Westpac Bank is producing the little magazine called “Economic Overview”. It is “a quarterly overview of the NZ economy”.

I was surprised to find an article called “Keeping the faith” in the April 2008 issue under “Economic Outlook”. Usually you find articles with titles like that in Christian magazines. The article talked about the testing times the NZ economy has at the present time. It is a testing time because of the the credit conditions. Also house prices are falling and the cost of living is rising. But it is expected that the downturn is only for a short time.

So “Keeping the faith” is not only in Christian magazines and the Bible an issue. Keeping the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is most important for Christians. And what does the Bible say about that theme?

But first of all, what is faith?

FAITH is reliance on the message of the Bible– all 66 books from the beginning to the end: The message of the mission of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The message of his atoning death. The message of the testimony of Jesus regarding himself. FAITH is a gift of God. FAITH in the redeemer is essential to salvation.

That’s why we are told in Hebrews 10:23 (KJV) “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;…” The apostle Paul in the Bible had a tremendeous time of testing during his Christian life. Second Corinthians 6:3-10! But he endured to the end. Read Second Timothy 4:6-8. I am quoting here Second Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the FAITH.”

But in Second Timothy 4:8 he says that the crown of righteousness is in store for him.

The economy experts are expecting that the downturn of the economy is only for a short time, but they cannot be sure. But we can be sure that the crown of righteousness is in store for all those who are finishing the RACE.

So let is encourage each other to do just that.–