Letting the Word of God govern your thoughts, your decisiions, and your actions.
The scriptures declare that the just shall live by faith. Living by faith is not living by a formula. It is a moment-by-moment trust and totall reliance upon a living God Who cannot lie.
Jesus said, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Faith iis simply expecting God to keep His Word to us. All the promises of God are yes and amen.
Faith is knowing that God is a very present help in times of trouble. It is resting in the faithfulness of God. The life of faith teaches us we can live the life that God created us to live, the life of faith. :godisgood:
Faith is submission to the will of God. An acknowledgment that He is God (and we are NOT), and may do as He wishes. An acknowledgment of our helpless condition before Him. A trusting in His Holy Word. A contentment in the finished work of Christ, and a desire to abide therein.
It IS a formula: the formula is "Whatever you want for me, God, is what I want." You want me to be poor? Great! Humble? Wonderful. You want me to sell everything I have and follow you? Fine with me, Lord!
It is recognizing we are the FOLLOWERS and not the LEADERS.
Havingsdad,
I didn't know you were a Calvanist or at least watered down. Do you know who you are in Christ?
Does man have a responsibility or is God going to do it all?
And, do you even know what God's will is?
Yes. A wicked wretched man, who has been saved by God's grace.
Both.
Yes. It's found here>
In regards to specifics, we can look at the life of Paul, John the Baptist, Peter, and the other followers in scripture, to see a model of what we should be doing:
#1 Not concerned about money. Be content in whatever God has given.
#2 Never do anything in there own power
#3 Proclaim repentance and faith everywhere they go. Preach sin, righteousness and judgment. In other words, the Gospel.
#4 Persecuted for the name of Christ. Most of the New Testament believers were martyred.
Pretty much I think the NT teaches God's will is for us to suffer for the name of Christ, and thereby bring Glory to God.
Why does the Bible teach prosperty and health?
Is it God's will to heal our bodies?
Are we to live in poverty or not?
Is there a difference between persecution and suffering?
What are the gifts of the Spirit?
Are we to pray in tongues?
You see, you take pages out of the Bible and don't pay attention to the fulll full Gospel.
This is why you end up a wrethed sinner.
You know, I am more than a conquerer in Christ.
I am the head and not the tail.
I've been made holy, priestly, kingly, and can go before the throne of Grace, and demand my rights as a Christian. Finally, I proclaim I am a new creature in Christ Jesus.
I believe your church is dead. Word of Faith is the fastest growing movement in Christianity.
Just trying to help you to see who you are in Christ.
:laugh:
Where does the Bible tell us we will be wealthy? You are equating the word "prosperity" with wealth, but many times in the OT it meant that one was "going well with God," that is, in good relationship with God. God did bless some of his own with wealth in the OT, but this was not a given. The NT tells believers to be ready to die for the faith and not to fear persecution. None of the 12 were wealthy or lived wealthy lives; all except one were martyred.
Nowhere are we told we are to expect perfect health, either, at least not on earth. One day, in our resurrected bodies, we will have that perfect health. Meanwhile, we are in fallen bodies. If we had perfect health and perfect bodies, we would not die. However, man is still dying!
We are conquerors in Christ - yes - but there are no "rights" to demand! We are to always be humble and seek to conform to God's will and how He shapes us. We are conquerors because we are set free from the penalty of the wages for sin, and because we have been redeemed.
Just because a movement is fast growing does not mean it's right. Many false religions are fast growing - Wicca, Bahai, New Age, etc. That means nothing regarding the validity or truth of such beliefs.
What in the world are you talking about?
Blab it and Grab it faith?
(ooops sorry name it and claim it?)
Many promises people claim personally when read in context fall in the perview of the Jewish Nation.
Christianity is the fullfillment of all the promises.
But Jesus made clear a few things like bearing your cross.
Living a life of self sacrifice, willing to lay down your life for others.
The servant will be the greatest in God's kingdom.
You mention speaking in tounges (which I've witnessed as a lot of emotion and blabbing not)
After 81 years, I bless the Lord that I am able to approach His throne and humbly praise His holy name. I do not make demands on God; I woldn't dare do that. Even God Son, the Lord Jesus Christ said, "let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done." You say I should call upon more power that God's Son and expect He should hear me?
Sorry, I will humbly come into His presence and seek mercy.
The only time Jesus prayed if it be thy will was at the garden.
For example, if we pray for healing for our bodies, it is unscriptural to put an if in front of the prayer. We don't come to the throne of grace like wimpering little souls.
We should come boldly.
Heb.
4:16.
We should be saying things like Your word says By your stripes, ye WERE healed. Our healing was purchased over 2 thousand years ago. And no. The word was not talking about spiritual healing.
:wavey:
Why wasn't Paul healed? He asked the Lord three times.........My grace is sufficient for thee..........
Timothy was told to take a little wine for "thy stomach's sake..." External healing there.
The so-called word of faith is a lot of bunk and you dare to speak ill of calvinism which at least "Lays the sinner low, lifts the Saviour high and reminds us that we are but sinners saved by His grace.
What I was going to say previously is that you accuse us of not following scripture a hundred percent.
However, you miss altogether Christ and the apostles teaching of suffering.
Also, I could say that you piece meal the scriptures together as well.
Do you believe the communion is the body and blood of Jesus?
or a spiritual reality.
See how that works.
I think the way you are describing. your faith is presumptous.
Everything you say seems to be lies straight from Hell!
Jas 4:6
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
I agree our healing was purchased. So was our release from sins. NEITHER of these will have fulfillment until after Christs return, which is why Paul says
Php 1:23
I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
In regards to our attitude to God>
Jas 4:9
Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Jas 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
OHHH THE PRIDE! That men would come before the almighty and demand things from Him like some spoiled Child! We are to be poor in spirit, humble, meek, not demanding like some brat!
Jud 1:4
For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jud 1:8
Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
The word above for "authority" is "mastery" or "rulership". THE CONDEMNATION OF THIS VERSE IS PERFECTLY SUMMED UP BY YOUR QUOTE, HERE>
BLASPHEMY! You despise the authority of God!
FAR better to have a dead church, than one such as yours filled with the spirit of Satan!
Word of Faith is the fastest growing heresy in Christianity.
Christ didn't teach it.
Paul didn't teach it.
No where in Scripture are we promised a rose garden, prosperity and health in this life.
We are promised suffering and persecution.
Jesus Himself suffered.
Are we better than Him?
No.
Golfjack - I'll be praying that you find the truth of the Scriptures rather than the heresy of the word of faith movement.
In response to the disciples asking how to pray, Jesus said "thy will be done" as part of that prayer. That it to always be part of our prayer and attitude.
The Is. passage does not mean physical healing in the now; it partly means healed as in saved, and partly it means total healing which we will have in the resurrection.
Our healing was purchased, but it does not manifest until the resurrection of our bodies.