Our Examples Leading To True Saving Faith

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed

about with so great a cloud of 

witnesses, let us lay aside every

weight, and the sin which doth so easily 

beset us, and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us, looking

unto Jesus the author and finisher of

our faith; who for the joy that was set 

before Him endured the cross, despising

him that endured such contradiction

of sinners against himself, lest ye be

wearied and faint in your minds.

Hebrews 12:1-3

     Authentic Christians are without excuse to have Authentic Christian Faith for we have "a cloud of witnesses," witnesses of faith so that we have examples of what it means to have faith in all circumstances. Furthermore, we have the greatest of all examples: Jesus Christ who suffered the cross and by doing so a despising upon Satan who has set himself to cause sinners to contradict all that God has provided and that provision is faith in the Savior Who has purchased everlasting life for all who believe upon Him. All this should cause us not "be wearied or to faint in our minds." 

     This leads us to a faith called "Temporal Faith." What is it? This faith is a persuasion of the truth of religion that is accompanied with some promptings of conscience and a stirring of the affections, but is not rooted in a regenerated heart. Jesus spoke of such faith: "But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and immediately with joy receiveth it; yet hath not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended" (Matthew 13:20-21). This faith is temporary faith, because it has no abiding character and fails to maintain itself in days of trial and persecution. Shall we call this faith "hypocritical?" No! Those who have this type of faith really believe that they have Authentic Christian Faith, yet it can be called imaginary faith, it seems genuine but a fading away or vanishing character. This type of faith is hard to distinguish from true saving faith, but it can be said to be temporal for it is grounded in the emotional life and seeks personal enjoyment rather than the glory of God. I find this to be true of those who are either a student or a congregant of the Bethel Church School of the Supernatural where they are euphorical in their desire to worship God and run around trying to pray for strangers, and do miracles all seeming to be for their own aggrandizement rather for God. Many Churches have succumbed to a form of worship and faith that is all about emotion even if they say it is for the glory of God. 

     Here is the difference between temporal or historical, or to have faith in miracles, all may have some association with this faith but fails in times of trial and persecution. This faith: True Saving Faith is a faith that has as its seat in the heart and is rooted in the regenerate life. A person hears the word of God from which faith is found and this is a free gift, you cannot earn it but you must accept it and then this faith must be planted or rooted in your heart. This faith implanted into the heart by God is that which can actively exercise faith. True saving faith grows to a mature faith by consciously exercise of it for then it will form a habit, and this habit becomes powerful so that you will stand firm against any circumstance that attempts to harm you. This faith has one this to aid you for you are not alone in this walk and growth in Authentic Christian Faith: you have the power of the Holy Spirit who speaks to you, to your heart, and by this you receive the Gospel to be truth, and by this you come to rely heartily on the promises of God in Jesus Christ. 

     Pray to God that He will continue to aid you by the Holy Spirit to remain faithful, and for others who need your prayer for God answers this type of prayer, a prayer of intercession.

     Now, about Mark 16:14-18 verses that have caused much controversy. Let us see if we can come to an understanding. "Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meant, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen. And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take p serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:14-18). 

     These verses have been so misused and used to give credence to things that are so unScriptural and has nothing to do with True Saving Faith. Let us look at the context to aid us: first there was a report of the Emmanus travelers (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-25). Luke and John do not create the impression that Jesus scolded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, but that He recognized how hard it was for them to believe, and Jesus sought to remove that difficulty by offering proofs of His resurrection. Allow me to stop this nonesense that baptism saves you, it does not and the above verses prove that point, it is belief not baptism that saves, but baptism is that which a believer does as a sign of his belief. Some have used the above verses to prove that not only baptism but the ability to do those miraculous works shows that they are truly saved. About those verses 17-18, they could well have reference to occurrences in the early Church as recorded in Acts. Even if these verses were unquestionably genuine, and I do believe they after my critical study of them, they could not reasonably be used as a basis for the deliberate and presumptuous handling of snakes and drinking of poison which are practiced by certain extreme religious sects. These verses in Mark appears only in this book and should indicated the need for caution in the use of these verses as proof-text. 

