Faith

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

11/11 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

Now faith IS. In other words, faith is for the present. If we have been born again, faith is a confidence that we already possess. Hope is directed toward the future. "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). Faith deals with things not seen. Faith is NOT based on our natural senses but on the eternal truth of the Word of God. Faith does not require a rational explanation or an educated mind. Jesus, in John 17:17 said, to His Father, "Thy word is truth." Jesus also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:8

A helmet protects the head. Therefore hope is primarily in the realm of the mind. The breastplate of faith and love protects the heart. Therefore faith is primarily in the realm of our heart or our spirit. We also know that,

For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

True faith causes man to recognize his own limitations. Therefore true faith can exist only in a spirit of true humility. We are saved by grace through faith. We receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit by faith. We open our mouths and prophesy by faith. Everything we receive from the Lord is by faith. Paul said,

1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Galatians 3:1-3

For many years now a "false faith" doctrine has been widely circulated by many teachers. This false faith movement has also been characterized by a "prosperity gospel." Prosperity is a very popular word to people. Many years ago, one of the major faith teachers (who I will call Sam) publicly commented on the following verse:

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Acts 3:6

Sam, the faith teacher, stated that Peter was actually a very rich man. When Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, Sam explained that Peter meant that he had left all of his money at home. If you believe that then I have a bridge I want to sell to you. Better still, since a popular verse for the faith teachers is, "you have not because you ask not," why don't you just ask the Lord to GIVE you that bridge? When Jesus and His disciples were at Capernaum, those who received tribute money (fifteen pence per person), asked Peter if Jesus paid the tribute. When Peter asked Jesus about the tribute money, Jesus said,

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.

Matthew 17:27

Apparently, Peter did not have enough money to pay the tribute. The Lord not only provides for our every need, He IS our provision!

So what is "wrong" with this popular, faith-prosperity teaching? I believe the root problem is the same as in any off-center doctrine. It focuses on man, a humanistic approach, on OUR faith in God and what we do; rather than on Jesus Christ and what He has already done. It appeals to man and what WE get rather than on Christ and how we can please Him. Yes, there is some truth in the faith teaching. If this off-center doctrine did not sound good, it would never have attracted countless thousands of sincere Christians. However rat poison is 99% pure wheat ... it is the other 1% that gets you! In Luke 17 after Jesus had been teaching his disciples about forgiveness,


5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. Luke 17:5-6

Many years ago my wife asked me to go dig up a small sycamore seedling that was growing too close to our carport shed. A sycamore tree is a variety of a sycamine tree. This particular sycamore seedling was perhaps two and one half feet tall. The diameter of the tree at its widest part was less than one inch. I worked for at least one hour, digging around and below the root level, trying to dig that little tree up. I NEVER succeeded! I finally just sawed it off as close to the ground as possible. Imagine what power it would take to uproot a full-grown sycamore tree! So to SPEAK to a sycamine tree and cause it to be plucked up by the root would take nothing less than the dynamite power of God!

In additionion, let as consider the apostles' plea for the Lord to increase their faith. We must remember that at that point in time the apostles were not baptized with the Holy Spirit. They could think only at the natural level. Jesus COULD have told them, "You have asked for the wrong thing. YOUR faith will NEVER be good enough. It takes the faith of God to do the works of God." However, Jesus knew about their lack of understanding. So he used an analogy of the sycamine tree that they might understand.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

The above verse says that we live by the faith of Jesus ... by HIS faith, not by our faith in Him. Consider the verses in 

Ephesians: 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

So there is ONE faith. What faith is that? It is HIS FAITH ... the faith of Jesus. Hebrews 11 is often called the "faith chapter," because it lists many of the great men (and women) of faith as recorded in the Old Testament. The FIRST Person of great faith was (and is) Jesus Christ.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3

There are numerous scriptures which clearly show that we must live and move and have our being by HIS faith.

And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. Acts 3:16

How important is faith?

Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:23

The writer of the book of Hebrews also answers that question.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

In the King James' authorized version of the Bible, words in italics do not appear in the original Greek from which it was translated. Let us re-state the above verse WITHOUT the italicized words.

But without faith impossible to please: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

Please note that WITHOUT the italics, the last phrase of Hebrews 11:6 reads quite differently. To be specific, I MUST believe that He IS, but I do NOT have to believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. It is true that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He rewards us with more of Himself, more of His faith, more of His love, etc. But I do NOT have to believe He is going to reward me for diligently seeking Him. In other words, I need to diligently seek Him whether or not I ever receive any reward. The difference is one of perspective. Do we follow Christ in order to GET something for ourselves? or simply to please Him with no thought of return for our self? So instead of saying, Lord increase our faith, we SHOULD say, Lord let me appropriate more of YOUR faith which operates within me so that I can please you more fully. How do we accomplish that? by being obedient to the word of faith, which comes by hearing his voice.

