Christian Diary: faith

Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts

HEBREWS 11:6 NKJ 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Our experience does not always agree with what the Bible says.
For example, the Bible says that God will supply all your needs in Phillipians 4:19, but it may seem like your needs are not being met.

The Bible says that God always leads us in triumph, but it may seem like you are losing. When our experience does not agree with the Bible, it is an opportunity to keep our faith in what God said, or to give up on that faith.

Circumstances are subject to change. But God will never change what He has said. When we hold on to our faith in God's Word, circumstances will change.

Believing what the Bible says when the circumstances disagree can be very difficult. It's a great temptation to give in and forget what God said.

But what greater purpose could your life have than to please God?
Many people strain and sacrifice to please other humans. How much greater of a goal it is to please God!

Resist unbelief! Keep your faith in God! You will be rewarded!

1 JOHN 5:4 NKJ
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith.

We all love to win.

Victory is sweet. One reason it's so sweet is that it's usually not easy. Victory takes effort -- often great effort.

Effort is also required in the spiritual battle of good against evil we are all engaged in. But the effort required of us is to maintain our attitude of faith in God and His Word.

We cannot overcome the strategies of the devil by our willpower, or by our own strength. We must use the spiritual weapons God has provided for us.

As a child of God -- you are a winner! The victory is already yours through what Jesus Christ did on your behalf. Don't let the enemy steal the victory away from you.

Your enemy comes to steal your faith. Don't let it happen.

SAY THIS: I overcome and walk in victory by my faith in God.

HEBREWS 6:12 NKJ
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises
.
Patience is not just putting up with things.
Patience means to continue, to persevere, to stay steady, to maintain your course, to not grow weary in doing good and quit.

Patience is a fruit of the spirit, so to walk in Bible patience you must keep your spiritual life strong, by feeding on the Word and fellowshiping with God.

We receive from God by faith, but our faith has to be undergirded by patience to possess and enjoy His promises.

It's normal for there to be a time of waiting and testing when we believe the promises of God. But hang on to your faith and it will see you through.

JAMES 5:10-11 NIV

10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

God's Word will come to pass in your life. Don't quit believing.
Hang in there!

SAY THIS: I will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises of God.

LUKE 22:67 NASB
67 "If You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe;

No one can force anyone to believe anything. Each one of us chooses whether we will believe something, based on our evaluation of the evidence presented to us.

Faith and belief may have different English meanings, but in the New Testament they are different forms of the same Greek word. Believe is the verb and faith is the noun for the same word. (Like think and thought are in English.)

JOHN 20:25 NASB
25 The other disciples therefore were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Note that Thomas said, "I WILL NOT believe."

Many think seeing miracles would cause people to have faith. But the only ones who believe as a result of seeing miracles are those who choose to accept the miracle as sufficient evidence for them to believe. It is still a choice.

JOHN 12:37 NET
37 Although Jesus had performed so many miraculous signs before them, they still refused to believe in him,

I used to think faith was difficult to pin down with certainty -- something like a feeling or state of being. But now I understand that once we make the decision to believe, we are in faith, no matter how we may feel.

At its heart, faith is always a decision. No one can force you to believe in anything. The choice is yours.

However, we cannot believe or have faith in anything without evidence. We must have evidence that convinces us before we can believe something.

The primary evidence God has given us so that we may have faith in Him is His Word. God is not a liar; He can be trusted. Whatever God says, always comes to pass.

So if someone says they don't have much faith, the solution is for them to see the evidence from God's Word on that subject, then choose to accept what God said as true. Then they will have faith. At that point they may not feel anything, but they have faith.

The primary action of faith toward God is speaking in agreement with God's Word. Jesus said if you had faith you would say. So we express what we believe by the words we speak. And then we stand in that position of faith, regardless of feelings or circumstances.

ROMANS 5:1-2 NKJ
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

All we receive from God is by His grace. We do not deserve it, and we are not able to earn it. It is a gift offered by grace.

But we must access it by faith.

