"Keeping Our Eyes On Jesus"

"The Author and Finisher of our Faith". We might tend to believe that our faith has a beginning within ourselves; but in doing so, we would be taking away from the Real Faith that Jesus has established within us; and replacing it with a weaker faith that has been made by man. The main point of what I just said needs to be repeated: 'Man made faith is weak!' But you might say, "Doesn't my faith come from within me?" It's just a little more complicated that that. You can put your faith in a lot of things; some which are learned, and some which are tried. I was watching the Golf Channel yesterday, and I heard something explained about the Game of Golf that I had never really heard before: "That Golf is a Game of Faith". I am sure a lot of things in life could be explained in the same way, but the way this was explained really struck a cord in me. It goes something like this: You choose the club you are going to use to strike the ball, based upon the yardage to the area that you want to hit. This yardage is determined by your past experience with the use of that club in the past; however, there are variables to where the ball will ultimately end up, even though the yardage has already been determined; lots of variables. Like for example: the wind, the slope of the terrain, your swing, your stance, the club face, the placement of the ball in play, etc. But you choose that club based on faith that if all things work together the way that you hope they will, your ball will end up where you want it to be; and then you swing that club with confidence in your calculations. Now, when it comes to our faith in Christ, there are no variables; because He has established the course, the means, and the finish line; and He has completed it already. This is a faith like no other; because it has been Authored and Finished by Him. Thus, it is not a faith which has been made by man; because man's faith would have variables; be given to chance; and be determined by the forces of those things in and around there life. In other words; when we put our faith in God, we are putting our faith in the One who made the rules, all the means, everything and anything required for that faith to reach it's goal. With God, it is not a game of chance, or of skill; but solely a walk of trust. So, the faith which we have within us, has been birthed in us by God, and the knowledge we have in Him. "Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doeth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us; Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1 & 2)