Thursday, July 16, 2015

Light Shines in Darkness


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2 Corinthians 4:6 “ For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” NASB

For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Amplified

 It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.   Message

For God who said
“It all starts with what God says. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word. Genesis 1:3 “Then God said, “Let there be light and there was light.”” It is the same with us. Job 22:28 “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And light will shine on your ways.”

It all starts with what we say. Or does it? True we need to say what needs to be done first. Yet go back to Genesis. God spoke and light became. Yet before God spoke, in verse 2 the Spirit of the God was moving over the surface of the waters. We can't speak with authority unless we are moving with the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God moves then we move as He is moving. We speak as He wishes us to speak.

Jesus did not speak on His own initiative.
John 12:49 "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.”

We speak as we are led by God. That is the same as praying in Jesus name. We can pray with authority and we can speak with authority. We can pray with confidence and we can speak with confidence. We can pray with power and we can speak with power. Just as Mark 11:23,24 teach. But just as in Mark 11:23,24 there is a prerequisite of faith before there can be power. We can also speak when we have faith first. And where does faith come from? It comes from hearing God's word with our spiritual ears. Revelation 2 & 3 says 7 times he who has ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Do we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying? We can with the willingness of living for Christ and not for ourselves. The context of 2 Corinthians 4:6 is death to self. We don't live for ourselves, but we live for the purpose of God. John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

We can have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying when we have a desire to do the will of God.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Faith Laws Revised



I posted this list in November 2011. I went back over them with revisions, and now I have 97 laws. 

