Stephen Lau is a writer and researcher. He has published websites on health, finance, and golf. His website on faith, The Tallest Order, is his most recent endeavor. To learn more about living in faith, go to: Living In Faith Resources.
Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Lau
Living in faith is living a life of spirituality. What does it entail? It demands a major decision in life to be interested in spiritual things, that is, things of the Spirit, instead of things of the flesh, just as Paul said, "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:5). According to Paul, if you are interested in things of the flesh, you become self-centered, and your motivation in life is self-oriented. In other words, your focus in life is more on yourself, rather than on God or others. As a result, you are prone to compromising to the wisdom of this world, and hence easily succumb to sin because "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2)
Nowadays, living in faith is not only a challenge but also a daily struggle. Living in faith is the tallest order in contemporary living, but it is essential to developing a personal relationship with God.
Living in faith is an ongoing process of struggle as well as discovery - struggle against self-will and the temptation of material things; discovery of the self and the mystery of God. In this process, you learn to negate self, to subordinate self-will to the will of God. This is never easy. But your heart yearnings for the Spirit through your decision to believe will be richly rewarded. Faith inspires action through your decision to believe, which is the foundation for your spiritual life, the cornerstone of your personal relationship with God.
Your decision to believe underscores your desire to understand the essence of life. You may begin to ask yourself the crucial question: Is that all there is to life? This is especially true as you approach the end of your life journey.
Many of us believe in God, but not too many of us believe that God is related to us personally, with a pivotal role in every aspect of our daily life. However, once we make that major decision to believe, we become transformed into another level of being and existence - which is living in faith. Such inexplicable transformation is like Peter's decision to walk on water.
"Peter said to Him, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' And He said, 'Come!' And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water, and came towards Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately, Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?'" (Matthew 14:28-31)
The above Scripture shows that Peter actually made the decision to believe, as demonstrated by his initial walking on the water. But, because he focused on self, that is, his fear, rather than on Jesus, he began to sink. Peter's decision to walk on the water was a spiritual one. Later in life, Peter stumbled a few more times before he was totally transformed by the Spirit. This is a testament that living in faith is the tallest order; nevertheless, we need to make that decision to believe in order to develop a personal relationship with God. Just let God transform us.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
Mercy For Us Depends On Mercy We Show
By: Steve Childers | 25/12/2009The Bible is full of examples where the Lord shows mercy to us, wiping clean our sins and making us whole. Matthew 18:22 says, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy seven times", which was Christ's answer to Peter when he asks how many times must I forgive my...
God & Hell Don't Mix!
By: Ernie Fitzpatrick | 25/12/2009What if there was no literal hell? What if hell was just here on earth and not after we dispose of this bio-degradable body?
Surviving 2012, Rules You Must Follow to Protect Your Family
By: Robert Knight | 25/12/2009Just picture this for a moment...It is now December 22nd 2012, the predictions have all come true and the world in in turmoil. You look back to 2010 and think "if only I had taken the precautions then maybe today my family and I would have coped better than we did." If surviving 2012 is important to you then you must read on and follow some rules to protect your family.
The Arrival of Trinitarianism
By: Meredith Miller | 24/12/2009When Trinitarianism did come, in the first part of the third century, it began with the premise that Jesus was a subordinate deity. This article explains the events that occurred that helped to usher in the concept of Trinitarianism.
The Foreigner woman in Bible versus Quran (5)
By: Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil | 24/12/2009They have broken faith by marrying foreign women; they had to make a covenant before the Lord God and to send away their foreign wives and their children. Also, they have to offer rams until the fierce anger of the Lord God in this matter is turned away. In the whole Quran, the expression "foreign woman" is not mentioned therein; all women are equal in their rights regardless of race, color, location etc.
How Tarot Analysis helps our psychological and spiritual nature, in this Physical World:
By: John | 24/12/2009Body, mind and spirit are considered the three aspects to a human personality. Each of these aspects has its own relevance and purpose in our existence. The mind exists in what we call a mental sphere and the spirit exists when we operate in a spiritual sphere and the body exists and functions in a physical sphere.
Ephesians 2 8-9 Commentary
By: Kevin Ellens | 24/12/2009Ephesians 2 8-9 Commentary - We will make clear the meaning of this powerful, fascinating verse of scripture. But first, lets quote it as written by the Apostle Paul: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Santa, Buddha, Elves, and Hello Kitty? Christmas in Bangkok
By: Ben Hart | 23/12/2009An expatriate's take of the Holiday Season in Thailand.
Is it really so diifficult to change lifestyle?
By: Stephen Lau | 14/12/2009 | HealthThe contemporary lifestyle is generally not conducive to good health. If you think you need to change your lifestyle to improve your health, maybe you should. But to make any change in lifestyle is not as simple and easy as you may think: it requires strategies. Nevertheless, make the effort to change lifestyle for the better.
The Emotional Recovery from a Heart Attack
By: Stephen Lau | 24/11/2009 | HealthHeart-attack survivors have to recover not only from the coronary heart disease itself but also from the emotions associated with their heart attacks, such as anxiety, anger, and fear. Depression is common among heart-attack survivors. Emotions may interfere with rehabilitation and recovery from heart attacks. Dealing with the emotional side of a heart attack is important.
What Do You Do When You Have a Heart Attack?
By: Stephen Lau | 21/11/2009 | FitnessHeart attack survival depends on what you do before, during, and after a heart attack. Being knowledgeable about heart attack warning signs, and adequate preparation prior to an attack may hold the key to survival from a heart attack.
Understanding the True Meaning of God's Grace
By: Stephen Lau | 14/11/2009 | ReligionGod's grace is unconditional love, through which we are completely forgiven of our sins. Many people have a misconception that God is moralistic. God's grace is not moralistic and judgmental. God's grace not only mends but also renews our relationship with God.
God's Love And Love In A Marriage
By: Stephen Lau | 21/10/2009 | ReligionJesus' life is a model for love in a marriage. He lived with the purpose of doing the will of His Father - acceptance for all; He demonstrated His commitment to preach God's message of unconditional love and forgiveness. Likewise, love in a successful marriage is made up of intimacy, passion, and commitment. It all begins with a decision to love and commitment to love self as well as others.
How Foods May Affect Your Body Organs
By: Stephen Lau | 17/10/2009 | HealthAccording to the Chinese, eating is an art and a science, because foods affect body organs in different ways, either positively or negatively. The Chinese eat foods for balance and harmony, based on the concept of "yin" and "yang" which originates from the "Five Elements" of Nature. Therefore, they also eat foods based on different colors, representing the "Five Elements."
Normal Or Abnormal Forgetfulness?
By: Stephen Lau | 16/10/2009 | HealthNormal forgetfulness is different from dementia or Alzheimer's, although they show similar symptoms of slower mental processing as aging continues. The main difference is that benign forgetfulness can be compensated by more effort and devoping new techniques to cope with slower mental processing, while dementia or Alzheimer's cannot.
Living In Faith - The Tallest Order
By: Stephen Lau | 10/10/2009 | ReligionLiving in faith is living a life of spirituality, which demands a major decision in life to be interested in spiritual things, instead of things of the flesh. Living in faith is the tallest order in contemporary living because it involves negating self and subordinating self-will to the will of God. It is a lifelong struggle, but one still needs to make that decision to believe in order to have a personal relationship with God.