Friday, April 30, 2021

Have Faith In God


Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV

(The Curse. of the Fig Tree)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear...


It is through the eyes our of Faith that we see the universe and all that exist around us, and it is through that same faith that the sick are healed, restored, and made  whole from previously broken lives. By Faith, we know that the voice of God created everything we see before our eyes, each of the amazing sounds between 20Hz to 20KHz  audible to the human ear, and so many more that we can’t. From the lowest of bass tones, to the highest of the trebles, it was God who created them all, and it was He who provided to us, the ability to hear them. To declare that the Word of God is truth, is to say and proclaim that all things: the moon, the stars, the planets, and all that we see, hear, and smell were created by the Voice and Word of God, and that Christ Jesus, is the Living Word of God as described in John Chapter One, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” By faith, we know that He, Jesus Christ, did it all, created us all, and that He is the our Lord, our Savior, our God.


Hebrews 11:4-5 KJV

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God...


Abel gave of himself, his first fruit, as an offering to God, described in the Bible as a “more excellent sacrifice,” but why? Well, because Abel had given to God, the best of his flock, a lamb without blemish, and one that was certainly of high value. But why; why would Abel give such an expensive offering to God? To give such a lamb as an offering is the equivalent to giving a gift of several thousand dollars today, So then what is the reason? Why did Abel give such a large gift? Because of his Faith. Abel had faith in the truth of God, he believed that what he had been taught by his parents was true; thereby, he knew that if he gave unto God, his very best sacrifice, then God would return it back to him, sevenfold, simply because of his Faith in God. So then, why was Abel’s gift so much more pleasing to God than that of his brother Cain? Simple, it was his Faith, Abel gave unto God because the Faith he had in Him; whereas, Cain gave, simply because that is what it was customary to do, i.e., he only gave because that is what he was “supposed” to do, not by faith or obedience, but because that’s what was expected of him.


Hebrews 11:6 KJV

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him...

 

As a pastor, these words were spoken to me on more than one occasion, “before I can go to church,” or “before I can get right with Him, I am going to get clean/straight/sober/etc.” But the truth is this, without God, it would be incredibly difficult, if not completely impossible, to follow through with any plan to get “straight” or stay clean. So, what do we do in these situations, how do we overcome the evil cobra? At this point, the answer should become self evident, we must have Faith. You see, before we can face the demons, and before we exclaim, “mountain, be thou moved!” We must first Believe, “for he that comes to God must believe...”


Hebrews 11:7 KJV

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith...


(Noah’s Ark)

So our There are many times, especially in today’s charged environment, that our Faith in God is called into question by others, friend and family alike. More often than not, the strange and “peculiar thing” that God has called us to do may seem a little too extreme or questionable, both to ourselves, and to others; yet and still, our belief in God implores us to press on. Today, just like in the days of Noah, it is imperative that we focus on, and accomplish, the tasks that we are assigned, whether they appear humoristic, laughable, or simply beyond our grasps, we must strive to attain them. 

You see, If we are to overcome the chains and bondage that daily, entangle and suffocate us, ourselves, and the ones we love, we must have Faith. If we seek to heal the addictions, dependences, self-destructive vices and illnesses that ravage and destroy our families, we must believe that total healing and complete restoration are indeed possible. And finally, before we can make war against the demons, the minions, and the afflictions that call us to sin and death, we must be prepared to face the coming battle by checking our hearts, to see if they are in line with the Commandments and Righteousness of God, do we Love God above all things, and do we must Love others above  ourselves: we must have Faith.

(Abraham is called by God)

Hebrews 11:8 KJV

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went...



Looking back, I can very clearly remember that very minute, that singular moment in time, the exact second that my faith in God, and my obedience to Him, first intersected before becoming intertwined; merged, into one massive ball of Hope. Oh, what a magical moment that was, there are truly, no words to describe it, I only pray that one day, you will experience that moment for yourself, the Holy Ghost.


