Friday, February 3, 2012

FAITH

FAITH, page 23

The seed of my salvation continued to grow through the matriculation of FAITH.

How would you define FAITH?

According to Hebrews 11:1, Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

The bible is full of God's promises for our lives, and it also shares many stories about others who have exercised their faith.  I will begin by defining faith as a small seed emerging into a thought, then a hope that grows into a dream that has fully matured into a physical/outward appearance that can now be seen.

For example, many of you may have heard about the illustration of how the chair was created. First, it was simply a thought that was taken into action when a person began to create and develope it into existence.  Whenever you sit in a chair it's clearly a reminder of faith. 

Faith has many shapes and forms, especially when we consider the following list:

-  Believing God takes FAITH...Genesis 15:6
-  Only a small amount of FAITH is needed...Luke 17:6
-  FAITH is needed for salvation...Romans 3:28
-  FAITH comes from hearing the Word of God...Romans 10:17
-  Accept the person who has weak FAITH...Romans 14:1
-  Christianity is the only true FAITH...Ephesians 4:5
-  FAITH is hoping in what is not seen...Hebrews11:1
-  FAITH accompanies obedience to God...Hebrews 11:7-12

However, today I invite us to take a closer look at FAITH that is needed for our salvation...page xv

At each stage of our spiritual development we exercise our FAITH for spiritual growth.

While writing this book God helped me to think of it this way, F.A.I.T.H.S.

1.  Faithfully work out the seed (faith), of your salvation through spiritual growth (a stage in the process of salvation) and development (the act, process, or result of being saved) .
Yes, but How?

2.  Acquire a personal relationship with God, as his adopted (He chose you as his)- sons and daughters.
Yes, but How?

3.  Intercede (seek Jesus) prayerfully during the months (a measure of time), seasons (time during your circumstance/problem) and timing of spiritual births (the emergence or your spiritual growth, gifts, talents, ideas, dreams, solutions, etc.).
Yes, but How?

4.  Travail through a difficult experience or situation and overcome prematurity (don't give up to quickly), complications (don't allow problems to stop your progress of FAITH), barenness (don't stop producing the fruit of the spirit-patience, kindness, etc.), and death (don't stop believing).
Yes, but How?

5.  Honor those in spiritual authority by virtue (conduct that agrees with what is morally right) of God's promise (a reason to have an expectation).
Yes, but How?

6.  Seed (F.A.I.T.H.S.) of salvation has now matured in Christ Jesus.
Yes, but How?

The story of the woman with the issue of blood listed in Matthew 9  provides one of my favorite examples of FAITH and healing. Let's view this chapter together and answer the questions above as it applies to her life story.

For example
1.   She was faithful to believe in Jesus as the son of God (salvation), and his teachings led her to develope spirtually as she believed that his power, promises and ability to heal could all result in her receiving healing for her body.

Scripture:  2 Peter 1:5-9

Prayer:  Lord,  I pray that I pursue you intimately and wholeheartedly, while never looking behind on what I tried to build for myself out of self-centeredness (selfishness), but that I long to love you more than myself, my desires, my dreams and my plans.

Resources:  For more on this topic you may also want to visit: http://www.churchofthehighlands.com,/
click Media-Message Archive:  Series- In the World of Perfect, Topic- Perfect Faith page 23

1 comment:

  1. I truly recommend the video: Perfect Faith, by Pastor Chris. Did anyone get a chance to view it or listen to the audio? If so, please share.

    ReplyDelete