Again "Biblical Faith"

Faith..............

What does it take to have "great faith?"

Did you every really look at it from a Biblical perspective?

Did someone ever try to explain it to you?

If so then let me give it a shot.

First we all have a portion of faith given to us by God for salvation in Jesus Christ. Everyone has it, the Bible says it's like a seed that the sower casts upon ground. Some bad, some mediocre, some shallow and some good.

It comes by hearing the Word, the Truth that sets free from the bondage to sin that we are all born into.

Then depending on the hearts (grounds) condition it can take root and grow or die with or without germinating.

So for our purpose here it germinated and grew. Salvation was established and we are now growing in Christ.

That was personal faith, in Christ for salvation but not the end game of faith, which is to grow into "one of the largest herbs that the fowls of the air come to "rest" in. That is healthy faith, mature faith, powerful faith.

So how do we get from "mustard seed faith" to "God honoring, manifesting faith?"

Scripture is simple on this part, so much so that most of us will never be completed (to the tree size faith) in it because we go outside of scripture to "learn more."

The disciples came back from "being sent" out by Jesus and returned full of joy for all the miracles that they worked in His name by the authority He had given them.

When they returned they hit a stumbling block with the demon possessed and Jesus rebukes them. In His explanation about the event He told them that if they had "mustard seed faith" they could cast mountains into the sea.

Rewind here: they just came back from working powerful miracles and now they are told that "if they had the faith like a mustard seed" they could cast mountains into the sea.

So what kind of faith did they possess?

The faith that comes with "OBEDIENCE!" Take the point here that the faith of just obedience to the commands of Jesus, wasn't even considered "mustard seed faith" by Jesus.

So what kind of faith would you say it was? It was obedience to His Word that what He said He would do.

That's odd..........Jesus speaks and we just listen then act on His commands and "that's faith?"

Yes...........

God's Word above our own thoughts is faith. Acting on them because He says to is FAITH!

So then the opposite of faith is "questioning His commands." Right?

Or being "disobedient" is "faithlessness" is it not?

We have an annointing to "walk in faith" by the Holy Spirit when we are "believing believers" and we can expect to have no annointing if we believe not.

Why?

Believing not is "sin!" Believing not is calling God a liar about His promises. Believing not is saying that God doesn't have the authority to prove His Word.

So lets compare our two sources here: Believing God's Word=Faith, or not believing God's Word is "faithlessness" a sin and a slight to God who promises to be able to "do all things."

We hold on to the "blood of Jesus" (salvation) but we can't "hold on to His Word" (oh I mean Jesus again) for faith that He can carry out His promises and commands.

Just try to wrap our head around that!!!!!!

He is the same "yesterday, today and forever", that's a promise of His "unchanging" nature but a hard one for us to just trust Him for.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for", (that God would perform His commands), "and evidence of things unseen" (the fulfilling of His promises), that He gave us through Jesus.

So faith is the heart-set of not "questioning" His Word and just doing it what it commands without excuse while "living" (walking) in the promises that He gave us to "prove" His Word is Truth.

Remember "let the little children come unto me", also "child like faith?"

So why do we get discouraged?

Simply that either we don't know His Word, commands, and promises, or we walk by faith and get tired of waiting for "His will to be done," we have our own timing.

Some of the most prominent miracles we have witnessed has taken decades to happen. If they had been earlier we wouldn't of seen there full potential and may of even missed them. "In the appointed time" is used in scripture to reinforce the fact that God's timing is perfect to gain the most glory for Himself and provision for you.

Faith also has the function of "factoring." Are you going to do what is needed because you can, or are you going to trust God for His answer because you know it will be better than yours? Which factor will you "implement" on every aspect of faith?

For me and my house we will wait upon the Lord, His timing, His answer, our blessing. Believing on His Word and walking in His ways.

We want to go out being the tree of faith that "gives rest" to others by strength and example. Our hope is for growth of our mustard seed that will Glorify my Father in Heaven.

Love

J&E

Worship: instantaneously

The nature of worship is an individual phenomena. It has the freedom to happen at any time, planned or unplanned. It's not motivated by where we are, what we are doing, how we are feeling, but by the constant desire to express Love to our Father and Creator in heaven. Most of the time it is preceded by a sense of gratitude, and thanksgiving, without these two seeds of expression it cannot grow into the humbling experience that it is meant to be.

