BLOGWORDS – Sunday 7 October 2018 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – ABIDING FAITH

FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – ABIDING FAITH

 

As believers don’t we all profess our faith? At the very least in His existence? But what of daily living? What of faith in facing the mess that is our world? And what is faith?

 

Faith, noun, complete trust or confidence in someone or something

 

That’s the dictionary definition. God’s definition is a bit more comprehensive:

 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11: 1

 

Wikibooks goes on to say, “Faith is the connecting power into the spiritual realm, which links us with God and makes Him become a tangible reality to the sense perceptions of a person. Faith is the basic ingredient to begin a relationship with God.”

 

And how do we get it?

 

… God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  Romans 12:3

 

and

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.  Ephesians 2:8

 

So that’s it then, right? We all have our measure of faith, and that’s meant to sustain us through life? Right? Seems to me it goes beyond that. Way beyond that.

 

So then faith comes by hearing,  and hearing by the word of God.  Romans 10:17

 

The wording of this verse has always puzzled me. “…faith comes my hearing…” pretty clear. But, “… hearing by the word of God.” I didn’t get that. I mean, if I’m hearing the Word, how do I hear by the Word?

 

Father God explained it to me; my natural ears hear the Word, spoken aloud, which feeds my spirit man. Two different realms. We are, after all, spirit beings. That’s what He meant when He said, “Let us make man in our own image.” ( Genesis 1:26) He didn’t mean He has a corporal body—He only did that when He was born in a stable. Rather, in His image refers to the Spirit.

 

We are spirit, we have a soul (mind and emotions), and we live in a corporal body.

 

So as we feed our mind, which incidentally silences the enemy, we feed our spirit man. And for our faith to grow we must exercise it.

 

In one translation, it says:

 

If we are saved by faith alone… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  Philippians 2:12-13

 

“Work out our salvation” is not sitting idly by until we leave this world for eternity in heaven. Work out sounds an awful like exercise… jus’ sayin’

 

I heard a story once of Smith Wigglesworth, (10 June 1859 – 12 March 1947) a British evangelist who was influential in the early history of Pentecostalism. He was awakened in the middle of the night by Satan himself, in a rather Dickens-y scenario—rattling, clanging noise, bed shaking and shifting. Upon opening his eyes and realizing who was in his bedchamber, Mr. Wigglesworth said, rather calmly I imagine, “Oh. It’s just you.” And he closed his eyes to go back to sleep. “And by the way,” he said. “Put my bed back where you found it.”

 

What measure of faith! To know that even with Lucifer himself manifest in his bedroom, Smith Wigglesworth knew the enemy could NOT.TOUCH.HIM.

 

And I remember thinking, I want that kind of faith.

 

I couldn’t pinpoint when I heard that story, but I can say that my faith, while perhaps not so bold, is on that level. Stray thoughts, doubts, fears that creep into my mind to taunt me and pull me into doubt—I cast them down in much the same way Mr. Wigglesworth does in that story.  “No,” I say, knowing God’s Word backs me up. Knowing that the enemy cannot lay a hand on my spirit man—which is what he wants. Knowing that no matter my circumstance in the natural, I walk and live—and abide in—the authority given me by God the Father.

 

That’s abiding faith. Confidence in the One who reigns over all. Confidence in the face of all that is contrary. Confidence when facts and evidence belie the Truth.

 

Faith is a weapon of spiritual warfare. It is our shield against the enemy.

 

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  (emphasis mine)  Ephesians 6:14-17

 

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.  Matthew 8:23-26

When those fiery darts bounce off, as in the story of Smith Wigglesworth, as Jesus sleeping in the boat, we can rest in complete and utter assurance that Father God holds us in the palm of His hand. In the midst of the storm, in the assault that swirls around us. We rest. We are at peace.

 

That’s abiding faith.

 

 

#Blogwords, Front Porch Fellowship, #FPF, Sunday Devotion, Abiding Faith, Hebrews 11:1, Romans 12:3, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:17, Genesis 1:26, Philippians 2:12-13, Ephesians 6:14-17, Matthew 8:32-26

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BLOGWORDS – Sunday 31 December 2017 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – ANTICIPATION

FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – ANTICIPATION

Anticipation. Expectation. Hope. Eagerness. Keenness. Excitement. Faith.

 

As we approach the New Year, I am filled with a great sense of anticipation and excitement. An almost tangible sense of what’s to come, of promises fulfilled. And the journey that got me here is faith.

 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

 

Faith is a journey that begins at salvation. It’s a step into the unknown, into the spirit realm. It’s taking the hand of God the Father, and taking Him at his Word. It’s walking in righteousness and peace and Truth.

 

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. Ephesians 6:14-18

 

Faith is learning who He is so we can know who we are.

 

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

 

Faith is walking in confidence that what He says is true. Faith is trusting God for who He is.

 

There is the gift of faith.

 

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. Romans 12:3

 

And the act of faith.

 

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? ²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:14 & 26

 

Faith isn’t a one-time event. It’s a living thing that grows—or withers and dies.

 

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

 

Faith is an anchor. It doesn’t keep us from the storms, the disasters, catastrophes of this world, even our own foolishness. Faith takes us through them.

 

¹Therefore, 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. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5

 

And with faith, we bring hope to hopeless situations, hopeless people. We bring light to darkness and healing to crushed hearts and spirits.

 

Hope burns with anticipation and excitement. And in the final days of 2017, anticipation and excitement are bubbling over in my heart.

 

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

 

#Blogwords, Front Porch Fellowship, #FPF, Sunday Devotion, Anticipation, Excitement, Expectation, Hope, Eagerness, Keenness, Faith, Hebrews 11:1, Ephesians 6:14-18, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 12:3, James 2:14 & 26, Romans 10:17, Romans 5:1-5, Psalm 37:4

 

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