Are you really walking in Faith?

<sup>It's been a bit since my last blog, and I had something else in mind; however, I'm led to shed some light on faith.  I've been conversing with a lot of people in varies backgrounds and organizations and what I'm finding is this phase: "I'm just walking by faith" is just that to most who use it and nothing more because sadly to say they really don't understand what faith really is:


14</sup> What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. ²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? ²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:14-25 NKJ, also read NIV translation


Whenever you proclaim to have faith, it means you're actively doing something to bring about a different result - to bring change. This verse helps you to understand the truth of faith, and it specifies that: as the body is dead without the spirit, so is faith without works is dead also. This tells me that as the spirit gives life to the body so does works give life to faith; therefore, works is the life behind faith.  When you understand faith you should understand that faith is always busy doing what is needed to change the situation or circumstance.

When you speak of being one of faith this should be evident in your actions-your speech, thoughts (understanding), your visibility (perception), your deeds, your lifestyle and your acceptance in how or what direction your life will take.  To often I meet people who say they're walking by faith but they're not going anywhere, they're not progressing-nothing about them has or is changing. Everything they do contradicts what faith really is.  Faith brings change, it increases, it stretches out because it has no limitations in its ability to do what is good, what is right-what it is purposed to do.  Faith makes your hope visible.

Hebrews 11:1 speaks of faith's purpose and ability, it says: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Substance means: essential or absolutely necessary.
Evidence means: proof - now this word comes from the root word "Evident" which means: clear to see

So what this tell me about it's purpose is: faith is absolutely necessary to receive what you're hoping for , but watch its ability; its the evidence of things not seen, which simply means it has the ability to make what you're hoping for become clear to see-to you and others.  However, there is a requirement; you have to put forth some action-some work. Faith is a busy and productive fellow, it causes you to work toward what you're hoping for in order to make it visible.  At the end of Hebrews 11:1 it speaks of faith being the evidence of things not seen, understand that not seen or unseen does not mean nonexistent. Something can be invisible and still exist as with our thoughts and words because they eventually create our surroundings but then that's another blog.   


Hebrews 11:3 tells us how the invisible creates the visible:  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

This tells me that when you walk in faith-faith causes that invisible hope to become visible, but it also tells me that God Himself operated in faith, and He put that faith to work so that He could make the intangible; tangible and the invisible; visible.  Anytime you're walking in faith, something should be happening, something should change and at some point it should become evident.  If you say you're walking in faith and nothing has change, something is wrong; and perhaps you need to evaluate your faith, perhaps you need to put that faith to work because faith produces and it manifest whatever it comes in contact with because it's always at work, which simply means if you're walking in it, you too should be at work, doing something to move toward or manifest what you're hoping for.  So I challenge you, to take a good look at what you're calling faith, and if it's not actively putting forth some effort, than perhaps what you call faith is not really faith at all.

Grace & peace!
Bertha

Any feedback or comments are always welcomed. If you'd like to know more about me please feel free to visit my site:   http://www.berthabarrett.com/JUST-BELIEVE.html

 

Dealing with the original instructions - Part 1

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

First instruction - Be fruitful
I'm always floored at the fact that many Christian today although we confess to live according to God's word we often forget the initial instructions He gave. This idea of fruitfulness deals with a range of things: productiveness, character, the way you speak and the words you accept for your life.


Productivity:
In His instructions, the first was to be fruitful, the definition of fruitful is to be productive. And although for years this was referred to as having many babies God desires for us to do more than just have babies, and the idea that He would give us a vast of abilities gives proof to this. We have the ability to produce fruit from our hands, lips and mind. We have the ability to be creative in a range of ways and yet many Christians today are looking for a sign in order to give some indication on if they should step out and be productive in their abilities-in their gifts. Remember the initial instruction was to be productive, this has not changed - it's still in effect; therefore, the only sign needed is in Genesis 1:27-28.

Character:
There are fruits that we should bare in our character, and although it's becoming a rarity in what is non as the church body it's still a requirement. Perhaps if we remember that we are associated with the body of Christ and become sincere in our living in Him this spiritual character will become and often trait seen in those of us who call ourselves Christians. Galatians 5:22-26 shares with us this expected character:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited (opinionated), provoking one another, envying one another.

In my traveling I meet many leaders from small to mega churches and it seems as many of these people reach what is seen as an elaborate lifestyle, suddenly this spiritual character is no longer needful. However, God still requires it, which often leads me to thinking if He's really as please with them as we tend to think based of how they're living. However, before you mistake me as one who depicts the leaders of the church let me say that this lack of character extends beyond leaders but is also seen in much of the Christian body. We must - and I say we, because I too maybe looked upon as one who lacks spiritual character (I pray that I'm not, but you never know); however, we must become conscious of our character and work on the lack of, so that we're able to do the true will of God which is to love, because in loving we draw others to Him. If we don't get this straight we too will take part in what Jesus is speaking in Matthews 7:21-23:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The way you speak:
Proverbs 18:20-21 tells us how we will eat the fruit of our lips:

A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

How you speak is very essential to your life and the life of others depending on if they accept what was spoken. To often I hear the conversations of those who call themselves Christians and after listening to them, it leaves their confession to be questionable. Your conversation should be clearly evident of your confession as a Christians (God's child, a Believer). Situations and circumstances are subject to change and how you speak over them can affect the change for the better of for the worse. Your words are seeds and they literally affect your life through the harvesting of how you speak. Depending on the type of fruit you desire for your life, you'll need to seed words which will yield what you're hungry for. If you desire to obtain all God has for you; you must learn to speak according to His word, you must learn to speak positively in your life.

Words you accept for your life:
As you should know at the beginning of creation God, breathe life or spoke life into mankind; as He continues to do with each of us. If you understand anything about words and how they react in your existence you know that words are like seeds and depending on whether or not you accept what was spoken it has the ability to produce a harvest in your life. Don't allow negative, deadening words spoken into your life affect how you live. God desires for you to live this life happy, fulfilled and prosperous in every area of your life. One of the greatest gifts God has ever given mankind if the gift of choice- you do have a choice. You can choose to accept or reject whatever words you don't want to harvest in your life.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.3 John 1:2

God expects us to be fruitful in every area of our lives; in our productivity, our relationships, on our jobs, in our conversations, our character, our life style, our body (healing), in the manner of which we prosper and in our influence in this earth. So let's be fruitful so we can manifest as God desires in the earth.

Grace & peace

Bertha