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Is your faith genuine or is it a phantom or fictious faith?

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Faith is important, it’s an essential. Walking by faith will prevent us from departing from the faith… which the LORD informs us is entirely possible (Luke 8:13, etc.).

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” 1 Timothy 4:1-2

We are warned here that some will “depart from the faith” and so this should concern every one of God’s people and cause us to examine our faith before God to see how genuine it is, or is not. “doctrines of devils” or false teaching can definitely cause any of us to “depart from the faith.” False teachings about faith is dangerous and so understanding what true saving faith looks like is essential.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.” 2 Corinthians 13:5-6

Good works produced out of saving faith are a Gospel reality. 

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 

15  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 

16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 

17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 

18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 

19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 

20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 

21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 

22  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 

23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 

24  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 

25  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 

26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:14-26

It’s one thing to merely say you have faith and yet another to prove you have saving faith.

Faith: Four Types of Faith, Which Do You Have?

  • Dead Faith. James informs us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). …
  • Demonic Faith. James also teaches that even demons believe and shudder at the name of Jesus (James 2:19). …
  • Vain Faith (James 2:20).
  • Saving Faith. Faith coupled with repentance, a turning to God with the whole heart and the fruit to prove regeneration (James 2:18; Acts 20:21; Matthew 3:7-10).

“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18

Real faith, an authentic relationship with the LORD will always bring worshipful obedience to His Word.

“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18

The good fruit produced out of saving faith, good works, save no one and yet they are the cardinal proof that someone has truly repented, is trusting Christ, is a regeneration new creature in Christ, where all things are new, and are of God! (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

According to James 2, what type faith do you currently have?

  • Dead faith (v17).
  • Demonic faith (v19)
  • Vain faith (v20)
  • Saving faith (v18)

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

The Biblical Prescription to Nourish and Build Your Faith in God: The Daily Practicals

3 Essential Daily Basics for Every Believer Per Holy Scripture ….

  1. Daily Bible study (Job 23:12; Jeremiah 15:16; 1 Peter 2:2)
  2. Daily life of prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
  3. Daily fellowship with other true believers (Acts 2:42-47; Heb 3:13; 10:25)

You may also wish to specifically pray as did the apostles:

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5 

Fighting the good fight of faith is the fight to keep your faith in God and in nothing, in no one else!

“Fight the good fight of faith, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12 

“HOLDING FAITH, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:” 1 Timothy 1:19

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7

Saving faith is overcoming faith.

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”1 John 5:4-5

PRAYER: Holy Father, please increase our faith. Thank You for finding and saving me into Your kingdom family. I love You Jesus. Please establish my life deeply in Christ the LORD. Cause the roots of my life to grow ever more deep in Thee. Please forge my faith in the fire and make me Your genuine disciple. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Abiding

Book of Psalms | Alexander Scourby [video]


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Abiding

“Lord, I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief” [podcast]


“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24

God wants us to depend on HIM, not self. What a prayer from this father who was seeking Jesus for his possessed, embattled son!

“And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Mark 9:24

Now that is a great prayer for us today—“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Mark 9:24

Is this not kin to the prayer Christ’s disciples prayed to Him—“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5) ?

Some ask “Lord, how can I increase MY faith?”

Read that again.

It’s not how I can increase my faith! No. That is all self-centered. We pray as did the apostles, “Lord, Increase our faith.” In other words, You do it please dear LORD!

There are two ways the Word prescribes that we walk in more faith:

Asking for it (Luke 17:5)

Reading and heeding the Word for it—“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

“9:24 The father expressed the paradox of faith and unbelief experienced by God’s people in all ages. ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’ We want to believe, yet find ourselves filled with doubt. We hate this inward, unreasonable contradiction, yet seem to fight it in vain.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

Another person commenting on this text writes:

“Help thou mine unbelief – That is, assist me against it. Give me a power to believe.”

“[Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief] A prayer that all can pray with great profit.” Dake

“VII. The profession of faith which the poor man made hereupon (Mrk_9:24); He cried out, ‘Lord, I believe; I am fully persuaded both of thy power and of thy pity; my cure shall not be prevented by the want of faith; Lord, I believe.’ He adds a prayer for grace to enable him more firmly to rely upon the assurances he had of the ability and willingness of Christ to save; Help thou my unbelief. Note, 1. Even those who through grace can say, Lord, I believe, have reason to complain of their unbelief; that they cannot so readily apply to themselves, and their own case, the word of Christ as they should, no so cheerfully depend upon it. 2. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace shall be sufficient for them. ‘Help mine unbelief, help me to a pardon for it, help me with power against it; help out what is wanting in my faith with thy grace, the strength of which is perfected in our weakness.’ Matthew Henry

Learning to trust and depend upon our LORD:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:5-8

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

“All it takes is a mustard seed of faith to move mountains. Meaning even the smallest of faith can do miracles. It is belief in God not in self that matters. Mark 11:22 says ‘Have faith in God.’ He will provide the increase. Even the disciples prayed for more faith! And we know them to be men of great faith!” Karen Cochran

LET’S PRAY: Holy Father, we come to You now, because we know You are our Source for all blessings and answered prayer. Yet, we lack faith and ask You now to “Increase our faith” and to “help thou mine unbelief.” Please fill in dear LORD where we lack, where we are weak. We know You are all powerful, loving, and desire to and are ready to answer our prayers. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Abiding

Run that Ye May Obtain [podcast]


Don’t Walk. “Run.”

Saints we are finishing honest, holy, humble, repentant – crucified with Christ and confessing and never covering any sin (Proverbs 28:13).

1 Corinthians 9:16-27

16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

17  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

18  What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

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