9 replies to this topic

[Kevin Blankenship]

Just about EVERYTIME that Jesus healed someone, or cast out a demon, or restored eyesight or hearing or talking, Jesus always said...and I paraphrase: "Go thy way...thy faith....has made the whole" or.."Your faith has healed you (I thought Jesus just healed her). Or, to the Syro-Phonicien (sp) woman who wanted her child healed, to whom Jesus said:  "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." And then we know that the women said: "Lord," she replied, "even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."

 And then what did Christ say...let's look: Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter."

   In other words, there was always some  responsibility on the part of the one getting ministered to by the Son of Man.  Jesus seemed to value the person's: Faith, or their faith when it prompted some words.

   Or look at what Jesus' words (in Matthew 8) about the Centurion, who said: The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

  Jesus responds: When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that moment.

  This is powerful. We are told over and over and over: we have to do nothing but "let go and let God"

  Really?  I am reading something totally different. In my study, I am seeing that Faith is a two-way street.   When one has an encounter with Christ...one is not required to sit there idly while God moves around him/her and just blesses them to a fare-thee-well.  Jesus seemed to be advocating a response from the one being blessed. (healed delivered, etc etc). I am not able to finish my thoughts due to giving momma her meds. Please respond with your thoughts.  I  have an open mind and want to hear you on this subject. The subject?  Jesus's responce everytime that he healed someone, cast out a demon, etc etc etc etc etc.  And the fact that He, the majority of the time maybe, said "Thy faith....has healed you". Does it logically follow that it wasn't Jesus that did the healing....but the Faith?  No no, I am not advocating a new doctrine here. I am merely asking. And I am not asking for ANY OTHER REASON as to learn from more seasoned Christians. What part...or what percentage.....does Faith play in my relationship to God. If alot...then how can I have more faith. More faith.....more interaction with God. (it would seem to follow)

[Kenny]

Excellent post Kevin I agree with what you composed and please allow me to ad a short comment which is along the lines of your post.

 

Jesus never referred to a static faith 

Faith produces action, the action is a byproduct and evidence of possessing genuine faith. 

[elizabethcog]

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God,because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Great post,Kevin,my brother! Faith God gives is from him and is an action word!Many years ago I questioned God's existance and when so low and miserable in my own skin I would lash out at him and to him and yell at him that I do NOT believe in you,Jesus heard those desperate pleas from his child,see God knew, even if I didn't, that I did believe by my very action!! Thank you Jesus for who you are!

[Lori Smith]

Kevin,

Your scenario sounds like how God talks to me. Something will jump out at me and bring me to a standstill. Then I spend quiet time with Him just listening and He brings something to my mind that is specific teaching or a solution that is specific to me. The solution always brings new revelation and peace. Maybe He's teaching you how to have a back and forth conversation with Him.

Shalom,
Lori

[Ginger]

Kevin, I believe something about you that I believe about myself... I don't know what I know but God knows what I know... I believe that the Holy Spirit in you knows all and gives you more knowledge and wisdom than you may know that He gives you as needed...

 

Does not faith begin with a thought? 

 

2 words came to mind and to use e-Sword to look up "only believe"

Sometimes for whatever reason a person can fail to take action and have a lot of thoughts...

God's thoughts are higher.... His ways are higher.... Isa. 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

 

I think of the woman caught in the very act of adultery and Jesus telling her that He did not condemn her and to go and sin no more.... do 'we' go and sin no more?  He KNOWS and gives words for that too.... Believe it's in James.... "if ye sin"....

 

Well, Kevin, for my less than 2 cents worth.   Faith to come, Faith to believe, and Faith to keep hoping that I am believing as He wants me to....  brings me to the only thing I can boast about knowing even a minute amount of knowing about anything is, that God's tender mercies and grace are given moment by moment....... So I looked up "only believe" and just breath in these two words in Jesus name....

 

Sometimes reading the chapters that go with a verse makes a lot of difference too..... And sometimes just 2 words make all the difference in the world.... Seems that the words posted  from Isaiah 34:16 was part of the verse that fostered a bit of reading and even more of a blessing too...

Kevin, thank you....!!!

 

God keep blessing you my brother, and God keep blessing your Momma...

Ginger

 

(Mar 5:36 KJV) As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

(Luk 8:50 KJV) But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

(Joh 5:44 KJV)How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

(Act 21:25 KJV)As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

(Php 1:29 KJV)For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

 

PS: 2 more words came and e-Sword look up, the works posting 2 verses

Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

 

Grace and peace....

 

Kevin thank you for writing.... "This is powerful. We are told over and over and over: we have to do nothing but "let go and let God" "Really?" 

[ADVRider]

What about trust? There are times when you can do nothing but wait on God. That takes faith too; it's just not as exciting as getting healed or set free. What is helpful to me and I am still learning is that the response God is looking for to measure my love, trust and faith is obedience. It's a better word because it is the fruit of these things, not the source. Obedience is not passive either; it is a definite response either to God, His grace, His command, His discipline, or His simple direction, etc. But don't confuse this response of obedience with the common misconception that faith always produces some kind of action, usually seen as some outward religious act. Obedience may be in secret and it may not produce anything outward, at least for the moment. But God always responds to our obedience, because the object of it is Him. Sometimes God will have you do something that will seem to be the opposite of faith and no one else will understand it. Maybe we won't understand it either. If you want to know how to increase your faith, OBEY. Obedience will always increase your faith, trust and love for God, because God will not fail in His promises, if we do not faint. "Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going..." Faith, leading to obedience. Notice though, this was God's initiative, not Abraham's. One is obedience, the other would have been presumption. This should say there is no pressure to dance before God in order to please Him. Faith is not measured by how much or how little we do for God. It's measured by love and obedience. Paul said the only thing that counts is "faith working through love." It should take all the pressure of performance off of us, and it does. But we are the ones who struggle with what God has already done for us.

 

There is more than one side to faith; I think Mark is highlighting one side, which is still real and valid. Just don't get caught up in the trap that you and I have to always have to do something "spiritual" to express faith, or otherwise we lack faith. It's obedience to our Father's voice that counts, even if He says "come aside and rest awhile."

[ADVRider]

Sorry if I was rambling a bit above. It was late and faith is a huge topic. I had written something else for almost an hour and scrapped it. Then, as I was writing what I did above, an old friend who is going through a divorce called. So I might not have said some things as I wished.

 

Mainly, I did not intend to take away anything from the idea that Kevin brought up that faith is a response. It's just that there are many sides to faith and there are some who believe you can work it up so to speak. There is a balance between the extremes of "I have to do nothing" and "I am the man of faith for the hour/name it and claim it." There is truth in both aspects, but it's too easy to absolutize one view over the other.

 

I certainly did enjoy perusing Hebrews 11 though where Paul says in the end that none of these "attained the promise" in their lifetime. But they were still moved by their faith. Amazing stuff. Much more could be said. It would be encouraging if people posted testimonies of times of faith, testing, God's response and the consequent growth. There would be many examples on here I believe.

[Ginger]

 Hi John,

Enjoy your shares. 

 

Faith worketh by love is what came to mind while reading your share.

 

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to do nothing and to wait on God.  Trying to learn, to learn, to learn to, watch and pray while I learn to wait, and trust one moment at a time.

 

The biggest faith test I have is not being ruled by outward appearances, fretting myself over what others may think or say; also my own thoughts.... To keep on keeping on.... listening to Bible or to Bible teachings, reading post and writing is what is keeping me busy... Stopping  to be still, and by faith that the LORD gives moment by moment just to keep on keep'n on  is what I'm giving thanks for at this moment. 

 

The only thing that I can think on after my thoughts barrage me is  thinking about God's thoughts and His "Tender Mercies" and "His Grace"....Pondering on Faith. Hope. Love.... thinking "Only believe", in Jesus name, with a breathing exercise.

 

Hope this  post makes some sense....

 

Sometimes just living moment to moment may be times of faith testing.  Perhaps God's response is the consequence of faith in Him, that He will cause us to grow up because He never stops working in us; and then just accepting that GOD KNOWS, people suppose.  

 

Learning.... Waiting on God, moment by moment, trusting , . . He began a good work in me (in us) and He will bring His work to completion.... moment by moment.... for this moment,  is all about HIM.

 

In Christ's love,

 

Ginger

[Ysa]

Isn't it the old - seemingly - dichotomy between faith and works? 

If I have faith without acting it out, my faith is dead, useless, no-faith.

If I do stuff without faith - my motives being different than faith in God, my works are dead.

 

But if I embrace faith freely given to me by God and dare to act - or in some cases wait for Him, lean not on my own understanding - God is glorified. And that's what I want.

 

"let go and let God" is a bit simplistic expression and rather vague at that. However, it can be one side of a coin which has a reverse side, too. And on the reverse side is what you have discovered while reading the gospel of Mark.

[Kevin Blankenship]

I just sit and read each reply......and I appreciate each one. REALLY!!   This is how I learn: We all read a scripture...or a portion of God's word. Then, we share how it touches us, or we share how best we apply it.  Y'all are simply the best.  I have begun to journey through Luke AGAIN!! (seems like I read Luke about every other week! lol)  To my dear Theophillus!  I just sit there and pretend that I am Theophillus. Luke and Acts go great togther like Turnip greens and cracklin cornbread.  They both clean ya out. Ithat MIGHT have been an overshare.....but the analogy stands on its own merits. Jesus used a very similar one about "It's not what goes INTO the body that makes it unclean....it's what comes out!!!!!! That can be seen .......two ways. (But I do understand what Jesus is driving at there, as he chides the Pharisees for chiding Him and his disciples for "Your disciples didn't wash up before they ate!!!! What's up with THAT?!!!".  And then our Lord and our Savior unloads both barrels. Carnage is widespread!!!! Spiritually speaking.