When I first sat down to write this study I had another topic in mind, but as I thought, and prayed about it I felt the Lords leading to the topic I have chosen for tonight.
Over the past seven years that I have been on IRC I have noticed a very disturbing fact among believers I have encountered. Very few Christians today have faith in the God they claim to serve, Tonight I hope to shed light upon this fact and maybe in some way help you all to deal with the things happening in your life in a more Christ centered way.
Faith
is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil
1:27;
2th
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.
Webster’s*
Defines faith as
3. (Theol.) (a) The belief in the historic
truthfulness of the Scripture narrative, and the supernatural origin of its
teachings, sometimes called historical and speculative faith. (b)
The belief in the facts and truth of the Scriptures, with a practical love of
them; especially, that confiding and affectionate belief in the person and work
of Christ, which affects the character and life, and makes a man a true
Christian, -- called a practical, evangelical, or saving
faith.
There are those that may say “but I have no faith” the bible tells us in Romans that every one has been given faith.
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. The Bible also says
that we should live by that faith.
Types Of Faith:
Some have little faith – Matthew 8:23 –27 (what you spent the most time dwelling upon is what you have faith in.)
Some have faith that is not weak – Romans 4:19
Some have growing faith – 2 Thessalonians 1:3
Some have strong faith – Matthew 8:5-13
Some are full faith – Acts 6:5
Some are rich in faith – James 2:5
God
has given us all faith, from the point of salvation on you have a measure of
faith, I believe that this faith starts out small and through our learning of
the word grows (Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God.) When we are first born again we are but children, we need
growth, if you were to pray for a new house when first born again, how many
know that you probably wouldn’t get one. This isn’t due to the fact Christ
couldn’t do it or the fact he doesn’t hear your prayer but if he were to hand
it right over where is your faith what are you standing upon. So often I see
people crying out for the same things over and over again and yet instead of
having Faith in God to do as they have asked they continue to feed the Man. I
am sure most of you have heard the saying garbage in garbage out. You are what
you eat. Church we need to awaken to the fact that today we spend more time in
the world then we do in Christ. The TV, Newspapers, Radios, magazines, and the
phone run our days. This fact hit home to me last night as I was reading a book
on the Great evangelists of this century and looked up to see my children
engrossed in the TV. I realized that it wasn’t them that had started this it is
what I had shown them. Today more and more we dwell upon the worldly. Let me
ask you what do you feed.
How
many times have you said I feel like crying, I am so tired (guilty 0/ ), I cant
take this anymore, Church where is your faith, where is your strength. If you
are like most you spend a limited time in the word.
Here are some things I have observed
in my 7 yrs in chat
Church
its time to stop the I Cants and start the, I cans through Christ that
strengthens me.
We
need to start growing our faith, like a seed we need to water and feed it.
Nurture it and care for it. If we so not use our faith it will dry up.
How
then do we do this?
First
we must repent of the negativity and doubt we have shown
I
am a chosen Child of the Living God
He
has given me authority in his name to carry out his purpose in my life
I
am significant.
I
trust in him with all that I am.
People
this doesn’t mean that the enemy is going to stop telling lies, he is the
father of lies. Nor does it mean that all of a sudden your life will become a
bed of roses. What it does mean is that you have made the step to healing and
accepting Christ’s headship in your life, you have chosen to hear what he says
you are and not what man says. For as long as we feed our spirit with the words
of man we will be unable to become what Christ intends us to be in him. Begin
by feeding your spirit the Word, and fellowship with Christ. Spend time in
communion with him as we learned in the spirit filled prayer life.
But
Paul I don’t understand the bible.
To
this I will ask did you understand any book when you first learned how to read?
Obviously
the answer is No, But what happened as you spent time reading you began to
understand more and more and with your teachers help you soon were able to read
whole books with understanding, well Church we too have a teacher with us today
as he was back then, The Holy Spirit is there waiting for you to ask him for
his help. Take it one step at a time and I promise you, you will begin to see
new things as you read the word and your Life will change for the better.