Faith Laws Romans 3:27

1. Each of us are given faith Romans 12:3
2. Forgiveness enables faith to work, while unforgiveness cancels faith. Mark 11:25
3. Our speech has the power of life and our speech has the power of death. Prov 18:20,21 
4. Faith is a decision. We decided to have faith. Or we continue in the natural. Mark 11:22 
5. Faith is a decision on our part, or why would we be commanded to have it. Deut 30:19,20
6. Command the problem to go. Or cower under the problem Mark 11:23
7. We can believe what we command or doubt our command. Mark 11:2 The answer will come for those who command with belief. Mark 11:23
8. Believe what you ask for and you receive. The answer comes for those who believe they have received. Mark 11:24
9. Search for God with all your heart. Faith is not half-hearted. Jer 29:13
10. Praying night and day builds faith. Luke 18:1-8
11. When your prayer of worry turns to praise. Your prayer is building faith. Philippians 4:6-9
12. Humble prayers bring the answer while self righteous prayers are useless. Luke 18:9-14
13. Praying in the Holy Spirit (tongues) builds faith. Jude 20; 1 Corinthians 14:14
14. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit our prayers build faith. Jude 20
15. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Romans 10:17 Spiritual hearing is facilitated by an eagerness to obey what we hear.
16. Faith works through love. Galatians 5:6 The purpose of faith is to help others.
17. Hope does not disappoint because the Holy Spirit pours out love to us. Romans 5:1-5
18. Faith is sown in peace. James 3:18 Faith is content not contentious. 
19. Faith has God's peace. John 6:63
20. Faith needs works. James 2:17
21. Faith goes out with joy and peace. Isaiah 55:12
22. Faith can't coexist with a double mind. James 1:5-8
23. Faith works to prepares for the future. Noah Genesis 6:22
24. Faith works for what in the natural would be a waste. Noah Genesis 6
25. Faith endures. James 1:2-8
26. Faith understands authority.  The Centurion Luke 7:1-9
27. Faith does not give up with the lack of an answer. Matt. 15:21f;  Mark 4:24f
28. The poor are rich in faith. James 2:5
29. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2
30. Jesus is the author of our faith. What He has written in the Bible brings faith. Hebrews 12:2
31. Jesus is the finisher of our faith.  We can trust Jesus to give us our faith. Hebrews 12:2
32. Pride and faith can't coexist Habakkuk 2:4 Faith looks to Jesus, while pride is looking at yourself. 
33. If you seek glory for yourself you are not lifting up Jesus and belief is voided. John 5:44
34. God opens a door for faith. Acts 14:27 Jesus is the door. (John 10:7)
35. Serve with no thought of self, increases faith. Luke 17:5-10
36. Faith is assured of the promise. Hebrews 11:1
37. Faith does not consider a report against God's promise. Eph. 6:16; Isa. 53:1
38. Praising God, defeats unbelief. Romans 4:20,21
39. If you can rest in God for the answer, you have faith. Hebrews 4:1
40. You have to fight for faith. 1 Tim. 6:12 If you can't rest, fight to get to rest in God.
41. Faith works in Jesus not the understanding of the promise. 2 Corinthians 1:20
42. Faith is kept. 2 Timothy 4:7
43. Hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. Hebrews 10:23
44. The fear of man brings a snare. Proverbs 29:25 The solution is to fear God. Luke 12:5
45. An evil report does not shake faith. Instead he continues to trust God. Psalm 112:7
46. Faith does not get disappointed. Faith continues to believe. Romans 10:11
47. Faith is required because, whatever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:23
48. Faith is made strong in weakness. Heb. 11:34; 2 Cor. 12:9
49. Find people that had a good outcome to their life and imitate their faith. Heb. 13:7,8
50. You can't try faith, you need to believe. Because the test of faith will cause those who try faith to quit.
51. Faith is perfected by works. James 2:22
52. When we make Jesus Lord with belief is the beginning of faith. Romans 10:9,10
53. When faith is lacking, love is lacking.
54. Oral Roberts 3 steps of faith. God is your source Phil 4:19. Sow into your need 2 Cor 9. Expect a miracle Mark 11:22-24.
55. Speak about what you believe in. I believe therefore I speek. 2 Cor 4:13
56. God answers prayer. John 14:14
57. Faith is content in the present and believes for the future. Phil. 4:11
58. Our fleshly desires void faith. James 4:3
59. Friendship with the world voids faith. James 4:4
60. Faith grows mighty in the battle. To grow stronger we need to be in the fight. Heb. 11:34
61. Pray for your faith to be increased. Luke 17:5
62. I must die to myself if I am to live by faith. Galatians 2:20
63. We can't please God if we don't have faith. Heb.11:6
64. Faith believes God rewards those who seek Him. Heb. 11:6
65. If you have faith you will live by your faith. Habakkuk 2:4; Matt. 4:4
66. Faith overcomes the world. 1 John 5:4
67. Faith is ours and we can grow it. 1 John 5:4
68. Prayer and fasting builds faith. Matthew 17:20,21
69. Faith lives by the word, has a dream, is adventurous, and is not affected by the world. Cho
70. Faith needs courage. 2 Cor 5:6-8
71. Faith stands before God. Jeremiah 15:19; Heb. 4:16
72. Faith defeats Satan by our actions. Romans 16:19,20
73. Faith is strengthened by encouragement from others. Hebrews 10:25
74. Faith is bold. Eph. 3:12
75. Faith is not led astray by the enemies success of power. Deut 13:1-3
76. Faith withstands a test from God. Judges 20:18f
77. Faith continues after defeat. Judges 20:18f
78. Faith trusts God. Proverbs 3:5,6
79. Your faith will be tested. 1 peter 1:7; James 1:2-4
80. The alternative to faith is rational thinking.
81. Start in the flesh and look for the Holy Spirit to help you, when God has already told you to do something in the Word. Wigglesworth
82. Faith is based on the hope of the Scriptural promise. Hebrews 11:1
83. Faith will continue to the end, it will hold fast. Heb 3:6; 3:14;James 1:2-4; Rom. 5:1-5
84. Faith thrives as you are in communion with God.
85. Faith is NOW. Hebrews 11:1
86. Faith is like a mustard seed. Faith starts small and grows with the right start and use. Matt 17:20
87. Faith starts with God not with works. Works won't build faith if faith is not there to start with.
88. Faith is perishable Hebrews 2:1 Use it or lose it Roy Hicks
89. Faith is not presumption. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God. 
90. Faith is confident. Phil. 1:6
91. Scripture will not profit if it is not united with faith. Hebrews 4:2
92. Faith and fear can't co-exist. Faith believes and fear doubts Luke 8:50
93. Doubt will kill faith if left unchecked. 2 Cor. 10:3-5 So counter doubt with the promise of God.
94. Meditation enriches our understanding of the Word of God. Psalm 1:3; Josh 1:8
95. Faith is maintained by keeping your mind on the Word and rejecting the problem 2 Cor 10:3-5 Phil 4:6-9
96. Faith does not fear death. Dan 3:16-18; Matt 10:28
97. Christ dwells in your heart through faith. Eph. 3:17
98. Faith works as we look to Jesus relying on the love of God. Galatians 5:6; Hebrews 12:2
99. Faith is given to us, but it is our responsibility to use it. Rom 12:3, 2 Peter 2:1; Mark 11:22
100. Expectation & anticipation. Faith expects and anticipates God's answer. Zeph 1:12
101. Saying, "yes sir", to God's direction, will empower you with more faith to do it.