GFL Faith

Christian faith is not our intellectual resolve and commitment to something, this is just religious belief.

Faith is not our hope in a promise.

Faith has to do with our experiencing the object of our faith in our heart.

God has never spoken to me, or anyone I’ve ever known, verbally, or through any means of direct revelation. But, I know Him through a “spiritual” communication in my heart. I believe God speaks to us spiritually with a still small voice deep in our inner being which is also called our heart.

If this is true, then faith should be defined as “responding to what God puts into our heart”.

This definition of faith is consistent with scripture and clarifies how faith should work in our life. It is consistent with Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”, so our faith has to be responding to God’s grace which He puts into our heart. It also explains Romans 14:23b “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”, so no matter how good we think it is if we are not responding to what God put into our heart, then it is not of faith and it is sin. So, not only is faith without works dead, but works without faith are sin.

We are not only “saved” by faith, but we are to walk by faith.

Galatians 3:1-51 ¶ O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Think about this. If faith is responding to what God puts into my heart, can I increase my faith by my resolve and commitment? Do I increase my faith by doing more for others? The answer is no.We increase our faith by knowing and responding to what God puts into our heart. And there is a big difference between what God puts into our heart and what someone else puts into our mind.

How do we know what God puts into our heart? I believe it takes time. We must learn to ignore our own thoughts and imaginations, and the thoughts and imaginations of others, and this is not easy. Our tendency is to get on with it. We have a hard time waiting and seeking. I believe when we hear God we will feel enlightened and it will be about something that will make a difference in our life. It is not like pondering the meaning of a scripture and coming to some understanding of it.That is knowledge.

Knowing what God puts into our heart, will have to do with understanding the fulness of God’s grace in our life.
 
 

Church Growth

How do churches grow?

There are many ways churches grow and sometimes it may even be due to the working of the Holy Spirit.

A charismatic motivational leader can motivate high achievers in the congregation to be part of making a “successful” enterprise. It doesn’t matter….

Most of the “Mega” churches in America have written books and have leadership programs for how they did it. 

Law and Grace

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