the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Faith is both substance and evidence ... Faith is a result of that which we have heard from God by HIS Spirit ... and that which we believe.
Faith is shown by that which we believe. We don't even have to speak what we believe. Our actions show what we believe.
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Faith is always two parts:
First, we must hear from God by HIS Spirit.
Then we believe what we have heard.
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We begin with two examples: Noah and Abraham… and we see exactly the same thing as we consider these examples of faith.
Heb. 11:7 ... By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
The first thing that happened is God spoke to Noah.
Gen. 6 ... And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before ME; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of:
God spoke directly to Noah.
God spoke directly to Abraham ...
Heb. 11:8 ... By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
First God spoke directly to Abraham ... After God spoke to him, he obeyed.
Gen. 12 ... Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;
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First God speaks to us ... Then we believe and are changed and obey what God has said to us.
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It is a very personal thing and it is directly from God to each of us.
You may think God didn't speak to you directly. But if you belong to God HE did. HE put HIS truth directly into your heart so you can believe. When God does this you are HIS chosen, HIS elect.
This is the New Covenant.
Heb. 10 ... This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put MY laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
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When we belong to God, God speaks directly to us by HIS Spirit in form of thoughts or God might speak to us through dreams ... or God could just put truth directly into our hearts so we KNOW ... we just KNOW ...
Mt. 16 ... When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, HE asked HIS disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
And they said, Some say that THOU art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
HE (JESUS) saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, THOU art the Christ, the Son of the LIVING God.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
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God spoke directly to Peter. We know God spoke this to Peter because Jesus stated "flesh and blood" has not revealed this to you but "MY Father" which is in heaven.
And why was Peter “blessed”?
Not because he said, “Jesus is Lord”, as many think.
Jesus said Peter was blessed by God because God put this revelation of Jesus being the Son of God directly into Peter’s heart.
God revealed Jesus to Peter.
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This is what it means to be born again … God reveals HIMSELF to us … God opens our eyes to see something we have never before seen … No man can do this for us … No teacher can do this for us … No book can do this for us … We can’t do it by our own will … God does this as HE wills … Salvation is of God … and this is the NEW Covenant as God states …
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God says ... Heb. 8 ... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put MY laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to ME a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know ME, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
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It is not that someone else teaches us. God puts HIS truth directly into our hearts and minds.
This is the New Covenant.
No man teaches us these things. God teaches us.
God chooses us as HIS people and reveals HIMSELF directly to us ... We are not chosen because of any goodness in us but we are chosen because of goodness in God.
We might hear another person speak things of God, but we recognize what he is saying is of God because God has already put these truths into our hearts and into our minds.
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Several years ago, God gave me the following dream.
There was a war going on. And the problem was everyone on both sides looked the same and we couldn't tell our "army" from the other "army." So God gave us a password. When we spoke that password we knew which people were in our army.
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That "password" is the Word of God and understanding of the Word of God.
Church people usually do look the same and even say the same things. But I have found many church people do not understand me when I speak a scripture. They just stare at me in a blank way. They are not really of God though they think they are of God. But those who are of God understand me when I speak to them. By this we know one another, by the understanding of the Word of God which God has given to us.
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We are blessed above all people because we have been chosen by God and HE has revealed HIMSELF to us.
We can speak of HIM to others but we cannot reveal HIM, only God can reveal HIMSELF.
Thus Jesus said: No man can come to ME, except the Father which hath sent ME draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Jn. 6:44
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God draws the elect to HIMSELF.
We might speak words of God but God opens the ears of those HE chooses. They come because of HIM. Salvation is of God and not of ourselves nor by the will of man.
Man wants to believe in himself. But each of us who really belong to God know that at some point God opened our ears and revealed HIMSELF to us and we knew HIM then. Others around us might not have heard but we have.
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And at this point we are given HIS Spirit that we might know things of God. We cannot know things of God by our own reasoning. It is the Spirit of God who reveals things of God to us.
I Cor. 2 ... But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
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We can relate this way: We meet an acquaintance in the grocery store. That person says something. That person does not know what we are thinking but we know. The spirit inside us knows what we are thinking. And it is the same with God. Only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God on any issue. And the Spirit of God reveals the thoughts of God to us by the will of God through bringing those thoughts to our minds or by putting them directly into our hearts when we belong to God.
Therefore Jesus explained that the Spirit of God does the following ...
- teaches us all things (spiritual and secular)
- reminds us of all that Jesus has said to us (scripture/dreams/ideas)
- guides us into all truth
- shows us things to come
Jn. 14:26 ... But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Jn. 16:13 ... Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of HIMSELF; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.
