ASPECTS OF FAITH

The mostly used word in our daily living as Christians is faith, however I wonder if we do really understand the exact meaning of faith, or the power that is hidden within this five letter word. The biblical definition of faith is clear in the book of Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Faith is a substance, and we all know that a substance can be referred to the importance of what has been said or written by someone, or it can be a material with uniform characteristics. Faith is the evidence, and we are certain that evidence may refer to something that proves that either something is true or have existed; it is also referred to as a visible sign of something.

What we need to understand now is the core knowledge and wisdom behind faith, the aspects of which it is made of, the power that is deeply hidden within this little simple word we always confuse thinking that we have it whereas we are just playing behind its corners. Every time when Jesus tested His disciples He could say that they are of little faith, this however means that faith can be measured, the more you understand it the stronger it is in you. What makes the weight of faith is what has built it.

Now let’s discuss the aspects or elements of faith;

1.    Faith as behaviour

Sometimes we pray and don’t get what we prayed for just because we did not behave afterwards, we easily gave up by the words we spoke, the things we did and the walk we intended to walk after prayer. “Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.” Matthew 15:21-28. This woman is so dynamic, her behaviour made her get what she wanted, she understood faith as a behaviour, sometimes you’ve got to behave stubborn before the Lord if you want things to happen for you, reason with Him until you matches His faith. “ for without faith it is impossible to please God”, He is not pleased or impressed by how much you preach or come to church, but by your behaviour when you are not in the pulpit or church. The bible says that we must have God kind of faith, and again it says that we must have the attitude which was also in Christ Jesus, what it mean is that we must behave like God, “for in Him we live, we move and have our being”.

2.    Faith is a believe

The eyes of faith are very much spiritual that they see even the things that has not yet happened, the things that you’ve not yet seen with the naked eyes, but yet you believe in God for them. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Peter believed Jesus when He called him to walk on top of waters as He was coming to the boat, and so he did walk on water. In the midst of oppositions and hard situation faith can makes things happen for you if you attempt it as a belief, believing that He who called you is faithful and He also shall do it for you. When Joshua prayed for the sun and the moon to stop until they are done avenging themselves upon their enemies, he believed without doubt that God would hear him, and indeed God heard him and the bible records “and there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man” Joshua 10:14

3.    Faith as obedience

God is not pleased by how much we offer, how much we have, what we have, how we worship or pray, God is well pleased when we obey His word, when we live according to His laws and principles, the principles of love and peace. “But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” 1 Samuel 15:22. For without faith it is impossible to please God, Saul was trying to please God, but he couldn’t because he had no faith in Him, if you have faith in God, you will always obey even if you think what you will do will be accepted, don’t do things that would be accepted, but do things that will please God.

4.    Faith is giving the best

Giving is not enough to please God and challenge Him to pour out blessings upon your life, but giving the BEST, giving even if you don’t have all is a sign of faith in God. “But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.” Very small copper coins reflect as MORE to Jesus because the woman did not just give, but she gave out of her best and out of her faith. Your faith is not determined by how much you put of the giving basket, coins or notes, but by the measure of where you pulled it out. God accepted Abel’s offerings because he gave the best out of faith…