     Their big argument is based upon the fact that there are three really old Greek manuscripts (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus & Alexandrian) that are highly respected in the eyes of many merely for their age and two of them (Sinaiticus & Vaticanus) don't include verses 9 through 20 in Mark 16. Sinaiticus doesn't include verses 9 through 20 at all, while Vaticanus doesn't include them either, but Vaticanus leaves space for them at the end of Mark for it (where it was omitted!). The Alexandrian on the other hand, does include all these verses. Some people assume that since two of these respected manuscripts omit verses 9 through 20, that it must have been lost and somebody made up these verses. A very weak argument to say the least.
Satan has tried to question and cast doubt upon the validation of God's Word from the very beginning (Genesis 3:1), and this is just another prime example of the enemy's tactics at work today.
      While there are a small handful of Greek manuscripts that omit these verses, there are thousands of other Greek manuscripts that include them! Furthermore, both of these primary Greek manuscripts used in their argument have been through heavy modification by gnostics (cult members) to tamper with scripture to make it support their teaching. These manuscripts have left out massive amounts of scripture! Each of these two corrupt manuscripts have thousands of omissions in the 4 gospels alone! Not to mention, the Vaticanus has left out dozens of entire chapters in the Bible!
      Here's the straw that broke the camels back in my opinion. Before 200AD, none of our three oldest manuscripts existed. Before any of these manuscripts were written, there were several very well known individuals in the early church, who have quoted many Bible verses that were cut out of of the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus in their writings. There's ample proof alone from these writings that the ending of Mark was indeed in place in the original manuscripts. One good example is where Irenaeus of Lyons, who knew the apostle John personally, around 100AD wrote, "But Mark in the end of his gospel says, 'And the Lord Jesus, after that He had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God.'" Without further to say, I believe this is hard proof that the ending verses of Mark were indeed a part of the Bible long before those 2 ancient manuscripts were even written! Taken from: http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/mark_16_9-20.php
     This blog was long, but since I will be out of commission next week as I have surgery for my cancer I felt that I should answer this question about these verses. I leave it up to you to examine for yourselves the various views and come to your own conclusion.
    Thank you for prayers on my behalf and for the success of my surgery. Faith, it is Faith, not in anything else but faith in Jesus Christ and by this faith, not only am I saved, but I will live with Him forever. Praise God!

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
    and a light unto my path. I have
sworn, and I will perform it, that I
    will keep thy righteous judgments.
I am afflicted very much: quicken me
     O LORD, according unto thy word.
              Psalm 119: 105-106

Ensure that your faith is True Saving Faith

Richard L. Crumb

 

How Can We Understand Faith In Miracles?

And these all, having obtained

a good report through faith,

received not the promise: 

God having provided some

better thing for us, that they

without us should not be 

made perfect.

Hebrews 11:39-40

     It is here clearly shown that God is in control of all that occurs here on earth and that in His economy, His dispensation (not dispensationalism, that is wrong theology) God has provided for those who have gone before and for us until He comes again for all of His children, both the ancient ones and the ones dead, the ones alive, all to be a family of God in His prepared home for His children.

     Faith, it is faith, and I am taking time to teach about faith as I started yesterday. Yesterday I wrote about historical faith and how it often excluded moral and spiritual truths, but has reference to present facts, but a problem exists by this type of faith for it often is not taken seriously and awakens no real interest even though it is accepted intellectually. 

     There is a faith of miracles, a faith that consists in a person's conviction that a miracle will be wrought by him or in his behalf. There is an active sense in this type of faith if a person is persuaded that he himself can or will work a miracle: "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place: and it shall remove; an nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matthew 17:20). "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17-18). These Scriptures have and are being used for all sorts of theology and lead men and women to do things that have an aroma of truth, but is it and what do these Scriptures mean?

    Context, context, context, is what determines a correct understanding of Scripture, so what is the context leading up to this verse? A man came to Jesus upset for His disciples  could not cast out a demon that this man has and the son still was plagued by this demon. Why could not the disciples cast out the demon? Jesus bemoaned, not just the disciples but: The Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to Me. And Jesus rebuked the devil: and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour" (Matthew 17:16-17). Why did Jesus speak the way He did? Remember this was spoken not just to the disciples but to the people for there was a number of people present. Jesus pointed out that this generation was faithless so they could not receive blessings from God, so also was there a problem with the disciples for the had a weak faith disabling them to not do the works for God, that they might have otherwise done. Is it not nice to have the grace of God and enjoy this grace? Yes! But when a person in their lack of Authentic Christian Faith or are faithless is simple a perverseness that causes great grief to  our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as demonstrated in the above verse. It seems as though the question by the disciples to not do what they wanted to do was more about them and their displeasure rather than simply having a faith that they should have had due to the fact that they were travelers, followers, present when Jesus did miracles and should have known that by Him they could do miracles. But this was not the case for they were displeased with themselves, maybe even a bit embarrassed for not being able to cast out this demon. Notice this and this is important: Jesus cast out the demon, and this was immediate as was the case with all His miracles, time was not needed to heal a person, all was done immediate. 

     It was not that the disciples lacked faith, they did, but their faith was weak and ineffectual. This does not mean that they are unbelievers but by our unbelief we come short of that which is good. There is a power in faith, even a faith so small as to be as small as a mustard seed which is one of the smallest seeds on earth. Unfortunately, our faith does not even reach this size even though many think they have a faith that surpasses the size of this small seed. Our faith is not in faith for our faith is not based on what we can do for Jesus Christ, our faith has as its foundation Jesus Christ and what we can do with Jesus Christ. Too many, are attempting to work for Jesus and this is absolutely a wrong attitude. It is Jesus and Him alone that does the work, we are the means working with Him to accomplish His work. Our dependence is not on our ability, our faithfulness to attend a Church, a Bible study, etc., our knowledge; our faith is dependent and has confidence in Jesus Christ and His promises for only He has the strength and ability for miracles. Our faith, our sincerity, any powers granted to you can perform much more than casting out demons, or healing a person from a disease, all this is temporary for that person will die in time. The greatest work granted to you is to take the Gospel to others so that Jesus can do the work of salvation. Faith in miracles is not saving faith, it may accompany saving faith but is not that which saves a person. 

