Feeding your Faith

We’ve heard that the definition of faith is:

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

(Notice that this faith must be in the now or present faith – not past faith or faith of our forefathers but now faith)

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

We bring the faith to the table (seek) in our own lives:

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We have to choose to hear the life giving word of God

Choose life

We grow our faith by what we do

James 2:14-18

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

James 2:26

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Choose life

We feed our faith with the faith fertilizer of our tongue. We can either perpetuate and fertilize it or kill it

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

Your tongue is a two edge sword that exponentially kills or improves

Choose life

James 3:3-6

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Choose life

Notice how a small amount weeds, if left unchecked, will soon stamp out a whole rose garden. Not only that but it makes it look ugly enough that the roses might as well not even be there. Speaking death instead of life hinders not only our faith but our Spiritual and material blessings as well.

Choose life

James 3:9-12

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Choose life

Sometimes we may feel justified in your anger; justified enough to curse at our bosses, friends, the teller at the bank that’s too stupid to count

change back, and even our own families; but the Bible tells us to be angry but don’t sin. It also says that whatever you sow you will reap. I want a harvest of love and comfort; not of bitterness, resentment, and strife.

Choose life