Faith, the foundation of the Human experience. By F. Martin
Such a broad statement to begin discussion, yet one that is worthy of much explanation. Since my word is of ill effect, let us join spirits and intertwine with the Holy Spirit who will provide wisdom and insight to this text. He will hear us if we beckon earnestly and honestly and will provide much needed clarity for our days ahead.
As I did in times past, and perhaps many of you share this thought. We are products part and parcel of Love. Love being the most important and sustaining element in our lives. This seems and appears to be sound reasoning. Yet my discussion revolves around this thought being in error. The word tells us that;
1 John 4
6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
So first and foremost God instructs us through John that we must love. It is a requirement for the children of God. It seems germane to the entire product of Christianity that this would be so. If I could indulge in an analogy, prior to our senses becoming manifest to the things around us, we grow in our love by the love shown towards us by our family. Brethren, there is probably one or more of you who can remember the way they loved upon their younger siblings, or received love from the elder siblings. So God instructs us for our growth to love one another. Jesus came to explain, that besides the 10 commandments (not suggestions) given to Moses, Jesus added two that would be the foundation of His ministry with us.
Matthew 22
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets
Jesus said to hang all the law and the prophets on these two commandments. This very statement keeps the other ten intact and as potent as ever, yet increases the responsibility to the hearer and the faithful. You must love to grow in the Kingdom of God. This discussion shall take a turn here. To love, you must first believe that He is. As the word states;
Hebrews 11
6 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.
God made it quite plain over and over again that we must be founded on faith. Which is this discussion’s text. Faith is the foundation of the Human experience. It is the strength and the bond in which we link ourselves to the very things we hold dear. Our hearts imagine many things, yet through faith do we act on those imaginations. Faith can be perverted, yet when operating in the manner in which God intended, you would rather rely on a young man with an emptied skull portion of an ass, then a thousand armed soldiers of a king. You would be better suited to trust in the feeble staff of an aged stuttering murderer, than the chariots of an Egyptian prince. It is faith that has put lions to sleep, and caused flames to neither burn nor devour the clothes of three young boys, or the stems of a mountain bush.
When Jesus walked, He routinely made notice of the faith of those in His ministry. A notation that God wanted us to rely upon. God wanted us to be stern caretakers of the faith He provides.
Matthew 8
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Jesus did not marvel at the soldiers leadership, or courage. He did not condemn Israel for their lack of love, or strength.
Matthew 9
21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Once again Jesus addressed the faith. He did not honor the woman for her persistence. The crowd that followed the savior was immense. The woman may well have been feeble and weak from her bout with the issue of blood over time. It is here where the kernel of faith is sown. In need of repair, the human spirit will earnestly search for cleansing. Within us, God has developed this kernel to bring us to a place where we can honor him through faith. Faith routinely leads to one seeking knowledge or help. That seeking leads to a relationship, which ultimately leads to love. Indeed love is such an important element. Yet it is God who is love. The scriptures do not describe man as love. Man is in search of love. How many books, songs, sonnets and poetry have been written on the subject? God is so indescribable, all the interpretations are correct when they point to God. Yet how many songs and books are written of faith? The faith of a mustard seed. Though appearing small, grows to be a mighty plant. Jesus spoke of the seeds being thrown in different areas and exacting different results. His parable gives credence to the notion that we as a people are born with our soil (self) having thorns as a native plant. It is the flower that is rare to us. We routinely are surprised by the behaviors of are brethren that cause ill will. Yet I petition you to see the true meaning, we should have faith and pray for our brethren but understand the nature of man is sin. This is determined by the first Adam. The second Adam provided the wings of faith which allows us to elevate above our own nature and link with the heavens. As a butterfly would, we escape the boundaries of our earthly cocoon, to soar and find safety under the wings of the almighty. The most High God must be communed by one with a most high faith. With this knowledge our condemnation of others is no longer truth, it is folly. It is high mindedness. Would it be fair for God to condemn us for the very nature we were born into? He allows us room to grow through the faith He breathed in. The Faith is the solution He provided before Adam created the problem. He is a now God. Maybe not right now as far as our clock goes, but now as in present and living.
Matthew 13
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Again, let us try to understand that the thorns are native to our soil. It is not in reluctance that weeds and thorns grow, but in a natural state. Behind my home, a construction company had excavated ground to clear and level an area for a new school. They built a mound of excavated dirt close to 20 ft high. This dirt was not tilled and no seed added unto it. Without rain, and under extreme summer heat sprung a large patch of weeds. This puzzled me a great deal, because in the same timeframe I had excavated my yard, tilled it, seeded it and looked forward to a luscious green lawn of my labor. Yet none was forthcoming. As I looked over at that mound I had to yield to the truth, you will work harder to extract one flower of faith, then 1 acre of doubt weeds. So my brethren look within and make sure that your faith is cared for and that you are allowing the Father to prune you to extract more fruit. Sing praises through divers trials, and taste often the nectar of tribulation. Through these, you may very well bring forth the type faith that may save thee. Paul spoke of the shield of faith in great detail.
Ephesians 6
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
If you forget your helmet of salvation, you may still thwart the fiery darts of the wicked with your shield and protect your head. If your sword of the Spirit is dull, you can still protect your vital organs with that shield as you sharpen your blade. Do not forget that shield of faith, it is the foundation of the human experience.
