A sound faith and a sound heart are two great assets which God desires that we all have, and enjoy the benefits of ~ the word “sound” meaning “free from damage, injury, decay; showing good judgment or reasoning; sensible; wise; ethically correct; upright; honest” (Collins Dictionary). Stop and consider for a moment these meanings. Faith is essential to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and, I might add, He knows what is faith, and what is not.

For faith to be really effective it is important that we seek at all times to maintain a sound heart. By that I mean a balanced heart ~ a heart that is balanced in its receiving and interpreting of the Word of God (the Scriptures). Too many tragedies are occurring amongst the Christian ranks as a direct result of unbalanced and/or “super spiritual” people getting out on a tangent ~ majoring on minors ~ which usually ends up with the enticing away of a “select” group of believers into a fellowship that believes they have gone on just that much further than everybody else. This is sheer folly (and pride), and misses the over-all plan of God for His people. Growth, yes ~ unbalanced, un-Scriptural tangents, No! True revelation from God is given to benefit the whole Body of Christ (not just a secretive few).

Let us encourage one another in these days to build on a sound foundation of faith and to seek to have a sound heart of balanced believing. If we are not sound-hearted our faith will become very limited in what it can attain in our service for the Master, Jesus. One of the main “fruits” of the Holy Spirit-filled life should be that our fellow Christians can look upon us as being sound in the faith, able to be trusted, reliable, an asset to the fellowship, an inspiration; in fact all that makes it a delight to call your fellow believer in Jesus: “My brother,” or “My sister.” If we are not stable in our faith, our believing, and our example ~ after becoming filled with the Holy Spirit ~ who are we fooling? Certainly not God; neither those who are “rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith . . .” (Colossians 2:7). And we do not fool other people either, for our lives are an “open book, known and read by all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2). 

•  Make very sure you have your foundation right ~ fixed firmly in Jesus Christ!

Those who are truly Holy Spirit-filled have a love for the Word of God (we feed our spirit on the Word of God). That Word (which the world rejects and ridicules) is our delight, our strength. If we make it our joy to feast upon its pages, seeking always to see Jesus in them, and to lay hold of the balanced, over-all plan of God revealed therein, then we shall find that stability which gives a sound faith, a sound heart, and a sweet anointing of the Holy Spirit to do His will in all things. Where is your faith and heart at right now? Can you be trusted as a man or woman of your word? Are you known as a Christian example (if not, why not)? ~ Rodney W. Francis.

Bible  Readings:  John 1:14; John 5:31-47; 2 Timothy 3:1-17; Hebrews 4:11-16.

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