Evangels and Patrons

PAPER #1 – EVANGELS: MESSENGERS WHO GO & PREACH THE GOOD NEWS

An evangel is one sent by another: a messenger. The office of evangelist is an itinerate ministry travelling and preaching the gospel from place to place. We each first heard the good news through an evangelist, someone, often several, told us the good news about Jesus. The anointing of the evangelist is to preach by the power of God and to work miracles. This anointing is poured out upon those who obey the command to ‘Go!’.

THE EVANGELIST BRINGS THE MESSAGE OF GOOD NEWS

The word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news’. The Evangel is a preacher of the Good News: ’our God saves’. Paul reminded the Corinthian church that he preached the gospel to them …

‘Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures’. 1

THE EVANGELIST IS DEPENDENT UPON THE HOLY SPIRIT

Previously we learnt in this series of ‘faith it till you make it’, that the nanosecond anyone yields to the message of the Gospel we immediately receive the Holy Spirit. When we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grace and faith goes to work. Our welcoming, humble reception of the Holy Spirit causes grace to act like a trip switch triggering saving faith, which is shed abroad in our mind by the Holy Spirit.

evangels
FAITH HOPE AND LOVE
THE EVANGELIST’S MESSAGE IS ONE OF FAITH

Faith is the gift of God. The more we yield to grace, the more changes can take place in our thinking. This new way of thinking affects our speech and decision making. These changes then begin to outwork in our daily living.

THE EVANGELIST’S MESSAGE IS ONE OF HOPE

Hope is there also, crying out of our thirsty innermost being. Hope seeks respite from the pain and emptiness we experience from living a life without faith. Faith gives us the assurance of things we hope for, it persuades us in our conviction to believe, even though we cannot yet see the evidence. (Heb 11:1). 

THE EVANGEL’S MESSAGE IS GOD’S LOVE AND IS PREACHED IN LOVE

The message and the messenger carry God’s love and compassion. Love is not a feeling – it is a doing word. However, like faith, love is in ‘deed and in truth’. We are to ‘put on’ love like a garment, but it is not a ‘put on’. It is not of works that one boasts about. Love is serving others in all humility. Love is in standing-under rather than standing-over people. It becomes clear what true love is when we read 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8.

GOD IS LOVE

Love is patient, love is kind-hearted, gentle, thoughtful. It does not envy, it is not greedy, jealous, or bitter, it does not boast, is not smug, pretentious, or brag. it is not proud, is not conspicuous, does not seek prominence, the first place. It does not gossip and cause scandal for others, it is not self-seeking, is not egocentric, self-absorbed, it is not frustrating, enraged, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Cor 13) Paraphrase Patricia with added synonyms.

That divine unfathomable, enduring love assures us we are accepted in Jesus, God’s beloved only-begotten child, Jesus, who died for our sins of faithlessness and our destitute state of mind of unbelief.

THE EVANGELIST IS LIMITED
PUTTING OUR FAITH AND HOPE IN PEOPLE HAS ITS LIMITATIONS

When Faith and hope in human vessels operate it can fail. But God’s love and faithfulness are divine and therefore can never fail. This is why the greatest of these three, faith, hope, and love remain but the greatest of these is Love.

If we deny God, God will also deny us. Despite our being faithless, God remains faithful, for God cannot deny Godself.

HOPE IN GOD CAN NEVER FAIL

Hope can be deferred because we make ourselves dependent on humans. This expectation in humans to appoint us will most certainly bring dis-appointment. Hope in others may be deferred. This disappointment makes our minds ‘heartsick’. It is inevitable that people, situations, and circumstances cause disappointment, bitterness, depression, sorrow, discouragement, failure, etc. These are part of life for as long as we depend upon others to deliver what only God can deliver. But God does not disappoint faithful people born of God.Hope thou in God’, and not in people.

HOPE IN GOD CAUSES US TO REJOICE

Romans assures us we can rejoice when we run into problems and trials for we know that they help us develop endurance. Or we can take the route of a martyr or of malice and envy. I recommend we rejoice as the scriptures tell us.

Beloved, brace yourself when a messenger arriving and bringing upon you what turns into a burning fiery test. Its purpose is putting to proof (of good), and of the experience (of evil), of its trying to obtain something from you, acting as discipline or provocation to you: by implication, adversity.

‘Hey! Don’t act as if the trial you find yourself in is as if it is like a foreign guest to entertain, by pitying yourself and complaining, as though something strange was happening to you. Don’t allow it to turn you into a whining martyr, looking upon others with envy.

Instead, put an end to the pity party with yourself and others and rejoice. Yes, rejoice! Recognise it as an opportunity to share in the sufferings of Christ. He will come to your rescue, to your glory and their shame. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you’ (1 Peter 4: 12-14). Paraphrase Patricia with reference to Strong’s.

Now, until we decide to rejoice we stuck in learning mode. Immediately we begin to rejoice it changes everything. We change and the circumstances change. The trial will soon end because when we repent (‘change your mind.’) Spiritually mindfulness is life and peace. In the place of self-pity and/ or malice, endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

And this hope of being saved in the fiery trial and being shown a way out will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with God’s love. (Rom 5: 1-4).

GOD’S LOVE IS ETERNAL

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor 13:13).

GOD’S ABUNDANT GRACE ENABLES US TO LOVE

This grace surges toward us and is continually working on our behalf in order to bring spiritual blessings into the physical realm. When the believer’s faith expresses in action, it activates grace. Grace is God’s tender, grace is the power of God. Grace brings power from heaven to help bring what it is we require into being to meet our earthly needs. We will talk more about how faith works in our next post.

