FAITH

"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."

Matthew 17:20

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed--a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 1:17

But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from
faith ; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. ...  

Romans 14:23

..... So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. ...

Galatians 3:9

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. ...
Faith in Jesus' name has healed him before your very eyes. ... 

Acts 3:16 

     I only need to add one word to this...Amen 

He gave us the Holy Spirt for a reason

    

17But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.^f

^{Jude 1:17-23} 

     ^{Do no let those among you that breed dissent by their natural instincts to follow ungodly desires discourage you or influence you.  In other words, as Christians, you have the holy spirit to guide you.  Listen and reflect upon what our Lord has told us through scripture.  Pray for guidance and the wisdom of His Word.  He shall not let you down.  Always err on the side of love and compassion.  Always be firm and show the self that the holy spirit brings out in you.}  

     ^{I, for one, am not perfect in this, but our Lord knows this and loves us the more for turning to him for guidance and His wisdom.  Never think you are the first or only saint that falls short in deed, and never cease in your attempts to put on your new self to further the most holy and loving kingdom of our Father.  Remember, all journeys begin with the first step.  If you do not take this first step, you will never begin the journey to salvation and eternal life.  Accept the fact that missteps will occur...as you realize this, strive to correct them through faith and prayer.  You will never be disappointed. We are humans attempting to follow in the ways of the most holy, most divine Lord, son of God, Jesus Christ.  When we stumble, He will be there to pick us up and dust us off.} 

      ^{Have courage, faith, resolve, love, and listen to the holy spirit letting it move you. Always, in our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ's name, pray...in private, seek solitude with our Father each day to discuss and ask for his guidance.  Let us work at becoming another His Rocks.}

July 4th

      As we in the United States prepare for our July 4th, Independence day, celebrations, let us remember that this country and it's freedoms are not by our glory, but the glory of our most divine Father.  He set aside this land for his persecuted and poor children from all lands.  Our doors should be open to all peoples or we are not honoring and carrying out our Father's will.  Strengthen your faith daily for we have much work to do.  2 of our Christian Pastors from India are visiting us and giving us an overview of the tremendous amount of work to be done in just that country.  We learned the majority of the people are very poor, subsisting on less than a dollar a day, and very superstitious. The Pastors told us there are something close to one million different deities worshiped there.  But...they said that is a situation ripe and ready for the picking of new saints hungry and open for the Good News.  Our church sponsors mission work in India, and our Sunday School Class sponsors two children.  We need to do much more...all of us.  The time is right for the Good News of our Father's love through his son, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.      
     Remember, keep our eyes on the prize and the mind on the wonderful work to be done.  This and all countries may pass away, but our most holy Father's word shall never change nor be destroyed.  How and why can someone fight love?  Peace and the Lord's love and contentment be with all my brothers and sisters in all areas of the world.

     5And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. 6But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly. 7But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8“So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

    9“Pray, then, in this way:
  ‘Our Father who is in heaven,
  Hallowed be Your name.

10‘Your kingdom come.
  Your will be done,
  On earth as it is in heaven.

11‘Give us this day our daily bread.

12‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

Matthew 6:5-13

     It is all about humility and doing things for our Father who has given everything to and for us.  His only son, he sent him to die a horrible death in order to save us and give to us the ultimate gift...eternal life with him.  This beautiful world, he has given to us. Love and worship him for it, but give him some time each wonderful day to be alone with him and talk with him like he is your good father as he longs for you to do for he truly is our good and divine Father.  We learn these things together.  

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

     Truly, I see things come to pass which I have  prayed for.  Not once, not twice, nor three times, but most and, possibly, all for I am still blind and not perfect in my faith, but my Lord loves me still and you, also.  Have faith and pray with faith and show your faith to others through your actions and deeds.  The world needs to know of our Father, and, through our Lord Jesus, they shall know him. Let us be his divine instrument to spread this faith and love my brothers and sisters.

And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

Matthew 5:47

     Have great joy in your hearts and talk with every person you see as if he were your brother or sister for has not our Lord Jesus taught us this.  Every person needs the reinforcement of our God's divine love through you who know and understand this.  Do not save your compassion and love for only your close circle of friends and relatives for we, as Christians, are brothers and sisters of all our God's creation which he loves unconditionally, and they sorely need this as do you.  Our Lord sends you to each person you meet to emit this divine love through the holy spirit which he has given to us.  It truly is the simple things, which we think are petty and unimportant so often, that can make such a difference in others lives and influence them to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

     On a recent trip, we had been traveling for hours and, being very hungry, stopped at a chain diner, not a favorite of ours.  The waitress was a young girl with piercings, tattoos... all the things we of our age find repulsive (being judgmental).  She forgot to put our order in and we waited for an hour by the time she found her mistake and listening to her boss chew on her verbally.  She told us she would pay for the dinner.  Having this same experience in one of the chain's other diners, we knew the money would come from her pocket.  As we stood to leave, my wife and I handed her the money we calculated we owed.  She tried to refuse saying, this is on me.  I patted her on the shoulder and said, that's not what our Lord says.  She was dumbstruck and very affected by those simple words.  She just looked at us as we left with a sincerely affected look.  What great power those simple words had upon her...not the money.  One may see her in church some day soon, but, whatever, she has been powerfully touched by our Lord and his love.  Never neglect the simple things, and, as I personally need to do, work on not judging people as our God asks us not to do.  Leave it to him for he does it with love and with all the facts of one's life.  May our Lord Jesus be with you all.   

     In my journey with our Lord toward knowing him, I have not been disappointed.  It has been and continues to be exciting.  People who stereotype the Christian Religion as an irrational, asinine practice, have developed this perception from the outside looking in and through observing irrational, asinine people connected to the peripheries of our faith.  We of our faith have been our own worst enemies at times due to our actions that have no bearing nor resemblance to walking in the shoes of our Lord Jesus. 
     Take heart my fellow Christians.  Our Lord God loves us unconditionally...though our actions are an entirely different story depending on what they are.  It seems as though I no sooner pray than it is done so many times that I have to remind myself to have patience when it takes a little time for the bigger miracles or answers to my prayers.  How many times have I imagined myself doomed, only to find myself foolish for having worried.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:37

…30Why, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.

Matthew 6:30-32

"When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say,

Luke 12:11

     Jesus addresses worry many times in the New Testament.  Always, it says do not worry.  With the building of faith comes the retreat of worry in our lives.  So it is...and so it shall be.  Put it in his hands for who has power over our God.  He who knows each grain of sand.