Faith, Part I

FAITH PART I

Learning how to be of faith (a three-part study) Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” We’re saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8a) I hope we can see the importance of it. The people of Elohiym in the scriptures were of faith—not tossed about by the lies of the adversary. Without faith, it is impossible to please Elohiym. (Hebrews 11:6a) Sources of Faith Romans 10:7 “Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)” Our faith will be as strong as our faith in what Elohiym has said. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Whatever Elohiym has said—that’s what we’re supposed to believe. Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” 1 Corinthians 12:9 “To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;” Galatians 5:6 “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Faith works by the love of Elohiym. If there is bitterness, pride, strife, we will be weak in faith. Things that Hinder Faith John 7:52 “They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” The adversary uses people to try to kick the foundation out from under us—try to attack our faith in what Elohiym said. A lot of times it comes down to whether we’re going to believe Elohiym, or believe men. Paul referred to himself as being a faith-destroyer (in time past: Galatians 1:23). Romans 3:4 “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Let Elohiym be true, but every man a liar. (We need to have this attitude, or else we’ll end up shipwrecked.) Be aware that people lie¹—change details, leave out things— say, I tried that, and it didn’t work. Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness (Proverbs 20:6). (They leave out untidy details.) People are liars, but Elohiym is not able to do that (Titus 1:2). Elohiym has sent His Word from heaven—it is our foundation. Matthew 12:33 “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.”

Something that’s producing something. Not aiming for the product, but the producer. Matthew 23:26 “[Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” Go for the root of the problems: Make the heart good, and the outside manifestations will show good of their own. (Not try to make the outward manifestations appear good, but make our hearts good.) What is the root of the matter? [What is in our hearts that is causing the evil manifestations?] The fruit will be good if the tree is good. Spiderspiderweb. Get rid of spider, then the web will not continue to come back. Romans 1:17² “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Elohiym gives us a certain amount of faith. If we are faithful with that, He will give us more. And then we can stand on that. A characteristic of a righteous person: they are seeking to live by faith. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). 1 Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” Faith is like a muscle—it gets stronger as it is used… Elohiym puts us through things to strengthen our faith. I hope we can appreciate these things. “Tribulation worketh patience; And patience experience, and experience, hope; And hope maketh not ashamed…” (Romans 5:3-5) We learn: Elohiym got us through that, He can get us through this. So have faith and hope. Mark 6:5,6 “And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed [them]. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.” Yeshua’s work was greatly hindered by doubt. Reject that. Do not allow hearts to be contaminated by that. Numbers 14:11 “And YAHVEH said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?” It was very provoking to Elohiym after all they had seen. The camp had been contaminated by others’ doubt. Numbers 13:31,32 “But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they [are] stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, [is] a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it [are] men of a great stature.” An evil report—a report of doubt: “We are not able. Elohiym is not able.” Joshua and Caleb saw things as they were. (“Let us go in there and do what Elohiym said.”) (Numbers 13:30, 14:6-9) Others believed the adversary. If we don’t believe what Elohiym says, we’re believing what the adversary says. That is a grief. 1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.” “..because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) We can overcome the world hrough faith…If we have the faith, we have the substance of that hope of overcoming the world. If we have he faith, we have the victory. Hold onto that El is able to do even more than we can think or know. (Ephesians 3:20)

1 Timothy 1:4 “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do].” Faith brings chassidut edifying—When we speak faith, are of faith, think faith. Doubt, etc.—we need to reject. Those are lies of the adversary. (Doubt is just believing lies.) We can edify self, edify others by being of faith. There is a lot to meditate on of the goodness of YAHVEH and the greatness of YAHVEH. ¹People don’t have a conviction about lying, a lot of the time. ²From Habakkuk 2:4 ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:” Hebrews 11:6 “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.” Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Galatians 1:23 “But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.” Proverbs 20:6 “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” Romans 14:23 “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.” Romans 5:3-5 “And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Numbers 13:30 “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 14:6-9 “And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, [which were] of them that searched the land, rent their clothes And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, [is] an exceeding good land. If YAHVEH delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against YAHVEH, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they [are] bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and YAHVEH [is] with us: fear them not.” 1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”