CHAPTER
3
PART 1
GIVES
YOU A “MEASURE OF FAITH”
“…..according as God hath dealt to
each man a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).
 |
| HOLY GIFT |
However, with
this holy gift you are enabled to respond to God. God gives you a measure of faith to ensure or enable you to experience all that He has promised and to enjoy an abundant life (John 10:10)
Faith is the
God-given provision, that enables believers, to receive, respond, and take in
all the blessings, favors, and promises that are yes and amen in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).
 |
| 2 Corinthians 1:20 |
Your God-given
faith response is a fixed provision and serves to powerfully support God's word to you during your lifelong spiritual growth and development.
Faith is a
supernatural necessity, especially since you have undertaken such a drastic
transformation to new life “in” Christ.
Thank God, he has
provided you with a “measure of faith” to enable you to fully “...believe on him whom God has sent” and do
“..the work of God..”(John 6:29).
Therefore, a
“measure of faith” was given to help you participate, engage in, get involved,
or join in the richness of the YADA relationship with the Living God.
“….God
shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory…”
in Christ Jesus, but God wants you to use your “measure of faith,” in order to experience
them (Philippians 4:19).
Faith is portioned out to each
person by God and He alone determines the measure of that faith. “… God hath dealt to each man a measure of
faith” (Romans 12:3).
 |
| Romans 12:3 |
Faith is not about the amount
anyway, you can have small mustard seed faith and do great things for God
(Matthew 17:20).
Faith is not about human belief or
human effort, but about exercising it through hearing God’s word alone.
You exercise your faith every time
you hear the word of God. That’s why
the bible tells you to “…let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly…” (Colossians 3:16).
Positive thinking is a product of
self-effort, but godly faith is a product of God’s-effort only. Your “measure
of faith” is a gift from God.
Human faith enables you to do or
believe in what you want to do whereas God’s “measure of faith” enables you to
do or believe in what God wants you to do. “….without [God-given] faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews
11:6).
Therefore, God has taken care of
everything regarding your “walk of faith”
and some people take that to mean they do nothing.
It is true your needs are taken
care of “in” Christ, but it is up to you to respond and cooperate with God’s
provision.
For example, if you are hungry and
someone brings you a finished meal wrapped in gift paper with instructions on
how to heat it up. YOU have to receive it, YOU have to read the instructions,
and YOU have to eat the meal.
The meal is free, but your
hands need to receive it, your eyes needs to read
the instructions, and your
mouth needs to eat the food. This is how you “..offer
your body..” in service and cooperation with God’s provisions (Romans 12:1).
Receiving the free meal is met with
presenting your body by cooperating through receiving it with your hands,
reading it with your eyes, and eating it with your mouth.
If God gives you a “measure of
faith” it means you need to utilize it in the relationship with Him. “…Without [God-given] faith it is impossible
to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6).
Before you became a new creation in
Christ you acted in your own best interest based on your own personal values.
When you became a believer you
continue to act in your own best interest based on your new Christian values,
but discover you can’t do it on your own effort.
 |
| John 15:15 |
When you sin, you may experience
guilt, shame, or anxiety as a result and your emotional well-being is heavily affected.
You can’t self-regulate your sinful
behavior to achieve your new holy Christian values. What do you do?
This is the place you use your
God-given faith to enable you to achieve your new desired behavior and live-out
your Christian values. “[You]… can do all
things through Christ who strengthens [you]…” (Philippians 4:13).
This is also where you can rest in the
finished work of Christ and allow him to work in you to enable you to walk in
your new Christian values (Philippians 2:13). “….[You]… can do all things through Christ…” (Philippians 4:13).
Active faith rests in the finished
work of Christ, which means your major work is simply to believe in him whom
God has sent (John 6:29).
That’s why the James says, “…someone will say, “You have faith, and I
have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my
faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well.
Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know,
O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our
father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you
see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made
perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham
believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the
friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works,and not by faith
only….” (James 2:18-24).
EXCERPT FROM THE CHAPTER
"MEASURE OF FAITH" FROM THE
BOOK TRANSFORMING LOVE
No comments:
Post a Comment