FAITH
What is faith?
Faith is something we believe without seeing! Heb.11: 1,”Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen”!  St.Paul uses the word faith to mean trust and confidence. We all believe in a Creator who made us and things around us, so that we can to use them and live a comfortable life. But do we see this Creator? No! We just feel His presence; we know there is a higher authority that controls each day of our life. We find some people saying that they don’t believe in God. These are the ones of no faith or faithless people. Life without faith is sin. That is, a person who doesn’t believe in the Creator is cursed. Without faith it is impossible to please God. The Lord will hide His face from such people. (Deut.32: 20) A person who believes that there is a savior for his sinful life is blessed.John.20: 29,”Blessed are those who have not seen, but believe.”

If we believe there is a Creator who made us and loves us, we have to know Him. He wants us to be near Him but we don’t realize this and go far away from Him. In times of trouble and difficulties people then remember Him and pray, i.e. they go into His presence asking for help to overcome the problems and come out of difficulties. These are people of little faith. They try to test their faith in the unseen one, making promises of gratitude in return or testing the Almighty’s presence to help them come out of bad situations. These people sometimes challenge the authority of the Almighty saying,”If you are the true Lord, help us out!” Most of the time, to their surprise they find an answer to their problems! They see the results, are astonished and are in surprise at the working of the mighty miracles in their lives. There they are stuck! To feel the presence of the mighty one! To start having faith in the promises made by the mighty one! Their light of faith slowly burns.  They start loving the Lord, their hearts are filled with gratitude, they share testimonies and they become great witnesses day by day, growing from small faith to great faith.

Faith is a putting on of Christ (Messiah) and a complete confidence in His blood for justification. (Gal.3: 26-27.)

Once people have a little faith they go out to face the world bravely. But the evil one is all ready to test this newfound faith! Just as you start enjoying the fruits of faith, the cares and sufferings of this world choke you. Just when you start leading a good life, people remind you of your past and mock you. Your faith becomes shaky. If you wish to increase your faith do not worry, do not fear, do not doubt. Do not be disheartened. James.1: 3 says the testing of faith produces patience. Try to increase your faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Rom.10: 17). Once your faith increases you can move mountains, as our Lord said! You will live by faith (Rom1: 17), you will walk by faith (2 Cor.5: 7) , you will understand the world by faith (Heb.11:3) and this same faith will heal your sickness. You will heal the sickness of others. “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move: and nothing will be impossible for you.”(Matt.17: 7)

Read Hebrews 11 for encouragement. The whole chapter tells of the faith of the patriarchs, how they overcame the world through faith. Heb.12: 2.Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. We should look to Him as our example of faith.

Once we are able to overcome all trial and tribulations our faith becomes strong. Then we can say with strong faith that we can do all things through Christ (Messiah) who strengthens me!(Phil.4: 13)

Once our faith increases we can be happy in the Lord because the Bible says that man is justified by faith. (Rom.3: 28, Gal.2: 16) and we are saved by faith (Eph.2: 8)

This is how a person grows from no faith to small faith and then to great faith in the Almighty. If a person’s faith is truly great, then our Lord Himself will testify of such people. Talking to the centurion whose servant was sick, it is written, “Assuredly Isay to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.”(Matt.8: 10), To the woman of Canaan whose daughter was possessed with a demon it is written, ”Then Jesus (Messiah) answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matt.15: 28)

King David talks about tasting the miracles of Lord and seeing how good He is to all creation. You too can taste these miracles if you have faith, great faith. This great faith in the Almighty starts creating a new world in the surroundings of the person’s life.

Dear reader, at what stage is your faith? We exhort you to increase your faith. Do not look at the world and be discouraged. Remember, we live and walk by faith. It is faith in Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah) that keeps us going.

As our faith increases we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me”? (Heb.13:5-6) because He will never leave us nor forsake us.

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