Our temporary faith

[Stranger]

As Christians we strive to grow our faith. To be a people of faith. To be faithful in the face of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Sometimes it is extremely difficult in light of our experiences. In light of our failures. In light of the world's attacks against God and us. In light of the things even God brings into our lives. But, the greater the opposition, the greater the opportunity. The greater the tragedy, the greater the opportunity. To be found faithful.

And, this is our only chance to be a people of faith. This is our only chance to grow our faith. To see and know God and Christ though we cannot see him physically. To operate by a Christian faith instead of by sight. Our lives here on this earth is the only time we can do this.

For, in that day, when we get there, we will see Him. We will know as we are known. Faith is no more. We will operate by sight at that time. Faith is temporary.

This encourages me to use every opportunity to exercise my faith and grow it as much as possible. When opposition or tragedy, or life gets difficult, to use that time to increase my faith. To see in others no matter what their trial, it is their opportunity also to exercise faith. To see as God sees.

Faith in God and Christ no matter the situation. I read in a newspaper years ago of a pastor telling a man who was experiencing tragedy, that God had a lot of explaining to do. What terrible advice. Not only did he have a lack of faith, but he was teaching a lack of faith.

Contrary to that , a great Bible teacher told us once to never begrudge the worldly man for any good thing he gains in this life. For that is the only heaven he will ever know. And, never feel too sorry for a believer and what he is going through, because that is the only hell he will ever know. Seeing as God sees. Faith.

Faith is temporary, we should make the most of it.

Stranger

 

[bbyrd009]

nice, Stranger

 

[Armadillo]

As Christians we strive to grow our faith.

Weak faith is for those who have a poor opinion of and feel distant from God and strong faith is for those who view God as a loving Father and there is no separation from Him. So, whether your faith is strong or weak, you are His and whether you strive or not, you are His.

Faith in God and Christ no matter the situation.

Strong faith is living by the faith of, not in, the Son of God. Strong faith is His, His faith doesn't waver, He is always faithful, even to the Cross and without His faith, my faith is nothing but a hill of beans.

 

[Helen]

@Stranger Thank you...great post!!

Yes, we grow in faith...for me it has often been a bit painful.
We heard the phrase " No guts, no glory"
Same with faith...no testing...no growth of faith!! That has been my experience anyway.

 

[Albert Finch]

Our faith is not dependent on our feelings but is realized through our actions.

FAITH IS SPELLED -- R-I-S-K

Playing it safe isn't faith. There is this tendency to have everything predictable and under control, but it results in a quite boring life with little promise associated with it. God wants to have a people who are willing to go for it.

There is this willingness to sink, look bad, or even be insulted that is associated with the life of faith where we are not as concerned about our reputation because our desperation has taken over.

God responds to persistence. Faith does not take "no" for an answer or quit. It is better to "go for it" with all the adventure, excitement, and wonder rather than having all the answers and everything figured out.

STEPPING OUT ONTO THE WATER

2 Corinthians 5:7 - "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

It goes the same for those who, although they don't feel it, still step out into the waters with Jesus and watch Him do His miracles. Our actions speak louder than what we feel. Because, whether we feel it or not, the bottom line is whether we took action on it. Our actions make our faith complete. Faith without actions is dead. (James 2:14-26)

WE NEED A REVOLUTION IN OUR HEART

A revolution is defined as a "turning." God wants to turn our lives in His direction to follow in the footsteps of faith where we live dependent upon Him in every aspect of our lives. Revolution is also defined as a change in government. God wants to govern our lives to live in His presence with a radical faith that won't EVER GIVE UP until the result comes. (see Luke 18:1-8).

In essence, faith is totally focused on the goal without concern of the extremes needed to get there. God has given every one of us that measure of faith, residing in us, ready to be activated in a revolutionary way. Allow God to start this faith revolution in your heart today.

 

[Windmillcharge]

Faith is temporary.

A better word to use is Trust.
If you replace faith with trust you have the same meaning, but also the knowledge that faith is eternal.
We will never cease to trust our saviour.

