Believe
There are many levels of belief, the Bible tells us in James 2:19 “you believe that
there is one God; and you do well; the devils also believe, and tremble”. They only
have a head knowledge. When you believe, there must be a corresponding action
which shows what you believe. Remember Abraham when he was asked to take
Isaac and sacrifice him (Hebrews 11:17-19) “by faith Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his only
begotten son. Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall your seed be called.
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from where also
he received him in a figure”. You see when Abraham was told by God to take Isaac
into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering; Abraham rose up
early the next morning and went. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See you how faith wrought with
his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled
which says Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness and
he was called the friend of God”.
Daniel even after hearing the decree (Daniel 6:7,10) “that whosoever shall ask a
petition of any god or man for thirty days save the king, he shall be cast into the
den of lions. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled
upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as
he did aforetime”. Daniel was thrown into the lions den, and the king was
concerned about Daniel and went to the lions' den to see if he was alright (Daniel 6:
23) “then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should
take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no
manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God”. This action
caused the king to make a decree in verse 26 “I make a decree, that in every
dominion of my kingdom men tremble and reverence before the God of Daniel, for
He is the living God”.
Belief is conviction based on testimony that something is true or that someone is
reliable. Belief is to place one’s trust in God’s truth, one who takes God at His word
and trusts in Him (Hebrews 11:6) “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for
he that comes to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him”.
Paul tells us “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:
12). When we are born again our spirit man immediately receives full salvation. As
we study and understand the word of God we work it out. While it is true that our
good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and
good deeds. True faith (belief) involves a commitment of your whole self to God.
Remember Jesus told a parable of the sower (Luke 8:11-12) “Now the parable is
this. The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear, then
comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, less they should
believe and be saved”. It’s only the word that they understand not that can be
taken. Jesus said “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask
what you will, and it shall be done to you” (John 15:7), and “If you continue in My
word, then are you My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Some Christians have been freed from
sickness, some from poverty, but we all are supposed to walk in newness of life.
We are supposed to “reign in life by One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17b).
The Bible tells us “we having the same spirit of faith according as it is written, I
believed and therefore have I spoken, we also believe, and therefore speak”
(Psalms 116:10, Romans 10:10, and II Corinthians 4:13). Jesus marveled at the
centurion when he said “speak the word only and my servant shall be healed”
(Matthew 8:8b); and in verse 13 Jesus said to the centurion “go your way and as
you have believed, so be it done to you. And his servant was healed in the
selfsame hour”. Jesus said “If you can believe, all things are possible to them that
believes” (Mark 9:23). All things leaves nothing out. Jesus scolded Thomas in John
20:29 “Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed,
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”. In Hebrews 4:3 the
Bible says “for we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, as I have
sworn in My wrath, I f they shall enter into My rest, although the works, were finished
from the foundation of the world”.
You have to meditate on what you believe day and night unto you become fully
persuaded (Romans 4:17-21) “As it is written, I have made you a father of many
nations, before Him whom he believed, even God, who makes alive the dead, and
calls those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in
hope that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was
spoken. So shall your seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his
own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the
deadness of Sarah’s worm. He staggered not at the promise of God through
unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded
that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform”. God told Joshua in
Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall
meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is
written therein, for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall
have good success”.
Believing includes action. When we decide to believe in God, we must also decide
to follow His ways. What we do shows that we really believe. Can people tell that
you are a member of God’s family?
Don’t beat yourself up if you have not reached fully persuaded belief. Remember
Abram started out with shallow belief, and he lied when he went into Egypt and said
that Sara was his sister, to save his life; not fully trusting God for his safety. But
after drawing closer to God, he believed even to the state of sacrificing Isaac; the
promise son. The word of God is the truth, regardless what it looks like. When God
gives you a word, remember that “it shall come to pass”; and don’t let the devil steal
it from you.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 19, 2007
There are many levels of belief, the Bible tells us in James 2:19 “you believe that
there is one God; and you do well; the devils also believe, and tremble”. They only
have a head knowledge. When you believe, there must be a corresponding action
which shows what you believe. Remember Abraham when he was asked to take
Isaac and sacrifice him (Hebrews 11:17-19) “by faith Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his only
begotten son. Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall your seed be called.
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from where also
he received him in a figure”. You see when Abraham was told by God to take Isaac
into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering; Abraham rose up
early the next morning and went. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See you how faith wrought with
his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled
which says Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness and
he was called the friend of God”.
Daniel even after hearing the decree (Daniel 6:7,10) “that whosoever shall ask a
petition of any god or man for thirty days save the king, he shall be cast into the
den of lions. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled
upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as
he did aforetime”. Daniel was thrown into the lions den, and the king was
concerned about Daniel and went to the lions' den to see if he was alright (Daniel 6:
23) “then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should
take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no
manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God”. This action
caused the king to make a decree in verse 26 “I make a decree, that in every
dominion of my kingdom men tremble and reverence before the God of Daniel, for
He is the living God”.
Belief is conviction based on testimony that something is true or that someone is
reliable. Belief is to place one’s trust in God’s truth, one who takes God at His word
and trusts in Him (Hebrews 11:6) “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for
he that comes to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek Him”.
Paul tells us “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:
12). When we are born again our spirit man immediately receives full salvation. As
we study and understand the word of God we work it out. While it is true that our
good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and
good deeds. True faith (belief) involves a commitment of your whole self to God.
Remember Jesus told a parable of the sower (Luke 8:11-12) “Now the parable is
this. The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear, then
comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, less they should
believe and be saved”. It’s only the word that they understand not that can be
taken. Jesus said “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask
what you will, and it shall be done to you” (John 15:7), and “If you continue in My
word, then are you My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Some Christians have been freed from
sickness, some from poverty, but we all are supposed to walk in newness of life.
We are supposed to “reign in life by One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17b).
The Bible tells us “we having the same spirit of faith according as it is written, I
believed and therefore have I spoken, we also believe, and therefore speak”
(Psalms 116:10, Romans 10:10, and II Corinthians 4:13). Jesus marveled at the
centurion when he said “speak the word only and my servant shall be healed”
(Matthew 8:8b); and in verse 13 Jesus said to the centurion “go your way and as
you have believed, so be it done to you. And his servant was healed in the
selfsame hour”. Jesus said “If you can believe, all things are possible to them that
believes” (Mark 9:23). All things leaves nothing out. Jesus scolded Thomas in John
20:29 “Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed,
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”. In Hebrews 4:3 the
Bible says “for we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, as I have
sworn in My wrath, I f they shall enter into My rest, although the works, were finished
from the foundation of the world”.
You have to meditate on what you believe day and night unto you become fully
persuaded (Romans 4:17-21) “As it is written, I have made you a father of many
nations, before Him whom he believed, even God, who makes alive the dead, and
calls those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in
hope that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was
spoken. So shall your seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his
own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the
deadness of Sarah’s worm. He staggered not at the promise of God through
unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded
that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform”. God told Joshua in
Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall
meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is
written therein, for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall
have good success”.
Believing includes action. When we decide to believe in God, we must also decide
to follow His ways. What we do shows that we really believe. Can people tell that
you are a member of God’s family?
Don’t beat yourself up if you have not reached fully persuaded belief. Remember
Abram started out with shallow belief, and he lied when he went into Egypt and said
that Sara was his sister, to save his life; not fully trusting God for his safety. But
after drawing closer to God, he believed even to the state of sacrificing Isaac; the
promise son. The word of God is the truth, regardless what it looks like. When God
gives you a word, remember that “it shall come to pass”; and don’t let the devil steal
it from you.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 19, 2007
