the REAL FAITH

in general, ALL MEN HAVE FAITH.. however FAITH is defined differently.. some say FAITH as being positive attitude.. or is it religion.. or FAITH as a name?

real faith that works.. that makes the difference in everyday life.. what does it really mean? what does it do? what does the difference when they say they're living in faith and one who doesnt?

FAITH is so big and its hard to put ur arms around..

Proverbs 3:5-6
New International Version (NIV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

There are FOUR PHRASES to understand FAITH:

1. TRUST GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART::: FAITH IS RISKING.

everytime you trust, it involves RISK. you need to RISK in order to TRUST. If you want to do something there is always a RISK involved.. especially in a relationship.. MEN always have an issues in risking their lives to trust another PERSON.. So the challenge that Jesus asked from us is to take that risk and TRUST HIM..

Ecclesiastes 10: 8 (the Living Bible)
There is risk in each stroke of your axe!

THERE IS NO GREATER RISK BUT THE RISK OF RELATIONSHIPS.. But Jesus said in Mark 12:30
(NIV)

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[a

TAKE THE RISK TO LOVE GOD.. it is worth it .. the greates mistake in your life is not to take the risk of not loving GOD..

Matthew 16:25
New Living Translation (NLT)
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

When you take a step out to TRUST JESUS rather than yourself, that is having FAITH. If you did not respond to TRUST or take that RISK to TRUST Jesus, then there is no FAITH at all. To Trust him with your family, decision, work.. anytime you step out and reach to JESUS, thats a leap of FAITH..

Now as you walk through RISK and taking that step in FAITH.. HOW?? .. HOW would you know that you are taking the risk that is not self-inflicted and you are taking the risk that God is showing you? there is an 80/20 PRINCIPLE

if you'll do the 80% of GOD's will that is extremely clear and rightfully interpreted from the BIBLE, then God will then show you the 20% that is not so clear.

80% -- the verse in Mark 12: 30 Love the LOrd your GOD with all your heart, soul and mind.. if you practice this principle it reflects on this Bible verse is clear on you and it acts in every dealing with your self and your relationship.. speaking genetleness and kindness (fruit of the holy spirit).. if you spend time with the Word of God then it will give you an understanding on how will your character be transformed by the power of His words.. Spending your 80% of your time with the word of God then you are going to know the 20% that God would want you to take the risk in Faith in God.. e.g. Where you will live? How are you going to handle a situation?


2. LEAN NOT ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING::: FAITH IS RELYING

FAITH IN GOD is also relying on HIM.. Not relying on ourselves on my idea or my reasoning. GOD IS FAITHFUL.. Leaning on HIm.. FAITH is admitting that there is something bigger than me.. that you are not absolutely right.. Humbling moments of life...

Proverbs 14: 12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

human intuition is not always right but it may lead to DEATH if you rely only on yourself.. GOD has more insights on what is going to happen... more than your understanding, emotions and reasons.. there are things that is above and beyond our intuition.. Human intuition is not always reliable.. GOD knows us.. GOD knows what we want and need.. GOD would like to get you to the significance of what life is all about.. but we get messed up? if what God wants for us is not the one we want.. the moment you would like to get hold of your life and want to be the HERO that you made it all up there.. we want to get all we need and become the HERO ALL THE WAY ALONE.. so GOD at times get us to pain all the way and humble us to make himself present..

Mark 10: 43 Today's English Version
If anyone of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest..

Jesus wants us to become great and learn the significance of life.. but JESUS said in Mark 10: 43 you must serve other people.. In general, MEN doesnt like that.. but TRUE GREATNESS IS SERVING PEOPLE.. make an impact to other people.. that's greatness.. SERVE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERs.. If you show and become an example to SERVE (Feeding the 5000) If you can more of that, then more people are coming.. people will follow you..

IF YOUR FAITH IS ALLOWING YOU TO BE HUMBLE AND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING IN YOUR HAND, THAT'S TRUST.. that's FAITH.. You've got GOD who has the best interest in your heart.. will give greatest joy of my life.. that is FAITH.. somebody you can trust and rely on... that is GOD.. that is FAITH..

It is at times scary when you rely on somebody else.. but JESUS IS TRUSTWORTHY AND RELIABLE.. He is not just somebody else.. but HE IS JESUS...

HOW DO YOU RELY ON JESUS? THIS IS THE 90/10 PRINCIPLE, and practice this. It has to be something I do and not just the way we think..

Proverbs 3:9 (NLT) Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce.

The 90/10 Principle... GOD can do more w 90% of your life by trusting Him the first 10%... just like FINANCES, business, integrity, family, decisions.. FINANCES or money is a part of LIFE and making JESUS a part of your Finances must be a part of your life.. To say that I have a faith in GOD but not making JESUS a part of FINANCES.. then its pretty meaningless.. JESUS must be a part of EVERYTHING in your life..

Malachi 3:10(New Century Version) Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord All-Powerful. "I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need.

this 10% gets to be practical.. Why 10%? I dont know why.. except I do know that 10% is enough to challeng my faith and thats the point.. Jesus challenges to see and test him what He can do with 10%...

FAITH IS RISKING
FAITH IS RELYING
FAITH IS _____

3. iN ALL YOUR WAYS, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE HIM:: FAITH IS OBEYING.

Because He has our best interest, you must acknowledge the way He is.. BY OBEYING HIM.. FAITH is something you do and activated when you ACT..

Proverbs 28:14(NLT)Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.

God is not wanting you to obey and make your life miserable.. GOD wants you to experience TRUE HAPPINESS and ETERNAL.. but when we are STUBBORN, it gets us into trouble.. (A REALITY)..

It is easy to get stubborn and be prideful in our ways.. The longer you are stubborn the further you get from where GOD wants you to be.. BUT THE MOMENT YOU STOP BEING STUBBORN, you submit to GOD make a U-TURN and realize all the good stuff where you are supposed to be.. but there is always something about us that gets us to be STUBBORN.. OBEY GOD and He wants to bring happiness into your life..

James 1:22 (NLT)But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

You dont get SPIRITUAL by listening to SPIRITUAL VERSES.. you get spiritual, by doing something on the message... Just because you went to Church and hearing the WORD that makes you feel emotional is NOT SPIRITUALITY.

HOW TO DO THIS IS TO PRACTICE THE 100% PRINCIPLE. It is giving 100% of your life to GOD..

ALL YOUR WAYS AND NOT JUST MOST OF YOUR WAYS.. ALL YOUR WAYSSSS...

Colossians 3:17 (NCV)Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.

The question is which part of your life you are not giving to our Lord Jesus.. is it your business, relationship, sexuality, your enternatinment, your finances, habits..just this part that you say ITS YOURS.. not w JESUS..

if there is one are that you are holding off it becomes a CANCER that affects all the rest.. 100%... what is one thing that holds you out over there?? if there is ONE THING, that means you already thought about it... GOD has put it in your mind.. why does he keeps bugging you with that one thing??? ... NOT TO RUIN YOUR LIFE... its because HE LOVES YOU..

If you give HIM that one thing, then GOD WILL OPEN A GREAT DOOR FOR YOU.. God keeps on bugging you out on this is because HE KNOWS that there is a GREAT PATH awaiting you... the SECRET IS THAT WE ARE NOT PERFECT.. GOD knows we are not PERFECT that's why HE KNOWS WE NEED HIM...

FAITH IS RISKING, RELYING, OBEYING, EXPECTING

4. he will make your paths straight:: EXPECTING.
The SIGNIFICANT LIFE. faith is expecting GOD to work and keep his promise.. that is a blessing of a straight path.

Psalm 34:8(NLT)Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Faith is expecting that God is going to work.. Trust GOD might lose a friend, might lose a lot of stuff.. might lose the fun or habit you are thinking of.. instead of thinking what you might lose when you have FAITH.. but rather think what are you going to lose if you dont have FAITH.. what are you going to lose on if you dont trust GOD... what are you gonna miss? what joy, life, eternity, salvation, success, what gift you are give on eternity?

I may not see it immediately but FAITH IS EXPECTING because there is always ETERNAL RELEVANCE THAT COMES WITH IT..

At times I dont understand... I run to HIM and expecting HIM to act.. sometimes I see it clearly and sometimes i dont but GOD HAS NEVER LET ME DOWN.. Everytime I have step a leap of faith.. and trust HIM with everything... HE MAKES MY LIFE STRAIGHT.. LIFE OPENS UP.. When life is not fast enough for me.. When I dont like what is happening because of waiting that when the issues comes in.. thats when LIFE GET TWISTED when I try to understand it on my own.. but GOD is faithful.. He will make our path straight.. We are a full if we say we can understand whats going on in our life.. but GOD is faithful.. HE CAN BE TRUSTED..

This has been true not just in our lives but eversince the beginning of the world..

Deuteronomy 7:9 (NLT) Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.

Based on that, I can expect GOD to act on my behalf as I trust him even in the greatest difficulties of my life.. I cant expect Him to make circumstances the way I always want it to be.. I cant expect Him to force another person to choose what he doesnt want to choose.. BUT I CAN EXPECT HIM TO LOVE ME.. I CAN EXPECT HIM TO USE EVEN THIS IN MY LIFE.. I CAN EXPECT HIM TO KEEP HIS PROMISE.. IN ETERNITY..

HOW CAN I DO THAT? ONE- DAY -AT - A -TIME...

FAITH can grow one day at a time.. FAITH is given TODAY,, EVERYDAY...ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME.. ONE RELATIONSHIP AT A TIME.. ONE STEP AT A TIME.. ONE DAY AT A TIME... it is not a LEAP in the DARK.. it is a STEP INTO THE LIGHT.. What reasonable STEP for me to see the Light of GOD..

IT MAY NOT LIKE DOING IT.. IT MAY NOT SEEM REASONABLE TO ME TO DO IT.. BUT IM GOING because I TRUST HIM THAN I TRUST ME..

WHY SHOULD I EXPECT GOD TO DO THIS FOR ME IF I DDNT DO ANYTHING TO HIM??

becaues HE LOVES US.. HE CREATED US.. AND HE BROUGHT US INTO THIS WORLD

FOR THE REASON THAT I TRUST HIM TO DO SOMETHING ON MY BEHALF IS NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE DONE BUT BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR ME. HE IS MY FATHER..

THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP OF FAITH YOU NEED TO TAKE.. WHAT IS THE RISK??

This not meant to be complicated.. FAITH IS SIMPLE and one thing you just need to realize is JESUS LOVES YOU.. we struggle with it because we always want things for ourselves and do not take the risk to trust GOD on what we want..

faith is not about getting what you want.. faith is about doing what GOD wants.. it I follow what God wants me to do, God will show me how I can understand the things He knows what is best for me..

Proverbs 3:5-6
The Message (MSG) Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track