DO WE REALLY HAVE A BLIND FAITH?

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God and that we must believe that He (God) IS.

But, is our faith completely unsubstantiated? We have faith and believe in the unseen, but are there truly rational supports for believing in Jesus Christ, God in the flesh? There are innumerable reasons to be confident of His reality, but here are just 5: The Bible – The Bible is by for the most important support of our faith. Here are some facts concerning it’s reliability and viability. It is a Reliable Historical document (Matthew 5:18). There are over 24,600 New Testament manuscripts and they are 99.5% pure. In the entire text of 20,000 lines, only 40 lines are in question and they do not affect any doctrinal issue. It is also a Supernatural document (II Timothy 3:16-17). The main distinction between the Bible and other religious writings is in its ability to predict the future accurately (Isaiah 46:9-10). Besides the accurate prediction of the birth and death of Jesus Christ, the Bible has numerous other accounts like the destruction of Tyre (Ezekiel 26). Your Experience - As a Christian, your own testimony is proof that God is alive because He has changed your life, your values, your habits, and your eternity! Of all the evidences of our faith being real, your salvation experience and the Holy Spirit indwelling and guiding you is the most powerful proof of all. The change Jesus made in the Disciples lives was clear to others (Acts 4:13) and the change in your life will be evident to others as well! Answered Prayer - This is another powerful evidence of God. Looking back over past requests and circumstances we can see the hand of God at work. Sometimes God answers right away and sometimes the answer is to wait. Sometimes our request is denied all together, much like Paul's. We are told to come boldly to the throne of grace and we can be confident that we will receive the grace needed for every situation (Hebrews 4:16). Creation - According to Romans 1:20, we can be certain God exists because of the amazing things we see all around us every day - the wings of a dragonfly, a baby's birth, a snowflake or the Milky Way on a clear night. We understand that these intricate designs in creation imply that there is a designer. Creation is too complex and intricate to have happened by chance or on its own. There must be a creator to the creation - or did your IPhone just appear in your pocket overnight? The Church - Despite the Roman's persecution in the first century, and surviving over 2,000 years of global persecutions thereafter, the church continues to exist! Jesus promised that His church would stand because it is built on His foundation and life (Matthew 16:18). The church is a testament to the world that not only has your life been changed, but millions of others also testify to the same transformation. My friends we do and must have faith in the unseen - that is what makes our belief powerful. But based on just a few of the evidences listed above, our faith is not blind or misplaced. Some of you may be discouraged, face criticism, or even persecution for your faith in Jesus Christ and your belief in the Bible; I want to encourage you to stand strong in your faith and be confident that God will continue to do great things in you and through you (Philippians 1:6). STAND FIRM!