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And we are sealed with the Holy Spirit when God reveals HIMSELF to us.
Eph. 1 ... In WHOM also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of HIM who worketh all things after the counsel of HIS own will: That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ. In WHOM ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in WHOM also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of HIS glory.
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When you purchase a house, you often have to pay some money down when you sign a contract to purchase the house. This money you pay is called "earnest" money, showing your good intention toward the purchase.
We have been purchased by the blood of Jesus.
God gave us the Holy Spirit as a sign of HIS intent toward us and the Spirit is then "an earnest of our inheritance."
In addition, the Holy Spirit does many things for us: comforts us by bringing concepts of God to our minds in times of need, helps us with making correct decisions pertaining to this present life, and even shows us things to come as God wills. (Jn. 14:26 & Jn. 16:13)
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We do have to recognize when it is the Holy Spirit bringing us a thought. There are also other spirits that bring thoughts.
Some thoughts are from devil. These thoughts can even seem like a good idea but they are sent by devil to lead us into destruction. Often devil's thoughts even have a twang of religion mixed in to try to persuade us of their goodness. But they lead to destruction.
Then there are thoughts manufactured by our own flesh in it's desire to get things of this present world and to earn reputation among men of this world.
We have to be able to recognize the thoughts that are from the Holy Spirit so we can be led by the Holy Spirit.
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Concerning the wisdom that is from above, we have the following guidelines from Bible.
Mt. 11:28-30 ... Jesus says ... Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.
The "yoke" of our own flesh is hard! Flesh strives for a reputation among men, usually going opposite to the way of God in seeking greatness among men of this life. Flesh strives for various types of "greatness" on this earth ... for money, fame, reputation. Flesh delights in outdoing people, competing against others to make oneself great.
Jesus' way is opposite. Jesus said HE is meek and lowly in heart.
Jesus kingdom was not of this world. Jn. 18
If this world is our kingdom and the only thing we can see, then we will fight to get what is ours as we live here. It will be very important to us.
Consider Moses:
Heb. 11:24-27 ... By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing HIM who is invisible.
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Jesus made HIMSELF of no reputation.
Phil. 2: 5-10 ... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: WHO, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made HIMSELF of no reputation, and took upon HIM the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, HE humbled HIMSELF, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted HIM, and given HIM a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
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Here is important information concerning the wisdom that is from our own flesh compared with the wisdom that is from God:
James 3:13-17 ... Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
If we speak, distorting things to make ourselves look better, we are not going in the wisdom of God but in the wisdom of our own flesh. Our goal is to gain approval of man for ourselves when we do this. We will put ourselves into bondage to other humans if this is our way of life and we will serve under an hard yoke.
When something is very complex and very hard to do and very costly, I always know I do not have God's plan. I back off when I see this and pray, asking God for HIS wisdom in the matter at hand, knowing the following promise from God:
James 1:5 ... If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
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God leads us by HIS Spirit but we have to be able to evaluate the thoughts that come to us to see if that thought is from God by HIS Spirit.
(Thoughts also come from spirit of devil concerning what we should do. And some thoughts are from our own flesh attempting to fulfill desires of the flesh.)
Examples and evaluation of thoughts that would lead us:
Several years ago, a young married couple in the church I was attending at that time, thought God had called them to go to Israel and "minister." They quit their secular jobs and went to Israel. In approximately one week, they were back. They said it was impossible for them to work in Israel. They didn't know the language and were at a complete loss in Israel.
Evaluation: God's yoke is easy and HIS burden is light. (Mt. 11) The wisdom from above is easy to be intreated ... easy to be administered. (James 3)
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A young man, a new Christian, was considering marrying a divorced woman. Bill prayed, asking God to have the car he was meeting to blink his lights if he was supposed to marry this woman. The car blinked his lights. Bill married this divorced woman.
Evaluation: Jesus said: The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Mt.5:32 (also Bill's prayer was like more like a prayer of superstition, setting up a situation for God rather than praying in simplicity and simply depending on God to reach him with the answer to the prayer.)
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March, 2012, I had a dream. A young woman was singing. I said, "It's a little voice ... but it's a nice little voice." Then in the dream, people were talking as the church and I realized this was a blog.
I felt God was showing me to start a blog to share exhortations for the church.
I called Pam Padgett at once asking her if she could set up a blog. She did and within 3 days we were presenting exhortations and godly testimonies.
The blog doesn't cost us any money to publish. It allows us to deliver exhortations daily. It goes all over the world instantly.
It is a "little voice" ... but a "nice little voice."
