Faith2

Tree of Life Lessons

Level 1 Lesson 5 Part 3

FAITH (2)

The act of faith is an act which looses tremendous powers into action. It is not the act of blind belief or hopes, but the act of knowing that it is now, or is going to be, done and that the prayer will be answered.

As we have learned by the use of the Law that Jesus taught, the first thing to know is to become close to God. Matthew talked of the Manna of God in Matthew 6:11 --

"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O men of little faith."

Here we see that even the grass has a pattern set by God. It is provided for. Again, in the world around us, Jesus said in Matthew 17:20--

"Truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move hence to yonder place...and it will move and nothing will be impossible to you."

This shows the unlimited power of man through the power of God and the tool of faith. Jesus also said in Matthew 21:22 that whatsoever you ask in prayer, you will receive IF YOU HAVE FAITH.

In Mark 11:24, Jesus said that whatever you ask in Prayer, believe that you receive it and you will. We have a definite lead to the lesson on the Law. YOU ARE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED WHAT YOU ASK. This is so because you have set the pattern in the Mind of God.

In the story of the woman who touched the hem of his garment, Jesus said, "Take heart daughter. Your faith has made you well." Here, we see that we need to have a feeling with our faith, especially when we are dealing with the physical body.

In Acts 3:16, Peter says, "By faith in His name has made this man strong whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Jesus has given this man this perfect health in the presence of you all."

In I Thessalonians 5: 8, Paul says, "But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breast plate of Faith and Love, and for a helmet the Hope of Salvation." This is the knowing that nothing may touch us when we have faith that we are protected.

"Faith is assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) Note that assurance is used here, for the word assurance is a felt guarantee of performance while in the word conviction, we have knowing of its reality.

"Looking to Jesus who was the pioneer and perfector of our faith for the joy that was set before Him, who endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) This is an explanation of what was accomplished on the cross in the way of perfecting our faith through His death and resurrection, or a seen performance. Faith is a part of what motivates the Epigenesis of all deeds.

"For by faith we understand how the world was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear." (Hebrews II : 3) Here we are told that what appears in the dense world -- all things -- they were made out of the substance of the unseen world.

Faith is a most important spiritual teaching. But before we proceed any further, let us use Webster's New World Dictionary for a definition of the word "faith." Faith: To trust or confide in; unquestioning belief in God; anything believed; childlike reliance.

Yet, we who are spiritual have seen a deeper understanding. "Faith is: the substance of things hoped for..." Substance is the real or essential part or element of anything; essence, reality, matter. It is something that has independent existence and is acted upon by causes or events.

"...the evidence of things not seen." Evidence is the condition of being evident. It is something that makes another clear or evident sign; something that tends to prove ground for belief; indication or sign.

We can see that normal church teaching on faith is lacking. Here is our understanding of faith. It is that which is real or essential. It exists independently of our senses, and is acted upon by causes and events. Faith is that which creates a condition of being evident -- a realistic sign that tends to prove ground for belief.

"...and He said unto them, Why are you afraid, O men of little faith." In Romans 1: 5, we find that grace is given for obedience in faith, or with faith. In Galatians 2, we find that we live by the faith of the Son of God. In Romans 10: 8, we find that we preach the word of Faith, or in essence the Word of substance or reality.

In II Timothy 4, Paul says he has kept the faith meaning that he was faithful to the substantial reality of the Christ. In Romans, Paul tells us that that which is not of faith is sin. Thus, if it is not real or substantial -- if it is not self-evident or essential -- it is sinful, or a transgression of the Law which states that all things truly spiritual are self-evident, eternal and realistic.

We find out what actually happens to us when we continue in the faith by reading Colossians1:23 --

"And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy, and blameless, and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister."

We have been told that faith is essential to our Salvation. Let us say that faith and confidence are the reality of our Salvation. It is one of the many vehicles through which the Great Light of the Christ travels.

When we have true faith, it is solid and substantial. It is so real that we can feel it and see it with our spiritual senses. It is sometimes so real that it will manifest physically, and our faith in it is so evident that no man or beast can deny it.

THE GREAT GIFT

Not more of Life, Oh Master, do I ask

But faith of thy Presence, ever near to feel,

Not better sight,

But to see in my brother that which is real,

Not better ears to hear,

But faith the Cosmic Voice to be ever near.

I need not courage when Thy Presence I do feel,

For through Faith I live and have my being

In my mind year by year.

But one gift do I ask,

Faith to be of service with a task,