     There are those who are being taught that they can perform miracles and go about striving to find someone that they can cure, by prayer, or by touch, etc., and have anecdotal stories about such healing but do not have facts, but they have come to believe in such as to be from God. They become so excited, euphoric reaction, a group euphoria that infects people, students of such schools that that teach this form of works. Even Roman Catholics follow this line of theology about miracles and will make a person a saint due to some miracle that they are said to have performed. We as Protestants deny this but not at the exclusion that God can still perform miracles. 

     Tomorrow I will attempt to examine the verses of Mark 16: 17-18, for there is a teaching, and there are teachings that are not only controversial, but are misleading people to do things that displeases God. 

Nevertheless He saved them 

     for His name sake, that 

He might make His mighty

     power to be known. 

                   Psalm 106:8

God's might is made known through our faith

Richard L. Crumb

Studying The Elements Of Faith: Changing From The Inside/Out: Considering Faith

Women received their dead

raised to life again: and others

were tortured, not accepting

deliverance; that they might

obtain a better resurrection: and 

others had trial of cruel mockings

and scourgings, yea, moreover

of bonds and imprisonment:

they were stoned, they were

sawn asunder, were tempted, 

were slain with the sword:

The wandered about in sheepskins

and goatskins: being destitute,

afflicted, tormented: (of whom 

the world was not worthy:) they

wandered in deserts, and in mountains,

and in dens and caves of the earth.

Hebrews 11:35-38

     Sorry no blog yesterday as I had an appointment to have blood drawn and a CT scan at Sacramento VA hospital. Next week I will not write at all as I will be going to Palo Alto VA hospital to have surgery for my melanoma. We all have something to deal with and the opening verses tell of those who faced trials due to their faith, and in this case my faith will be tested, not from some outside element, but within myself and my belief in God. 

     The Gospel in the New Testament is the prominent message in the foreground, and man's response to the divine revelation that assumes a somewhat different form, the form of "faith." The word "faith" serves to describe the religious attitude of man. By faith we accept the testimony of God in His Word as true, and entrust ourselves to Him, as He has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Another form found in the foreground of the New Testament is "trust." Those examples cited in the opening Scripture manifests that they had both "faith," and "trust" even in the face of death. We should be bolstered in our faith seeing that man can live through all sorts of problems and remain faithful.

     Let us look at Scripture to determine words for "faith" so we have a clear understanding of that word and not be misled into some heretical teaching. The Old Testament does not have a word for faith although there are three words  which denote various aspects of the activity of faith. The most common Hebrew word is "to believe" (he'emin) that stresses the intellectual element that signifies an acceptance of something as true on the testimony of another. The other two words (batach and chasah) emphasize the element of confident reliance on or of trust in someone else. In the New Testament the word for faith is "pistis," that denotes (1) general confidence in a person (2) the ready acceptance of his testimony on the basis of this confidence, and (3) the trust reposed in him for the future. Faith that is saving faith denotes a conviction respecting the veracity of God, to believe in His Word, and a deep trust in Him for the salvation of the soul. Greek has a corresponding word "to believe" and is used with several different meanings, in some cases it stresses the element of knowledge, and in others the element of trust. 

     Scripture speaks of faith in several ways and there are several distinctions regarding "faith." There is historical faith that is purely intellectual acceptance of the truth of Scripture without some moral or spiritual response. Many people have this type of faith as seen in their lack of actions that causes them to feel that just to have faith is enough, they believe and that is enough. Historical faith does not imply that it is only concerned with history and events with the exclusion of moral and spiritual truths as it may have reverence to present facts: "the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with Him" (John 3:2). This historical fact shows that one may accept an event, as we well may do, but unless that event has a spiritual element to change a person it is nothing more than a historical event. Nicodemus found this out: "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Historical faith expresses the idea that this faith accepts the truth of Scripture as a person might accept a history in that one is not personally interested. What this means is: it is not taken seriously and awakens no real interest. (Matthew 7:26; Acts 26:27-28; James 2:19). 

     Examine your faith: is it based solely on an acceptance as truth history? Or, is it based on more, something else? Is your faith driving you to be what you would not be without it? Is your faith based on Scripture and not what some man has determined faith to be? A time will come when you will face a crisis of conscience and your belief in your faith will be tested to the utmost and only a true faith will aid you to survive. The men in the opening Scriptures had a faith that aided them in whatever circumstances they found themselves to be in and nothing would deter them in their belief in God, the God Jehovah. Not some god of the nations around them for they had history how that kind of faith affected the people of Israel. We have the history of those who have gone before us to show is the way, the way to true unyielding faith. 

     I will continue to address this thing called "faith." I will address the "faith of Miracles," and "Temporal Faith," and true "saving faith." The goal as always is: the change from the inside/out by considering "faith."

He that is of a proud heart

     stirreth up strife: but he 

that putteth his trust in the LORD

    shall be made fat. He that 

trusted in his own heart is a fool:

    but whoso walketh wisely,

he shall be delivered.

                  Proverbs 28:25-26

True faith and trust is pleasing to God

Richard L. Crumb 

The Truth Of Living Faith

And what shall I more say?

For the time would fail me to 

tell of Gideon, and of Barak,

and of Samson, and of Jelpthac:

of David also, and Samuel, and

of the prophets: who through 

faith subdued kingdoms, wrought

righteousness, obtained promises,

stopped the mouths of lions, 

quenched the violence of fire,

escaped the edge of the sword,

out of weakness made strong,

waxed valiant in fight, turned 

 to flight the armies of the aliens.

Hebrews 11:32-34

     We have a huge cloud of witnesses that should bolster our faith and our desire to have a greater relationship with Jesus. Agobard, the forty-fourth bishop of Lyons (816-840) wrote about the "truth of faith" and his words, words from another man who loved God and desired to aid others about the "truth of Faith," so too we should listen to him and see if what he wrote is applicable in our lives. Put aside any issues you may have about the Roman Catholic Church for not all men were of the same mind as the Church and attempted to bring the truth about Scripture to men and women. I will leave any discussion about problems Protestants have with the Roman Catholic Church for another time. We here are examining faith. 

     Paul reminds us of prayer, to urge us to prayer (1Timothy 2:1-2, 8-9). We must understand that above all things prayer should be without wrath, and contention, and without doubt, but with confidence and faith. Remember the narrative about the fig tree? Peter says to his Lord: "Rabbi, look! the fig tree which you cursed has withered,' and Jesus answered and said, 'Have faith in God" (Mark 11:21-24). James adds: ".....But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind" (Free citation of James 1:5-8). 

     The great abundance of God's sweetness evinces a mighty faith and confidence: "Thou, O Lord, art good and gracious and of much mercy to those calling on thee" (Psalm 86-5). It is one who listens reverently by faith to the Lord is mercifully listed to by the Lord. So, let what is especially needful to be proclaimed be heard and fulfilled. The Almighty God Jehovah who is merciful announces this abundance of His own sweetness by the prophet Ezekiel: "Return and repent from all your transgressions, and iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I do not wish the death of the one dying, says the Lord. Turn and live" (Ezekiel 18:30-32).

      For those who neglect this sweet summon of God in the present time while God can be found and while He is near, the time will come of working no longer, but of receiving each one according to his works, hearing the bitter reproaches: "I have called and you refused, have stretched out my hands and there was no one who heeded; you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproofs; I will therefore laugh at your calamity" (Proverbs 1:24-26). 

     The men of old had a faith that enabled them to remain faithful even in times of trial, persecution, death, and other calamities, but they held fast to the promises of God for their faith was not in the promises, but in God who promised. The faith of those who went before are examples of faith for us for our faith is in God who has promised: "Turn, and you will see what there is between the righteous and the wicked, and between one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him. For behold, the day will come, burning like an oven, and all the arrogant, and evildoers will be stubble; and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, which will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. And you shall go forth, and you shall leap like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, when they will be ashes under the sole of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts" (Malachi (3:18 to 4:3). 

     God has promised: will you allow your faith to not be subdued by anything? Will you remain faithful to Him under any conditions? Only you, or me, can answer those questions and I pray that we, you, will answer in the positive.

But it shall be one day 

     which shall be known

to the LORD, not day, nor

    night: but it shall come

to pass, that at evening time

   it shall be light.

                Zechariah 14:7

You have a living faith: Live by it!

Richard L. Crumb

Respect For The Recompence Of God: Putting Your Faith To Action

By faith Moses, when he was come

to years, refused to be called the

son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing

rather to suffer affliction with the

people of God, than to enjoy the 

pleasures of sin for a season,

esteeming the reproach of Christ

greater riches than the treasures

in Egypt: for he had respect unto

the recompence of the reward.

Hebrews 11:25-26

     Moses had every advantage, a good home, money, position as the son of the daughter of Pharaoh, good food, and could indulge in whatever pleasure he so desire for he was considered to be one of the king's children. Maybe you have been raised in such an environment, good, home, cars, good food, money, clothes, and the ability to go and do pretty much what you wanted. It may be you were raised in a home that was atheistic, or in the least did not believe in God or have a tendency to know God and you were not taught anything about God. At least Moses had training about God from his mother, Moses knew who he was and about the God of his people and he knew about the gods of the Egyptians. You may not have what Moses had, but as you grew in years you wanted to know about God and even went so far as to attend a Church, to even go forward to announce your new found belief in Jesus Christ. Yet, there was not a full conversion to Christ for much of this world's pleasures you still wanted and participated with for your enjoyment. Friends of old were still your companions and those companions were not Christian, they were living a secular and hedonistic life, so much fun, so much enjoyment and you have yet to leave them behind in fear of ridicule. Moses had all that and even more for he was of the house of the Pharaoh but he did: "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27). It is often very easy to act and do as a Christian, you in public make this known, at least to some extent but when you are alone things are different. For instance, you watch TV shows depicting and portraying homosexuality, men and women acting out sexual intercourse and other such sins and do not turn off the TV. You may make excuses for watching: but excuses are not reasons. Maybe it is hard for you to see or even acknowledge this invisible God that He is really watching you and all you do and say. It is not that you will not do what it means to be a Christian, you just want it your way: God, Christianity, is treated like a "Burger King" you want it your way. Faith is something that begins in a small way and will stay small if it is not fed, and that feeding comes in meals from the Church: sermons, Bible studies, prayer and as you dine upon the word of God your faith grows to maturity and that maturity is governed by you application in your life faith, a faith that causes you to turn off the TV, to not go and do what you did before accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Yes, there is a cost, but there is a cost if you do nothing. Yes, maybe family, friends, co-workers will shun you or even speak evil of you, but it is your faith in the invisible God you Himself is invisible but has given to you visible things for Him to reveal Himself to you. The communion, baptism, meeting regularly with other brothers and sisters, and most of all the Holy Spirit to guide you. Moses by faith shun all the riches of being a son of the daughter of the Pharaoh and even though would receive wrath from the king of Egypt he forsook all this to be faithful to the God who is the true God. Moses kept what God had commanded him to keep: "Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them" (Hebrews 11:28). God protects His children from destruction by those who would destroy you, and yes, the one who has the most desire to destroy you is Satan. You as a child of God are protected from the destruction that will come upon all those who will not leave behind Satan and those things that he has given so that man will turn from God. Man my kill the body, but the body is going to die anyway so they haven't really done anything to you for God will raise you up on the last day when He returns for all those who are faithful to Him, His bride. 

     Are you facing some hurdle that seems impossible to pass over? Moses did, the people of God did but God can do the impossible for nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). God "recompence" to the people of evil, that is, to make compensation for something, a reparation and this He did by parting the Red Sea: By faith they passes through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned" (Hebrews 11:29). God will give you "recompence" for all the work you do: blessings, now and in heaven. You by faith in God, the invisible God have faith in the promise of God that you will be saved and that you will live eternally in the new world, to have an incorruptible body, no sin, a life that we now cannot fully imagine. But, God has promised and our faith is in God, not things, not in our work, not in our doing but in God who came to earth to die for sin and now intercedes for all of those who have Authentic Christian Faith.

     The walls of Jericho fell, not without the Jews doing what God commanded, The armies of the Egyptians drowned by attempting to destroy the Hebrews, but by faith they entered into the parting of the sea and God saved them and destroyed their enemies. by faith Rahab the harlot believed in the God of the Hebrews and by her action to save the spies of the Jews was saved, her and her family: "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down (How? by faith), after they were compassed (the people of Israel put their faith to action)" about seven days. by faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace" (Hebrews 11: 30-31). 

     Faith, faith, faith, it is faith that is the proof of your believing in Jesus Christ as the One promised, and the One who came to earth to pay this debt of sin and applies that "recompence" to you by means of His death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Why then will we, you, or anyone who calls themselves "Christian" will not do all that God has commanded? To do or not to do is a choice we all must make. I pray you choose correctly!

Now therefore make confession 

     unto the LORD God of your

fathers, and do His pleasure and

    separate yourselves from people 

of the land, and from strange wives.

                           Ezra 10:11

Manifest your faith: Do not shrink back

Richard L. Crumb

 

 

Weakness Made Strong By Faith

And what shall I more say?

For the time would fall on me

to tell of Gideon, and of Barak,

and of Samson, and of Jephthah;

of David also, and Samuel, and of 

the prophets: who through faith

subdued kingdoms, wrought rigteousness,

obtained promises, stopped the mouths

of lions, quenched the violence of fire,

escaped the edge of the sword, out of

weakness were made strong, waxed

valiant in fight, turned to flight the

armies of the aliens. 

Hebrews 11:32-24

 

      We study the Scripture and find that we have only scratched the surface for there is always more that we can learn. Here in Hebrews chapter eleven we are learning much about faith, especially the faith of those who have gone before us and endured much and yet remained faithful. These examples should cause our faith to grow and our relationship become even closer to God and Jesus than before and that the Holy Spirit guides in all things in ways that He has not been allowed to do before. This rule of faith is by this writer of Hebrews being made clear that even though men may have to endure under weakness have been, and we to also can, by made strong. 

     The story of Gideon who was an instrument of God who was used to deliver God's people from the oppression of the Midianites, whose faith in God was tested and purified by the reduction of the men of the army to only 300 men and then by those men routed the armies of the Midianites. By this faith his courage was made strong and after this had the excellency of the grace of faith so that he was able to aid others, and also it kept him form thinking highly of himself and for those whom he led. This problem that often comes after God has done great things that we have seen is that we begin to think highly of ourselves, that we are so godly and God is placed in the "back seat" in our glorying. 

     Barak who was used by God to deliver Israel from the hands of Sisera. His faith taught him to give the praise and glory to God (Judges 5:1-5) and he gave his gratefulness to God for all His mercies and deliverances. We are all familiar with the story about Samson that when he failed and this failure cause him great persecution he returned to God and his faith was used by God to destroy his enemies. What we can learn is that a believer's faith can endure and that true faith is accepted and even in dying gives him victory over death and his enemies. Jepthah delivered Israel form the Ammonites and he kept his vow (Judges 11:30) and acknowledge God in all his ways. So too we also should acknowledge God in all our ways. The grace of faith will make you bold and venturous in all your ways. Faith does more, it paves the way for you to pay your vows to God after you have received mercy from God even though those vows might have caused great grief, hurt, and loss, as was the case with Jepthah and his daughter. 

     We can think of David, Solomon, Samuel, men raised up by God that even after the stain of sin returned to God and allowed themselves to live the life of faith in God. The prophets employed by God even at times to denounce judgment, sometimes to promote mercy, to reprove sin, sometimes used to foretell remarkable events. It is faith, true Authentic Christian Faith that will enable a man to serve God in whatever way God employs him. This faith will influence others in their walk with God and in their growth in faith. 

     God through men has given us His promises and by men has shown that by faith God is always present and gives success even if that one is killed he knows that by God and by his faith he has the reward of promise to live forever with God. These men believed God and it was imputed to them for righteousness, and these men walked and acted righteously toward God and man. These men did not look for honor for themselves in fact the opposite is true but this is not the case in so many Churches, in the lives of so many calling themselves Christian for it is a greater honor to work righteousness that to work miracles. It is by faith that will give to us an interest in the promises of God, and it is by faith that we have the comfort of God's promises, and it is by faith that we "wait" (The Hebrew word translated faith is not to sit idly by, rather it is to "wait" with expectation) for the promises of God and for the time to receive God's promises. 

     We cannot see the unseeable, God Who is a Spirit, a different being than us, but we can see what He has revealed to us, some by faithful men of old, some by our living out Authentic Christian Faith and seeing the work of God in our employment by Him. Are you being employed by God, or, are you simply your own boss? Is your relationship with Him growing deeper and deeper, or has it not changed much in your life? God is faithful so the question for us is: will we be faithful to God? My prayer for me and for you that the answer is yes!

 

And they said unto them,

     Ask counsel, we pray thee,

of God, that we may know 

    whether our way which we

go shall be prosperous. And the

    priest said unto them, Go in

peace: before the LORD is your

   way wherein you go.

                       Judges 18:5-6

 

May you grow in faith

 

Richard L. Crumb 

     

Growing Our Faith In The Providence Of God

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing

the wrath of the king: for he endured,

as seeing Him who is invisible. Through

faith he kept the passover, and the 

sprinkling of blood, lest he that 

destroyed the firstborn should

touch them. By faith they passed

through the Red Sea as by dry land:

which the Egyptians assaying to do

were drowned. By faith the walls 

of Jericho fell down, after they

were compassed about seven days.

by faith the harlot Rahab perished not

with them that believed not, when

she had received the pies with peace.

Hebrews 11:27-31

     The story of Moses is a very familiar story, most Christians can recite it with much accuracy for it is told so often. Nothing wrong by telling this narrative often so long as it does not lose its meaning and become just another story. The mother of Moses demonstrates faith and acts upon her faith by which she saved Moses from a certain death. What the Pharaoh was doing to protect his kingdom by killing newborn boys was evil but God had plans greater than the plan of the Pharaoh and His plans will always succeed. The mother of Moses took the baby Moses and laid him in a basket that could float on water and hid him among the reeds. To ensure the safety of Moses, the sister of Moses watched over him. A daughter of the Pharoah was at the river and apparently had a heart that did not necessarily agree with her father's decree so that when she saw baby Moses her heart was filled with love and decided to save him. The players were are set in their right places for this act of God towards His people. God uses means to accomplish His purposes and the means were, the faith of the mother of Jesus, the sister of Moses and the daughter of the Pharaoh, all came together for one purpose even though the no one knew that all this was to fulfill the will and purpose of God, they were doing what they felt needed to be done. God uses means and even though the Pharaoh had decreed to kill baby Hebrew boys he did not turn away the desires of his daughter. More was to happen for this baby boy needed milk, to eat, to grow up, and for this to happen it would require a woman who had given birth and had breast milk to give, here is where Moses' sister came into play, she told Pharaoh's daughter where to find such a "midwife," and this was the mother of Moses. This compassionate daughter gave Moses to his mother to feed him and raise him and then to bring him to the house of the Pharaoh (Genesis 2:10). By all this Moses was reared and taught all about Jehovah God and yet, he did not know that he would be used by God, saved by God for this use and that use would not come quickly, but it would come for this was the will of God to save His people and to bring them to the land of promise.

     Lesson for us: We do not always know what the will of God is for us and a problem arises when we move ahead of the will of God. This was shown by the example of Abraham, and even by Moses who killed a man and had to flee into a land far away. Too often we will not wait upon God and take matters into our own hands not knowing that God has set in place all the players that would accomplish His will for us. A great lesson is that of faith, not faith in knowing for this is not faith, but faith in the unseen God and in the unseen purposes for each of us, a faith that is one of action and God then uses our action to accomplish His will through us. We do not wait for God to move us, the mother of Moses did not have God supernaturally tell her to put Moses in the water and hide him, she did it for the love of her child and her faith was that God would save him: and He did!

     We know the story about the Red Sea and how God parted the waters and made dry land for the Hebrews to pass over and then to destroy the army of the Pharaoh when they tried to overtake them. It looked bad: standing at the edge of the water and army of Pharaoh moving quickly against them and time was running out: it looked hopeless. But, God had a purpose, first to save His people and second to destroy those who were coming to destroy them. 