ONLY LIARS CLAIM THEY LOVE GOD BUT HATE OTHER BELIEVERS

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. (1 Jn 4:20).

FAITH WORKS THROUGH GOD’S LOVE

Faith works through love by God’s unlimited grace, God’s goodness abounding toward us. This grace surges toward us and is continually working on our behalf in order to bring spiritual blessings into the physical realm. Faith, when activated by the believer stimulates grace to bring power from heaven to help bring into reality the unseen to meet our earthly needs. We will talk more about how faith works in the next faithit_tillumakeit post: ‘1b/ Evangels’.

FEEL FREE TO JOIN ME IN PRAYER IF YOU SO DESIRE …

Dear God, I confess to you my lack of love for myself and others. I lack patience, kind-heartedness, gentleness, and thoughtfulness, I envy others. I confess I am greedy and covetous, I am jealous and harbour bitterness, please forgive me and teach me to be thankful for what I have, for you have said you will never leave me nor forsake me. You are my Helper.

Almighty God I confess to you I live in and by old scripts in my mind that have long had their day. I boast, am smug, pretentious and brag in my false sense of pride. I am competitive to get to first place, to make myself conspicuous, to seek prominence. God by your grace change me.

I confess I am self-seeking, ego-centric, self-absorbed. I am easily annoyed, frustrated, enraged, enough so, to keep a record of wrongs. Forgive my passing on private matters (gossip) which have the potential to cause scandal for others. Teach me to recognise love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Please show me my character defects in me, minute by minute, as they occur. Raise my consciousness to them. Help me to be mindful and live in the moment. It is enough that I recognise them and confess my faults to you and others. Your grace will change me. Help me to recognise and confess not only to you but also to those I have offended when I am missing the mark.

My life lacks your love for myself and those I meet daily, which I am oblivious to but others are not. By your grace make me aware where it pleases me to remain ignorant or when I do realize my failings I self-righteously justify them to myself and others.

HELP ME TO BE LIKE JESUS. LOVE ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PRESERVES. LOVE NEVER FAILS.

Dear Gracious Tender and Loving Forgiving God, My God, I call upon you now and ask in your mercy to change me by your grace. Teach me to live in forgiveness, to learn better to live in and by faith: to live and move and have my being moment by moment in your presence.

I pray for the Gospel to go forth. I pray the evangels sent into the harvest. Send me into the harvest: over the road and across the world. Open doors that I might preach the gospel of love in love in your name. Make me one of those that came. Equip and supply me to enable me to help those who are preaching the Gospel.

Please bless me, my family, all those I love, all those who hear the gospel to respond in kind, help them to believe that they are welcome through your grace and your gift of faith. Those Evangels who are right now suffering in the midst of trials of faith, send help. I will go, send me.

What I have I give to you and those you alert me to that I may help them. Please, God, reciprocate through others to give unto me, and to others preaching the gospel, over and above what we have given, so I will not lack in the work of the gospel. Use the same measure I use and beyond that …

In Jesus name, Amen.

Signing off now, blessings to you and yours,

Next faithit_tillumakeit post:

‘Faith, when activated by the believer stimulates grace to bring power from heaven to help bring into reality the unseen to meet our earthly needs. We will talk more about how faith works in the next faithit_tillumakeit post: ‘1b/ Evangels’.

Love and hugs, albeit from a distance

Patricia.


FOOTNOTES

Adding To Your Faith

It is my intention to write on the things I learn and the daily difficulties I face living one day at a time by faith. In the process, I plan to be as transparent as possible by questioning myself and my motives as well as finding and sharing insights I gain from the experiences I have and the challenges I face and answers I can find in scripture.

I plan to do what the Word says and share the outcomes and the challenges that go along with this. As I mentioned previously, I do not want to write about saving faith. That is a given if you are a believer. I have taught on this in the following series of papers on my website: Lessons on the Journey of Faith.

I expect my audience will include those who know how faith works but have never lived in the reality of actually believing for daily provision for the essentials of life. I also want to raise the consciousness of the believer of the teachings on the necessity for the body of Christ to function as one body – many members and become more aware of the way the Holy Spirit speaks to us to give and obey that inner voice.

Literally, ‘the human body is one but possesses many parts. Also, the body of Christ, which is the church. 1 But all the limbs and organs of that one human body, although they be many, yet are one body, so also is Christ’s body one’. (1 Cor 12:12). Paraphrase by Patricia with reference to Strong’s Concordance.

This means we must live in accordance with the Word and serve one another, give to other members of the body as God has given to us. We must give up our old ways of thinking and relinquish the world’s approach of elitism, quid pro quo and meritocracy and nepotism 2 and discover a new way of living. I call this the Culture of the Kingdom. The Word of God shows us a new way of living. It is time to jump into God’s river of Life.

I also hope to reach those who do not have the financial means to live properly, to access the basic needs of life: food, water, shelter, and clothing, but also sanitation, education, and healthcare and freedom of choice. The greatest need in the body of Christ is to look out for other members of the body; to ensure their basic needs are met. Many today face a dark future, a future blurred, their prospects dim.

I am therefore encouraging all of us together, whatever our means, the haves and the have-nots, to begin a new journey, to learn to live one day at a time, in the physical realm of meeting the needs of the body of Christ, by exercising their faith for themselves and other members of the body.

