Keep your Faith Strong!

[Chad]

Its been a while since I've started my own little thread with much details specifically about a particular topic. This one is about Faith. Something important and only GOD Himself more important than faith itself.

My Experience with Faith:

I've been saved for 3 1/2 yrs now and I have pretty rapidly in my faith. I'm not sure how one would measure how fast his/her faith has/is growing but I am at a point now where each day is a "typical" trial so to speak. My faith is made strong through Jesus Christ by the GOD Himself. Amen to that. I have gone through some trials such as...

Business...lost large accounts, sometimes lost more than the usual in a single month
Walk with GOD...fallen, deceived, oppressed. Gratefully, the faith was still burning through the trials. More than just a "mustard seed" as well. Thank GOD.

Now, my faith in GOD is straight forward sincere and truly 99% (why not 100%, simply because I am human and not perfect living in the same sad world you live in). I'd love to say 100% but if I am not perfect, how can I back it up? Nonetheless, my spirit and soul screams in joy of faith - NOTHING can knock it down and GOD will confirm that with you if you ask Him to.

What about "other" faith? Faith in lost family members and friends being saved? I have a large family scattered worldwide. I'd say 95% or so are not saved, sadly so isn't it? Is my faith strong that they will be saved? Does this count as being a 'faithful' servant if I am not faithful that they will be saved even if we pray on such matters that GOD lead them to Truth in Jesus Christ? One thing that I speak for myself, I believe in the power of the prayer itself - with faith for sure. I pray with faith. If I lack faith, I will not eve know about it.

Being nearly 100% deaf (eventually)....
Do I lack faith a bit that I am not getting healed by GOD when I pray on this daily / nightly in Jesus' name along with others doing the same faithfully for me? This I am not sure of. To me, I believe GOD wants to heal me and will heal me, on His timing. I originally was confused about my faith in this area - not being faithless in GOD's power but just questioning myself to be faithful. Strange how I word it I guess, hopefully you'll understand. I remember this verse which got me a bit confused as to what GOD's will was for me. Will GOD keep me hard of hearing to show others a faithful servant for His glory or the other way, GOD will Heal me once my faith builds up in this area (if my faith is the cause of no healing) yet again for His glory?

Exodus 4:11
The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ?

Regardless, I am faithful. You should be too! Did Jesus Christ not die on the cross and rise on the 3rd day to heal ALL things including giviing us all the free gift of salvation? Should we dare lack faith in our GOD who blesses us?

Matthew 7:11
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

GOD Promised!

Matthew 21:22
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

John 16:24
"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete"

1 John 3:21-23

21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests.
Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the understanding. Assent to the truth is of the essence of faith, and the ultimate ground on which our assent to any revealed truth rests is the veracity of God.

New Testament Examples of Faith:

Matthew 9:22
Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

Matthew 15:28
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Mark 5:34
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Mark 10:52
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Luke 8:48
Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

Luke 18:42
Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."

Acts 14:9
He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed
1 Timothy 2:15
But women [ Greek she] will be saved [ Or restored] through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Luke 7:50
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

 

[burgeon]

Jesus is Lord!

"...Regardless, I am faithful..."

Hi, Chad!

AMEN!

I have a hearing loss. I will pray for you.

Your Sister in Christ,
Dr. Bon Vie/"Sylvia"

 

[Jesuslovesu]

Chad that is how we all should be "Regardless I am faithfull" . Joyfully ~ Jlu

 

[ICHTHUS]

WOW!!!

Amen Chadi. i mean that is a cool Thread lots of Info. keep it up..

Love Simon!!!

 

[Dave777]

Chad you may have a reduced physical hearing, but this may enable you to have
a greatly increased SPIRITUAL hearing and sensitivity.

Dave

 

[Mike]

Good testimony brother . God is Glorified in your life . Mike

 

[Chad]

Thank you all for your kind words. GOD's Word is infallible and Almighty GOD so powerful

Dave, interesting thought. That is one of my two thoughts as well.

All glory to GOD!

 

[wildwood]

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Chad,
God has such an awesome role in your life. He knows exactly where you're at and what your heart desires. You are so precious to Him.
Those trials have been God's way of shaping you into who you are today. Your faith is strong, and by gathering those who share that faith, you are building a fortress of solid foundations. God has used you to bring believers together. For that we are all grateful and blessed.

Thankyou for sharing
wildwood

 

[Chad]

God bless you sister wildwood

Thank you for your kind words and all glory to GOD.

GOD has done amazing things here at Talk Jesus, every day since day one!

Thank you all for being a blessing also

 

[Ruthie]

Bro. Chad, I Just Joined And Praise The Lord It's Wonderful To See That You And So Many Other's Have So Much Faith, I'm So Blessed Because Of Jesus If I Started Thanking Him Right Now And Never Stopped It Would Never Be Enough, God Bless You In Your Faith.

 

[jari]

Hi Chad. I don't know but I often think of this verse, especially if I pray for some miracle to happen for me:
Joh 9:1-3 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. (2) And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? (3) Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

One thing I know is that ilness and diseases doesn't come without reason. But it all seems to have reason and one thing I know to do is to bring thanks to God in front of fellow believers in Christ. Or maybe it's testimony for non-believers to see some one healed. The reasons seem to vary.

However, May God bless you, like He has.

 

[my4everChrist]

PTL Chad!

My dear brother Chad,
Thank you for having an ear for the things of God and not for this sinful world!God is a Wonder!! Thank you,Chad for making a difference in this world! God bless you!

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Praying According to God's Will

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentence." (2 Peter 3:9)

There are lots of issues involved in figuring out why some prayers are answered and others not answered, but,we can be certain that we are praying according to God's will when we pray for friends and family members to be saved. Such prayer needs to be two-pronged. First, you need prayer partners, as many as you can line up (saved friends and family members, members of your church, people on your e-mail list, etc.). Secondly, you need to be persistent and consistent in your personal prayer for the person. I know this from personal experience.

"'Have faith in God', Jesus answered. 'I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.'" (Mk 11:22-23) (emphasis added).

SLE

 

[Gracealone]

What about "other" faith? Faith in lost family members and friends being saved? I have a large family scattered worldwide. I'd say 95% or so are not saved, sadly so isn't it? Is my faith strong that they will be saved? Does this count as being a 'faithful' servant if I am not faithful that they will be saved even if we pray on such matters that GOD lead them to Truth in Jesus Christ? One thing that I speak for myself, I believe in the power of the prayer itself - with faith for sure. I pray with faith. If I lack faith, I will not eve know about it.

I too have many unsaved family members.
My Grandson ,who I love dearly, claims to be an atheist, and has said to me, "Grandma, when the rapture happens, maybe then I'll believe."

There are no grandchildren with God, ( what I mean is my faith cant save him), Jason must come to him by his own faith.
I struggle with that also for God gave us a free will choice, but then I'm reminded that nothing is impossible with God, and Gods word says He will lose none that the Father has given him,except the son of perdition, Judas.
So once again, I am brought back to the cross, and am reminded that apart from Christ I can do nothing.
Jason must be drawn by the power of the Holy Spirit, or he cant even come.
So......I pray for Jason, and trust God to do his work.
Maybe Jason will have to go through the tribulation, but then many will be saved even through that.
I have had to lay it at Jesus feet, for I know he knows all things and is able to do exceedingly above all I can even think, or ask.
Rest in Him Chad, he alone is able.