While working as a retail store manager here in Austin, (Texas, USA) the Holy Spirit prompted me walk over and speak to one customer in particular. The task seemed easy enough, just say to him three short words, “God loves you.” In all honesty, I would’ve preferred not to do it; in fact, I presented my case to God, one imaginary powerpoint slide at a time. Slide one, I’m at work Jesus, we can’t do that here, right? Slide number two, I have no idea how this guy will react, he looks a little rough around the edges, but didn’t I? Slide numero tres, (3) does this dude even believe in You, God? 


(The Slideshow)

The show went on and on, slide after slide, one after another, I plead with God, begging Him, “please do not to force me to go over and speak to him, he’ll think I’m crazy.” And so, after debating with God for what seemed like an eternity, the young man walked over to me, and began to speak. After answering a few questions, I gathered his items, and checked him out. As all you retailers out there will know, I offered him all the extras and add-ons scattered around the register; to which he kindly replied, “no thanks,” as we concluded the transaction. Anxiously, I waited for him to turn away and walk toward the exit door, ending the torturous ordeal, returning unto me, my freedom. However, just as the customer  placed his hand upon the exit door, the Holy Spirit exploded within me! as if a burning ember ignited a vapor of fuel, igniting a flame filled explosion! In that moment, there was no way I could contain it, Boom! 
Out of my belly, into my lungs, and finally echoing through my mouth, a whisper, “God loves you.” To be honest, I didn’t even know if he actually heard me, while deep down inside, I hoped that he hadn’t, I would not be sure until he turned around.


After he had taken two to three steps, he stopped, turned around quickly, and walked back to the checkout counter. After stepping up to the register in which I was working, the young man looked up at me and smiled as he quietly said to me, “what did you just say to me?” to which I replied, “Jesus loves you,” now with an even bigger grin he said, “you don’t know just how much I needed to hear that right now, thank you.” While still smiling, he reached out and shook my hand, before cheerfully turning around and heading out of the door; even now, I can only guess what he was going through on that day. Although we hadn’t talked any more than that, this I know, his day and mine, were just a little bit better after this experience, Faith.


Hebrews 11:13 KJV

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...


Trusting God, and living out our faith daily; this is how we teach our children, grandchildren, and even others around us, how to build and exercise faith in their own lives. You see, it’s a never ending cycle, a story of hope and encouragement, a path that strengthens and guides us toward the throne room. Although as humans we know that not everything will work out quite the way we would like, it is our faith that Prayer is yet another tool we have at our disposal to battle the enemy, and uplift the faith of those around us. Praying for, and teaching individuals who may have a need, how to pray will, of course build the faith of the individual, but as we see their lives change through faith, it will encourage you and I to keep fighting to overcome the trials and tribulations in our lives as well.


(Iron Sharpens Iron)

To the multitudes, caught up in the fray and the fight, to the embattled legions of pastors, prayer warriors, parishioners, and saints, facing demons on the daily, and to our friends, family and loved ones around the world who are fearlessly fighting against the wiles of the devil, I have a message for you. Although we are, more often than not, embroiled in calamities abound, it is imperative that we bring to our recollection, this one very important truth: our faith can literally move mountains. Our faith in God can help us establish, strengthen, and encourage faith, not only in ourselves, within others. Seriousl
y, by sharing the stories of our triumphant victories, testimonies of trials overcome, and the joys of accomplishments of an unexpected nature, with the masses, we show them something a Bible story never could: Jesus is alive, well, and still in the miracle making business. 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, that is a KJV humor; however, it is a very true statement, when we share with others, the tells and the tales of our travels, travails, and triumphs, both old and new, past and present, the hearers, whether intentionally or not, cannot help but to be uplifted and encouraged as a result of the testament of God’s love, power, and grace in our lives. By openly declaring our past failures and fisticuffs, we demonstrate to others that no one is perfect, we all have demons to fight, and enemies to defeat. Truth be told, we are all in this together, and for some, just knowing that they’re not alone in this fight allows them to be sharpened, shaped and molded into a weapon of war for good against evil and for God against satan: as it is written, “iron sharpens iron,” (Pro.27:17) & “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” (Ecc.4:9) 


“God is for us; yes, indeed He is!” 


