Faith Is Everything Believe God’s Promises—and Change How You Live

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Faith Is Everything
Believe God’s Promises—and Change How You Live
By Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle
Wednesday, April 29, 2026

출처 https://www.brooklyntabernacle.org/faith-is-everything/

Jesus was never astounded /at someone’s righteousness.

He never said, “Hey, guys, would you look at [that person]!

He’s perfect /in the way () he behaves.”

He was never astounded /by anybody’s intelligence either.

He never said, “Let’s get Matthew /to handle finances.

The guy’s phenomenal with numbers.”

No.

[The only thing () Jesus ever marveled about] was someone’s faith—or lack of it.

Faith is Christianity 101. 

Hebrews 11, the famous faith chapter, says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because [anyone //who comes /to him] must believe that he exists and that he rewards [those //who earnestly seek him”] (Hebrews 11:6, NIV).

That verse is an eye-opener, isn’t it?

We can cry a river of tears for our misbehavior. 

We can make promises /until the cows come home /to do better.

We can sing songs; we can even read the Bible.

Unless it comes from faith, we can’t please the Lord.

*  'Till the Cows Come Home' to indicate a period of time that is, both long and indefinite. 

A Roman centurion came /to Jesus once and said, “Would You heal [someone /in my home]?”

Jesus said, “Shall I come /to your house?”

The centurion said, “No, no, no. Don’t waste Your time. Just speak the word, and I know () my servant will be healed.”

Jesus stopped and said /to the disciples, “Look, I haven’t seen faith /like this /anywhere.

This is not even a child of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

but look at [the faith () he has” (see Matthew 8:5–13).

Jesus was moved /by faith.

He was also moved /by a lack of faith.

Do you know that when He went back /to where He had grown up,

the Bible says, astoundingly, that He could not do many miracles /there /because of people’s unbelief?

The problems weren’t too big or the diseases too complex for Jesus;

it’s as if His hands were tied /by the unbelief around Him.

Faith is everything /in terms of our approach to God and walking victoriously in the Lord.

In fact, Jesus once said, “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29, NIV).

He puts the ball in our court, as it were.

What are we going to do /with a verse like that? 

With big faith, we’ll have [a big God] [doing great things in our lives].

With little faith, we’ll hardly know that God is there /all day long.

That’s the truth.

When we’re walking by faith, 

God brings [us] /into two realms of living //that [people //who don’t know the Lord] don’t understand.

First, we live /in the realm of “what we hope for” (Hebrews 11:1)—that’s the future.

As we read God’s promises in His Word, faith makes [them] [so sure to us that we change our whole pattern of living].

That’s what made [Noah] [build an ark] /when God told him, “There’s a storm coming” (see Genesis 6:17).

That’s [what faith does]—it makes [us] [confident about future things], which affects [the way () we live now].

Second, we become confident about “what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). 

Someone once defined faith as the ability of the soul to perceive and take in what the five senses cannot. 

[People //who live by faith] are living /by realities //that no one else can see.

In fact, [decisions /made by faith] can seem foolish.

“What are you doing that for?” people sometimes ask.

[A young lady /from our church] went to work with the Yazidi people in the Middle East.

She works /among them, loving and caring for them, but she also deals with hassling and dangerous situations.

We helped [her], thank God, [buy a car] /so she won’t have to take cabs and put up with [nonsense].

But why would she leave [all the comforts of America] /to face danger

and help [people //who sometimes don’t even want [her help]?

She did it /by faith.

She knew that God had called her. 

Can she prove it? 

Is there a written contract () God made with her?

No—it was all by faith.

That’s why Abraham left [where he lived]

/when God told him, “Go. I’ll show [you] [a land //that I’m going to give you”] (see Genesis 12:1).

He went out and became [the father of everyone //who believes].

He did that /by faith.

Abraham was commended /not because he lived a perfect life—he didn’t. 

He was a sinner, like we are. 

No, Abraham believed God, and it was counted /to him /as righteousness (see Genesis 15:6).

So come on. Let’s walk by faith. 

Let’s dig into the Word, open our hearts, stand on God’s promises, and live with our eyes on invisible things. 

We know [who holds tomorrow], and it will affect [the way () we live], to the glory of God.


Prayer

Lord Jesus, increase our faith. Help us to live with our eyes on You and our hearts /open to Your guiding. 

Thank You for keeping every promise () You make.

If this encouraged you, you can receive Pastor Cymbala’s weekly blog post /by email here.

For More Encouragement

• Listen to the full message by Pastor Jim Cymbala: “What Pleases God (Faith)”
• Enjoy other resources to help you draw closer to God: “Walk by Faith, Not Sight” and “Just in Time”
• Visit Pastor Cymbala’s Facebook page