Summer 1986
Believing God's Word
Dr Richard Forde, MD
Dean, Pinecrest Bible Training Center

Faith is taking God at His word. It is believing that God will do what He says He will do, in spite of all that our natural senses would tell us to the contrary.

We see an example of this in the experience of Paul as he sailed to Rome to appear before Caesar's judgment seat. Paul had warned the ship's commander not to set out to sea because of an upcoming storm. This advise was not heeded and the ship encountered a most severe storm. Acts 27:27 shows that this storm raged for at least fourteen days. "And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away" Acts 27:30. In other words, all hope was lost, it was an impossible situation.

Many times in our own experiences, we find ourselves like a ship on the open sea, tossed here and there by circumstances that are beyond our control. In spite of all of our efforts to bring about a correction, the storm still rages. We too are brought to that place where seemingly, all hope is lost.

In the midst of this violent storm, however, note the confession of the apostle Paul. The storm had persisted and the winds were incessant; these seasoned sailors had tried every technique their experience had taught them; they lightened the ship, they under girded it, they let it drift with the wind, then they hoisted the sails. They did everything possible, but to no avail. There was nothing else that they could do, all hope that they should be saved was lost. It was here that Paul took his eyes off the storm and looked away from all that his natural senses told him. That is: "it is impossible", and then he looked up to Him with whom all things are possible.

Paul declared "I BELIEVE GOD, that it shall be even AS IT WAS TOLD ME". Paul is saying, "I have a word from God, therefore, in spite of all that would come against me; in spite of the storms and the winds and all that my mind and natural senses would tell me, I believe God. I believe that the Lord's word tome will stand no matter how things may look".

In our daily experiences in life, we too must learn how to stand firm, confessing the Word of God. We are to stand upon His Word, for God has "set His Word above His Name". His Word cannot fail. Look into the face of that adverse circumstance, or that impossible situation and declare, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me; My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He will never leave me nor forsake me".

Some time ago I was staying in an hotel overlooking the airport at San Juan, Puerto Rico. The skies were overcast and thick rain clouds hung low over the airport. As I watched from the twenty-first floor of the hotel, I saw plane after plane descend from those dark clouds and make a perfect landing. Then he Lord impressed this message on my heart. The pilot of the airplane is able to make a perfect landing in the midst of total darkness, by keeping his eye fixed upon his instrument panel, and following the beam to the runway. We too may walk firmly along the path that God has ordained for us, irregardless of the storms and difficulties of life, if we keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus.

Therefore, Let us look away from the circumstances and then look to the Lord. Let us keep our minds and hearts fixed upon Him who has said, "Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world".