I lived by faith, literally, one day at a time, without visible means of income, for some thirteen years. This was when I decided to travel the world preaching the gospel. Like you, I’m still on the journey of adding to my faith. I want to discover more of how faith works and the doing of it to bring glory to God; to live an authentic Christian faith. Like you, I long to be in the will of God. 3 We need to make a major shift of consciousness for our lives to change. We have to ask ourselves how willing are we to allow this shift to take place?

As I mentioned in my last post, this means, at the basic level, reading God’s Word, the Bible and obeying it. Without doing it we will never ‘prove’ the true from the false.

Every word of God proves true; a shield to those who take refuge in God. (Proverbs 30:5)

Along the way it is unavoidable we will encounter false doctrines manufactured to exert control over us. Then, there are the issues of false translation and interpretation. I teach on these in my papers. 4

We are called to obey the will of God. However, it is not as easy as it may have appeared at first. To do God’s will is to not do my own will. Yes, there is a will and a way, but it’s not my way. Indeed, I have found doing the will of God goes so much against my will that, to actually pray according to Psalm 40:8 can be downright scary for the unsought for changes it will bring into my life. God’s will therefore can only be done in faith.

‘ I delight to do your will, O my God: yes, your law is within my heart.

‘And, without faith it is impossible to please God for whoever would draw near to God must believe that God exists and a rewarder of those who seek God’. (Heb 11:6).

Jesus said, “anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own”. (Jn 17:7).

Today, for very many, perhaps for the first time in their lives, their income is suffering. It is not consumerism as usual. Money is our lifeline to the basic necessities of life. Homelessness is an ongoing problem that the present circumstances of Covid-19 have intensified. These are perilous times. No one will remain unaffected. Don’t be smug.  Don’t say I have need of nothing.  Don’t look down your nose at people with less than you have.

Riches are fleeting. Many no longer find themselves in that same place of confidence they once enjoyed. For some it may be the first time in their lives they have literally prayed in earnest, ‘give us this day our daily bread’. They are now living from hand to mouth. I, therefore, believe this is a timely message. 

Now, it won’t take you long to discover that I am not a theologian. I also don’t want to get into long drawn out protracted arguments about words. As I say I have an audience I want to reach. In my message to those readers I want them to realise that even though they have done what is required, they can still encounter doubts as to whether they are in the will of God. They may become anxious after having made a crucial decision and waver. They may doubt whether it is the right one.

Those who know the Word know that ‘God rewards the earnest seeker.’ But I can be unsure, (doubt) that I am praying the perfect will of God. I may falter in my confidence. I may need assurance of God’s faithfulness from another believer who is strong in the faith. At another time I can reciprocate. This is where someone who has walked that path before can give me a few tips, can teach me, lead me and encourage me. 

In summary, when I talk about doubt it is not whether God exists. Rather, I am talking about uncertainty of judgment or mind; an unsettled state of opinion concerning the reality of an event. For example, just last week I was two days away from having a bed to sleep in.

Although I knew the date three weeks before, at that point when I needed the evidence of the things hoped for, there was still no visible sign of an answer to that specific request I had made to God in prayer. I began to doubt.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11: 1).

God has never removed the possibility of doubt. Our faith must therefore rest upon evidence, not demonstration. People who want demonstration will not be given a sign. Until the evidence materialises our faith acts as evidence. Until then, my advise is, ‘#faithit_tilumakeit’

By this I mean do something! Even if you can only do a very small infinitesimal thing to ‘prove’ your faith, do it! The example Jesus gives is, If you have faith, lets say, the size of a wheat grain, and you sow that seed by your action, it acts as ‘proof’. Faith cannot remain invisible. Talk is cheap.

Faith is like making bread. You add the yeast to ‘prove’ it. Don’t add the yeast and nothing will happen. You can wait as long as you like you can beat that dough till your arm aches. Faith requires action to bring it into the visible; the material evidence is produced by what you do. Go and read the miracles Jesus performed. He told them to do something. Faith is the evidence of the things hoped for, until the actual material evidence materialises. Without corresponding action, faith is dead.

This is the ‘work of faith’ James speaks of. You may know how faith works but do you do it?  We must do our part, yes, read the word, yes, pray, but, also and this is the part I want to emphasise, do whatever you can to demonstrate the evidence of your faith: show your faith by your words and demonstration of the same.

Listen to James:

“So too”, James says, “faith by itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead. But some person may say (‘contrariwise’), ‘You possess faith and I possess action (deeds, toil)”. 

“So I say to them, ‘oh yeah, show me your faith (your belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness) apart or separate from your actions  (because I can’t see it because faith without evidence is no faith) and I will show you my faith by my actions” (James 2: 17-18) Paraphrased by Patricia.

There are no ‘hangers about’ in the Kingdom of God; no lurking. You’re either in or you’re out! The Kingdom is a vibrant, living, breathing, wonderful, community of people of active faith. Our faith ‘works’ through acts of love. Love is the lifeblood of the body of Christ.

Pure unadulterated divine faith is summed up here by James: ‘But when you ask God be sure your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind’ (James 1: 6). Divided loyalty is summed up here: ‘You cannot serve God and money’. Mammon is the god of this world, ruling through the earthy natural power exerted through the speech of people disobedient to the Word of God: the prince of the power of the hot-air breathed out by depraved people speaking by any means they can utilise to distort the hearers.  All people are liars.

And knowing that faith is now and today it is “yes” and “amen,” “Yes, I believe it,” in Christ Jesus. I can’t speak for other believers, but It is in this context I am happily admitting to you, at times I suffer doubt. I am also writing from past experiences and present reality.