Gladly I exclaim, that for so many of us, this statement is the absolute truth; in fact, so much so, that I can also guarantee that you, and the greater majority of individuals reading this sentence right now would, to this, also agree, but why? Because that is who God is, He is the very definition of Faithfulness. Jesus Christ, our God, truly is so Amazing, He is truly for us, from the rising of the son, and to the going down of the moon, God cares for each and every one of us, from the youngest of us, to the eldest, God cares for you. To expound the greatness of God and to declare that He is our shield, protecting us from the fiery darts of the enemy, encourages those around us to continue the fight.

(You Are The Handiwork of God’s Hands)

Today, there are many of God’s Wondrous creations, living in fear of some deadline or judgement, for those of whom I just described, allow yourself to recall the many times that God turned your test into a testimony; be reminded of this, the Lord Jehovah is a warrior. Our God is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the King of all kings, our God is the One who was, who is, and the One who is to come, our God is Mighty in battle, He is for you, He is for me, and He is for all who call upon His Righteous and Holy Name, Jesus. Finally, to the overwhelmed, the downtrodden, and the “just old and tired,”  I say this to you, God turned the destructive plans of satan himself into Blessings from above, He performed a miracle in my body, and Christ performed this healing for all to see, where once the prognosis was death or maybe a wheelchair, to now, preaching and teaching His Holy Word: it can never be said that I have not witnessed God work, because He worked it within me. Just have faith, first for yourself, and then for others, and as our faith begins to grow, and we begin to understand why so many in the past placed their faith in God, it becomes even more evident to us that perhaps, God can be trusted with our future.


Look, I see it too, how even in my own life, things seldom work out as planned, and more often than not, the punches of life come at us sideways. The crazier that “thing” is that comes at us, the quicker we should be to fall down on our knees to pray and cry out to God. However, even when we do not, God still works on our behalf, quietly, behind the scenes, and in the shadows. Taking a look at today’s world, we see trying times all around, the atmosphere is so electrically charged that it can, will, and often does explode at even the slightest of sparks, and then BOOM!

(Civil Unrest in Anchorage, Alaska, USA)
another firestorm, no one can contain. Listen, I am with you on this one, things appear damning, but we cannot allow our faith to fail us; instead, look back in time, in the days of our forefathers, and you will find that the prayers were heard and answered by our God who loved them, just as He loves You and I today, He will never leave us, nor forsake us; therefore be comforted, knowing our God Never fails. Just Have Faith.


Hebrews 11:29-31 KJV

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.


By Faith, so many battles were won, by faith, so many illnesses have been healed, Because someone had enough faith for two, many, many relationships have been restored, and the lives of  multitudes of the broken and misguided, 

(Myself Speaking at the PromiseLand)
have been turned around, and have had their feet firmly set on solid ground, all because of faith.
Honestly, it would be all too easy to say that Faith in God is the single most important gift one individual can give to another, but its the truth, and by far, Faith is this greatest gift a parent can give their child. Just have Faith.

Because I have faith in God, I have been set free in more ways than one, whether I deserved it or not. By faith I looked death squarely in the eyes and yet I breath, and by faith, I wake up in the morning, hop out of bed, standing on my own two feet ready to face the day when the doctors insisted that would never happen again. According to the many “specialists, MD’s, PHD’s, and scores more, it would be nearly impossible for me to bare the weight of my body without the assistance of a wheelchair or walker: But God had a different plan! Finally, as I sit here typing this article to you, I can see very clearly, the looks of astonishment on the nurses and doctors as I walked into Nuero-Wing on the fourth floor, many of them asking if it was really me, as I “yes it indeed it was,” they couldn’t believe it. Greeting the nurses and staff, I continued to walked up and down the halls, on my own two feet, with a smile, all while declaring the Goodness of the Mighty God. You see, they had just witnessed the miracle of faith, and the power of God, seeing that I had a clear mind, proper use of all my faculties, their astonishment was now displaced with the vocalization of what many had been thinking, that God is real, and that He is a Miracle Worker: in that moment, every pain filled second I spent there, was well worth it, if even one person decided to test out this “God” that I would often speak about, then it was all truly worth it. Moral of the story is this, Just Have Faith.



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