Sunday, December 14, 2008
faith IS
Hebrews 11:1 Now Faith IS the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
While faith requires being convinced that everything we believe in is true, just knowing the truth is only half of faith. God's word must be hoped for, embraced, and seized!
In Luke 17:5 it reads:The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied to them, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea.' and it will obey you."
When the apostles asked the Lord for more faith, he didn't just say, "Okay." He told them what they could do with just the littlest bit of faith. If you can move a mulberry tree just by having faith the size of the smallest seed, think of what you're capable of doing with even more faith.
Believing and Faith aren't exactly the same thing. For belief to be faith, it must light on what is certainly true. Scripture does, however, give examples of times where belief alone is required. Sometimes you don't have time to wait for certainty. You have to just believe. Like Peter walking on the water. He didn't have time to think about it, he just had to believe and trust God. God even requires us to believe in Him when everything around us says otherwise. He requires belief and trust in moments of human weakness, but faith is what makes us strong. Faith is the state of being convinced about what we hope for.
*How can I get more faith?
Faith is not a mental delusion. It's not a presumption or self-deception. It's a work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Romans 10:17
Faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.
Another versions says,
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Faith comes by hearing and from reading and studying God's Word, the Bible. A person's faith cannot exceed the knowledge and understanding he has of God's Word. Faith is built upon God's Word. It is built upon the actual amount of God's word he has heard or studied, combined with the correct understanding he has of that word.
*Why should we live a life of faith?
Hebrews 11:6Without faith, it is impossible to please God.....
1 Peter 1:6-7This means tremendous joy to you, even though presently you may be temporarily harrassed by all kinds of trials. This is no accident--it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable than gold...
Hebrews 10:38My righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.
Ephesians 6:16Above all be sure to take up the shield of faith, by which you can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Psalm 37:4Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Without faith, we have nothing. Without faith we can't even please the Lord. But look at what we
CAN do with faith. We can speak to mountains and trees and tell them to move. We can stop the fiery darts the enemy throws at us. And with faith we can have what we say we have. Every spirit filled believer has the power to claim God's best for themselves. If we are living beneath our privilages, it is not because of lack of power that we don't have what we say, but because of a failure to release that power through faith. God's Word is very simple, straightforward, and powerful. His word says to have faith in Him. If we are obeying His Word then we are told we can ask anything in His name and He will give it to us. Faith IS the substace of things hoped for. God has given all of us that are born again, a certain measure of faith. When we begin to use that faith like we are supposed to, that's when we will really see Him working in our lives!
I LOVE YOU 2:08 PM
