Is faith a feeling, a wish, or hope that something will happen? -- The Body Builders Forum

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Date Posted: 06:35:35 03/07/05 Mon
Author: J.R.Smith, c.f.t.,s.f.t., s.p.n. - ISSA, USSA, ISFN
Subject: Is faith a feeling, a wish, or hope that something will happen?

I was thinking abou this subject this weekend and I had a totally different subject I was going to write about today, but I believe the Lord would have me cover this topic.

I have heard so many times that people have faith. The Buddahist have faith, the Muslim's have faith, the Hindu have faith, the agnostics have faith. My question is, "Faith in what?"

The thing is most people look at faith as a sort of hope that what they are beliving in will come to pass, or they have faith in themselves, etc. But that is not true faith.

Here is what true faith is:

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the "evidence" of things not yet seen. Hebrews 11:1

NOTE: due to time constraints and the lack of having my concordance on site with me, I may limit my actual scripture references.

So what is faith? A hope, a feeling? No, not really, although it can affect our feelings.

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the author and pefector of our faith. It also tells us that God has given us a measure of faith. God planted the seed of faith in us, so that we would seek Him out. Once the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and lack of relationship with the Father, then Christ Himself, as we come into relationship with Him, will begin to increase and perfect our faith. In other words, our faith is not from us, it is from the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.

So is it a feeling? No, it is a true knowledge. Have you ever heard the saying, "I know in my knower?" That means you have a certain knowledge of things to be true. How do you know? It's called faith. It's the same way Solomon knew things that no one else knew. God not only gave him the faith but the wisdom as well and he became the smartest and wisest man in the world.

How does faith increase? By studying the Word of God.

The Bible tells us that "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God". God Himself increases our faith when we spend time in His word, which means we are spending time with Him. The Bible tells us that it is faith that God appreciates. God also awards us of for our faith.

Isn't that wonderful? God gives us faith, He increases our faith and then rewards us for having it. But the only way to increase it is by spending that time with Him in His word.

From spending time in His word, we not only increase our knowledge of Him, but we increase our power and ability in Him. Acts 1:8 says that we will recieve POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. The reason for this POWER is to be witnesses throughout the world.

Our faith generating power from the Holy Spirit is there to generate things of wonder that other religions simply don't have. That is what makes the walk with Christ so unique and different and TRUE.

Muslims, Buddahists, Hindu's and other religions don't have the POWER of raising the dead, laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover, words of knowlege, prophesies, and the power to take authority of demonic powers and cast out demons. But through Christ Jesus, who improves, perfects and increases our faith and gives us power through HIS Holy Spirit, we have these capabilities. Why? SO others can come to Christ and have a HOPE for the future.

What kind of hope is this HOPE? Well it's certainly not the kind of hope where you hear someone say, "Boy, I HOPE the Patriots win the superbowl". Nope, not that kind of hope.

This kind of Hope is different. In the original Greek and Hebrew, it means having a knowledge that something will actually happen. For example, I have a hope that the sun is going to rise in the morning. See the difference? I know that it will not continually be dark and if I am having a really bad night, I have a new hope for in the morning when the sun will come up. I KNOW the sun is coming up. God promised it. So it is there. That is the HOPE that faith brings up. Not a wishy washy kind of hope that other people or religions have. There is only power and truth in Christ and that is where we get our faith.

I HOPE this word will wash over you today and give you a hope for the future. If you do not Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, please contact me at the below number and allow me to pray with you and lead you into a personal saving relationship with Jesus.

In the meantime, may God bless all the work of your hands and have a great day.

J.R.Smith
606-271-0981

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