Christian Faith The Lifeline of the Believer
Christian faith gives us confidence of a loving God. Our faith shows us there is someone greater and mightier than we are. God
created the world and all that is in it. Belief in Jesus’ birth, life, death, and
resurrection is the center of the Christian faith. During Christ’s 3-year
ministry, He had a small group of followers. After His death and resurrection,
the number of believers grew exponentially. Today, more than two billion people
are estimated to be followers of Christ.
Why do so many people believe in God? It is because
man is able to communicate with God and perceive evidence of His presence. Unfortunately,
some do not recognize the existence of God until they get in a life-threatening
situation and then they turn to God in prayer. Christ
is our Savior and Lord. He is with us, and He is for us. Christian faith is having
confidence in Jesus Christ. By faith, we believe and put our trust in an unseen
God. Many want to see, feel, hear, taste, and smell before they believe, but the
spiritual realm is invisible and cannot be experienced through the physical
senses. Only by faith can we believe. Jesus
said, “I came that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly”
(Romans 10:10). Joshua urged his people to meditate on the Word of God day and night
to have good success. Meditating and speaking the Word cause our faith in God
to grow.
Building Foundations of Christian Faith That Lasts
Foundations of Christian faith are much like preparing the
foundation of a house or a structure. A strong foundation is the pathway to a
strong and productive Christian life. As engineers, we were taught always to design a strong foundation
so the structure will withstand all challenges. If the foundation is weak, the
structure will be weak and in danger of collapsing when challenged by wind,
rain, and heavy loading. I remember one project where we were asked to design and
construct a retaining wall along a slope. The owner wanted to extend the depth
of their rear yard. Upon review of the property, the natural earth looked solid
and sufficient to build a wall. But, once we dug down a few feet, it became evident
that the soil was weak and insufficient to support a concrete wall. We then discovered that the rear of the property had been a
stream. The stream had been rerouted and filled with waste material. The
material under the ground's surface was organic and unsuitable for supporting
the wall's foundation. It was necessary to dig 20 feet deep to reach solid,
undisturbed soil with sufficient strength to carry the load of the wall. If the retaining wall had been built on the weak soil, it
would soon crack and crumble. It is much the same way with the foundation for the Christian
faith. If your faith has no firm foundation, it, too, will crack and crumble
under stress. Jesus taught us the importance of building a foundation upon the
rock so that when the storms of life come, we can stand strong and not be
washed away in the stormy streams of life. A deep understanding
of the foundations of Christian faith will make you a strong Christian, able to
weather the storms of life. Matthew 7:24-29 says, "Therefore everyone who hears
these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built
his house on the rock." The key message in this verse is hearing the Word
of God. We must have knowledge of God to stand strong and to move forward in
life. The second message is just as important. It is putting God's Word into
practice or being a doer of God's Word. When you do, your foundation will withstand
all of life's challenges.
Power of the Spoken Word
The power of the spoken word is often underestimated as to its
potential to influence others. It can persuade, convict, praise, and encourage
others. It is also a compelling force in our lives. Our words flow into our
hearts, which is our human spirit where it influences events in our lives. Several years ago—thirteen years ago, to be exact—I was diagnosed
with throat cancer, stage four. I remember meeting my radiologist for the first
time. I will never forget his optimistic attitude and the words he said to me.
He said, together, we will handle this. He said he had a 90 to 95 percent
success rate, and we would whip the cancer. His words went straight to my heart,
and I believed him. And we whipped the cancer. His words were powerful and helped put me on the path of
right-thinking and healing. They set the groundwork for my complete recovery. This site teaches the power of the
spoken word. Words can bring life or death. How do we harness the power of words
which affect our lives? “Death and life are in the power of the
tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). What does this
mean? What is its fruit? It means that if you speak words of life, your
words promote life for you and those who hear them. If you speak words of anger
and hostility, you attract anger and hostility. Proverbs 10:11 says, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of
life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” Our words are
powerful. Paul cautioned us, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may
give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). Since becoming aware of the power of the
spoken word, I have observed the “bad luck” brought by those that practice
negative speaking and the good that comes from those that practice uplifting speech.
What is the Kingdom of Heaven?
As I prepare each lesson, I always ask myself how this
lesson applies to the people in the class. I think it is an important question.
I feel a responsibility to each student to provide information that will equip each
student for tomorrow and the days following. Many are searching for knowledge
that will help them understand how the Christian faith operates. Only then can
they be doers of God’s Word. The message of the kingdom of heaven is vital to Christian
growth. Jesus based many of His teachings on the kingdom of heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are interchangeable
terms. In the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew used the phrase “kingdom of heaven”
out of sensitivity to the Jews who avoid mentioning the sacred name of God. Broadly defined, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over
the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority. Those
who have accepted Christ as the Lord of their lives are part of the kingdom of
God. Jesus told His followers that His kingdom is not of this world. The
kingdom of God is spiritual and abides in the hearts of believers.
Jesus said, "I came that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). What does this mean for you and for me? If we look at the first part of the verse, it says, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." Jesus was contrasting what He offers with what the world offers. He was warning his followers to be alert to the ways of the world and be aware of the eternal treasure He offers.
Some may think that God is stingy with His blessings. But nothing could be further from the truth. God wants you and me to be blessed more than we want it ourselves.
The thief comes for selfish reasons. Jesus came to give. He came that we may have life in Him that is meaningful, purposeful, joyful and eternal. He is concerned with what is in our hearts. He wants our hearts to be filled with love, joy, and peace.
What gives you love, joy, and peace? Is it more toys or more cars or more things? External things usually fall short in the long term. Seek peace from within. It is everlasting. It is the Kingdom of Heaven.
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