What Is Faith?

[Brother Mike]

Plant the Seed.

Jesus did not say plant the seed, but the seed of faith must be planted, and grow. I gave all the comparisons.

I will give an example of planting the mustard seed of faith.

1) I hear a sermon or read my bible. I hear that if we believe on Jesus we shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

a) The seed is planted. lay hand on sick, they recover.
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

b) At this point, the Devil may try to just grab that word that was planted. I just heard about this, I can not yet operate in it, I don't even fully understand it, but I am thinking about it.

c) The thief.... someone comes along or I hear that the acts of the Apostles have been done away with, and God is more interested in getting people saved than getting them healed. I am also told that miracles have passed away, and God is mysterious. Then I am told that we just don't see healing like that today. God has a different operation now.
I believe that, and Satan got my seed. That ends everything.

d) I hold on to my seed. I want to look more in to this healing stuff. who is right. If I believe on Jesus, and I do, then I can lay hands on the sick and they recover. It's in the bible, and I don't see any place where any of that is done away with because I check. I also find we are not be ignorant of the will of God, so he can't be mysterious. I also see that God wants every man to come to the knowledge of the truth, and by his stripes we are healed. I hold on to my seed and find out more about it. This is giving what I heard measure, little did I know it was going to be measured back to be me the Lord.

2) Wanting to know more about laying hands on the sick so that they recover, I start to think on this scripture. At this time it is just knowledge, and not real enough to just go and try it. I mean, what would happen if they don't get healed? I know people that have been prayed for and died. Still, Jesus said it, so there has to be something to this. I am keeping my seed, and reading that scripture over and over.

a) At this point Satan may try something in the natural with persecution for the Word sake. He may send someone to tell me I have to leave the church if I pursues this. He may bring to my attention someone that has died after hands have been laid on them. He may try something to get me offended at the word.

3) God is faithful...........
I keep that scripture in front of me. Suddenly as a reread it something jumps out at me.
Mar 16:18 ....... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
The word shall comes alive. Shall means there is not doubt about it. It is not a maybe, but they SHALL recover. This must be a sure thing. AS time goes on, The Lord directs me to other scriptures. He is measuring back what I gave measure to.
another scripture stands out, We are not of this world, and we are ambassadors for Christ.
I think about that. I am not of this world. I was born of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God. Heaven is my source and my home. An ambassador is just someone visiting. Is sickness subject to me? Ummm...

a) I ponder these things. The Lord is faithful. Another scripture stands out. All that my hands do shall prosper. If I put my hands to it, God shall bless it.
Then another........ The name of Jesus is above all names, even the name of cancer, or any sickness. The name of Jesus has authority. That name has never lost it's authority as some think. Ummmm...
More and more foundation is being put down, more confidence is being built. By his stripes we are healed........ We are healed.... we are healed... that's past tense..... Healing is already there... ummm...
I can have confidence in something that God already said. It's His will that we are healed.

b) God handles all the objections. I am pointed to Luke 5 where the mans said to Jesus. I know you can d, if it be thy WILL, you can heal me.

Luk 5:12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Luk 5:13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

That sounds like a lot of prayers in the church. They mix that up with the prayer in the Garden. Jesus was not having a healing meeting in the Garden. "Lord I know you can move mountains, if it be your will please heal me."
The Head of our church already answered that question. HE WILL!!! He is no respecter of persons.... ummmm....

Conclusion: Soon, the scripture goes from just knowledge, to knowing it is true, to being fully convinced that if I lay hands on the sick, they have to recover as it is the Lords will. He said it, I believe it, and that settles it.
The faith is there, to step out and know that results must take hold, and the situation changed. God is watching his word to perform it. I don't have to feel silly anymore about laying hands on anyone. It's not my word, it's not my promise. I am not the one responsible for the healing. I can now lay hands on someone without even a thought of doubt. I don't care what others think, or how I look. They must be healed.

Soon, I notice God using me to talk to sick people, and giving directions to lay hands on people. He knows that I will not doubt or question.

I used this, because I have walked in this. I am fully convinced. I still keep that word in front of me, and keep feeding on it ready in season and out of season for any good work.
Someone that calls at 3 in the morning because they need help now for some tragedy, or car wreak would be out of season I think.... just grab the coffee first.............

Jesus Is Lord..................

 

[Br. Bear]

What is Faith ?

I was considering the title of this thread,

What Is Faith,

and this Scripture came to mind....

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Jude 1:17:25

and I wondered.... I mean I was in wonder.... a sort of love condition.... as those words ..... building up yourselves on your most holy faith tell us that faith, the subject of this thread must be very special..... even holy.

excuse me, but, WOW!.

And we are told to build each other/ourselves up in our most holy faith...

so,

We have looked at quite a bit about the power of God's faithfulness in Jesus Christ the Lord.

I would like to look at us for a minute, not taking anything away from our Lord, but rather, looking at who we are in Him.... as this is relevant to this study on What Is Faith, and it might even help bring everything together that has been said, if we start by considering Him who is able and and even willing with exceeding joy, to bless us in this study and in our lives....
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.



Our loving Lord only wants to bless us, no matter what doctrine or leaning/learning anyone has, it is His desire, for God is love..... And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1John 4:16
I say no matter what doctrine or learning, not because those things don't matter, but to prove that our Lord is true.... He only wants to bless us.....

it is the sad fact that due to too much warped teaching and therefore doctrine that follows and adheres to false teaching, that we, people, miss His blessings.

So let us go now to the Lord and remember that
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

In fact, we are so blessed by His love that He made the way open for us to approach Him..... He paid our dues, the penalty of death, that we will not perish, but have everlasting life (see John 3:16)

Now, if I could tell you something about my life, would you believe me? I was a man walking in darkness and confusion of every false way, I was not only lost but I carried a huge burden where-ever I went, my punishment hanging around my empty soul... being the wages of sin, death.... I had no light nor life....

I heard the gospel of Love, the gospel of God, that Christ died for me.. because He loved me..... and as I considered this, I suddenly realised what this meant, that I needed to repent and to BELIEVE.
As this belief entered my very being, I was set free..... my repentance turned to joy, unspeakable and full of glory... for surely, if anyone has ever seen the wonderful sight of a sinner coming into forgiveness.... it can only be described as the glory of God resting upon that person... and the joy is something from heaven.. not able to be matched from anyhting from the things of this world.

At that moment, I was given a taste of holiness... a taste of life everlasting.... a taste of the fullness of God in Christ Jesus the Lord..... and faith was born in me... I was born again... and had light, had forgiveness, had life... life everlasting as promised to all who believe.

(my walk since then has led me through many halls of teaching and doctrines.. all seemingly determined to rob me of my holy freedom in Christ the Lord..... but, more perhaps on that, another day)

Did I doubt my ability to recieve anything from the Lord at that time of regeneration? No... most certainly not..... I was rejoicing and praising His name, looking sillier that a young lad in love.... my eyes opened to truth in His pure form....... I did not understand doctrines or even know the Bible.... but I knew His love... He touched me.... and I was glad.... so glad...
I had no inhibition in speaking my heart to the Lord.. I had a boldness to talk to Him that I never knew existed..... and I wanted to tell everyone that Jesus loves me.... and loves them too!
I could walk and talk with the Lord of my heart, Jesus Christ.

As time went on, I dipped into a bit of this and a bit of that... stuff from my past..... I got bogged down with all manner of teachings from so many directions..... and confusion began to rule ... again.... I was looking too much at me.. too much at my circumstances... too much at condemnation against myself... too much at my merits....
...and my ability to approach the Lord to ask anything became difficult... not because He didn't want to see me, but because I did not feel worthy... I did not feel that I could expect anything from one so holy as He.

Never once did I ever doubt His love towards me.. never once did I doubt His holiness and desire to see me whole and free... I just decided I was not fit to recieve.
I spent a long time calling upon the Lord.... I loved Him dearly... more than life itself, but I asked myself why I could no longer recieve so much....

I studied the Word... putting prayer into my study, putting everything I had heard aside, looking only at His word... and I saw over and again that He is faithful.

The matter of faith was a big thing to me.... as I knew He was faithful.. I never once forgot His faithfulness in giving me life when I believed (see John 3:16).. but it was my faith that seemed shaky... that seemed lacking.... I was the one not able to accept from Him the prayers I prayed....

and then He, being faithful, began to show me something ever so precious ....

it wasn't about me.. it never was.... well, His love towards me was about me, but my worthiness based on my merits was not the picture I should be looking at... there was no answer there for prayers.

Scripture like Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrew 4:14-16
became alive in me.... and once again... the way was open ..... and He continued to strengthen me with joy and His Word.... and I became aware of what I was really worth.. in His eyes, not mine.....

To give you an idea of just how worthy you are, consider this.....
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
and if you consider for as much as you can stand the thought... for it is so very, very powerful, consider what value the blood of His only begotten Son is worth to the Father .......

and now,

see that that is what you and I are worth to Him.. to our Father God.....

and see that with such unmeasurable love He loves us..... in fact, .... God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
and therefore because He does love us with love unsearchable we can approach Him..... being now justified by His blood.


Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:1-5


As a father of many childen, I know what it is like to offer my hand to a child, who is so upset that they refuse to accept my love.... and seeing them cry..... hearing them cry.... but refusing to accept my care....
until in the pain of it all, they realise ...... they remember that I love them... and will comfort them..... and they will be loved unconditionally by me..... they come to my open arms..... and accept my love, soothing their tears away... tending to their wounds.

But how much they suffered first..... how much they prolonged their need ..... how much they unnecessarily held back from receiving from me all I had to offer them.


And so much more our Father in Heaven wants us to come to Him....

yes, we know He loves us.... and we know that He is able, For with God nothing shall be impossible. Luke 1:37

but sometimes it takes a while for that mountain to move.... for that penny to drop..... to see that we CAN accept the things that the Lord would give us..... the healing, the comfort, the strength, the daily bread.... and even much more.....

We know that the Lord is beautiful, that He is worthy of praise... and we pray to Him.

We all have prayed for a sick person.... some have asked for a job, or some help getting out of a mess.... some prayed for peace in a given situation.... but we all have prayed, fully convinced that the Lord is able.....

and He is...

we just need to realise that we CAN accept the answer from Him... we are counted as worthy in His eyes..... we are loved, for God is Love


I pray that these word will help and be a blessing to many.

May you know in confidence that you can accept His blessings upon your life and know His joy in His love for each one of you.... in Jesus holy name.

Bless you ....><>

Br. Bear



Ephesians 3:14-21

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

That he would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;

that ye,
being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints
what is the breadth,
and length,
and depth,
and height;
And to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Now unto Him that is able

to do exceeding

abundantly

above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end.

Amen.



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