Evaluation: "pure" ... no thought whatsoever about doing such a thing until God gave me this dream... "peaceable" ... "gentle" ... "easy to be intreated" ... "mercy and good fruits" ... "without partiality" ... "without hypocrisy" ... James 3:17
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1982, God said to me over and over, the following:
The time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God ... The time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God ... The time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God ...
Shortly after this, various sins in big-time ministries were called to my attention. I tried to get messages in private to the ministers committing those sins but ministers in big spotlights often have body guard type people to keep the church people from getting to them ... and their mail is usually filtered so messages do not reach them.
I was relatively well known in ministry by that time, but I could not reach these ministers to urge them to repent and to stop doing these sins.
So I decided to name them by name on my radio broadcast and tell of the sin ... also I did this in some of my public meetings in cities where they lived, believing the message would then reach them.
God had shown me the apostle Paul naming a wrong doer by name and this gave me the courage needed to do this on my radio broadcasts.
II Tim. 4:14-15 ... Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
So I presented the sin of the minister on radio and named that minister by name on radio.
Evaluation: A woman who worked for me, coordinating our office staff, asked me: " Is this easy to be intreated?" ... I replied: "It is easier to do what God tells you to do than not to do it."
And by doing this, it ended up separating me from the anarchy of the church world which was all around me at that time, but I didn't see that until much later.
I had a very narrow escape from the evils of the antichrist in the church world. God saved me from them by the instruction HE gave me to speak concerning the sins in the ministry at that time!
And by doing this, it ended up separating me from the anarchy of the church world which was all around me at that time, but I didn't see that until much later.
I had a very narrow escape from the evils of the antichrist in the church world. God saved me from them by the instruction HE gave me to speak concerning the sins in the ministry at that time!
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Almost every minister who contacts me by email is begging for money or wants me to do something.
I receive many "invitations" from men who say they are pastors, wanting me to fly half way around the world, at my own expense, to speak to their church group or to their ministry conferences.
They show no consideration at all for me.
My reply: "I do not travel ... I'm almost 80-years-old."
(A few years ago, I asked God to give me a solid anchor to keep me from traveling so I could be still at my home and do my work assigned by HIM, which is to exhort the church daily by blog and books. I expected to hear a scripture anchoring me. Instead, I heard: "Remember the cat." ... I have a cat. I have to take care of her daily.)
Evaluation: travel? ... pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated? (James 3:17) ... none of the above...
I go all over the world daily by blog. Amazingly these ministers who try to get me to come to other side of world and speak to their church don't seem to realize this. If I did what they wanted, I have no doubt I would end up killing myself and thereby not speaking at all, which would fit the goal of the devil. In essence, their request is authored by devil. What they want me to do is exactly opposite to what God has led me to do and that is to stay at home and write exhortations for the church on blog and in books.
People will often try to get us to do works they consider "good" in their eyes without actually hearing from God. We must resist them and continue to do that which we believe God has assigned to us.
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Often women will go back to work as quickly as possible after baby is born, leaving baby with hired keepers, in order to make more money, have a "better" life, and fulfill themselves.
My mother wanted to work but my dad would not allow her to do this. Before he died, my dad said to me, "I've been thinking about my life and have decided I did well. I was able to earn enough money so your mother could stay home and take care of you." My dad was an auto mechanic.
Evaluation: ... Titus 2 ... But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
I Tim. 6 ... supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
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.
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In 2008, in USA there was a major crisis in banking over the lending of money for house mortgages. Many people borrowed the maximum and bought as big a house as the bank allowed on the mortgage. Then when the crash came, those same people blamed the bank for their debt as they lost their homes and often lost their jobs and had to take lower paying jobs.
Evaluation: ... Romans 13:8 ... Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Hebrews 13:5-6 ... Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
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We should be able to see, from these few examples, how many who are church people set themselves up to fail and to live in grief, bitterness, and sorrow by choosing to go in the way of this present world to achieve success and possessions.
Here is the way of God:
Mt. 6 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
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Psa. 1 ... Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in HIS law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
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Joshua 1 ... Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? (Didn't God tell you to do this?)
Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
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We do not live by "the law" of the old covenant, but we do live by the Word of God delivered by God to us through HIS Spirit and the Holy Scriptures.
And the principle God presented to Joshua is the same guideline we have for success as we hear the Word of God and meditate on that Word and do it in an appropriate way in our lives on this present earth.
Our house will not fall in the storms of this life when we are anchored to the Word of God and stay ourselves on HIS Word and do that Word by leading of HIS Spirit.
I have found all that I do prospers when I do this. I've never seen it fail.
The way to prosperity and success is to hear what God would say, to think upon that, and to do what God says to do.