GALATIANS 3:14 NKJ
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

We receive through faith. Whether we are receiving the Holy Spirit or receiving healing. Whatever we receive from God must be received by faith.

HEBREWS 6:12 NKJ
12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

There are many promises in the Bible. If you want them to be manifest in your life, you must possess them through faith and patience.

MATTHEW 9:29 NKJ
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."

This is the statement of Jesus. It is valid for you today just as it was then. You will receive from God according to your faith.

Do not let this discourage you. Rather it should encourage you. Although your faith may not be strong now, you can strengthen it by feeding on the Word of God. It is under your control.

God's Word is faith food. The more you read it, speak it, and hear it, the stronger your faith will grow.

LUKE 22:67 NASB
67 "If You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe;

No one can force anyone to believe anything. Each one of us chooses whether we will believe something, based on our evaluation of the evidence presented to us.

Faith and belief may have different English meanings, but in the New Testament they are different forms of the same Greek word. Believe is the verb and faith is the noun for the same word. (Like think and thought are in English.)

JOHN 20:25 NASB
25 The other disciples therefore were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Note that Thomas said, "I WILL NOT believe."

Many think seeing miracles would cause people to have faith. But the only ones who believe as a result of seeing miracles are those who choose to accept the miracle as sufficient evidence for them to believe. It is still a choice.

JOHN 12:37 NET
37 Although Jesus had performed so many miraculous signs before them, they still refused to believe in him,

At its heart, faith is always a decision. No one can force you to believe in anything. The choice is yours.

However, we cannot believe or have faith in anything without evidence. We must have evidence that convinces us before we can believe something.

The primary evidence God has given us so that we may have faith in Him is His Word. God is not a liar; He can be trusted. Whatever God says, always comes to pass.

So if someone says they don't have much faith, the solution is for them to see the evidence from God's Word on that subject, then choose to accept what God said as true. Then they will have faith. At that point they may not feel anything, but they have faith.

The primary action of faith toward God is speaking in agreement with God's Word. Jesus said if you had faith you would say. So we express what we believe by the words we speak. And then we stand in that position of faith, regardless of feelings or circumstances.

Confession is the act disclosing your sinfulness before God.
The Bible tells you to hang on tight to saying God's Word.

HEBREWS 10:23 NKJ
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. God has no reason to tell us to hold fast, or hang on tight, to our confession, unless someone, or something, will be trying to get us to turn loose of it and say something else.

HEBREWS 3:1 NKJ
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

HEBREWS 4:14 NKJ
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Jesus is the High Priest of our confession what we say. He represents us before God with the words we speak.

The Bible says:
You are righteous in Christ. Romans 3:2
You are forgiven. Colossians 2:13
You are healed. 1 Peter 2:24
You are delivered from the devil. Colossians 1:13
You can do all things through Christ. Philippians 4:13
You are strong in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10
The Greater One is in you. 1 John 4:4
The Lord is guiding you. John 16:13
God is working in you. Philippians 2:13
The Lord is your helper. Hebrews 13:6
Jesus became poor to make you rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

You may wonder why you should say what God says in the Bible about you. First, God is looking for faith, and second, it is the Word planted in your life that will make you free. Speaking God's Word is a way of planting it in you.

Yes, it can take faith to say what the Bible says about you. Especially when you don't feel like it and the circumstances don't agree, either. But we have to choose: will we rely on our feelings, or God's Word? Do we trust the circumstances more than God's Word?

But you may say, "What the Word says is just not true in my life." You are the establishing witness. God has said something about you. Now when you come into agreement with Him, it will become manifest in your life.

MARK 11:23 NKJ
2 "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says.

Jesus told you that we will have whatever we say if we believe it. It will come to pass. So you see why the devil tries to get us to quit saying God's Word, which will set us free.

SAY THIS: I will say what God says about me regardless of my feelings circumstances.

HEBREWS 4:14 NLT
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.

Here on Earth, it is considered wise to save up for the future, to have a plan for how you will be supported in your old age. But how much more important should it be considered, to prepare for eternity.

