by Ken Bradford

Created on: February 19, 2009

Even Satan has a belief in God which can be seen in the book of Luke, Chapter 4 (KJV), where Jesus was tempted three times by Satan. The last recorded temptation of Jesus is very interesting in that Satan even quotes biblical scripture to Jesus. Satan spoke to Jesus, "For it is written: He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone."

Satan wanted attention and an audience, which is why he took Jesus to Jerusalem in the first place. He used scripture in a futile effort to provoke a response from Jesus, but Jesus quoted his own scripture to rebuke the devil's temptation.

I am not quite sure that expressing merely a belief in God means much of anything on its own, since even Satan believes in Him.

Belief in God means that we recognize Him as the Supreme Architect of the universe and we accept the fact that unique talents and abilities were placed inside each one of us and it is only by faith that each one of us will recognize them.

Belief in God means that we know who we are and, by not taking ourselves too seriously, recognize we are no less or no more than any other human being on the face of the earth. We will not condone hatred and prejudice in our lives.

Belief in God means to believe in ourselves, to know our strengths and weaknesses, and to understand that the only way to have true friends is to be one. When we are wrong, we will admit it and when we know we are right, we will fight for it.

Belief in God means that we don't take our lives for granted and we live each day with the same faith as when we go to bed each night with very little concern or worry about the coming of a new day or when we tuck our children into bed each night with little or no expressed concern for their safety during the night.

There are many self-proclaimed Christians among us who sometimes give the impression that the meaning of belief and faith is to go to church on Sunday and maybe Wednesday without realizing that true faith only begins once the lights are turned out in the church. We must not hang Jesus in the closet with our best suit or dress.

It is the lasting impression we leave with everyone we meet that will define the meaning of our belief and faith in God. It is the way in which we live our daily lives that will determine our true faith and trust in His love and grace to sustain us.

Learn more about this author, Ken Bradford.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.