Wow Phil that is deep When did we stop using Jesus as the object of our
faith wow!!!!  wow


Lelia Struve email [log in to unmask] msn [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 12:16 AM
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
>