Some day, you will be living in Heaven. Then you will be glad you trusted Jesus and honored Him here on Earth.

1 PETER 1:6-7 NLT
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Jesus never promised that following Him would exempt us from facing problems in this life. But He did promise to always be with us, and to help us overcome whatever we face.

The devil's whole strategy is to steal your faith in God. Whenever we receive revelation of God's Word, it is to be expected that the devil will try to steal that word from our heart.

MATTHEW 13:19 NKJ
19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

MARK 4:15 NKJ
15 "And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

How could satan take the Word away from someone? Only by getting them to doubt it. By trying to arrange circumstances and feelings to make it seem like God's Word is not true. Why else would anyone turn loose of God's Word unless the Word does not seem to be working in their life?

God requires you to trust Him -- and He deserves your trust.

HEBREWS 11:6 NLT
6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

So hang on tight to your faith in God and His Word!

If things don't seem to be working, ask God to teach you and give you understanding of how to act on His Word accurately. But never doubt God's faithfulness to keep His Word. Not only will this benefit you in this life, but through all eternity.

For whom was all the suffering undergone, which Jesus endured at Calvary? For whom where those hands and feet nailed to the cross? For whom did the precious blood flow so freely down? Wherefore was all this done? It was done for you! It was done for the sinful – for the ungodly. It was done freely, voluntarily – not compulsion – out of love for sinners, and to make atonement for sin. As Christ died for the ungodly, I have a right to proclaim that any one may be saved.

Anyone may be saved because Christ still lives. He lives to receive all who come unto God by Him, to give power to become the son’s God. He lives to hear the confession of every heavy – laden conscience.

He lives to be one Mediator between God and man, the kind shepherd, the never-failing Priest and friend of all who come to God by Him. He lives to be wisdom, righteousness, and redemption to all His people – to keep them in life – and bring them finally to eternal glory.

Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God for the sins of men. He still cares for that mighty work which He undertook when He was born. He is the same as He was when He walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

He pardoned Saul the Pharisee, and sends him forth to preach the faith he has once destroyed. He is the same as He was when He received Mary Magdelene – called Matthew the publican – brought Zachaeus down from the tree. He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Surely I have a right to say that anyone may be saved, since Jesus lives.
“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and heavy burden, and I will give you rest” says the Saviour, “He that believeth on Him is not condemned”. “Everyone which seek the son, and believed on Him may have everlasting life”.

To be saved is to be delivered in the present life of sin, by faith in Jesus Christ. It is to be pardoned, justified and freed from every charge of sin, by faith in Christ blood and mediation. Whosoever believes in Jesus Christ with his heart is a saved soul. He shall not perish, he shall have eternal life. This is the first part of the salvation but this is not all.

Secondary, is to be delivered in this present life from the power of sin, being born again. To be freed from the hateful dominion of sin, by having a new nature put in us by Holy Ghost. Whosoever is thus renewed is a saved soul. He shall enter into the glorious Kingdom of God. This is not all.

To be delivered in the days of judgment, to be declared blameless, faultless and complete in Christ means you are saved. To bear these comfortable words – “Come ye blessed!” while others are bearing those fearful words – “Depart ye cursed!”

To be owned and confessed by Christ, as one of His dear children and servants. It is to receive the reward prepared for the righteous, in the day of Christ’s second coming. This is complete salvation. This is “redemption” for which true Christians are bid to look and long.

Faith is the only thing required in order that you and I may have our sins forgiven. By faith we come to Jesus as sinners with our sins, - trust in Him, - rest on Him, - lean on Him, - confide on Him, - commit our souls to Him, - and forsaking all other hope, cleave only to Him,- this is all and everything that God ask for. Let a man only do this, and he shall be saved. His iniquities shall be found completely pardoned, an his transgressions – entirely taken away.

Faith Pleases God

Faith Is The Victory

Faith and Patience

Faith Is A Choice

We Receive From God By Faith

Faith Is A Choice

Hold Fast Your Confession

Keep The Faith!

Jesus The Saviour

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