 

[Stranger]

A better word to use is Trust.
If you replace faith with trust you have the same meaning, but also the knowledge that faith is eternal.
We will never cease to trust our saviour.

If I replace faith with trust and both have the same meaning, why is 'Trust' a better word? Makes no sense.

I never said we will never cease to trust our Saviour. Please pay attention.

I said 'faith' is temporary. For now we have the chance and opportunity to walk by faith. There we will walk by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7)

Stranger

 

[bbyrd009]

the Scientific Method if i ever heard it!
"
In the classics our word was also used as a categorical term that referred to gadgets and devices that were designed to entertain and marvel audiences. When post-Platonic Greek philosophy deviated from Aristotle's scientific method, the many various schools and temples had to advertize their claims to insight by means of clever machines and luring tricks. The first steam engines and magnetic levitations were accomplished as crowd pleasers and money makers. Jesus' famous fury against the Temple's money changers should be viewed relative to the lamentable descent of Greek wisdom into the throes of carnivalesque capitalism..." Of theories and theaters and the cross of Christ

 

[bbyrd009]

"
In Biblical terms, humanity can be divided into two groups: (1) folks who pursue truth, and (2) folks who pursue a collective identity. Most people today belong to the second group, and seek inclusion with an established collective identity much rather than the absolute brutal truth of reality. All modern temples and churches are theatres; in them professional actors act out the great human mysteries in recognizable symbols. And just like a viewing of Romeo and Juliet might bring a person to tears, whilst being very much aware that the whole thing is staged, so might a well delivered discourse on the adventures of Darth Vader arouse the hunger for empires and world domination in any most enlightened spectator.

Religions are companies like soccer clubs. Besides their books and music, their main product is inclusivity, and their marketing aims to convince followers of their club's superiority even when the numbers show that they are not. Higher up the food chain, the managers are quite aware that all clubs exist by sheer merit of the competition, and higher still the borders between clubs dissolve all together and sentiments are recognized as mere expressions of the same soul of life.

It's a slightly tricky distinction but unlike the modern sense of truth, the Biblical sense of truth has to do with convention, and the pursuit of truth has to do with finding ways to describe reality in such a way that nobody has a reasonable objection. This is called the Scientific Method and the Scientific Method is all about confirmation rather than private conviction..." ειρηνη | Abarim Publications Theological Dictionary (New Testament Greek)

 

[Windmillcharge]

If I replace faith with trust and both have the same meaning, why is 'Trust' a better word? Makes no sense.

I never said we will never cease to trust our Saviour. Please pay attention.

I said 'faith' is temporary. For now we have the chance and opportunity to walk by faith. There we will walk by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7)

Stranger

The point is they don't have the same meaning.
For many people faith meane 'I wish' while trust means 'I can depend on'.
These are not the dictionary meaning just how people use these words.

 

[Stranger]

The point is they don't have the same meaning.
For many people faith meane 'I wish' while trust means 'I can depend on'.
These are not the dictionary meaning just how people use these words.

I don't really care what many people think 'faith' means. I am using it as it is used in the Scripture. You can haggle over 'trust' and any other dictionary meaning you want. Faith is exactly what I wanted to use.

Stranger

 

[Windmillcharge]

I don't really care what many people think 'faith' means. I am using it as it is used in the Scripture. You can haggle over 'trust' and any other dictionary meaning you want. Faith is exactly what I wanted to use.

Stranger

That is up to you, but words have both a dictionary meaning and the meaning that people asign to them.
Talking to mormons with your attitude and you will find they are Christian as they use Christian words but have a mormon meaning.

 

[Stranger]

That is up to you, but words have both a dictionary meaning and the meaning that people asign to them.
Talking to mormons with your attitude and you will find they are Christian as they use Christian words but have a mormon meaning.

I look for the meaning Scripture gives the word.

First of all, I am not talking to Mormons. I am talking to believers in Jesus Christ. I am not worried about how others may misrepresent a word. As I said, I gave it as it is given in the Scripture. It is the word I wanted to use. When I speak of Jesus Christ, I don't worry about how muslims or mormons view Jesus Christ unless I am talking directly to them.

Stranger