Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Faith’ Category

Following Faith – Step 4 (Confession)

Posted in Faith, tagged on March 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” – Hebrews 11:13

There is always a spoken element to following faith.

A careful reading of scripture points this out. For example, when Jesus taught on removing mountains by faith he said,

“[I]f ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” – Matthew 21:21

Or when a women who couldn’t stop bleeding for 12 years came to Christ it reads

“For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” – Matthew 9:21

But confession alone isn’t enough, there are three (3) steps that must come before. Many start confessing before they’re even convinced what they want is even possible.

And what did the heroes of faith confess? That they were only passing through to a better place! They weren’t trying to be friends with this world but living with eternity in mind.

– fritz

Read Full Post »

Following Faith – Step 3 (The Embrace)

Posted in Faith on March 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them” – Hebrews 11:13

To embrace is to hold on and not let go.

It was what the Syrophenician woman in the Bible1 did when she kept pressing Jesus for her daughter’s deliverance in spite of insults. It was what blind Bartimaeus2 did when he kept crying out to Jesus in spite of everyone telling he to pipe down.

There is an IF to receiving from God,

“[I]n due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9b

When you see what you want and you become convinced you can have it, embrace it and don’t take “No!” for an answer.

– fritz
1 – Mark 7:28
2 – Mark 10:46

Read Full Post »

Following Faith – Step 2 (Being Persuaded.)

Posted in Faith on March 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them…” – Hebrews 11:13

Following faith is a five (5) step process beginning with seeing God’s promises afar off – choosing to believe that what looks impossible right now is possible with God.

But that is not enough! We must become convinced what we see is intended for us, and that comes through persuasion – an interesting combination of evidence, testimony, and choice. God doesn’t expect us to believe without evidence but he does expect us to allow ourselves to become persuaded.

That persuasion usually comes through what’s called a “witness”, or “testimony”. God provides a witness in our hearts that what we are desiring he wants to give.

Read it in Hebrews 11 – Able had the witness, Enoch got the testimony, Abraham heard the “call”, Sarah believed what she heard from God and though she laughed she became convinced!

Where does the witness come from? Ultimately from God, but sometimes by way of listening to others we respect, by reading what is written in the Bible, and by asking God to speak in our hearts.

Spend some time with godly people – those following faith. Listen to some good preaching (you don’t have to wait until Sunday), have some alone time reading the Bible and asking God to speak it into your heart.

Tell God you are willing to be persuaded!

– fritz

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »