Faith & forgiveness

1Jn 5:4 KJV For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith.

Our faith.

Our faith overcomes the world.

Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

What is faith?

Heb 11:1 KJV Now faith is the substance {essence, assurance} of things hoped {expected, confided} for, the evidence {proof, conviction} of things not seen.

Why is it important that we have faith? Because faith is a reliance upon Christ. It is being persuaded that nothing is impossible with God.

Rom 4:20-22 KJV He {Abraham} staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (21) And being fully persuaded that, what he {God} had promised, he was able also to perform. (22) And therefore it was imputed to him {Abraham} for righteousness.

It is the thing that is going to get us through the trying times… the challenges in life. We live in a physical world where we have learned to touch, taste, see, smell, and hear. Our soul has based itself on and relied upon our physical senses to think and feel. But such a way of living is contrary to living, moving, and having our being in Christ. It is contrary to being led by the Spirit. We cannot continue to be led by our soul ~ our emotions. We have to trust in Christ. We have to trust in the guidance and instruction and the voice of the Holy Spirit.

1Jn 2:27 KJV But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

The opposite of faith is doubt… unbelief. And unbelief is sin.

The word points out a couple of stories where a person’s faith is what touched Jesus and gave them the answer to their prayer.

The story of the Centurion:

Mat 8:5-13 KJV And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, (6) And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. (7) And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. (8) The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. (9) For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this [man], Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth [it]. (10) When Jesus heard [it], he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (11) And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. (12) But the children of the kingdom shall be
cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (13) And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

The answer: Go your way. And as you have believed, so be it done unto thee.

When you ask, what do you believe?

The story of the woman from Canaan:

Mat 15:22-28 KJV And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. (23) But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. (24) But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (25) Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. (26) But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to dogs. (27) And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. (28) Then Jesus
answered and said unto her, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

The answer: Be it unto thee even as you will.

The story of the friends of the man with palsy:

Mat 9:2 KJV And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Jesus saw their faith. He healed the man with the palsy. Healing involves forgiveness of sins. When we are forgiven of our sins, we are also healed.

The story of the woman with the issue of blood:

Mat 9:20-22 KJV And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind [him], and touched the hem of his garment: (21) For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. (22) But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

The answer: Your faith has made you whole.

The story of the two blind men:

Mat 9:27-30 KJV And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, [Thou] Son of David, have mercy on us. (28) And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. (29) Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. (30) And their eyes were opened; and Jesus
straitly charged them, saying, See [that] no man know [it].

The answer: According to your faith be it unto you.

Another story of a blind man:

Mar 10:51-52 KJV And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. (52) And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

The answer: Go your way. Your faith has made you whole.

Do you see how critical faith is?

Are you one who prays & prays & prays, not believing that He’ll answer your prayers?

Faith is a reliance, a trust, in Christ. When we pray – we need to just rest it with Him. We pray one time. We bring it to His attention. Then we let it go & trust in Him. Pray, believing. But it is imperative that when we pray, we have His will. His will be done. It is His will that we are made whole, that we are healed, that we are forgiven of our sins. So these things will be answered.

Do not expect to pray for a new car and get it. I am not encouraging that. It is not scriptural. Always, ALWAYS, read the Word and make sure that your belief, your doctrine, your manner of living… LINES UP WITH THE WORD. For the Word of God is a measuring stick – it is a balance – it is instruction in righteousness – it is a guide. If anything you do, say, or believe is in contradiction to the Word of God – then it is error. Let the Word of God wash your mind – your thinking – and transform it to the mind of Christ. So that you think like the Word thinks. Meditate upon it day & night. Let it be your way of thinking, being, speaking, and doing.

The Christian walk is a lifestyle for a lifetime. It is a way of life. It is a marriage in this sense: “till death do you part.” And yet, even in death, one does not part from this life ~ because Christ continues to dwell with us while e sleep, awaiting the resurrection. This is clearly seen in the story of the men who were burying a dead man and threw him into Elisha’s tomb because they wanted to avoid a band of men. The spirit of the LORD remained in Elisha’s bones which caused the dead man to have life return to his being.

2Ki 13:21 KJV And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band [of men]; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

Christ is our life.

Col 3:4 KJV When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

I praise the LORD God that He has extended His mercy & grace toward me. Though I am unworthy, He has made me “worthy”. He has decided that I am worthy. How very thankful I am to Him for His love toward me. For I have not been perfect, even in following after Him. Yet, I store in my heart His words so that I can retain my faith. Words such as this:

Psa 37:23-24 KJV The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. (24) Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.

Pro 24:16 KJV For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Such words assure me that He knows we will fall. But we will rise up. I am so very thankful for the Blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from all iniquity. We can return to the LORD when we have fallen from the way and repent for our wrongdoing, confessing our sins to Him in a state of brokenness, and He is just and faithful to forgive us. We NEVER have to confess our sins to a man. What man can forgive us? The Word of God tells us to confess our FAULTS one to another:

Jas 5:16 KJV Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

But it does not tell us to confess our sins to one another. It tells us to confess our sins to Him:

1Jn 1:9 KJV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

It is important that we confess our sins to Him because we need mercy. If we do not have His mercy, then we will have His wrath. We don’t want His wrath. We definitely want His mercy:

Pro 28:13 KJV He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.

To cover one’s sins is to conceal them, keeping them secret. The LORD sees all. There is nothing we can keep hidden from Him. It is best to just open ourselves before Him and then rest in Him to purge them from our being. We should be as David before the Lord. Here are a couple of prayers he prayed:

Psa 32:5 KJV I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Psa 51:2-5 KJV Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me. (4) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest. (5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Remember, it is our faith that overcomes the world.

Are you an overcomer?

"...so help us, God! "

This should make it 'around' until everyone wakes up! SHALL WE HIRE A MONUMENT ENGRAVER TO GO TO ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY AND ADD THE MISSING WORDS ?

A MESSAGE FROM AN APPALLED OBSERVER:

Today I went to visit the new World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. I got an unexpected history lesson Because I'm a baby boomer, I was one of the youngest in the crowd. Most were the age of my parents, Veterans of 'the greatest war,' with their families. It was a beautiful day, and people were smiling and happy to be there. Hundreds of us milled around the memorial, reading the inspiring words of Eisenhower and Truman that are engraved there.

On the Pacific side of the memorial, a group of us gathered to read the words President Roosevelt used to announce the attack on Pearl Harbor:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941-- a date which will live in infamy--the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked.

One elderly woman read the words aloud:

'With confidence in our armed forces, with the abounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph.'

But as she read, she was suddenly turned angry. 'Wait a minute,' she said, 'they left out the end of the quote.. They left out the most important part. Roosevelt ended the message with 'so help us God.'

Her husband said, 'You are probably right. We're not supposed to say things like that now.'

'I know I'm right,' she insisted. 'I remember the speech.' The two looked dismayed, shook their heads sadly and walked away.

Listening to their conversation, I thought to myself, Well, it has been over 50 years she's probably forgotten.'

But she had not forgotten. She was right.

I went home and pulled out the book my book club is reading --- 'Flags of Our Fathers' by James Bradley. It's all about the battle at Iwo Jima .
I haven't gotten too far in the book. It's tough to read because it's a graphic description of the WWII battles in the Pacific.

But right there it was on page 58. Roosevelt 's speech to the nation ends in 'so help us God.'

The people who edited out that part of the speech when they engraved it on the memorial could have fooled me. I was born after the war! But they couldn't fool the people who were there. Roosevelt 's words are engraved on their hearts

Now I ask: 'WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE WORDS OF HISTORY??????'

Send this around to your friends People need to know before everyone forgets.
People today are trying to change the history of America by leaving God out of it, but the truth is, God has been a part of this nation, since the beginning. He still wants to be..and He always will be!

If you agree, pass this on. If not,
'May God Bless YOU!''Wake up AMERICA, It's Time we TAKE our Country Back'

SCARY FACTS About ISLAM

-Dr. Peter Hammond.

Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult. In its fullest form, it is a
complete, total, 100% system of life.

Islam has religious, legal, political, economic, social, and military
components. The religious component is a beard for all of the other
components.

Islamization begins when there are sufficient Muslims in a country
to agitate for their religious privileges.

When politically correct, tolerant, and culturally diverse societies
agree to Muslim demands for their religious privileges, some of the
other components tend to creep in as well.

Here's how it works.

As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in
any given country, they will be for the most part be regarded as a
peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens. This is
the case in:

United States -- Muslim 0.6%
Australia -- Muslim 1.5%
Canada -- Muslim 1.9%
China -- Muslim 1.8%
Italy -- Muslim 1.5%
Norway -- Muslim 1.8%

At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities
and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails
and among street gangs. This is happening in:

Denmark -- Muslim 2%
Germany -- Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom -- Muslim 2.7%
Spain -- Muslim 4%
Thailand -- Muslim 4.6%

From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to
their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for
the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby
securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase
pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves --
along with threats for failure to comply. This is occurring in:

France -- Muslim 8%
Philippines -- Muslim 5%
Sweden -- Muslim 5%
Switzerland -- Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands -- Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad & Tobago -- Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow
them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the
Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia
law over the entire world.

When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to
increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their
conditions. In Paris, we are already seeing car-burnings. Any
non-Muslim action offends Islam, and results in uprisings and
threats, such as in Amsterdam , with opposition to Mohammed
cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily,
particularly in Muslim sections, in:

Guyana -- Muslim 10%
India -- Muslim 13.4%
Israel -- Muslim 16%
Kenya -- Muslim 10%
Russia -- Muslim 15%

After reaching 20%, nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad
militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian
churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in:

Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%

At 40%, nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror
attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:

Bosnia -- Muslim 40%
Chad -- Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon -- Muslim 59.7%

From 60%, nations experience unfettered persecution of
non-believers of all other religions (including non-conforming
Muslims), sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law
as a weapon, and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels, such as in:

Albania -- Muslim 70%
Malaysia -- Muslim 60.4%
Qatar -- Muslim 77.5%
Sudan -- Muslim 70%

After 80%, expect daily intimidation and violent jihad, some
State-run ethnic cleansing, and even some genocide, as these
nations drive out the infidels, and move toward 100% Muslim, such
as has been experienced and in some ways is on-going in:

Bangladesh -- Muslim 83%
Egypt -- Muslim 90%
Gaza -- Muslim 98.7%
Indonesia -- Muslim 86.1%
Iran -- Muslim 98%
Iraq -- Muslim 97%
Jordan -- Muslim 92%
Morocco -- Muslim 98.7%
Pakistan -- Muslim 97%
Palestine -- Muslim 99%
Syria -- Muslim 90%
Tajikistan -- Muslim 90%
Turkey -- Muslim 99.8%
United Arab Emirates -- Muslim 96%

100% will usher in the peace of 'Dar-es-Salaam' -- the Islamic
House of Peace. Here there's supposed to be peace, because
everybody is a Muslim, the Madrasses are the only schools, and
the Koran is the only word, such as in:

Afghanistan -- Muslim 100%
Saudi Arabia -- Muslim 100%
Somalia -- Muslim 100%
Yemen -- Muslim 100%

Unfortunately, peace is never achieved, as in these 100% states
the most radical Muslims intimidate and spew hatred, and satisfy
their blood lust by killing less radical Muslims, for a variety of reasons.

'Before I was nine I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was
me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my
family against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe;
the tribe against the world, and all of us against the infidel. -- Leon
Uris, 'The Haj'

It is important to understand that in some countries, with well
under 100% Muslim populations, such as France, the minority
Muslim populations live in ghettos, within which they are 100%
Muslim, and within which they live by Sharia Law. The national
police do not even enter these ghettos. There are no national
courts, nor schools, nor non-Muslim religious facilities. In such
situations, Muslims do not integrate into the community at large.
The children attend madrasses. They learn only the Koran. To
even associate with an infidel is a crime punishable with death.
Therefore, in some areas of certain nations, Muslim Imams and
extremists exercise more power than the national average would indicate.

Today's 1.5 billion Muslims make up 22% of the world's population.
But their birth rates dwarf the birth rates of Christians, Hindus,
Buddhists, Jews, and all other believers. Some say Muslims will
exceed 50% of the world's population by the end of this century.

~Adapted from Dr. Peter Hammond's book - "Slavery, Terrorism
and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat"