Qualities Of Faith

"We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring." - 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 ESV

The writer saw faith growing in a group as something to be thankful for. It encouraged them. They boasted about it in other places.

"...and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." - Hebrews 10:21-22 ESV

Here it is the full assurance of faith that comes from understanding Jesus' present day ministry of intercession.

"Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?" - James 2:5 ESV

Lastly we have the riches of faith because faith is a living connection to a kingdom that is rich... rich faith because of a rich identity.

These are not things to attain to. This is how faith in Jesus is. It expands in size. It fills a person with assurance because Jesus is still involved. It brings the notions of possessed riches into view because God has a rich kingdom.

'I believe in Jesus. I believe in what He has done. I believe He cares. His kingdom has become my kingdom. I am welcome there. I have a seat with my name on it at His table.'

If we have believed in Him then those statements are true and not just in a historical sense. They are present tense realities.

I spent time at coffee last night and smiled so much that my cheeks began to hurt at the end. At that table we had rich faith and funny stories. We had abundant faith. It was a table where no one was try to be anything. All were accepted and welcome. Jesus was often mentioned. There were questions but there were also answers.

I'll boast in that. I have something wonderful to be a part of. I have a great God. If you have believed in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection then you do also.

Let's be stirred up in faith. What kind of weekend will it be if we are stirred up in faith?

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