On Faith

I was talking to a friend this weekend and she was admiring my faith and today I came into work and I stumbled onto Luke 17 in which Jesus is telling his disciples that they are to forgive their neighbor, the disciples ask Him to increase their faith. And He explains that if they had faith like unto a mustard seed they would say "sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you." And I think when we read this scripture we think, oh, I must not have faith like unto a mustard seed. But I don't think that's what Jesus is saying here. He's not telling them they don't have enough faith. He's telling them they don't have enough action. He's teaching that faith is a principle of action. The action is in the words they would speak if they had that amount of faith. When asked for more faith, He doesn't touch them and infuse more faith into them. Why not? Because they already have the faith! They just are not using it! He goes on to explain about the Dutiful Servant, which is us. He teaches that we are to go about doing everything that the Master commands, and that the master doesn't owe us anything. We are to be dutiful servants. Why does he put this story of the dutiful servant right after they ask for more faith? How is this story of the dutiful servant an answer to their request? He is saying that we can only gain more faith through action. We don't ask the Master for the goods first, we go about doing everything He asks of us. He doesn't owe us anything. We are to obey and to be dutiful. Are our prayers the prayers of commanding the Master or those of a dutiful servant?

Do we pray to get things and to be given more? or are we praying for opportunities to serve? Who may I serve today? Where do you need me most Lord? What words can I share with the world that will bring light and peace to another? What solutions does the world need for more light to come through to thy children? These are the prayers of a Dutiful Servant.

Faith only appropriates what God has already provided through grace. We receive the gifts of it through dutiful servitude.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

We have all been given the same measure of faith! Faith works through acknowledging what you already have, and using what you've got.

If you want wealth and health you must plant his seed in your hearts. If His seed, or His word is planted in your hearts you will be prospered. (see http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/gods_word)

Proverbs 18:20 death and life are in the power of your tongue. God created the worlds by faith, through His words. It was all created by Words. Words created this Universe! There is power in words and we speak words. You will have what you say- this is a law of faith and of the universe.

Mark 11- 12 ¶And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. 20 ¶And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

So we see that forgiveness is also another law of faith or of the universe. Notice that Jesus teaches us to speak to the mountain, to say "Be thou removed!". He didn't say talk to God about your mountain. He said to command your mountain. Tell it "Be thou removed!" Jesus already came and made that possible for us. We can just speak directly to our mountain with faith, no doubt that it will be removed. But instead many do not believe and keep praying to God as if he has forgotten them. Learn to praise God. Pray and rebuke the problem. "Thank you Father that you have healed me, that by your stripes I am healed." After you praise God, go talk to your problem about God! Your check book will talk to you. Your body will talk to you. "Debt, in the name of Jesus, I command you to leave." Words are important. If you speak disease, it will not work. Speak life out of your mouth. Thank God that He's already done His part, and then command the problem to straighten out. This is the law of faith, the law of the Universe.

Joyful We Must Be

I found this awesome blog post, in which the author explains that many Christians are praying for God to give them something, to do something when all along, we already have it.  We already have the healing, we already have the answers.  And this goes together with the teachings that the answers are all in you, in your spirit.  Christ already came!  He already Atoned for our sins.  He already gave us the gifts we ask for.  We just need to find them.  Whenever you have a problem in your life, there is a gift inside that problem.  That gift is the way of Spirit to get your attention and wake you up to a better you!  To the answers that are already there but we're just to blind to see them.  We can't seem them so we need to wake up. Through our trials and problems we are forced to wake up and open our eyes to a new level of living that shows us more of who we really are and more of the gifts that God has already given us through the Atonement of His Son Jesus Christ, who already came and Atoned for us!  And how confusing it might be to God that we pray to get these things!  He probably shakes his head a little and says "But he already has it!".  The answers are in you.  We've already received all the blessings.  You have the power to gain perfect health, relationships and wealth.  As you draw nearer to God our eyes are open and we can see more of those gifts that are already in us.

This means that when we go to church on Sundays we must go with joyfulness.  Celebrating that God has already given us his blessings and goodness.  We must sing and dance in the knowledge that we are rich!  Rich in blessings, rich in love, rich in health, rich in money.  We have it all.  We should pray with thanksgiving rather than out of lack.  We should pray with faith.  Knowing that it's already there and asking that our eyes may be opened that we may see it.  We must pray throughout the day asking that we may see the people and things we come in contact with as answers to our problems.  When we do this our eyes begin to be opened and we awaken.  We awaken to the goodness of God.  His love for you!  Just because you don't feel His love and you don't see these gifts does not mean they are not there.  They have always been there.  You just weren't aware of them.  And the gifts never end.  This is the best part.  The love is infinite.  We can't understand it with our mortal mind. His love never ends.  His gifts to us never end.   And we can only receive them to the point that we are willing to open our hearts and receive them.  To open our eyes and see them.  And that is why the Bible says:
,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3

 

The Canaanite Woman- Even Dogs Eat of the Crumbs

I have lately been following a summit on miracles online, and as I have been doing that I have also been studying the miracles performed by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

I love this miracle performed by Jesus:

21 ¶Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

 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.