It is my hope my readers will trust me based upon my making myself vulnerable. Some, I think, may think poorly of this approach, but this is my ego speaking. Deep down we know we are nothing, we came from nothing, we were lost. We are lost without daily direction from God’s Spirit. We know, when we are weak God is strong. We learn about this divine calculation from Paul’s experiences.

‘But God said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I, Paul, will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. For when I am weak, then I am strong’, (2 Cor 12: 9-12) Paraphrased by Patricia.

Grace is God’s power. Grace is God freely extending Godself (God’s favour, grace), reaching to people because God is disposed to bless (be near) them. For us to live like Jesus is to do likewise.

Through our seed of faith, our sowing, by giving to one another, supplying one another’s needs, by our sharing the benefits we have previously accessed through others generosity, God’s grace is released. God is not limited, but in a way, by working through the believer’s faith God has limited Godself to our responding. For divine results to materialise here in this visual world, human action acts as a fertiliser to activate the divine seed, God’s word.

This is why words no matter how encouraging, and prayer when something must be done to supply the needs, are just not enough. Where actual literal material goods are needed, such as the basic necessities of life, ‘be warmed and be full’ just doesn’t cut it.

Even the written biblical text is dormant until activated by putting it into action. ‘ My God shall supply all your need, through me giving what I have got‘. 5 You and I are the It has no power sitting there on the shelf, or on as online text. Even reading it is not enough. It is quick and powerful and cuts to the quick. However, you must respond. Many are called, few choose to be choice ones for God.

We learn everything spiritual from the natural. The Gospel message is like a seed. The seed is the principle in this life. Every seed sprouts. A seed reproduces after itself. 6. The Gospel message is carried within its kernel, eternal life.

Once planted it begins to feed off itself and watered by acting upon its message, it reproduces after itself. It responds in such a way as to bring dynamic change to the circumstances and to the person putting their whole trust in it. This results in a new way of living.

Jesus taught on the seed and the kingdom of God. Paul was particularly taken with the illustration of a seed losing its life as a seed to become a mature plant. He used this idea in many of his letters to various early churches.

Paul argues for this simple trust in the crucifixion of Jesus. ‘Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word about Christ’s death on the cross’ (Romans 10:17). Paraphrased by Patricia.

Paul said, ‘We preach Christ and Christ crucified.’ To accept the message of Good News is not to think about it but to obey it. Faith without corresponding works is dead. It means to live in daily divine connection to God through the Spirit of prayer and a yielded life. However, believing and praying are just the beginning, not an end in themselves. We must then act upon what we believe.

The law of faith acts in this way: I believe therefore I speak. This law of faith is the reason we are commanded to preach ‘Christ crucified’ as our central message, with all this it implies. It is the same reason those we preach to must respond, ‘believe and speak to receive Holy Spirit.’ To preach the gospel does not require a pulpit. It simply means to announce it, to act as a messenger of divine truth.

‘And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to God must believe that God exists’.

I write this to remind us, ‘we are not to throw away our confidence’ as it holds a great reward. We need to persevere, so that after we have done the will of God, (believe, ask, speak it out with the accompanying action/s), we shall receive the promise.

For, ‘In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay’ (Heb 10: 35-37). In the light of this it is imperative particularly for the believer praying in faith for their daily provision to understand there is a gap that exists between your prayer and the answer. I will write on this in a future paper.

Money is not God’s divine tender. Instead, God’s divine tender is Grace. Grace brings God’s benefits ‘abounding toward us’, God’s all-sufficiency, flowing through obedient human vessels, ‘that we, having all sufficiency in all things’, so as to encourage us, in turn, not to give up but ‘to abound unto every good-work’ through our own giving and doing. Through our obedience we are literally God’s answer to people’s prayer requests they are making to God in the privacy of their own prayer sanctuary. This is the work of the Spirit.

And God who searches our thoughts and feelings (hearts) knows and appreciates the inclinations of purpose and aspirations (mind) of the Spirit, because the Spirit calls upon, makes a petition, makes supplication (intercedes) on behalf of, for God’s people, in accordance with the will of God. (Rom 8:27).

The Kingdom of heaven is brought down to earth in all its intricate workings through our faith and love in doing good. The problem lies in the lack of ‘gracious faithful givers’ on the ground. Hence, once we have prayed and acted upon what we believe, as previously taught here, we have need of patience that we might receive the promise.

This is due to the wolves amongst the flock. The scriptures warn us the kingdom here on earth is made poor by robbers, (in my experience, especially church organisation leaders) who ‘fleece’ the unwary. 7

“From the time of John the Baptizer until now, Heaven’s Realm is being used or even robbed by people who have no legal right to it. This stops those who do have a legal right to it from enjoying their own property.” 8

Therefore, doubt is not ‘no faith’, it is ‘little faith’ and even after 50 years, on occasions, I find myself suffering from it. I’m writing this to encourage all you other ‘little faiths,’ out there, to join me to #faithit_tillumakeit

Thank God we have a Heavenly Patron to call on. The Psalmist put it so succinctly:

‘God your Protector and Provider will cover you with soft feathers; under the wings of God you will find refuge, just as chicks find refuge under their mother’s wings; God’s faithfulness is a shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night , or the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon’ (Ps 91: 4-5) Paraphrased by Patricia.

Hope to meet up again in this way next time.

Please forward this through your contacts,

Love and hugs,

Patricia

Fresh Manna: My Testimony of living daily by faith

A month ago, I was two days off having nowhere to live and not enough income to simply rent a unit or a room on a regular basis. This is the reality in Australia of having the aged pension as your sole source of income. I had prayed fervently. I had put into practice the law of faith, ‘I believe therefore I speak’. I had done whatever I could, according to my means, to look for paid accommodation within my means.

There a number of factors that led me to this point in my life. For example, I could have turned back to earning a living. Instead, I decided to return to my former way of life and live by faith. Although I made the decision instantly that decision has led me over two years to where I am now.

I made this choice as I was determined to finish my life’s work.  believe I am to write plainly the vision of equality in the body of Christ in helping prepare the body of Christ, the church, the betrothed of Christ for the imminent return of her husband. My website is the result of this. It is read on tablets, as busy people keep running with their mission to fulfill the purpose of God in their lives. ( Hab 2: 2) 9

Having made this decision, I could have accepted a generous friend’s offer to live in the USA or the UK. Instead, I choose to live here in Australia. I thought to go to Israel and study. I am still pursuing that. For now, at this point in time, I am writing from fresh daily gathered manna along with past experiences and learning. I am wanting to apply these and their outcomes to the Word.

I realise when I share the reality of living by faith it means I also must face the reality of ‘not my will but God’s will be done’. This is when the reality hits: our model is Christ. Obedience led Jesus to the cross. Many or all of the Apostles met with untimely deaths. I must admit I have little of the true martyr in me! Nevertheless, we all must learn how to die to our own will.

Now, back to the here and now of my journey of faith and what the Word teaches us about faith. I hope my present circumstances can act as a demonstration of what I am getting at. Last week, just two days out from the possibility of sleeping in my car, my faith wavered.

I had done my part of reading and believing the promises of God’s provision. I had prayed. I believed, I confessed (the law of faith) to others about my expectations of my prayer being answered. I had an inkling about how it might turn out and I know God is faithful. Having done all I could, I was standing in faith.

I was waiting for the answer to materialise, namely, accommodation and I expected to participate by receiving and giving; to also be able to supply their need. I prayed I might be the answer to someone else’s prayer and they mine. Paul says this is the way equality is outworked. Equality in the body is like this:

13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality (2 Cor 8: 13-14).

Up to that time I recognised I had the peace that passes all understanding. I was aware of this peace guarding my mind. I had done what was required for the riches of Christ Jesus to deliver what I needed. I had followed up my ‘prayer of faith’ with action; people I knew and trusted, knew where I was at.

However, come midnight and my mind was tossing and turning like the ocean waves. I became perplexed. We’re told we ‘have need of patience’, to persevere. It’s so easy to read and agree with this admonishment when in that place of security, say, in this instance, a roof over one’s head and bed of fresh linen turned down. The preacher, Robert Schuller penned this pithy saying, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’.

Like the watch man on the wall, I also welcomed the dawn (Ps 130:6). I rang a friend who encouraged me. Two is better than one  Finally, In my case, the answer arrived through a series of conversations, meetings and events and here I am, in Aratula, QLD.

I am glad to report for this time I am no longer free-falling. I have landed in a soft non-judgmental place. I am grateful. The gracious invitation from my sisters in Christ was, “stay as long as you want.” I replied, “as long as God allows.”

Like Peter, I had stepped out of the boat. I was walking on water (so to speak). But two weeks ago in the middle of the night my mind weakened. I awoke anxious. Thoughts crowed into my mind. What will I do if the accommodation doesn’t come through? I’ll sleep in the car, I answered myself. I thought, am I crazy, living like this? Yes, I reasoned, people will think you’re mad, they’ll despise you, see you as weak. Not having a sure dwelling place, one of the basic necessities of life, people might say, ‘where is her faith?’

We don’t know how long Peter wavered before he put his toe in the water. But finally, he got out of the boat and began to walk. It was then that he found himself actually walking, one foot after another, on water. But then his mind got in the way. He doubted, even though it was happening – he was actually walking on water! He wavered and as soon as that doubt came, he started to sink.

I went to the original words in Strong’s and discovered the following: Peter’s ‘doubt’ does not indicate a lack of faith, but rather ‘a state of qualified faith’: its weakness but not its absence. Further, I decided, how you read the scripture below depends on the tone of voice you hear in it. I don’t think Jesus is scolding Peter. More likely Jesus is laughing as he drags Peter up for air. How pleasing it is for God to see our faith.

‘But when Peter saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith”, He said, “why did you doubt”? And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down (Matt: 14:31-32).

In Luke 12: 29, “to be of doubtful mind” (meteorizo, literally, “to suspend”; means “to be driven by gusts,” or “to fluctuate in mid-air.” I can certainly relate to this. It’s easy to be in one accord with this until you are in that place of having no resources to furnish your basic physical needs. So I’m here taking it on the chin, “O me of little faith!”

We commit our future to the will of God. It is illogical in that it asks us to surrender ourselves to God’s love. In our humanity we hold back. Like Peter stepping out of the boat, we too are to relinquish our rights and our self to life as it is. We are afraid to dive into this river of divine love and let it take us where it will. This is what I’m getting at.

I want us as believers to examine ourselves to see if we be in the faith. If you are not suffering some doubt at times, I ask you pointedly, are you adding to your faith, are you developing your faith?

I have worked with the homeless in many countries. Now I’m homeless.

After I arrived at my present resting place I met an elderly woman around my age. I discovered she was a believer. As it happened she was also homeless, in as much as she was living with her Christian son and his wife, but she was not welcome.

