What is faith? I thought I knew until God asked me to claim this visa. I found that I didn’t have the assurance I needed.
Dear Emmy,
"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). How might this apply to your visa? Your visa is something that is hoped for and is now not seen. Our faith that you will receive your visa is linked to assurance and evidence. In my last email to you I described how I believed you were the one I was looking for to return with me to the US. I saw how others in authority with me agreed. There was a growing amount of evidence suggesting that a visa would be granted. For me the struggle was with the assurance part. Even though the evidence suggested a visa my mind kept telling me of possible failure, resulting in great unrest. As long as I lacked this assurance, faith was unable to bring the reality of the visa from the future into the present. Faith allows one to take that which is hoped for and is unseen and make it such a reality that you can live today as though you have it. If we have both the assurance and the evidence, our faith would allow us to live and make plans today like we would if we already had the visa.
Friday morning I spent time with my Father and the Word, trying to obtain the assurance I needed. As time passed I realized that assurance was rooted in the character of my Father. He says for me to ask and he will give to me "what is good" (See Matthew 7:7 - 11). If He sees the visa as a good gift, then surely it would be granted. All indication is that it is a good gift. As I thought about this, He gave me something to think about. How many of those who apply for visas to the US are believers? Probably a small percentage. How many of these were denied a visa? We don't know. If some were, is it not possible that they might be lacking something that would cause their time in the US to not be a good experience and thus not be a good gift? Can you or your parent’s think of anything that would cause this visa not be a "good gift" for you from Him? Do we not have the assurance and the evidence to allow faith to do its work and provide the visa and even allow us to live today as if we already had it? I believe our Father longs to give what is good to His children who ask Him. Are you able to join me and say, "Father, thank you for the kindness of your grace in granting this visa."?
James tells us that faith without works is dead. What works on our part might demonstrate that our faith is alive? That will be the topic of the next email.
Grandpa Steve
The question here centers on the meaning of “good gifts.” Are they only spiritual gifts or might they include things like a visa? What are you thinking about this? You should read Matthew 7:7 – 11 and see what you think.
Dear Emmy,
"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). How might this apply to your visa? Your visa is something that is hoped for and is now not seen. Our faith that you will receive your visa is linked to assurance and evidence. In my last email to you I described how I believed you were the one I was looking for to return with me to the US. I saw how others in authority with me agreed. There was a growing amount of evidence suggesting that a visa would be granted. For me the struggle was with the assurance part. Even though the evidence suggested a visa my mind kept telling me of possible failure, resulting in great unrest. As long as I lacked this assurance, faith was unable to bring the reality of the visa from the future into the present. Faith allows one to take that which is hoped for and is unseen and make it such a reality that you can live today as though you have it. If we have both the assurance and the evidence, our faith would allow us to live and make plans today like we would if we already had the visa.
Friday morning I spent time with my Father and the Word, trying to obtain the assurance I needed. As time passed I realized that assurance was rooted in the character of my Father. He says for me to ask and he will give to me "what is good" (See Matthew 7:7 - 11). If He sees the visa as a good gift, then surely it would be granted. All indication is that it is a good gift. As I thought about this, He gave me something to think about. How many of those who apply for visas to the US are believers? Probably a small percentage. How many of these were denied a visa? We don't know. If some were, is it not possible that they might be lacking something that would cause their time in the US to not be a good experience and thus not be a good gift? Can you or your parent’s think of anything that would cause this visa not be a "good gift" for you from Him? Do we not have the assurance and the evidence to allow faith to do its work and provide the visa and even allow us to live today as if we already had it? I believe our Father longs to give what is good to His children who ask Him. Are you able to join me and say, "Father, thank you for the kindness of your grace in granting this visa."?
James tells us that faith without works is dead. What works on our part might demonstrate that our faith is alive? That will be the topic of the next email.
Grandpa Steve
The question here centers on the meaning of “good gifts.” Are they only spiritual gifts or might they include things like a visa? What are you thinking about this? You should read Matthew 7:7 – 11 and see what you think.