     Does it look hopeless to you? Are you in fear of your life or some circumstance that you have little or no control over? God commanded Moses to put his staff in the water and it parted and the Hebrews passed safely. God will part the water for you and bring you to the promised land: heaven and those who desire to destroy you will instead be destroyed. God is in control. If you have the ability to do something about your circumstance, do it. But if that is not the case then God will care for you and protect you for you have no control to save yourself. This may mean your demise but what kind of demise is it? If you are an Authentic Christian this worldly demise is only a stepping into the heavenly kingdom of God. 

     Even Rahab, a non-Hebrew found favor in the eyes of God for she protected those Hebrew spies from those who would kill them for she as the world knew about them, those Hebrews and their God. For forty years the Hebrews wandered in the desert and the story about how they were saved from Pharaoh certainly was know so she know about their God and had faith in Him. She was saved from death and those who would not believed died as a result of the non-belief. A day is coming when those who will not believe will be destroyed and all those who have faith in God, in His Son Jesus Christ who is the Savior will be saved. These examples should bolster our faith leading us to serve God and not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). 

      The story of Moses is more than a story, it is for us what it means to have faith and be faithful. God is Merciful, full of Love, and Gracious and is in control. We must allow Him to have full control and then all that God had promised His children will be fulfilled. We have every reason to praise our God!

Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself;

     and let Him be your fear, and let

Him be your dread. And He shall be

    for a sanctuary; but for a stone

of stumbling and for a rock of offence

    to both the houses of Israel, for a

gin and for a snare to the inhabitants

   of Jerusalem.....And I will wait upon

the LORD, that hideth His face from

   the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him.

                    Isaiah 8:13-14, 17

Wait upon the Lord and you will be saved

Richard L. Crumb

The Example Of Moses: Learning To Teach Our Children

By faith Moses, when he was born,

was hid three months of his parents,

because they saw he was a proper

child; and they were not afraid of the 

king's commandment. By faith Moses,

when he was come to years, refused

to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter;

choosing rather to suffer affliction with

the people of God, than to enjoy the

pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming

the reproach of Christ greater riches

than the treasures in Egypt: for he had

respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Hebrews 11:23-26

 

     Do we not have the Old Testament? Yes! So why do we have to have this narrative about those men of old written about in the Old Testament? Can't we see their faith, their lives, their failures, their successes? Yes! Is this not redundant? NO! The writer of Hebrews is reminding us, and telling others who did not, and do not, have the Old Testament about those men revered by the Jews that they are examples for us today. Think about this: Abraham: revered by the Jews and by Islam. Also, the world who knew anything about the history of the Jews would know that they taught this history to their children, spoke about this in their temples, and synagogues. We can verify this writer's recount of those men and see whether or not he is actually correct and being led by the Spirit. Furthermore, the Hebrew writer is going to make application as to why he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit about these men of faith.

     Joseph died and in time another Pharaoh was on the throne of Egypt and did not know Joseph (Exodus 1:8) and became fearful of the Hebrews as they grew in number (Exodus 1:9) and the fear was that they would join with any enemy of Egypt and destroy them (Exodus 1:10). First this Pharaoh made the Hebrews work harder and bitter (Exodus 1:13-14), then a command went out that the midwives were to kill any boy born (Exodus 1:16). The midwives did not do as the Pharaoh of Egypt commanded and the Hebrews grew even more in number, then the Pharaoh took action himself: "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive" (Exodus 1:22). This was the world in which Moses was born and was to live. 

     Let us examine this narrative and see what we can derive from it and apply in our lives for it was not simply a recounting of the story in the Old Testament. Moses grew in faith and I will tell more of this when I recount how and why he was allowed to live. Moses being saved and by the providence of God was to be able in his young age to be raised by his mother, a miracle of itself, but only a miracle because God had plans for Moses and the Pharaoh was not to derail His plans for His people, was able to be taught by his mother about Jehovah God and how God was leading those ancestors of the Jews: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). While this was written in the Proverbs the people of God knew this fact that if a parent wanted for a child to grow in truth and live according to what God had commanded, they had to begin early to, and the Hebrew word translated "Train" means to "Catechise" which means to teach, to question closely, to teach orally. To do this a person, a parent then must take time to speak orally to a child about the things of God, as well as other things they need to know so they grow and mature into godly men and women prepared to meet the world. This world today has a problem in doing this for parents have come to a place whereby others are doing the teaching and the parent is busy trying to be successful and have things, to present themselves as successful and the child is sent into "a cave where there are lions ready to destroy them." A problem exists that a parent would send their child into such a situation where others are teaching their ideologies, their theologies which might not be in accordance to the truth of Scripture. A child comes home after such teaching and might or might not ask any questions and come to believe what they are taught as truth. I am not speaking of the the 3 "r's" but what the teacher is teaching in contradiction to Scripture. Does this happen? Yes! We see public school teachers making students learn and act out Islam, and even go so far as to teach that this form of theology should be accepted, along with other cultural acceptance as in abortion, same-sex unions, transgenders as being an "other normal." Parents must Catechize their children and one way is to take time to ask questions, and to teach from Scripture what God has revealed as truth. I remember When much was said about "latch key" children and this then became accepted and is not talked about much in today's society, but the children are left to themselves and we all know that children have the tendency to do things that are wrong and harmful. Why have Christians left their responsibilities? The parents of Moses did not and God used this training to raise up a witness for Him and to use Moses in His service. Will not God do the same for your children? Yes! Fear of the world should not stop you, it did not stop the parent of Moses, and other Hebrews. When Moses grew to be a man all that previous training came to bear upon him so that he took action for God's people who were under such persecution. Yes, Moses acted in a wrong way, as some of us have done, but in time Moses so taught about God never left Him and when God called him he went. This can be true of children who are taught at home so that even in hard times they will return to God and live a life of faith. 

