Phil,
This is very sound. Much to think about and to ask God to
help us apply it in our lives.
Vinny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 11:16 PM
Subject: Faith reprint
> Somehow something went wrong. Here's the complete article.
>
> The Object Of Your Faith
>
> By Phil Scovell
>
>
> Philippians 4:19
> But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in
> glory by Christ Jesus.
>
> 1. Focus.
>
> * "But my God."
>
> This is our personal focus. If we don't start there, it
> isn't going to happen no matter whom we claim as our favorite
> preacher.
>
> 2. Fulfillment.
>
> * "Shall supply."
>
> This is our fulfillment. The Greek word for "supply" is the
> same word translated "filled in Ephesians 5:18 "and be ye filled
> with the Spirit," as well as the same word rendered "complete" in
> Colossians 2:10 which says, "And ye are complete in Him which is
> the head of all principality and power." Try and improve upon
> that. Like we used to say in the sixties, "Far out."
>
> 3. Fruitfulness.
>
> * "All your need."
>
> This is your fruitfulness. The word rendered as "need" means
> what you think it means. However, it is a stronger word which
> also encompasses your wants, that is, whatever is required to
> conduct business, and provide to the fullest. No lack, in other
> words. It isn't just in reference to money.
>
> 4. Fortune.
>
> * "According to his riches in glory."
>
> this is your fortune, that is, those things which are eternal and
> what comes from Heaven to Earth in your behalf for provision.
>
> 5. Faith.
>
> * "By Christ Jesus."
>
> this is the object of your faith.
>
> Hebrews 11:1 is perhaps the most popular of passages on faith.
> Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
> things not seen.
>
> Compare this passage with another reference from the same book.
>
> Hebrews 1:3
> Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of
> his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
> when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
> of the Majesty on high.
>
> There is absolutely no doubt to whom the writer of Hebrews is
> referring; Jesus The Christ. The word for "person" in this
> passage, "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express
> image of his person," is the same Greek word translated as
> "substance in Hebrews 11:1 which says, "Now faith is the substance
> of things hoped for." Thus, the passage can literally read, "Now
> faith is the person of things hoped for." Stated precisely, it
> reads, "Now faith is the Christ of things hoped for."
>
> The Bottom Line
>
> This is my personal opinion, of course, so you can take it
> for what it's worth.
>
> Jesus the Christ is the object of our faith. Most of us
> attempt exercising faith. Why? It's how we've been taught, for
> the most part, so we "practice" our faith. The frustration of
> this philosophy is that we have to keep practicing and practicing
> and practicing. Eventually, therefore, we grow tired of trying
> and figure it just must be because we don't have enough faith. If
> we don't feel that way, somebody somewhere will be sure to tell
> us such is the case.
>
> Romans 12:3 tells us that God has given to every man the
> measure of faith. If you study the Greek word for "measure," you
> will quickly learn that the faith we have is an exact measurement.
> That is, everybody who comes to Christ as Lord and Savior
> receives the same, or exact, or identical measurement of faith.
> It is like cutting a pie into exactly six pieces. Everybody gets
> the same size. I don't have more than you and you don't have more
> than me. In fact, the preacher you are listening to on the
> television doesn't even have any more faith than you have
> regardless of what he says. On the other hand, it is what we do
> with the faith that counts.
>
> I have literally heard Bible teachers comparing faith to
> muscular strength. Therefore, the more you exercise, lift
> weights, the stronger you become. According to proper
> interpretive Scripture methodology, that is, hermeneutics, this is
> completely erroneous theology. The truth is simple; Jesus Christ
> is the object of our faith. If you go any place else for it, if
> you attempt to practice faith, if you follow a four step plan, or
> if you attempt to use the faith you think you see in someone else,
> you will experience nothing in return. You heard me correctly.
> Faith is an experience. I will prove what I just said in a
> moment.
>
> Illustration
>
> when I was little, I was fascinated with watching my dad wash
> his car. He would screw a nozzle on to the end of the long snake
> green hose and turn on the water. The adjustable nozzle had four
> settings which were used for different purposes. One setting was
> a needle spray which was so fine, if you placed your bare hand in
> front of the hose, it literally would sting your skin. This was
> perfect for lasering off thick encrusted dried mud stuck in the
> wheel wells. Other settings allowed you to gently caress the
> car's surface to wash away loose dirt. One setting I always
> enjoyed playing with was a hard cylinder shape of water which
> gushed out of the nozzle under tremendous force. It was so
> powerful, I could hold the nozzle in the air and the spray of
> water would arc high into the air across the yard and land a good
> 30 feet away. Yes, you are correct. I spent more time playing
> with the hose and the water than I did washing the car.
>
> One day, dad told me to go out and wash the car. I loved
> doing it so I was happy to obey. I didn't know where the nozzle
> was so I just decided to use the hose by itself by placing my
> thumb over the end of the hose, just like I had see my dad do at
> times, and thus increase the pressure coming out of the hose. It
> had so precious little effect, it was obvious I couldn't wash the
> car that way. Putting the hose down, I ran to look for the
> nozzle. Shutting the water off, I screwed the nozzle on the end.
> Twisting the water back on, I dialed up the various settings.
> That made all the difference in the world. Now I could finish the
> job and do it right and in a lot less time, too.
>
> One day, while meditating on faith, the Holy Spirit reminded
> me of this childhood memory. He said, "This is faith." I asked
> the Lord what He was talking about. He clearly told me that
> faith was a fixed and exact measurement of His own nature which He
> had given to all those truly born again. The water running
> through the hose was a picture of that exact measurement of faith.
> I asked the Lord what made the difference in how the water was
> used. He said, "Whatever you screw on to the end of your faith.
>
> What are you using on the end of your faith? If you are
> using a favorite testimonial you heard in a sermon, if you are
> using some outline, if you are practicing on small things at first
> to see if it works or not before reaching for bigger acts of
> faith, then you will discover not only does it not work, but you
> will eventually become deceived by the Enemy for "your lack of
> faith." "It is your fault, you aren't spiritual enough," or, "you
> have secret sin in your life," are some of the Enemy's most
> favorite lies he will drop into the flow of your daily thought
> processes.
>
> Let me ask you this question. What did you use for faith
> when you received Christ as your Savior, confessing you were a
> sinner, and couldn't save yourself? That's right. You used Jesus
> as the object of your faith. May I now ask this question? When
> did you stop using Jesus as the object of your faith? It is time
> to rethink what we believe. Do it now.
>
>
> Where there is pain, there is belief. Real Truth is painless.
> www.SafePlaceFellowship.com
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