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Written by Beth Andrews for “Deeper Roots” @ https://dbethandrews.wordpress.com
Original post @ https://dbethandrews.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/real-faith/
Real Faith
Merriam-Webster defines faith as allegiance to duty or a person, sincerity of intentions, belief, trust in, and loyalty to God, trust in the traditional doctrines of a religion, and firm belief in something for which there is no proof. But faith in the Bible is different – deeper, stronger, longer-lasting. The Greek word for faith is pistis and it means belief or trust with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow. There’s an old story about a tightrope walker who strung his rope across a tall and dangerous precipice then asked the crowd, “Who here believes I can walk across this rope and back without falling?” Many applauded their approval and so he stepped up and made the trip across and back with ease. Then he set a wheelbarrow on the rope and asked, “Who here believes I can push this wheelbarrow across this rope and back without dropping it or falling off?” The crowd, encouraged by his previous success, agreed that he could. And so he pushed the wheelbarrow across and back without a hitch. When he returned, the crowd whistled and clapped with delight. “Now,” the man said, “who’s willing to get in the wheelbarrow?” That’s what the Bible means by faith.
Christmas is many stories of faith. The shepherds had faith and went to see the Baby in the manger. Joseph had faith and took Mary to be his wife despite the scandalous circumstances. Mary had faith and humbly surrendered to the will of God even though it put her in a very difficult situation. The Magi had faith and traveled for two years to worship a King who didn’t rule their country. Elizabeth restored Mary’s faith by reminding her that there is a great blessing in believing God. Simeon and Anna had faith in God’s promise to redeem Israel, and their faith was rewarded in the face of the infant Son of God.
Faith is not just sitting around thinking faithy thoughts. Real faith, sustaining faith is faith that moves you. It looks at the impossibility of the situation and steps forward anyway. It submits to God’s will even when it’s hard. It makes the difficult journey of life an adventure and it never loses sight of the promises of El Emunah, the Faithful God.
Beloved, do you have real faith?
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I’d like to also point out the blind obedience of Nazis running the death camps and invading their neighboring countries, the blind obedience of Jim Jones followers as they drank the Cool-Aid, the followers of all the invasions in all of history especially including the Crusades, both Christian and Muslim.
What good is a democracy when we place blind faith in our leaders and don’t question their more idiotic ideas?
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This blind obedience was a result of Satan, who blinds the eyes of those who are NOT “born again”, like you, my friend…
2 Corinthians 4:3-4… And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 1:18… For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (NKJV)
Blessings in Christ, bruce
Here is that message my friend !!
https://godsmanforever.com/2016/12/19/the-gospel-of-our-lord-jesus-christ-12182016-written-by-bruce-r-mills/
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Faith regardless of circumstances or evidence to the contrary is blind faith. You may cherish it, but it raises havoc with others outside your “holy” circle.
Take the residents and devout Muslims in Fallujah, Iraq, for instance. Their homes became rubble, their lives ended or drastically ruined by America’s blind faith in our Christian President. We didn’t listen to Jesus who said, “let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” “love one another,” and “turn the other cheek” and who exhorted us to care for our enemies in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Wouldn’t it have been better for us to have thought twice? Shouldn’t we have considered the consequences of our blind faith: 1,500,000 well-educated, middle-class, moderate Muslims living hand-to-mouth in surrounding countries, displacing others and creating a nightmare that keeps spreading far and wide; death and destruction engulfing the Middle East? Iraq was stable, modern, and integrated between its Sunni and Shiite factions before our invasion. What “good” COULD our invasion have brought with this senseless, fruitless, and heartless war? This is NOT the Christian way any more.
Or consider the blind faith placed in our current President. Is it well placed? Shouldn’t we have looked deeper into the character of the man who promised to reverse Roe vs Wade? Shouldn’t we have worried about the deep and angry divide between “blue” and “red” states, counties, and individuals before electing a man who was surrounded by felons, digs up false accusations against fellow Americans including the birther controversy and the “Lock Her Up” chant at his nomination, and brags about taking indecent liberties with women?
From a wider perspective, from a view of what’s best for all of us as a whole, blind faith is often disastrous!
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My friend…until you are “born again” by God above, by understanding and obeying the Gospel of Christ [See P.S. below], I understand why you believe as you do !! The POTUS is really a piece of work, I agree… But I voted for him, because unlike the pro-choice Democrats…the Republican Party is pro-life !! It is just that simple !!
Blessings in Christ, bruce
P.S. When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !! If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ?? Here is the truth for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… https://godsmanforever.com/
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