I decided there may be many more Christian retiree women here in Oz in similar circumstances, yes, even on the street. I have decided to set up a FB and webpage to allow people to connect. I hope good Christian people, those that are able, get involved. I will announce this shortly: #hangon_graceisonitsway. Watch this space & my Facebook announcement for the latest updates.

I hope like-minded believers will get on board and open doors to allow my efforts to find a wider audience for people to not only learn about faith but also take action, to find help for themselves in times of need. I hope too, others, who can, offer help to those in need, especially those of the body of Christ. We live in troublesome times.

Now, just a month ago, before I landed here for a season, in my safe place, I came to where I believe God asked me to accept this itinerant lifestyle again as my way of life for now. Can I say I am living in perfect faith? Far from it! Just last week as I shared with you, I doubted.

So here I am walking daily by faith, this time itinerating in my country of birth, experiencing the ups-and-downs and doubts that at times spring from the circumstances of the moment. This then is my latest update … where I happen to be staying right now is different from where I was staying the last three weeks and before that, the last 3 months and before that the UK and the USA … etc, etc.

 

Let’s pray together:

Our Divine Provider, our Patron in heaven, Lover of our souls, we acknowledge Your name is Holy and you ask us to live holy lives. Your kingdom comes to us by Your will being done through us. We delight to do Your will, O God. Here we are, provide for us: give us this day our daily bread, our All Sufficient One. We are available to give unto others as God has given to us. Open up opportunities to use our resources and gifts. Lead us in your perfect will.

Amen.

 

Feel free to write and share your faith walk/ need for prayer…

Love you

Patricia

END

 

 

 

Have Faith In God

I’ve been practicing it a long time now. Faith it till I make it, that is. It all started with my conversion. I was looking for a new life! I somehow got it into my head that I wanted to test the promises and teachings of Jesus. They’ve been more or less challenging me ever since. I was determined to discover whether God would do what the Word says God will do and could I do what the Word says I can do.

Putting it simply, I was interested to know if and how faith works?

This is not talking about that false doctrine of me wielding God’s power and God doing my bidding. Neither is it the kind where you are told to stretch your faith by giving to the preacher to increase their bank account and you are promised in turn you will receive your miracle because of your faith. No, not that kind of ‘faith’.

I figured, the only way I’m going to get to know God is to read God’s word, the Bible, and put it to the test.

John 7: 17: Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. https://biblehub.com/john/7-17.htm

I’m talking about reading and doing the teachings of the New Testament for starters which teaches, ‘we walk by faith and not by sight’ (2 Corinthians 5:7). Now, if you haven’t started yet I am here to encourage you to do so. You’ll be surprised how God helps as we experiment by taking some baby steps.

I’m sure you’ve seen babies do this . It’s in their genes. They start to roll, then they get on their belly and crawl. It is pretty funny to watch them. They improvise to learn what works. First they start pulling themselves around and then hang onto something and next thing they are up. Finally  they’re standing, albeit wobbly. Once they get their balance they’re off. Finally you’re chasing them getting to obey your ‘stop’. The faith walk is like that.

That’s similar to us adding to our faith.

We are given saving faith. It is the gift of God. But don’t stop there. You want to add to your faith. Here’s the instruction from Peter . He writes…

‘God has committed God self to us through the costly and in the widest sense the most magnificent promises, so that by acting upon them they open up a heaven-to-earth-channel  that  through these promises you may become a companion, a genus of sorts, having common characteristics with the divine nature as you share in it , (having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire). (Paraphrase RBW with the help of Strong’s)

For this very reason add to your faith …

confidently introduce, simultaneously, and don’t hold back but eagerly contribute to the transformation the following: excellent and courageous acts (virtue); and add to virtue doctrine and wisdom, (knowledge);  And to knowledge self restraint (temperance); and to temperance cheerful endurance (patience); and to patience devotion to the Gospel (godliness); And to godliness loving friendship with other members of the family of God (brotherly kindness); and to brotherly kindness affection and benevolence (charity). 2 Peter 1: 5-7. (Paraphrase: RBW with the help of Strong’s).

In a word: Start reading the bible and doing what it says.

Start by trying it out. Dont get nervous you’re going to fall or fail or go too far, or too close to the edge. Its ok, You can just roll with it. No one of any account in the overall scheme of things is accusing you.

You want to experiment more … you start growing up into all things.

If you stay a baby (and there are some like that), you’ll get unhappy and begin to whinge and whine.That’s because you are week in faith. You find it in spoilt kids and  adults. Always whining about something.

This is the way the walk of faith is: Just begin.

Patricia says, “faith it till you make it”, and, whammo, all of a sudden things begin to shift and God in the presence  of the Holy Spirit  is on the scene.

Saving faith is the gift of God.

Think about it. If we as parents know how to give to our children good gifts, how MUCH MORE will be given to us who exhibit trust in God to give to us when we ask?

So…Pray and speak out loud what you believe

The law of faith is simple: I believe therefore I speak.

You have faith, you believe God is there, you believe so you pray. Prayer is our response to God stemming from our faith. Taking action is getting involved in what you believe is going to happen as a result of prayer and faith. If you earnestly pray to God and to increase your knowledge (I’m saying here what the bible teaches), ask anything in Jesus’ name. Learn how it works by doing it.

Don’t worry about your words or posture.