So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

Some people seem to interpret that verse as "faith comes by hearing the word of God." Therefore, they say, that we increase our faith by simply reading or quoting the written word over and over. We do not agree. First of all the Greek for "word" in that verse is 'rhema,' which is more than simply the written word ... it is the word quickened to us by the Holy Spirit. Second, those are TWO steps, not one. A number of years ago I was in Omaha, Nebraska, for a few days on business. While I was there I looked in the yellow pages under "churches" and called a few places to inquire about any form of believers' meetings for the few days I would be there. I talked to one pastor, who told me they were having a few Christians over to his house to pray that night and that I would be welcome to attend. I went. They were genuine Christians all right. After the meeting broke up I was the last one to leave except for the pastor and his wife, who lived there. Just before I was about to leave, their telephone rang. The wife answered the phone. From the conversation that I could hear, their grown daughter, who lived in the same town, had accidentally spilled some hot, scalding water on her arms and apparently burned herself rather badly. Her mother's advice to her daughter over the phone was simply to repeat, over and over, "by His stripes I am healed." I groaned in my spirit, but said nothing. However at that point I fervently prayed, silently, for the daughter. That was one of the most passionate prayers I have ever said in my life! Technically, the mother MAY have been correct. Perhaps the mother could walk in that word for herself (and maybe not). But to legalistically impose your state (or doctrine) in Christ on someone else is a TRAGEDY! We must do MORE than mentally assent and agree to the written word of God.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

Isaiah 64:6

Our faith will never get the job done. HIS faith, working within us can move mountains!

Obedience

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 2:26

And Samuel said [to Saul], hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22

The above two verses emphasize the importance of obedience in our walk with the Lord.

Abraham had faith that God would raise up Isaac after the Lord told him to sacrifice his only son. But Abraham had an ACTIVE faith. He was willing and fully prepared to obey that word form the Lord.

Who or what do we obey? Children are told to obey their parents and servants are told to obey their masters.

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. Ephesians 6:1, 5

In addition,

Obey them that have the rule over you [or guide you], and submit yourselves.

Hebrews 13:17

But if there is any conflict, we must always obey the Lord. We must always be faithful to Him and His word.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29

And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him. Hebrews 5:9

Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it. John 2:5

Many years ago, my wife and I felt strongly impressed by the Holy Spirit to start a "neighborhood" meeting in our home. We invited many of our neighbors who lived close to us and a few who lived a little farther away. In order not to intimidate any of our neighbors, we described the meeting as a Bible study. Some of our neighbors came to our weekly meeting. Most of those invited did not come. The meeting was small, with about six or seven people plus ourselves, so we could easily fit into our living room. For a number of weeks we talked about the topic of "who is Jesus Christ?" Then we started through the gospel of John. We never completed the gospel of John before the Lord said to stop the meeting, which ran for about eight or nine months. We saw some amazing things happen to those people who attended. Several of them, who had been very nominal Christians, met the reality of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Two of those people were baptized with the Holy Spirit in their own homes, all by themselves, and no man laid hands on them or prayed for them to receive the baptism. We saw several people receive physical healing. Others were set free from guilt and bondage. It was like we sat back and just watched the Lord work in their lives. All we did was to provide the environment for the Holy Spirit to move.

A few years later, we saw a need within the house church of which we were a part for some foundational Bible teaching. So we decided to repeat our neighborhood Bible study, this time for new members of the house church. We again started with the question of "who is Jesus Christ?" And once more we started through the gospel of John. This time, we did not see the results that we had seen in our first neighborhood meeting. What made the difference? Only the Lord knows for sure, but we believe it was because the Holy Spirit said to do it the first time. With the second Bible study, the motivation was because we saw a need. So the motivations for the two meetings were quite different. That which the Lord ordains will always be a huge success. That which we do out of our natural minds, no matter how good our motivation may be, produces wood, hay, and stubble. We were obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit with the first meeting. To obey is better than sacrifice.

Faith and obedience are twins which go together in scripture. When James states that "faith without works is dead," he refers to obedience to the faith. In other words, faith requires some action on our part.

25 Now to Him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. Romans 16:25-26

Obedience is NOT a natural quality. We are certainly NOT born with a tendency toward obedience ... quite the contrary! All you have to do is look at little children. They will pout, cry, and do ANYTHING to get their own way. And when two little children want the same toy ... LOOK OUT!

Whenever we come to know the saving grace of our Lord, we do not automatically take on the nature of obedience. Obedience is a characteristic of both the natural and the spiritual man that must be learned. When a mother tells her young child, "No, no," don't touch the fire or hot oven, the child at first cannot comprehend, because they have never experienced the sensation of burning. The child, unfortunately, must usually learn from a painful experience (or two) to obey the mother. Consider Jesus.

For as by one man's [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One [Jesus] shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:19

And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8

How could it be that Jesus had to learn obedience? because He came to earth as a man. He had to experientially learn obedience as a man.

God has chosen suffering as a major avenue whereby we may learn obedience and become an overcomer.


9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:9-10

Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.

Hebrews 5:8

Jesus learned obedience by the things which He suffered. If that were true of Jesus, how much more true is that for us! Peter has much to say about the suffering which we as Christians are called upon to endure. However,

I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

The next time that you find yourself in a difficult time of trial and suffering, remember that the sufferings which you endure do not come anywhere near the suffering that our Lord went through on our behalf. Just praise the Lord and thank Him that He has counted you worthy to suffer in His name. Allow the Spirit to teach you obedience. Allow the Lord to make you an overcomer.