     Do not be caught in a trap and just read these verses in Hebrews as just another story for they have meaning for yours and my life. We are to change from the inside out and this is only possible by knowing the truth and applying that truth in our lives. My prayer is that you will take time to know whether or not God, Jesus Christ, holds the first priority in your lives and will make any changes necessary to cause that to happen. 

And he said, Hear ye now, 

     O house of David; Is it

a small thing for you to weary

    men, but will ye weary my 

God also?

                   Isaiah 7:13

Teach your children and you will be blessed

Richard L. Crumb

     

Learning To Have Faith In The Great Staff

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob

and Esau concerning things to come.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying,

blessed both the sons of Joseph; 

and worshiped leaning upon the

top of his staff. By faith Joseph, 

when he died, made mention of the

departing of the children of Israel; 

and gave commandment concerning

his bones.  

Hebrews 11:29-22

     Before I continue I must address the italics of the word leaning so there is no mistake that this was added; it was not but the word used was to clarify the Greek. Literal translation of the Greek is: "and worshiped on the top of his staff" and to be on the "top" of his staff would require his leaning or support by the staff. The Hebrew word for staff gives us clearer understanding of this word "staff" as it means tribe; rod, a tool used by the shepherd. It is also a symbol of authority and can be an instrument of warfare and oppression. This word is used 143 times to denote a 'tribe' and is a preferred term for the twelve tribes of Israel. The Hebrew word MISHENA has the idea of "something to lean on," "trust," "support," or "staff." Together, the two words paint a picture of a strong, protective shepherd whom we can trust. One who not only cares for us but who will protect us. So, why so much about this word? If you are following Jesus Christ then you are  following the Great Shepherd and in this life we all are faced with danger, trouble, and the threat of death. It is Jesus Christ our Great Shepherd that by His rod (Authority) He protects us and we can trust Him as He leads us with His "staff." Jesus Christ is listening to His sheep and this leaning on the "staff" is a picture of provision, care, and eternal security. 

     Joseph is a great picture of faith for he faced many trials, false imprisonment, being almost killed by his brothers, and sold as a slave and yet he said: "And Joseph said unto them, "Fear not: for am I in the place of God" (Geneses 50:19). Are you in a place of danger, trial, persecution? If so be as Joseph and remind yourself that you are "in the place of God." God will use every and any means for His children and while not always removing problems will take you through them as He as promised. God is Sovereign over all things, His "staff" is not only His authority over all things, it is our protection and our salvation for Jesus Christ is the "staff" promised for all of God's children. 

     God used Joseph to prophesy about the coming of the time when those of his "tribe" who came to be called "Hebrews," would leave the land of Egypt and that they would be led to the land promised to Abraham. How did he know this? God apparently revealed this to him and this was what was taught to him by his father who, as is the case in Hebrew culture, would speak of such things. Joseph had faith in God through all things that he had to undergo. Is your faith as the faith of Joseph? God has revealed to you His plan for His children, for those who refuse to become one of His children, for this world and for the world to come. Can you see that you are only strangers in this world and God is leading you to a land promised to you? Joseph gave this prophecy: "And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which He sware to Abraham, so Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry my bones form hence" (Genesis 50:24-25). 

     God has promised and revealed to you: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy had begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Peter 1:4-5).

     As we study "faith" our faith should grow and mature to the point where we fully, without reservation place our lives fully in Him who has the power to do all that He has promised. We are not left in doubt, albeit we see as through dark glass, we do have enough revealed for us to allow our faith to lead us in all things while we are on this earth. Yes, there is a cost to this faith, a cost to you, to others, but this cost should not cause you to faint away knowing that your faith is in the one who gave His life, a cost that we cannot imagine for He took on Himself the sin of the world. For you He paid this cost. Will you give back to Him no matter the cost? We all must answer that question. Are you willing to please God rather than to please man? God blessed all those before us whose faith is described to us in His word so that we too can see that God will bless your faith and give to you this life, eternal, undefiled life.

And he did (Hezekiah) that which was

      right in the sight of the LORD,

according to all that David his father

     had done.....And said unto them,

Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify the house

      of the LORD God of your fathers,

and carry forth the filthiness out of the

    holy place....Now it is time in mine heart

to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel,

    that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.

                       2Chronicles 29: 2,5,10

Make a covenant with God

Richard L. Crumb