When God lets you down

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Willie T

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I don't believe that He eradicates our faith. I believe He strengthens it as we exercise our faith muscle by choosing to believe what He has said even when our eyes see the opposite and our hearts are breaking.
But, "believing" isn't FAITH. The Bible says even the demons believe.
 

Prayer Warrior

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Do you honestly believe your human faith is equal to the faith of Jesus, the Son of God from Heaven!
I didn't say that, but often I have found that we have to choose to believe what God has said. It is a choice, and we exercise our wills and our faith to choose--by His grace.

Edit: This is what I'm talking about:

James 1:2-4--Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.…
 
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Willie T

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I was talking about believing what God has said and standing on it in faith. Do demons do that?
I think the word "trust" might be what we both are looking for. Faith might be more accurately expressed as R-I-S-K. If we have indisputable proof of what we believe in, we are risking nothing to trust in it.
 

Prayer Warrior

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I think the word "trust" might be what we both are looking for. Faith might be more accurately expressed as R-I-S-K. If we have indisputable proof of what we believe in, we are risking nothing to trust in it.
You know, just because the demons believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that is not saving faith. We become Christians by believing in Jesus. That's saving faith.
 

Prayer Warrior

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I think the word "trust" might be what we both are looking for. Faith might be more accurately expressed as R-I-S-K. If we have indisputable proof of what we believe in, we are risking nothing to trust in it.
I see trusting God and and having faith in Him as basically synonymous, so we'll just have to agree to disagree on that.
 

Prayer Warrior

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YES! "Fill you with His hope, peace and joy", which is to say: fill us with HIS FAITH!!
You know, we really don't need to be debating this. God gives us faith! He also tests "our faith." It's both/and, not either/or. Did you read the verse from James I posted?
 

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I see trusting God and and having faith in Him as basically synonymous, so we'll just have to agree to disagree on that.
Here is the want of human faith:
Mark 9[23] Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
[24] And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

How many times have you heard it said, including yourself: "I wish I had MORE faith" ?
Well, if the truth be known, its not to be found in you!! In you, of yourself, "there is no good thing". Romans 7:18.

That in increase for faith, is found only in Jesus, and if He abides in you, and you in Him, HIS FAITH IS within you, but you as of yet, you have not tapped into it.
His faith, which is of Himself, resides IN YOU!

 

Earburner

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You know, we really don't need to be debating this. God gives us faith! He also tests "our faith." It's both/and, not either/or. Did you read the verse from James I posted?
Yes, He gives us faith, the faith OF Jesus, and not that weak faith, which is of yourself.
 

Earburner

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The FAITH OF Jesus is a Gift of the Holy Spirit.
You can't assume it, work on it for increase, aqquire it by human effort, sacrifice for it, or earn it.
HIs Faith is FREELY GIVEN to each of us who believe in Jesus as our Savior.
Unfortunately, many Christians continue in their human form of faith for years, and are barely able to grow in Christ. Many never get past their claim of baptism!
 

Prayer Warrior

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The FAITH OF Jesus is a Gift of the Holy Spirit.
You can't assume it, work on it for increase, aqquire it by human effort, sacrifice for it, or earn it.
HIs Faith is FREELY GIVEN to each of us who believe in Jesus as our Savior.
Unfortunately, many Christians continue in their human form of faith for years, and are barely able to grow in Christ. Many never get past their claim of baptism!
It's all BY HIS GRACE! AMEN!
 

Giuliano

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So what did it mean when Jesus said people were healed because of their faith?

Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Why did Jesus marvel at the centurion's faith?

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
 
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Earburner

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So what did it mean when Jesus said people were healed because of their faith?

Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Why did Jesus marvel at the centurion's faith?

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
There is no one of greater faith than Jesus!
Therefore, KJV- Mat. 8:10 speaks of those men who are "born from beneath", being of human faith only.
 

Prayer Warrior

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So what did it mean when Jesus said people were healed because of their faith?

Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Why did Jesus marvel at the centurion's faith?

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Thank you! I'm not able to give this discussion the time it deserves.
 

Giuliano

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There is no one of greater faith than Jesus!
Therefore, KJV- Mat. 8:10 speaks of those men who are "born from beneath", being of human faith only.
How do you explain what you wrote before? Their faith was enough to be healed for. Jesus didn't have to help them for a lack of faith.

The FAITH OF Jesus is a Gift of the Holy Spirit.
You can't assume it, work on it for increase, aqquire it by human effort, sacrifice for it, or earn it.
HIs Faith is FREELY GIVEN to each of us who believe in Jesus as our Savior.
Unfortunately, many Christians continue in their human form of faith for years, and are barely able to grow in Christ. Many never get past their claim of baptism!
And what about the faith of the woman who washed Jesus' feet? He said her faith had saved her.

Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
 

Earburner

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James 1:2-4--Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.…
Yes, I read it!
James is talking to Christians, Who are already Gifted with the Holy Spirit within them. And of the Holy Spirit, He is the vehicle for us, in how the Gifts of the Spirit are manifested in and through us.

One of His Gifts is faith. That is "the faith of Jesus" that has come down to us from Heaven, and not the faith that is fabricated and mustered up from our ownselves. Our faith cannot manifest anything of the Spirit.
 

Earburner

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How do you explain what you wrote before? Their faith was enough to be healed for. Jesus didn't have to help them for a lack of faith.


And what about the faith of the woman who washed Jesus' feet? He said her faith had saved her.

Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Our human faith is enough to believe in Jesus, but of itself and by itself, it is not enough to endure to the end! Only by the Gift of His faith shall He see us through the trials and temptations of this life.
 

Giuliano

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Our human faith is enough to believe in Jesus, but of itself and by itself, it is not enough to endure to the end! Only by the Gift of His faith shall He see us through the trials and temptations of this life.
By this line of reasoning, Abraham and the others mentioned in Hebrews would have failed; but Hebrews says they all died in faith.

Faith also means loyalty. Are we loyal to Jesus? Will he say to us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant?" What about the "unfaithful" servant the master punishes in Matthew 25? Did he lack faith because Jesus didn't give him enough faith? Is that the reason he was punished?

We may like to think faith means we can "trust" God; but maybe the question is also if God can trust us?
 

Earburner

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By this line of reasoning, Abraham and the others mentioned in Hebrews would have failed; but Hebrews says they all died in faith.
Yes! And you also know that the Holy Spirit temporarily visited upon them, to help their faith.