FAITH

Before sharing my opinion of the greatest area, among believers, where faith is lacking, I first wanted to research the word faith. The Hebrew name for faith is Pistis from pertho meaning to persuade, to be persuaded, faith, belief. What is Faith according to Gods Word? Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen Hebrews 11:1. The Holmans Dictionary defines faith as Christianity in action. This reminded me of the scripture, 2 Corinthians 5:7 We Walk by faith and not by sight. In other words, a believer's walk is his or her lifestyle and what he or she lives is in faith. I feel believers are lacking in knowing and having the foundational key of faith, which is substance. One of the most important foundational keys of faith to build upon is knowing that Faith is substance. Faith is the unseen realm, but by the Word of God it becomes seen! Believers must read and bask in Gods Word to build and grow in substance! This is what believers are lacking in on a daily basis! The enemy would like nothing more for Christians to remain a babe in Christ, to not grow and transform into who we were created to be in Christ (a believer with substance). People in general, and yes even believers have a difficult time believing or placing faith in something that they cannot see or touch (tangible evidence). The Word of God, to me is tangible. The Word is life itself, the living water! I know this because I experienced at my translation but also on a daily basis! Knowing God's Word is not just reading it but living it as Jesus did while He was on this earth! That is an example of substance, knowing that the Word of God is more than just a book with text. Knowing the Word of God is truth/infallible, I dug deeper to find the first mention of faith in Gods Word. In the Old Testament from the book of Deuteronomy 32: 20 it reads, And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very forward generation, children in whom there is no faith. In other words, people with no substance. A generation that is satisfied where there are without any growth, again, no substance. The first mention of faith, In the New Testament is found in Matthew 6:30 and it reads, Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith. The God of provision is faithful, and we should be at a level of faith where we have grown in substance to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jehovah Jirah will provide! We must help other believers know that faith is required to please God, Hebrews 11:6. It will take spending time with God's Word and growing in substance in Him!

Hope, thanks for sharing. Your post is right on time. As you talked about faith being substance I started thinking about food. If I only eat turkey I may be hungry, but if I add some bread (substance), it can fill me up. As believers we must build up our faith muscles. God is a provider and He can do exactly what His word says.

WOW! talk about doing your homework, this just pulls everything out a little bit more for me as Dr. Riley stated in her video. Hope you have pulled some meat off the bone! this just open my understanding more. These are great points, also it brings to mind the scripture in Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. You have to know his word and his will, that everything comes through the name of Jesus Christ. John 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name the father will give. this just mean that we ask in faith and Jesus' authority and it's in the will of God meaning his word then we shall have what we ask. The key thing we have to believe and have faith which is the substance, and the evidence of things not seen with the natural eye, you have to receive it by faith and God will manifest it in the nature in his timing.

Amen thank you so much Hope for going into more detail about faith and I agree with what you shared. I've read and memorized the faith scripture Hebrews 11:6 but it really came alive to me after listening to Dr. Riley's teaching for this week on faith. To know that we cannot please God without faith is huge. No matter how much we serve, feed the poor, prophesy, etc. we still must have faith! Job's faith was tested in Job 2:9-10, Then his wife said to him, Do you still cling to your integrity [and your faith and trust in God, without blaming Him]? Curse God and die! But he said to her, You speak as one of the [spiritually] foolish women speaks [ignorant and oblivious to Gods will]. Shall we indeed accept [only] good from God and not [also] accept adversity and disaster? In [spite of] all this Job did not sin with [words from] his lips. Believing and trusting in God is easy when things are going well but God is measuring the faith in our hearts in ALL situations. Romans 1:17 says for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Amen!