Bible Training

How Does Our Faith Grow, Develop and Mature? How can we grow our faith? How can we increase our faith? Is there anything we can do to have a strong mature faith? And especially in these increasingly challenging days when it is becoming harder and more difficult to fly our flag and carry our cross! Luke 17 verse 5 – One day the apostles said to Jesus - ‘Lord, increase our faith!’” That is a prayer God will always answer. Jesus certainly did on this occasion. God does not respond right away to my complaining – or to my worries – or to my anger – or to my bitterness – but He does respond when I trust him – and He does respond to faith. Hebrews 11 verse 6 – “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Matthew 9 verse 29 – “According to your faith will it be done to you! We get to choose how much will GOD bless out lives – God responds to faith. If we put little faith in GOD, we get little results – if we put a lot of faith in God we will get a lot of results – if we place great faith in God we will get great results. “According to your faith it will be done to you.” Colossians 2 verse 7 - “Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment, so that you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous. . .” Let your roots grow down. There are TWO WAYS GOD GROWS OUR FAITH 1 – THROUGH knowing God’s Word – through knowing the Bible. This is one way we can grow our faith. Romans 10 verse 17 – “Faith comes from hearing God’s message, and God’s message is heard through THE WORD of Christ.” 2 – THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES THAT TEST ME – we can only read the Bible a few hours a day – but circumstances face us 24 hours a day. Faith is like a muscle – we need to exercise it – we do not grow faith just by sitting around and praying – ‘O, I need more faith!’ The only way we grow or strengthen a muscle is by exercising it – testing it – stretching it. Allow it to deal with resistance – and overcome heavy weights – to strengthen – to build – to grow – to increase. James 1 verse 3 - “When your faith is tested, your character has a chance to grow.” 1 – GOD TESTS and GROWS OUR FAITH THROUGH DREAMS – a dream in your heart - or VISION in your mind – God gives us a dream – something you want to do – something in the future – a vision for the future – a calling for our life’s work – a goal – an aim – a purpose – an urge that is more than a physical urge – there is something spiritual about it. Invariably, someone will appear to confirm it all. And we become passionate about that! We may become absorbed in that – even be regarded too narrow – over the top – too committed. How do we know that the dream or vision is from GOD? 1 - It is going to HELP somebody – it is going to minister to somebody. God is not interested in us living a self-centred life. Are we going to make someone find life easier – or some problem is helped, or resolved, or shared. Find a need and fill it – find a hurt and heal it. You make somebody’s life brighter – easier – different. 2 – It will be so big that you know you will fail unless God helps you – you just know you cannot do it by yourself – not by your own power. Jeremiah 29 verse 11 - “I know what I’ve planned for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don't plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future!” God can guide you through opening doors – and God can guide you through shutting doors. Ephesians 3 verse 20 - “God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” Think – ponder – consider – understand. When somebody has a dream make sure you are not the dream buster. Somebody may come up to you and say – who do you think you are to do that – nobody else has done that – anyway not from our family. Sometimes it can be scary – we must not base our lives on FEAR. That is what courage is – courage is doing what God tells you to do, even though you still think it is scary. “I am not going to do anything until God gives me PEACE about it.” NO! It is after you take the step that you may begin to experience PEACE. When you move in God’s dream – in God’s will – HE takes care of you. Where God guides, God provides. I do not always know how it happens – but I know it happens. The Church of Jesus Christ is to be a place where the weak and helpless and sick and frustrated and confused and broken people can find help and healing and hope and forgiveness and direction and guidance – as we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit – and seek to bring men and women to God the Father. “Gracious merciful loving and powerful creator God – lead us and show us how to increase our faith so that when the weak and helpless and sick and frustrated and confused and broken people come to us, they can receive the help and healing and forgiveness and guidance they may need. Give us the opportunities to exercise our faith in Jesus Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Amen. (This week's "Word from Scotland" - previous articles may be found at Studylight - warmest greetings, in Christ Jesus.)