Man before his Creator lifting hands and hearts with the anticipation that "He will meet with us because He Loves us."

Faith opens this doorway to receive "the things hoped for and the evidence not seen." Ask and receive, seek and find, knock and the door will be opened to you! These actions are the creed of those who "desire to worship our Father in heaven." When this is the "constant" within the heart "times of refreshing" will certainly follow.

Spontaneous is the word that correctly describes the ascension into this hallowed ground. But only if you "want to be there."

My experience tonight with instantaneous worship came at the most unexpected time: Watching the "Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Concert on PBS. Wow..........Say what? Yup. Right in the middle of Jerry Jeff Walker's Mr. Bojangles set. What a time to be called out by the Holy Spirit and reminded by Him about all the times He intervened in my life, humbling my heart and bringing praise to the name of Jesus. It left me with tears in my eyes to think that He had my attention so tenderly that He could just drop in on me without cause or notice and share a moment with one of His sons. Unexpected fellowship with my Father..........

You don't need a church service to worship, (even though it's a great place to meet for it), you don't need a great worship song going to enter into His presence, all you need is a heart that knows that your Father Loves you and desires to "commune" with you anytime anywhere.

Are you ready?

Wait for it..........................

Love

J&E in Tn

The Works of True Love

True Love is a wonderful balm,
It heals wounds,
It lifts spirits,
It gives value,
Rejoices the heart,
Opens the eyes,
Helps the helpless,
Frees the oppressed,
Gives hope to the hopeless
Provides for those without,
Empowers the weak,
Makes bold the shy,
Lifts up souls to God,
Love has never and will never fail.
True Love is Jesus Christ.
His True Love is reproduced in our thoughts, words, and deeds.
Love ye one another.
Love
J&E inTn

The human condition

I have many times asked God about the "human condition."
That condition that causes us to have ill health, make bad or even defiant decisions, abuse ourselves, and opt to show rejection instead of Love.
Many times my prayer has been "how does Your Word work, and what is it's application in these areas?"
Since I have been a Christian (making my own disparaging  decisions and actions along these thought lines) I have entreated about these things with still no answer that is "across the board."
My problem is that I can't just ignore the untouched or pushed behind issues that scripture exposes about us.
Think about it: There is an answer in scripture for absolutely every situation that can take place in our lives, for sin there is salvation, infirmity has healing, oppression there is deliverance, death is overcome by life, and the list goes on.
So why then do people (especially believers) seem to trod the same path, and suffer the same difficulties?
God never promised that life wouldn't be without difficulty or trials, and He has promised a "way out", but the question is "does that way out have to take so long before we see it?" Is it because we don't ask Him to shed light in our darkness so we can find the scriptural answer we need to change our hapless situation and then hold on by faith till He says "it is finished."
God is Unconditional Love, there is no lack in Him, He can do all things, He empowers His promises, at the mention of His name every knee must bow, tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.
I don't see any wavering on His side so the "failure" to "lay hold of the promises" must be on our end.
Victory over the human condition (for believers) is proof that God's Love is Unconditional and His promises sure. Able to be stood upon. The inability "to obtain" these deliverance's and promises are both disheartening and troubling, first to the believer, and secondly toward those "who believe not" that are watching.
Hope deferred makes sick.
If we can't produce a "body of healthy believers" in the Body of Christ how then will we be able to "bring that health to the lost?"
Somehow the reference of "the woman with the issue" bears the most amount of significance in relation to this quandary.
She spent all she had and was no better, (went the way of the world first.)
Had to realize that the answer was in Christ, (the promise of God.)
Realized "she" had to reach out in faith and tough Him for her problem to be solved.
Acted on that faith and received the healing she needed.
This single incident might hold the key to "the human condition." Seek God first while there is no emergency "in everything", seek harder as the situation intensifies, press on in Jesus name till you touch Him and the answer is received.
Remember that we can only ask by faith what we have received by revelation, (that which is taught by the Holy Spirit), of Jesus Christ. Scripture commands us to "wait on the revelation of Jesus Christ." This is a continual waiting-receiving, waiting-receiving as long as we "tread this vale."
Having a continuing revelation keeps us "hungering and thirsting after righteousness."
It proves that His Word is "real meat and real drink." Able to answer any questions that we have, and meet all the needs we are given.
Are we ready to "go forward" increasing in faith and the revelation of Jesus Christ? If so the "human condition" will become less and less a part of our lives and Jesus Christ more and more.
Thanks for your time.
Love and peace through Jesus Christ
J&E in Tn

