Faith – The Why And The How

August 2003

May God bless you powerfully this day in the name that is above all names – Jesus Christ!

It has been some while since my last newsletter to you, simply because I have learned that I can only contribute to building His Kingdom at His direction, not my own. Please forgive me therefore for not communicating for communication’s sake on a weekly or even monthly basis, but instead for communicating only when the Lord directs me. Certainly this contradicts all worldly wisdom – no one builds a ministry (read that as a kingdom) this way! But honestly, my only desire is to serve as a fellow laborer in Jesus Christ’s Kingdom. And that means doing things His way, not the way my flesh or “common sense” would want to do.

But I want you to know that I love you very much. There is no greater treasure than the personal intimacy your heart and mine longs to develop with the treasure in the field, Jesus Christ. Can any other pursuit bear good eternal life fruit? What intellectual (even Bible) knowledge, as important as it may be, can substitute for a close, personal, and intimate relationship with its Author?

With this in mind, I would like to share something the Lord taught me a few weeks ago regarding faith. I trust it will enrich your understanding of how the Lord views faith, and how to walk in more of it. May the Holy Spirit energize all of our hearts to walk more by faith and not by sight!
 

FAITH IS THE CURRENCY OF THE SPIRIT

My Son, faith is the currency of the Spirit. Without faith, you cannot please the Father.[1] And if you desire to build more faith, then you must spend more time with Me, the Author and Finisher of faith,[2] for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by My words[3] that proceed from My lips.[4]

These are things you already know well from My showing them to you. But now consider this about faith – not everyone is given to have it.

Does this surprise you? Faith is built by relationship, and not all desire a relationship with Me. This is no surprise to you as you have observed. But – even among My people, faith is volatile[5] and must be carefully cultivated. It never ceases to be the currency with which you “buy” the blessings of heaven.[6]

To declare that you love God, and that you love Me is to declare that you are a person of faith, because faith involves what you cannot see. What can be known by your senses is most often not of faith at all; it is from the intellect and (the) working of men’s hands. But those things that are acquired by faith are from above.

When you speak in tongues, you speak a faith language. When you pray by the Spirit for the sick, people are healed by faith. When you sow in faith to teach and counsel, you also reap in faith.

Faith accesses the promises of the Father, just as money gives you access to goods in a store. If you acquire much money, you may accumulate many goods (though they come with many snares to your faith). With much faith, you will acquire many spiritual goods – blessings from the Father.

WHAT THE LORD SEEKS: ONE-NESS

I seek one-ness with My people. One-ness is where faith and relationship come together. Faith is not for heaven. Faith bridges the divide between heaven and earth. Thus faith is not needed in heaven – it is needed on the earth in order to bring the blessings of heaven to (the) earth.

The one-ness in heaven can be purchased by faith. When I prayed in the garden that they might be one with the Father, I prayed for the Father’s ultimate desire for all of His creation – to be one with Him.[7]

THE OBJECT OF FAITH

So consider faith simply as an extension of the Father’s desire for one-ness with His people. See faith as both your connection to Him, and as the product of your relationship with Him through Me. Seek Me, above all things, and you will have the faith and the one-ness that satisfies every heart. The object of faith is one-ness with our heavenly Father.

• Faith acquires heavenly blessings
• Faith bridges heavenly relationships
• Faith accesses heavenly promises
• Faith enables one-ness with the Father
• Faith builds from the friendship you keep with Me, the Author and Perfector of your faith – Jesus Christ.

Do you desire to have great faith? Draw near to Me and I will give it to you!

I can’t tell you how precious you are as you continue in the things of faith. The world is certainly going the way it has always gone, and this should neither discourage nor weary us. Instead, it should propel us toward greater joy and pursuit of our wonderful Teacher, Counselor, Friend, and First Love, Jesus Christ!

We love you and praise God for your wonderful heart! May your joy in His presence continue to grow with each passing hour!

Praising Him with you,

Paul & Rita Norcross

(Paul also pastors a precious country church, Maranatha Bible Chapel, in Charlemont, Massachusetts. You are always welcome to come and visit! Sunday services are at 10:30am, with Prayer & Healing nights on Tuesday evenings at 7:30pm. Recently the elders of the church were led to offer free cassette recordings of all Sunday services. To receive a copy each week, send a stack of self addressed, stamped envelopes (In the USA, postage is $.60) and we’ll be happy to send a copy out to you as a blessing from the Lord.

[1] KJV Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

[2] KJV Hebrews 12:1-2a 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….

[3] NJB Romans 10:17 But it is in that way faith comes, from hearing, and that means hearing the word of Christ.

[4] KJV Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

[5] KJV I Timothy 1:18-19 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

[6] KJV Revelation 3:18-22 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

KJV Isaiah 55:1-2, 6 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

[7] KJV John 17:11, 20-22 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: