Top 10 Things That Faith is NOT!!!!!!

Greetings and Salutations Oh Ye Followers of the FAITH.

We have an inkling of what FAITH IS. We know that faith is substance... of things hoped for...the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Without this thing called FAITH... it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) For this God-pleasing faith to be in operation we must (1) Come to Him (2) Believe that He is (that He actually exists) (3) Believe that He is a rewarder
(4) Believe enough to diligently seek Him...not just passively inquire
(Hebrews 11:6). The righteous person has faith as a lifestyle...because the righteous/just shall LIVE by faith. (Romans 1:17). This thing called faith is something that we walk out and is not based on what we see with the physical eyes (II Corinthians 5:7). Faith is manifested in our actions...as there are corresponding actions to our faith..if not...then our faith is dead. (James 1:22-27 and James 3:14-26).


NOTE: Say hello to one of my favorite preachers...the Reverand Will B. Dunn. He is found in the comic strip KUDZU.

God has allotted/measured to each (written to believers)...a measure of faith...and we see that NOT all men (perverse and evil men) have faith (II Thessalonians 2:3). This thing called faith is linked to our hearing and comes to us via our physical ears as we hear the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17) This thing called faith can be little/small as a mustard seed/great/greatly enlarged (Matthew 6:30; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 8:10; II Thessalonians 1:3). This faith can be utilized by people who have been sick for twelve years...seen every doctor that can be seen...pour every last cent they have for medical treatment and get worse....but by faith they say over and over again..."If I just touched the hem of His garment I will be made whole." This faith manifested itself with healing virute flowing out of Jesus...and Jesus attributed this event to the womans faith. (Mark 5:25-34). Jesus had an expectancy of our faith to be at least mustard seed size...and expressed frustration more than once about the littleness of their/our faith in the face of storms and mountains and that we/they should have it [faith] (Matthew 6:30; Mark 11:20-26) When He returns again for His church...He has an expectancy that He will find faith on the earth (Luke 18:8)

Now...that was a little thumbnail sketch of what faith IS...and to be honest with you...I got kind of excited in my spirit as I reviewed those scripture verses. What a minute while I let the Holy Ghost Goosebumps subside just a little bit so I can continue. There...now lets review the TOP 10 THINGS THAT FAITH IS NOT!!!!


#10 Faith is NOT blind. We are not just out here in this world stumbling and groping with no direction. "The steps of man are ordered/established by the Lord and He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; because the Lord is the One who holds his hand."
(Psalm 37:23,24)



#9 Faith is NOT our magic lamp to rub on for God to appear at our beckon call like I Dream of Jeannie. You are not Major Nelson...and God ain't no trapped genie in a bottle. We do not WISH...we PRAY.. in FAITH.

#8 Faith is NOT our merit badge of maturity that we can wear on our merit badge sash along with our I don't smoke badge...I tithe badge...and I stopped cussing badge. "He saved us NOT on the basis of deeds done in righteousness...but according to His mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5; also see Ephesians 2:8-11).

#7 Faith is NOT our exclusive GOLD KEY into the toy room (aka the presence of God)...that we slid into the golden gates...and then repeat some mantra like open sesame (is that like the seed?).

#6 Faith is NOT based on how many times we can repeat what we want until it magically appears. To some this is what our concept of confession is...but it is not biblical confession. True confession is homolegeo. This means same word...and implies that we confess what God says...we come into agreement with Him...not repeat cadillac 500 hunderd times until it appears.

#5 Faith is NOT...pulling up your boot straps...gutting it out...drawing on your inner reserves and hanging in there until something eventually happens....however there is something to tenacity, hangin' in there like a bitin' sow...never giving up, etc. Faith is NOT your human ability to pull up your boot straps. You can pull up your boot straps up to your eyeballs but all that will get you is a SONIC WEDGIE...but if by faith you persevere...then between the point of promist to the point of manifestation of the answer...then you can get through when you do not see, hear, feel anything. Now that is a confession of faith...in Him...and not your faith and ability to hang in there.

#4 Faith is NOT an indicator that you are a man or woman of God... because you received what you are standing in faith for. Hebrews 11 is known as the Hall of Faith of great men and women of God who moved in the miraculous, mighty warriors, men of valor, intimate relationships with God...but Hebrews 11 ends with men and women who were tortured,
mocked, scourged, chained, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, tempted, put to death with the sword, went about in sheepskins and goatskins (not the finest fashion statement), afflicted, ill-treated, men of whom th eworld was not worthy, wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground. (Read Hebrews 11:35-38) They were not very FAITH worthy...however.."And all these, having gained approval through their FAITH, did NOT receive what was promised...because God had provided something better for us...so that apart from us they should not be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:39-40) NOTE: Be careful of judging who is a man or woman of faith because of what they receive in prayer.


#3 Faith is NOT your connection to your personal Santa Claus. God is not your good luck charm... your Sugar Daddy...your resource of whatever you want...your lucky rabbits foot....your Holy Slot Machine. He is Jehovah Jireh...the Lord your Provider...and He will supply all your NEEDS (not your greeds) according to His riches in glory...and their ain't no shortage in glory...in Christ Jesus (Phillipians 4:19). He is Jehovah Shalom ...the God of your peace...wellness...wholeness. He is Jehovah Raphe...the Lord your healer. He is Jesus of Nazereth, who was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with Power...and went about doing good and healing ALL who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him (and He is with you also...as Immanuel). No...
this idea of Santa is more like when you rearrange the letters of the name and it turns into satan.

#2 Faith is NOT...based on your faith. When you put your faith in your own personal faith...when you faith level wanes...and it will wane...your faith falls apart. Our faith must be put in something that is not going to change...move...get weak...go with every whim and wish of the populace. Our faith is based on God's Word...the D.B.R. (death, burial, resurrection...nothing more...nothing less.) Fashions change...trends changes...culture shifts...mores' are based on the majority. If the majority says abortion is A-O.K....or sex with animals, children, male on male, female on female (homosexual activity), sex outside of marriage, getting drunk, overeating (aka gospel gluttony), fashion changes to where exposed clevage is a celebration of the body and exposed butt cracks are more than just the plumbers fox pass...(just say no to crack). NOTE: Ladies in the church...please cover up your cleavage...it's bad enough in the world...much less having to come to church and being on guard. etc....then our faith shifts. God says that He is the Lord and He changes not. Jesus is the same...yesterday, today, and forever.

AND THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT FAITH IS NOT....

it's NOT all about me baby...it's not all about me.

Well...there you have it....what faith IS and what faith is NOT. Of course this is just one cud-chewers opinion. Feel free to add you own thoughts about what faith is NOT.

Keep the FAITH baby
Rodney "Faithfully Yours" Boyd