The importance of faith

All tenants of Christianity are based on faith.
First you must believe (have faith) in Jesus Christ to be saved.
You cannot partake in grace without faith. (You are saved by grace "through faith.")
Healing is received by faith. ("Your faith has made you whole.")
We receive benefit by faith. ("According to your faith let it be done.)
Our faith brings miracles to the needy. ("And He saw their faith, the men carrying the bed, and healed the man.")
Faith is a verb, an action, living, producing, having authority, growing!
Matthew 13:32 speaks of faith from beginning to end.
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
The seed of faith first must be planted in the soil of Jesus Christ, where it is nurtured by the Word of God, cared for by the Holy Spirit, and watered by other believers, so that it can grow into a tree of faith wherein God our Father is glorified, and others will rest in it's branches to receive salvation, comfort and deliverance reproducing more "seeds of faith" till a whole forest of "faith trees" cover the earth.
So this begs the question: "is your faith growing? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly? Ever?
Are you increasing in faith? Exorcising your faith? Inspiring others by your faith? Walking by faith?
If not, why?
Poor teaching? No interest? No inspiration? Just don't care? Never seen it manifest in anyone else? Are you surrounded by others like you, the "anyone else's?"
The command "go ye into" is a command with promise and only about faith. The command it to show forth the Truth about Jesus by promising to "manifest" Gods glory in: raising the dead, healing the sick, casting out demons............in short the use of faith in the name of Jesus Christ to do the will of the Father, and to "do those things that Jesus did and greater."
Hebrews 12:2
Jesus is "the author and finisher of our faith."
He is also the "judge" of our faith:
Matthew 17:17
Mark 9:19
Luke 9:41
Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed,
Mustard seed faith is just the starting point and it can accomplish the above results. Not having that mustard seed faith was the basis of Jesus anger. Why? Because in this instance they were unable to perform the command of Christ when he sent them out.
We all should set our eyes on things above, and petition God by faith for the answers to our prayers that He might Glorify Himself through the name of Jesus Christ and call all men unto Himself.
If God be with you (and His promises) then who can be against you.
Remember scripture cannot fail, and God cannot fail.
Lets grow in faith and grace with passion and accomplishment.
Just a thought
Love
J&E in Tn

Strength by waiting!

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

Let’s start by asking the question here: "When is your time to wait upon the Lord?"

Start of day?

Midday?

End of day?

During  the "night watch?"

How about  "all of the above?"

Let’s look at the way the Scripture above starts: “But they that wait upon the Lord”. Notice that there is no reference to time here. Not beginning of day, nor any specific time of day at all, but only “those that wait.”  We wait by “staying” our minds on Him.

Isaiah 26:3:

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace who’s mind is stayed on thee.”

When our mind is “stayed on thee” we automatically “bring every thought into captivity.”

2 Corinthians 10:5  

“and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

When all our thoughts are “obedient to Christ’s” He doesn’t have to “get our attention”, He already “has our attention.” All the time, anytime! To have this function in our hearts makes our hearing “of the we small voice” keener and our moving into “His presence” a natural part of our life. Most of us know that we are always in His presence because “in Him we live and move and have our being”, but whether or not we are aware of that as a focus is another matter. If we are mature enough in Christ our focus is always to “here the Master speaking and do His will.” Thus the “waiting” upon the Lord merely becomes a practice in sensitivity.

Also note that the opposite of waiting is “impatience” which everyone has experienced along with the side effects of “being wrung out”, tired, weary. But waiting “renews our strength,” and mounts us up with wings as eagles.” There by experiencing times of refreshing, revelation, and deliverance.

The more you are filled with His Word, the more you will see His glory set forth in His creation and your waiting will be satisfied by His meeting you where you are, ”always, all ways and any time day or night.” For me this can take place in a “wake up call” during the night, reading/ listening to His Word, hearing a worship song, or just expressing a prayer of thanksgiving as I walk or work. The times of “waiting on the Lord” are as endless as life itself and the sooner we “seek” them the sooner we will be satisfied with “strength.”  Then the rest of the verse can come to past “they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.”

This is the reward of “perfecting the presence of God.”

God bless and keep.

Love

J&E