For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 5:6 (NKJV) Growing up in my dad’s church, we would sing certain songs about loving God. I remember tears streaming down my face as I told God, “I want to love you more, but I don’t know how.” Was I supposed to do more things for Him? Sacrifice more for Him? Meanwhile, I had it backwards. First John 4:19 says that we love God because He first loved us. When you begin to realize that everything in Scripture points to God’s love for you (not your love for Him), it changes your world. In fact, this is the key to faith that works. I don’t know about you, but there …

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. Hebrews 8:6 (NLT) So many of us were raised in legalistic religion. Religion says that if things don’t work out for you, it means you’ve broken a rule or you’re not doing enough. Religion says that to get a miracle, you need to somehow believe harder to produce more faith. I’ve noticed something interesting in the Bible. When Jesus performed miracles, He often told people, Go your way. Your faith has made you whole. But after He died on the cross, we don’t hear that anymore. Something …

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. 1 John 5:4 (NKJV) My whole life, I’ve heard about the value of faith. I knew that miracles were God’s will, but that I had to believe to experience them. I would read Scriptures like today’s verse, and I would be challenged to have more faith. Yet, I found that results in my life would be sporadic. Sometimes I experienced miracles, but then there would be dry times too. If we’re not careful, the concept of believing can get us into trouble. We start to think, “I’ve got to believe more. I need more faith.” But this perspective falls back into works. Pretty soon, you’re right back where you …

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! Matthew 8:10 (NLT) There are only two people in the New Testament who Jesus said had great faith. The first person was a Roman officer who wanted his servant healed. Being a military man, he understood how authority works. He told Jesus that He didn’t have to come to his home—Jesus could just say the word, and the servant would be healed (Matthew 8:8–9). The other person was a Gentile woman—a foreigner. When she asked Jesus for a miracle, He told her that miracles were for the Jews, not for the dogs, which was what …

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:17–18 (NKJV) When Moses came down Mount Sinai after spending time with God, his face was glowing so much that he had to wear a veil. As incredible as this must have been, 2 Corinthians 3:7 shows us that this glory didn’t last. It soon began to fade. Why? It’s because Moses was not a born-again believer. The glow on his face revealed that he’d been in God’s presence, but the …