Pray and start finding a way to climb out of the hole you’re in

Whatever words we use and whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in,  give thanks, have gratitude, Thank God whatever the circumstances that you’re in. This is the will of God. Even if it appears no-one else is attempting to involve themselves in whatever you are praying about at that given moment. Don’t be distracted by worry or anxiousness.

Pray and do act upon it: do something

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6.

However it comes about, once we decide to dip our toe into the water, so to speak, by praying and then doing, we are adding,  not only head knowledge about God but living knowledge to our gift of faith. We are learning by doing. We are trying out how God works in response to our faith.

If you want to learn to drive at some time you’ve got to put the car into gear and your foot on the accelerator. Once you begin the car responds.

God responds to faith. Without works, doing something, anything, faith is dead. When you do something, anything, it ignites your faith. It’s your gift. You’ve got to use it. Once we hit it by doing something, anything, God again goes into action to match it and go far beyond it.

God makes a way where there is no way.

I recently heard someone explain it this way. You’re on P Plates.  You get into the car to go on a journey. Everything is working. Fuel in the tank. You start the car, put it into gear pull away from the curb and next you come to a set of lights. The light is green and you go through it. You don’t start to worry about whether the next set is going to be red. You take it as it comes and finally you arrive wherever it is you set out for.

Once you’ve accomplished that journey your confidence and assurance goes up in your driving skills. Sure, there are rules, road maps, signals to alert you along the way. You can be as prepared as little or as much as you like. If you keep driving and you have the necessary means to get there you will.

God is for you and not against you.

On the road of life with God the good news is the goal posts don’t change: God never changes. The circumstances however do change, so here’s a clue: don’t give too much consideration to the circumstances, the reason being you are walking by faith and not by sight.

There’s no script to stick to other than the precious promises of God found in the bible. If you don’t have one or you don’t like reading or whatever, you can get hold of a CD. You can either buy one or pray for one. There’s your first step. Or ask for a talking book. Ask for whatever you want. Go ahead. Try it out.

You’re better not to talk to straight up and down no risky living on the fifth it till you make it walk on the wild side of life types. You don’t need people saying to you ‘you cant do that’. What they mean is I wouldn’t do that. This is your new life. Your new adventure with God at your side. Its a time of experimenting with your newfound faith. Its free-falling time.

Were not talking here about rashness. But you must go with your gut, after you have done the will of God, such as pray, that you might receive the promise. I’m not writing here for the scholars or the haves who can afford the cost of a ticket if they miss the plane.

I’m talking to ordinary people who don’t have the cost of a ticket. Im talking to people who dont have a bed. Im talking to people who are poor in spirit. Im talking form experience. I’m not quoting from a book I read. This is how I’ve lived forty of my fifty years as a christian.  I’m encouraging you. You’re going to make it. I’m not saying you wont make some mistakes – its part of the journey.

Now, talking about the have-nots in faith but have lotsa dollars. They’ll have lots of rules too and try to regulate you. People tell you what you cant do because they don’t have the courage (faith) to attempt it. They then throw buckets of cold water on your faith experiments.

We do need good counsel. My sister Joy was mine before she went home. That one who led you to the Lord would be your first in rank. They’re most likely the kind Im talking about, faith-ing it till they make it. I don’t suggest the church leader because your friend introduced you, or such. I mean that believer who trailed your smashed up broken down life and just kept loving you through it all. They’re on your side.

Just go right ahead when you think you have a green light. It’s not so much as make it up as you go along. But faith is the green light so go and see if the next is a green or yellow or red. Just make a start. If it’s God you’ll get a nice surprise to encourage you.

There’s no set of rules to follow. Just good advice as to how it all works in the Kingdom of God. It doesn’t take a child to figure out how to be good. Obey the scriptures. So get a bible one way or another.  Find out for yourself.  Prove your faith.  Don’t play it safe.  Don’t hang on someone else’s experience. Discover the way in which the faithfulness of God is based upon the promises of God and your obedience to them.

In closing the thing I’m wanting to get across here is it is easy peasy but then again it’s not that easy. It’s just that if you’re willing to begin if you’re willing to try, its not science, but then again it’s not a leap into the dark either. But if your doing what I’m saying here you are taking some advice from someone whose done it and at 78 years of age has begun yet a new journey.

As someone said, ‘you can’t go under for going over’. If you get what I mean, which I’m sure you will if you do it. 

Don’t think about it. That’s what the Ancient Greeks did.  They thought about everything and argued and philosophised and debated. Alternatively the Hebrews approach to the God’s word was “obey God”

Mary the mother of Jesus said to her servants “whatever he says to you do it”. Proverbs says, “as a person thinks so are they. First Thessolonians says  ‘give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’.

My Testimony

I grew up with just the basics. You can keep up with my testimony under the menu heading, ‘My Personal Testimony’. I’ve been sharing with you about exercising your faith. That faith I’m talking about is the gift you get from God. It’s given to those willing to have-a-go.  Allow me to explain what I mean by that.

Even though I didn’t know it, I first prayed ‘in faith’ after reading ‘A New Life’ by Pat Boone, a Hollywood movie and singing star. His wife was a christian from childhood but he came to it later in life. Boone said in his book that he got a new life. He and Shirley his wife started holding parties for all their friends around their swimming pool and sharing their story. This sounded ok to me. I was a party girl. I said to myself  “if Pat Boone can do it I can do it”.

The next day I was walking down a suburban street to visit Joy, my sister. I recalled Sunday School stories I had been taught; Jesus on a cross and dying for me and all that.

