).
2. We pray by faith.  We do not see the One to whom we speak and cannot even prove He’s there.  Yet, day by day over many years we pull aside and talk to Him, telling Him our deepest thoughts and cares. We believe (faith!) that He is there, that He hears, cares, and will answer.
3. We wait by faith.  After giving Him our prayers, we wait for the answer.  Otherwise–if we are not going to stand by and wait–there is no point in asking.
4. We read our Bibles by faith.  We have so many questions about the meaning of this, the mystery of that, and the timing of the other.  But we find inspiration and guidance and a thousand blessings from doing this, so in spite of the questions, we keep reading and believing.  2 Timothy 3:15-17.
5. We go to church by faith.  I do not see what good we accomplished today. The singing was flat, the preaching seemed uninspired, the congregation was the usual bunch.  And yet, it was important to be there.  Hebrews 10:25.
6. Love
7. Forgive.
8. Give.
9. Go.
10. Stay.
11. Teach.
12. Preach.
13. Serve.
14. Obey.
15. Rebuke.
16. Comfort.
17. Hold funerals.
18. Conduct marriages.
19. Get married.
20. Bury our dead.
21. Raise our children.
22. Discipline our children.
23. Start a church.
24. Hold a revival.
25. Not get a divorce when the marriage is tough.
26. Not leave our church when the leadership goes rogue or the congregation fights.
27. Tithe our incomes.
28. Sit quietly by when someone is daring us to argue.
29. Turning the other cheek when someone hits us.
30. Giving to one who has made himself/herself our enemy.
31. Praying for one who is abusing us.
32. Going the second mile.
33. Witnessing.
34. Sharing our testimony in church.
35. Singing a solo in church.
36. Laying my Bible on my desk at work.
37. Not keeping my faith in Christ a secret.
38. Teach your child something important for the 100th time.
39. Teach Bible stories to your small children.  You never know what this will accomplish and may not be around to see.
40. Turn your children loose when the time comes.
41. Leaving a job that compromises your loyalty to Christ when you do not have another job lined up.
42. Becoming a missionary.
43. Depending on others for your financial support.
44. Going to a new church as pastor or staff member.
45. Eating in any restaurant on the planet.
46. Flying in an airplane.
47. Driving on the highways.
48. Seeing a doctor, having tests run, receiving the diagnosis and following it.
49. Getting up in the morning.
50. Going to bed at night.
51. Entering full-time evangelism where you live from the offerings.  Scary.
52. Teaching and ministering in prison.
53. Moving your family to a foreign country at the Lord’s leadership, for His sake.
54. Being a faith-supported missionary.
55. Singing in the choir.  Singing a solo in church or anywhere else for that matter.
56. Believing that one day your wayward child will come home and continuing to pray and hope.
57. Buying a used car.
58. Selling a used car.
59. Letting your children have the car.
60. Going on to bed at night before your children return home from the ball game.
61. Letting your children go.
62. Counseling others.
63. Getting counseling for yourself.
64. Staying with a demanding task for the Lord’s sake.
65. Moving.
66. “Walking out the door every morning here in West Africa, trusting that our presence will make a difference for Jesus’ sake.”
67. Taking a new job.
68. Quitting the old job.
69. Getting a promotion, with its new responsibilities, praying the Peter Principle doesn’t apply here.
70. Praying when you don’t feel like it.
71. Releasing my expectations of others.
72. Paying the bills.
73. Homeschooling.
74. Tithing when the budget is tight.
75. Facing rejection and still getting the courage to try it again.
76. Entering the pulpit to preach when you know people are trying to fire you.
77. Entering the pulpit to preach the Sunday after you were fired.
78. Taking the pastorate of a church that fires their preachers every year or two.
79. Defending the helpless.
80. Feeding the homeless.
81. Standing up for the oppressed.
82. Confessing a secret sin…again and again and again.
83. Retiring.
84. Retiring and still continuing to tithe and give generously and serve others.
85. Going to sleep each night.
86. Waking up every morning and getting out of bed with a smile and a praise on our lips.
87. Thanking God in adversity.
88. Trusting God in the midst of pain and illness
89. “Ministering to a brain-damaged husband every day…for the last 10 years.” (God bless the dear lady who said this.)
90. Forgiving those who have hurt my family
91. Getting married
92. Getting a painful divorce you did not want, but which is necessary to save the lives of children or oneself
93. Going back to college in one’s mature years
94. Working during the week on the choir special for Sunday
95. Doing anything on Sunday in the name of Jesus when you do not know what effect it will have or how it will be received
96. Speaking on the radio.
97. Writing a blog.
98. Sending a note in the mail to anyone.
99. Allowing someone into your life to love you and be loved.
100. Loving.