But Without Faith, Part 2

Welcome back! This is part 2 of a blog I published about a month ago entitled, “But without Faith” where we discussed what faith is. Today we will continue with this topic and look at answering the following questions:

Where does faith come from?

How do you and I get faith?

How does our faith grow?

First, let us recap a bit and look at some definitions for faith:

allegiance to a duty or person,

belief and trust in and loyalty to God,

a firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

The Bible tells us that, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

If we cannot see faith…how can we get it? To have the faith that is talked about in the Bible, we must open the Book and read the Words of God. As I delve into this topic, please know that this is not based on my own opinion. I highly encourage you to open God’s Word and read for yourself, that is where we find our answers. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches, not I.  I can pick a topic and write about it, but I must rely on the Holy Spirit (and so must you) to impart the truth. He does this by the revealing truths in the inspired Word of God.

The Holy Spirit calls you, sparks your interest, guides you and teaches you.  Do not be afraid to dig deep. The Holy Spirit is your Helper, He will help you to understand.

As a child of God, He longs for you to know Him. Take out your Bible and let’s get started.

Where does faith come from?  

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God.”    Ephesians 2:8 (NKJV)

Faith comes from God in the form of a gift. We would not have faith if not for God having His plan and reaching down to offer it to us. We then have the option to choose to accept faith through salvation. Salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ.

God uses faith as the way to bring salvation to His people. God gives faith because of His grace and mercy, because He loves us, His creation, so very much. He desires for us to have a way to know Him.

How do you and I get faith?

“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” Romans 10:17

As we hear the Word of God and the Salvation plan, which is what Jesus accomplished on the cross, we are given faith. Faith to believe that there is something more to life than just existing and going through the motions of living day to day…faith to have HOPE in Someone bigger than us, Someone who has a unique plan for each of His beloved children!

It is the Word of God that produces faith. A person could receive faith while reading about Jesus in the  Bible or by hearing a sermon teaching the Good News or by you or I sharing the story of Jesus—any time the true gospel of Jesus is communicated, there is potential for faith! How exciting! That you and I can be part of the chain of events that God has orchestrated!

How does our faith grow?

If we are not in control of even getting faith on our own…how can you and I increase our faith. I wish to be more faithful.

We can pray and ask for more faith just as the apostles asked of Jesus in Luke 17:5,

“And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’”

Our faith grows as we build our lives on the truth of Jesus Christ, what we are taught about Him in and directly from God’s Word. We model our lives after Him. It is built on the truth of what God says, not what man says. When we are listening to pastors, preachers, spiritual songs, or fellow Christians, we must hold those words/that teaching up to God’s Word. We must stay away from teaching that is not in line with Biblical truths. We need to be careful about who is teaching us.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

We need to always remember that faith was given to each believer as a gift. We cannot take credit for it or tout it in the face of others or think of ourselves in a prideful way.

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 (NKJV)

By knowing our saving faith comes from God alone, it should encourage us as Christians to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought; but remember that God decides the measure of faith each one receives.

So, as we can see from reading God’s Word…that receiving faith comes from God and our faith increases by spending time in His Word.

I want to end on a note of thanksgiving. We should be thankful always for the faith God has given us, thankful that He chooses to use us in ministering to others. It is a privilege and honor to serve the Lord and His people.

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:12-14

May God bless you with wisdom and increased faith as you dig deep into His Word.

But Without Faith…

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

Many of us would agree that it takes faith to believe in God… To believe in a God we cannot physically see. We must by faith believe that HE IS.

Today I want to explore the word faith.

I counted in my NLT study Bible/concordance that faith (in) is mentioned 105 times, faithful is mentioned 45 times and faithfully/faithfulness 20 more times. Almost all of them are in the New Testament.

What is faith? What is the definition?

Some of the dictionary definitions I found on faith are: allegiance to a duty or person, sincerity of intentions, belief and trust in and loyalty to God, a firm belief in something for which there is no proof, complete trust, something that is believed, especially with strong conviction, a system of religious beliefs.

The Bible tells us that, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

I like the NKJV of Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

“Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

So the dictionary definition, “a firm belief in something for which there is no proof” is similar to what Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Evidence of things not seen.”. We cannot see faith. But Hebrews 11:6 says I need faith to please God. To please him, I must know Him, know what pleases Him and know what He requires of me. I cannot physically see God. So how can I first believe that He Is. That God exists? Believing in Someone we cannot see takes faith. Where is my “proof?”

We have faith in God because of what the Bible says. We believe what God reveals about Himself in His Word; although we cannot see God in the flesh, there is proof…we can see His work in creation all around us, if we choose to look. Like that song says, “His fingerprints are everywhere.” His Word is proof.

Some define faith as meaning a form of spirituality. Maybe you have heard someone “spiritual” called a “person of faith.” Spiritual and faith are not necessarily the same.

Or perhaps others see faith as a guarantee that good things will happen to them, like a golden ticket to health & wealth. Example…”I have faith that God will give me ….”

Still others think it is a blind leap against known facts—to take the risk even though the outcome is unknown, they choose to do it anyway. Example, “My faith will make everything all right, no matter what I do.”

Biblical faith is not any of those. In doing research for this blog, I read a lot of different views. This is what I came up with:

Biblical faith is confident action in response to what God has made known to us in His Word and in Creation. We know that He made the universe, He told us. We do not know all the details and we were not present when it happened, but He said He created all. It is an act of faith to believe He did that.

To live by faith, I think is to obey and take confident action based on what God has said about His own character—to know He is real, that He exists, and He will accomplish His will & purposes!

Faith is woven into the fabric of our lives as believers. We know that someday all things will be made right. God again says it will happen, We may not see it on earth but in Heaven, it will be as He says. As believers we will be rewarded as we diligently seek Him. Some rewards we will see on earth, other we will have to wait until we get home. We have faith that we have trusted in the Right Person—GOD.

Diligently, (Earnestly, constantly, vigorously, committed, persistent) seek,(to search high & low for, to look for, examine, to taste, to hear). Seek Him as if your life depends on it, because it does.

Next time we will look at answering a couple questions. How do I get faith? Where does it come from?

Until next time, I encourage you to keep diligently seeking Him, He wants you to find Him!

Find me on YouTube Tami Bemis Cole

Hope

A very good friend of mine recently gave me a coffee mug with Hebrews 11:1 on the side. I love coffee mugs! I have several and almost every one has a story attached to it.

The word HOPE stands out for me. It is a favorite word of mine. A word that encourages me to hold on.

What is the definition of the word, hope?  I found this definition in an article written in 1952 called, “The Christian Hope.” “Hope is commonly used to mean a wish : its strength is the strength of the person’s desire.” 1

What do I hope for? What do you hope for? Perhaps…Calm in this chaos, healing of a marriage, healing from a disease, a reconciled relationship, for your prodigal to come home, for things to be better, to see the light at the end of the tunnel (And have it not be a freight train!)

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”                    Hebrews 11:1

Let us look a little closer at this verse. Hope is part of the picture, but faith is a bigger piece. How can you and I be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see? Faith in God and believing and accepting salvation through Jesus is our Hope. We cannot see faith. How can we be certain of what we cannot see with our human eyes?

We can read God’s Word and believe what He says. As we study His Word, the Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes to the truth. Truth that one day, things will be resolved. Not always on earth, but one day in Heaven.

Another thought I had on this verse was that you and I can have hope that God is with us through each tear and trial, each heartache and disappointment. Our faith in who He is gives us hope, gives us encouragement to go on. To be able to face another day, even though things aren’t all nice and tidy in our lives…we can go on. We can have the courage to not give up.

When I am nearing my limit to what I can bear, my faith reminds me that I have hope.

Let us look at another definition of hope.”In the Bible hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His faithfulness.” 2                                              

I realized that I cannot have hope without faith. I am a person of hope, but really, I am a person of faith. The hope comes from knowing and having faith in Jesus as my Savior.

For me, and maybe you too, life continues to be messy, unpredictable and hard… however, it is also joyful, rewarding and oh so worth it! All because of our confident expectation of what God has promised and the proof is in His character of faithfulness.

He is who He says He is and and He will do what He says He will do.   He gives us faith and faith gives us hope. If your hope hinges on faith in God, you hope is not in vain.

Find me on YouTube.com Tami Bemis Cole

1 & 2 Reference: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ Christian Hope Chapter 1 October 1952

The Burden

The burden that I carry is so heavy on my back,

I am stumbling as I try to move forward, it is strength I lack.

Down again I fall as these trials get me down,

If only someone would help me get my life turned around.

 

I cry to the Lord, please help me, but He seems nowhere in sight.

My path is oh so dark, like the blackness of the night.

I cry again for hope, a faint cry that seems so weak.

The lying voice inside my head’s so loud I can’t hear You speak.

 

You say, “be still” and come to Me and lay it at Your feet,

I cannot seem to let it go, I’m afraid my expectations You won’t meet.

Oh how I wish to raise my head and say I will obey

But fear has got me in its’ grip, and on the ground I lay.

 

Get up my child, you gently say.  Get up and take my hand

I will work out all your trials, just not the way you planned.

I wove it all together before you were in the womb.

I paved the way so you’d be free, I even cleared the tomb.

 

So trust my child, I Am The Way.  I will not let you down.

I Am The Truth , it is not a lie,  I can turn your life around.

I Am The Life you seek to know, the path that sets you free,

I want so much to hold you close, if you’d just trust in Me.

Tami Cole April 2018

Believe

Can we Believe what we cannot see…

Believe…what does that really mean? Are we operating solely on faith when we believe someone?

 

 

 

 

be·lieve

1.  To accept as true or real                                                                                                               2. To credit with veracity                                                                                                                   3. To have firm faith, especially religious faith.                                                                       4. To have faith, confidence, or trust                                                                                         5. To have confidence in the truth or value of something                                               6. To have an opinion; think

believe (one’s) ears—To trust what one has heard.
believe (one’s) eyes—To trust what one has seen.
reference:  http://www.thefreedictionary.com/believe

What about if we cannot see?

Many times, when we believe…we cannot necessarily see what it is we believe…like oxygen…we breathe it in, we have faith that the oxygen is there to fill our lungs.

What about faith in GOD?  Can we believe by reading ?   We have not yet seen God face to face but we believe His Word. We believe the word of others who HAVE SEEN.  We believe GOD HIMSELF breathed His inspiration into men to write His Word.  So if we believe His Word…IT MEANS We believe He LOVES us., CARES for us, calls us PRECIOUS, has a GOOD PLAN for us. YES!

The New Testament urges us throughout to believe in Jesus Christ. The well-known scripture John:3:16 explains that God loved the world and gave His Son so “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Believing in Jesus is THE KEY FACTOR.

I believe GOD’s WORD FULLY.  I believe we ALL have a PURPOSE here.  We are here to uplift each other, to let our light shine.  I believe YOU MATTER.  YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! I believe you are reading this because God has a MESSAGE for YOU.

Don’t lose heart…BELIEVE.

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Life is a Temporary Assignment

Aruba is a great place to visit, but it is not my home.

Welcome to DAY SIX fellow traveler!  

This journey is about finding our purpose in life according to what God says. DAY FIVE I was reminded that life is a test. If I transform my mind by focusing on God, and NOT transforming to this world…I will be ready for each test and see if they align with God’s will.

Here is Day SIX of “The Purpose Driven Life” by Pastor Rick Warren

DAY SIX: THINKING ABOUT MY PURPOSE  (Taken directly from the book, page 52)

“TODAY’S FOCUS:  Life is a Temporary Assigment

POINT TO PONDER:  This World is NOT my Home

BIBLE VERSE:  ”So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (NIV)

QUESTION TO PONDER:  How should the fact that life on Earth is just a temporary assignment change the way I am living right now ”

Here are the treasures I found from  DAY SIX:

I shouldn’t get too attached to Earth. I won’t be here long. I am just passing through. I am not supposed to be comfortable here. I am an Ambassador for Christ. If I am too comfortable here, my loyalty to Heaven will change. I would betray my home and my King. Oh how many times have I betrayed my King and my Homeland?!

How many times have I broken His heart? I can tell you…ALOT! Take my latest vacation for example. I had lots of time to ponder Day SIX. I just came back from 8 glorious days in the beautiful island of Aruba. It is so sunny and balmy and I think a bit like Heaven …

Very easy to become comfortable there. With maid service, free and half price exotic drinks, gambling just outside my door…so many worldly temptations. I must say I did sample a fufu drink here and there and I took a chance on some slot machines…I could easily become “of the world”, but I should not.

It is very easy here to forget that life is not about indulging my every earthly pleasure. The Bible clearly says, “The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:18b (Msg)

As I was enjoying the 80+ degree weather and not missing the below freezing temperatures in NH…I felt a bit like I was betraying my homeland. However, I must remember I am native to NH not Aruba. Just like Aruba…Earth is not my home, it is a great place to visit, but it is temporary…I am Heaven Bound.

I know God planned it that we will never be fulfilled on Earth. It brings to mind these lyrics
There’s a God-shaped hole in all of us
And the restless soul is searching
There’s a God-shaped hole in all of us
And it’s a void only he can fill
Taken from the song, “God-Shaped Hole” as written by Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, Wayne Kirkpatrick Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Eternal values, not temporal values, should become deciding factors for my decisions. I should want to make choices that effect God’s Kingdom…not Earthly life. AND NOT so I can get what I want in this life.

Following God does NOT always mean I will get my way, it doesn’t guarantee success in a career or even a ministry. I just need to be faithful and God will do the rest.

I don’t want to be like the Israelites…becoming so complacent on Earth that I lose my focus on the REAL Promised Land…HEAVEN!

How about you, my traveling buddy…are the choices you make today going to effect Eternity or just Earthlife?

Reference: ”The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren, 2002 Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, pages 47-52

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Steps of Faith

Take Daily Steps of Faith

Do you catch yourself being impatient with God? I know I do. And trust me when I say I have learned the HARD way… I think I know the best way to handle a problem or difficulty…but I don’t. I usually do more messing than blessing.

While waiting for an answer I sometimes stew over my problem…muttering that so and so has this or that, all the while moaning about what I don’t have.

Or I run ahead…I am famous for running ahead. I jump at opportunities that are only good…NOT BEST. I am way at the finish line, neck deep in commitments and looking around for God.

I hate to admit this, but I sometimes even find Bible verses that I kind of “tweak” to fit the answer I want. Have you ever done that? Or am I the only one?? Sometimes I wonder why He even puts up with all my mistakes…and then I remember that He forgets. I long to run to Him, climb up in His lap and say, “Help me, Daddy!”

Starting today, I will take steps of faith that demonstrates I Trust You Lord…and have put my faith on the line. I am going to try to focus on how BIG You are and praise You for Your solution to my problem…Instead of focusing on myself and my problem.

Happy Father’s Day!

Here’s to you Dad!

I just wanted to stop for a moment and say thank you to Our Heavenly Father for Dads, to say thank you to my Dad and all The Dads out there who make a difference in our lives.

If you are a Dad, thank you.

Remember…You may not think so at times, but many little and not so little eyes are watching what you do, ears are listening to what you say, feet are following the paths you forge. You are our example…thank you.

If you are reading this and your Dad is no longer on earth, I am sorry. I can relate and I wish you peace. If your Dad is still here, I hope you enjoy him. I know sometimes things happen that make that impossible…if that is the case, I wish you peace also.

I grew up in a home where my Mom and Dad stayed together. He worked hard everyday to keep us fed. We did not have much growing up, but we did have enough to eat, a warm bed and a good home. I was the only girl and who I am today is a reflection of him…partly because he showed me I could be myself and that I have value. I should aim high and not settle. I grew up in a time where a Dad’s word was true and what he said mattered and I listened. I cared if I did something that upset him and it bothered me if I felt like I let him down. No matter what, though, he loved me always. He taught me to respect my Mother because he did. I learned to drive a car because he took the time to teach me. He taught me that the choices I make today will effect my tomorrow, so I better be careful what I do.

His smile was broad and his sense of humor right on que. I haven’t quite mastered his brand of humor. The one thing I did not learn from my Dad is faith in God…well not until after he was gone did I see it. I learned faith in God from my Mom…I always thought my Dad kind of let my Mom believe for both of them. It wasn’t until his last few weeks on earth, that I saw his faith come alive…I am joyful to say that I got to teach him something (or you might say I was reiterating what Mom used to tell him) …how to embrace faith and believe for himself…and I will see him again…love and miss you Dad. Check out more blog posts at http://www.myfatherswellness.com

Discover your Innate Power

Find your INNER POWER SOURCE and SHINE

One key to success is discovering your innate power and using it to deal with challenges.    Don’t wait for others to open doors for you.  Make a conscious effort to find your power source, use it to fuel your passion, and release the greatness within YOU!   My inner power is Jesus Christ.  “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me”  Philippians 4:13

Faith and it’s impact on Stress

Sunset on Northwood lake

Life and stress… let’s face it…. We all have to deal with some type of stress in our lives daily.  For the most part, we deal with it almost effortlessly and seem to manage just fine.  But what about when we can’t deal with stress?  What if we are constantly bombarded and are unable to deflect the blows?

How we react to stress and stressful situations can determine our health. Some turn to unhealthy behaviors to try and deal with stress, they could include alcohol and substance abuse.  Others may turn to food.  Others still may light up a cigarette or stay up into the wee hours on the internet, trying to find relief, but actually causing more harm by sacrificing sleep.  These behaviors negatively affect our health and well being.

Faith can be the anchor that keeps a person steady in times of stress and turmoil.  Biblical principles can be the rudder that keeps us on course, no matter how the sea of life is tossing us.  These principles often enable us to live a life much less impacted by stress…stress that others would see as overwhelming .

In one of the verses of a song I wrote, called, “Fill me up with Jesus” I struggle with troubles & stress, but when I look to Jesus, I am reminded He is all I need.

“Lord, I feel I’m drifting, getting bumped along life’s way.

Sometimes I feel my sails are torn and any storm could make me sway.

I need some reassurance that the path I walk is true.

Sometimes I feel I’m empty and my resources are few.

Fill me up with Jesus, til there’s room for nothing else, no room for pride or prejudice,

Til there’s nothing left of self

Fill me up with Jesus; He’s all the fuel I need,

He holds me and consoles me, on His Word, I wish to feed”.

We still have all the potential stressors, but how we react to them determines our health or lack of.  If we can look through our “God lens”, so to speak and rely on Him for support, we will not be so overwhelmed.  A steadfast faith and a positive attitude can certainly impact our mental and physical health and impact what our lifestyle habits and choices are.

I believe it is our habits that largely impact our health and the very quality of our lives.

Contact me at Tami@MyFathersWellness.com