Chapter 1: Understanding and Strengthening Your Faith in God
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Belief is a by-product of faith. The following is a scenario that will shed light on belief and faith in God. If there is an empty house in front of you and I tell you that the house is owned by someone, although, you have not seen anyone in the house, will you not believe me? Yes, you will and this means you have faith in the law of nature. The law of nature says that every house built is owned by someone, even if not yet purchased, then in this case the builder or the bank owns the property. The same way we must believe and have faith in God.
What does it profit, my bretheren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food
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? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:14-17
It is written, faith without works is dead. Pay close attention to what is being said. Let’s look at an example of how putting your faith to works operates.
If I show you a strange house with a vicious dog barking in it, but you cannot see the dog but can hear its aggressive barks, if I tell you to go into that house, for sure, you will say No.
This shows two things:
1. Although, you cannot see the dog but you can hear it bark means that you believe and have faith that there is a harmful animal in the house.
2. You have put your faith to works by rejecting to enter the house.
This can be likened to having faith in God and obeying his commandments. That is, the vicious dog can bite or harm us if we enter the house. The attack from the dog is compared to the consequences we will face for disobeying God’s commandments and principles.
Believing in God’s commandments is likened to believing that the house has a dog in it. That is, we cannot physically see God but we hear his word and commandments which should give us faith in God.
The same way you did not physically see the dog in the house but you heard its bark.
You not entering the house because you heard the dog’s barks is an act of putting your faith to work. That is, you know the dog is in the house but you cannot and did not see it. The same way you must put your faith to work by not seeing God physically but hearing his word and commandments and obeying them.
Excerpt
Introduction
Remember, when power of God fell on Jesus disciples, and He sent them out to do the work of God’s kingdom, they came back to Him amazed, saying, “Even demons obey us in your name.” Let me say this, Christians have the highest authority ever because the source of our authority is from God, who is omnipotent (all powerful). Our authority is more powerful than that of any government or monarchy in this world. Note we are in this world but not of this world. However, most Christians do not operate at this high level of power due to various factors, including:
* Lack of faith
* Lack of knowledge
* Lack of personally experiencing God
* Lack of time for God.
The power you receive from God can be likened to that of a computer; what you put in is what you get out, or as it is said, you reap what you sow. The more knowledge you have of God the more power you will grow.
Excerpt
Chapter 1: Understanding and Strengthening Your Faith in God
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Belief is a by-product of faith. The following is a scenario that will shed light on belief and faith in God. If there is an empty house in front of you and I tell you that the house is owned by someone, although, you have not seen anyone in the house, will you not believe me? Yes, you will and this means you have faith in the law of nature. The law of nature says that every house built is owned by someone, even if not yet purchased, then in this case the builder or the bank owns the property. The same way we must believe and have faith in God.
What does it profit, my bretheren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food
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? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:14-17
It is written, faith without works is dead. Pay close attention to what is being said. Let’s look at an example of how putting your faith to works operates.
If I show you a strange house with a vicious dog barking in it, but you cannot see the dog but can hear its aggressive barks, if I tell you to go into that house, for sure, you will say No.
This shows two things:
1. Although, you cannot see the dog but you can hear it bark means that you believe and have faith that there is a harmful animal in the house.
2. You have put your faith to works by rejecting to enter the house.
This can be likened to having faith in God and obeying his commandments. That is, the vicious dog can bite or harm us if we enter the house. The attack from the dog is compared to the consequences we will face for disobeying God’s commandments and principles.
Believing in God’s commandments is likened to believing that the house has a dog in it. That is, we cannot physically see God but we hear his word and commandments which should give us faith in God.
The same way you did not physically see the dog in the house but you heard its bark.
You not entering the house because you heard the dog’s barks is an act of putting your faith to work. That is, you know the dog is in the house but you cannot and did not see it. The same way you must put your faith to work by not seeing God physically but hearing his word and commandments and obeying them.
