faith
/f�TH/
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Noun |
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Complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. |
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Synonyms |
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belief – trust – confidence – credence – credit |
　
———-There are times when I doubt or question. There are times people are taken off the race because the money didn't come in. There are times you pray for a ton of people to be healed and you see nothing. There are times you are sick and it doesn't go away for a long time. There are times you question if it is your lack of faith that makes you not see miracles, makes you not get fully funded, makes you not wake up in the morning when you pray for God to wake you. (nothing dramatic- I just don't use an alarm clock)
Faith is used on many many occasions in the Bible for miracles and for the things that alter our lives- things we know God's hand was on, but we might not put the word "miracle" on.————————————————————————————-
Hebrews 11–
"By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection."
————-But faith is not only for "fixing" things. God doesn't always have us live in prosperity and rainbows and flowers. Usually, he puts us in the opposite.————–
Hebrews 11:36-38
" Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."
——God is pretty direct about the suffering we will go through if we follow Him. He provides the faith to sustain us in that though. We are not alone. We are lacking no good thing (Psalm 34:10). AND did you read that? "of whome the world was not worthy"—the world is not worthy of those with the faith. "though commended through their faith…didn't not recieve"–that's because we have something much better we are in search of!—————————————————————————
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:12
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Hebrews 11:6
　
be·lief
/biˈl�"f/
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Noun |
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An acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists. Something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction. |
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Synonyms |
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faith – trust – confidence – persuasion – credence |
We say we have faith in God. He says we will reward us if we seek him. He will reward those who have suffered. He says it is impossible to please him if we don't have faith.
If we have faith, if we truly believe in who He is and what He says… we will have action.
We will spend time day and night meditating on His word and in prayer to seek Him and learn to obey him.
This is my joy.
Like C.S. Lewis said, "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing."
Everything else I could seek or love or have a new obession with will get old, fade, die, wound me- but God.
God's love is forever.
and ever.
and ever.
I believe that.
And so with this I turn to seek Him and exclaim as the father did in Mark 9:24 and say- " I believe; help my unbelief!"