At first it seems so cruel that Jesus refers to her as a dog.  It is important to remember that Jesus only speaks truth.  He did come to the house of Israel.  He's only speaking truth to her here.  His mission and time was largely focused on the Jews. It is as if when we sin and we come unto Christ and we feel rebuffed by Him for our unworthiness.  But the Canaanite woman persisted.  She asks Him for help, she worships him and ultimately she recognizes the truth in His words, and she shows Him her faith.  It's as if Christ just wanted to see her faith.  He just wanted to draw it out.  When it becomes clear to Him that she is possessed of faith, He cannot refuse to give her what she asks.  We are to be as the Canaanite woman.  Persistent and confident in our prayer.  Asking in faith, showing our faith through our words and actions, regardless of the facts of who we are or what we see, or whoever is around us.  She pushed through all of that.  She pushed through the cultural beliefs, the disciples, her own unworthiness, and accepted with humility this metaphor of her being a dog and still believed in her ability to attain those crumbs.  Even as a dog she was going to get those crumbs.  Jesus gave her her miracle.  

A commentary by Father Erlenbush states:

This woman of Canaan teaches us to pray.

1. With great humility, in that she acknowledges herself to be a dog.

2. With faith, because she calls Christ the son of David, i.e., the Messiah, the God and Saviour promised to the Jews.

3. With modesty because she sets before Christ the right of dogs and her own misery; yet does she not draw from thence the conclusion that Christ should heal her daughter, but leaves that to Him.

4. With prudence, in that she takes hold of Christ by His own words, and gently turns His reasoning against Himself, into an argument for obtaining her desire.

5. With reverence, with religion and devotion, because she made her supplication on her knees.

6. With resignation in that she did not say, ‘Heal my daughter,’ but ‘help me,’ in the manner which shall seem to Thee best.

7. With confidence, because although a Gentile, she had a firm hope that she would be heard by Christ.

8. With ardour.

9. With charity, in that she made intercession for her daughter, as if she were anxious for herself, saying, help me.

10. With constance and perseverance, in that she persisted when she was twice repulsed and became yet more earnest in prayer.

 Taken from http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-did-jesus-call-canaanite-woman-dog.html

 

A Good Day

Gratitude and openness to receiving is what makes it a good day.  Open your heart to the gifts God has to give you.  Let them flow through you that everyone who you meet will be blessed by you.  By your eyes, smile, touch, presence.  Let the gratefulness overflow out of you to others!  Then it will really be a good day.

Why Are We Not Rich?

I watched this at work and couldn't stop crying.  I wiped my tears hoping no one was watching.  I later asked myself, what is it about this video that really inspired me?  What's the application in MY life?  The answer is giving and sharing your light is what really makes you rich.  Sharing your light with the world.  Lighting the darkness in the hearts of others.





The other thing I have been meditating on recently is how easy it is for us to tell ourselves a story about What Is, and the story becomes our truth, but it is not THE TRUTH.  We must not let our stories fool us.  We must see beyond the story, or better yet, don't even tell the story.  Tell the story of love and compassion-because that is always THE  ONLY TRUTH.

Charity never faileth

I'm loving these words this morning by  Guy Finley:

For us, the fulfillment of our desires is the acquisition of things, isn't it? "Get him to like me," "Get more of this," "Get that to work." Our mindset works in these opposites of this and that, here I am and there I will become. The Truth is saying to us: "No, no, no, no. Love -- the rule of Divine Life -- before all things." When we live by the rule of Divine Life and its completely equitable (meaning fair, balanced) character, all the concerns we have about all the things we need to do and be... fall away.

A spark of Divine Grace, a celestial seed has been sown into each of us, creating a need to find for ourselves that Goodness which will make us whole and free. We can't create that seed. So what must we do to find the Love that buried this seed, this hidden treasure within us? In one respect, the only thing we can do as a man or a woman on this earth is see to it that the ground in which it lies is properly prepared, nourished, and given everything it needs to flourish. Because if we do that, then that which put this celestial seed in us sees to it that we are in relationship with the part of ourselves that we have been seeking in everyone and everything else throughout our lives.

During the last year of struggle that I went through I kept getting the message, "The answer is always charity.  Charity never faileth."  It's comforting to me to know that no matter what the dilemma or problem is, the answer is always the same, charity.  Charity will never fail you.  It is always the answer.

He is the way, the truth, the light

This video made me cry.  To see how this man longed to know Allah and in the strength of his intent and desire he came to know Jesus Christ, the Living God.  And I love how he explains with such emotion the love Jesus has for us and how easy it is for Him to forgive us.  We just need to want it.  We must believe in Him.  He is the answer to all of our problems.  He is the way, the truth, and the light.