It dawned on me at that moment these accounts were true! It startled me. Yes, Jesus died for me. I realised God loved me. When I arrived at my destination, I recounted to Joy what had transpired over the last twenty-four hours.

Joy listened and we got talking some more about it. I began to react to the idea of going to church. I now realise that I did not have to but that was the conversation at the time.

I said I was ok to be a christian but I had no intention of living in the way of what I thought was expected of me to be a Christian. Joy said that’s ok just talk about it to God. So I did. My sister invited me to pray a formal prayer with her. It went something like this ‘Jesus to come into my heart and save me”.

I again acknowledged to God in prayer I needed a new life. I also said I was not going to give up what I enjoyed such as my social life etc. I was looking for a new life but not a boring one!  I was a girl of action!

I then added a challenge to God. It still makes me smile.

I said in prayer, “ok, I’ll try it, and I’ll give you (God) two weeks.” I figured if it didn’t happen by then I’d prove my sister wrong, a figment of her imagination and I would go on my way. If God could not deliver I’d find out for myself.

I experienced instant change in my mind. I started to experience the leading of God in my life. I began learning lessons fast on obedience and prayer. I discovered within the next few days the consequences of ignoring what I knew to be right. I’ll tell you about them next time we meet here.

Talk soon …

Love ya

Px

Introducing my friend Ruth …

Listen for yourself her testimony of a day she put the law of faith into action,

“I believed, therefore I speak”

 © Image credited to Exploramum – location: Nerang River, Queensland. Visit her website https://exploramum.com/ for more amazing photos.

Afters: How to search the Bible online: beginners short lesson.

A search in Google, such as, ‘finding God’s will bible’ came up with the following set of scriptures: https://www.biblestudytools.com/1-thessalonians/5-18.html Compiled and Edited by BibleStudyTools Staff on 3/30/2020. The problem with this kind of search is you may land on the right page then again you may not. You’re winging it. You don’t know if these writers know God or are copying and pasting.

I prefer to go to the source. The I go into my favourite online bible search ‘Bible Hub’ I type into their search engine: ‘Will of God’, very many scripture references come up. I click on https://biblehub.net/search.php?q=will+of+god

I chose John 7: 17 from all the texts that came up :

‘Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own’. https://biblehub.com/john/7-17.htm

I then looked at the top of that page and I can choose from a range of subjects  and bible helps. Set aside an hour and try them all out to see what they offer. If for example I choose ‘Sermons, I get on the subject., many famous old preachers sermons  Topical?  to further click on other subjects that will lead me into greater understanding on what the bible says about the will of God, Strong’s? if I want to know the original Hebrew or Greek for every word in the scripture I am searching, in this case it will be Greek and will give me the Strong’s to click on for a particular word Im interested in. Comment? if I want to see a comment by various preachers on this scripture. Interlinear? if you want to see the exact Greek translation, and so on. I encourage you to begin to learn more than surface reading of the text.

END


Follow Exploramum. A woman of active faith in God. Follow her adventure and let’s band together in following and promoting women as they run with the vision of God’s faithfulness worldwide: Faith It Till U Make It. Px

About Me

In telling something of my personal story it cannot be separated from the call of God on my life. I discovered this calling early in my new life with Jesus. I derived great satisfaction and excitement from the understanding that God had a plan for me, through a new way of living. I can say sincerely, I have never looked back. I found myself completely enveloped in the desire to serve Jesus, my personal Saviour and Lord, wherever I happened to be and with whomever I met. I felt accepted, that I had something to give and to receive.

My new life led me to forming what have turned out to be life-long friendships. I found a mutuality amongst people I spent time with who seemed to me to be the kindest most forgiving generous people I had ever met. In addition to my personal life I found satisfaction in the development in what became my professional life. I was invited to join the ministry team of the church I attended.

This opportunity opened doors for me which also broadened my friendship base. It provided the opportunity to learn the joy of giving and receiving. I also discovered and developed spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit which included street evangelism. I discovered evangelism is serious fun. Later I was offered the opportunity to regularly preach which I discovered I greatly enjoyed.

My personal story also cannot be separated from the lessons learned through living by faith. From when I entered the church my financial renumeration dropped dramatically and I began to learn to live by faith, as is any other believer who is receiving less financial renumeration than can meet their basic financial needs. When I first began itinerating, in 1983 I preached and trained in churches in South Australia. It was at that time I moved into a greater understanding of living by faith as I received no regular renumeration other than small offerings on occasions. From that time I have lived in the knowledge of God’s faithfulness and promises to supply all my needs and can give testimony to this up to today.

Once I began preaching my study of the Word increased accordingly. In 1985 I asked the Lord’s permission to travel worldwide and preach – to obey the great commission. Others joined me in their participation and support. As an international preacher I went wherever doors opened to me. I felt the leading of God in all this and am still happy in it and hoping to leave everything again, this time, to go to JUC in Jerusalem.

HOW THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS MEANINGFUL TO ME.

My close friends know that for many years I have nurtured a future goal of completing a master’s degree to allow entrance into a Ph D program. Through this I want to add further to my teaching papers now being uploaded on my website, www.rwvm.online

I have now reached that stage in my life to see this fulfilled. This goal therefore is first of all a personal one. I want to be the best I can be for the Lord. Second, for my son, whom I love dearly. I want to inspire him. I want him to be proud of me. I also want to leave a legacy, to my women friends in particular.

I also hope that by my life’s choices I will inspire and influence women. I may never meet most of these women other than through my writing. I want to add to what I have already and by furthering my understanding through my studies at JUC.

This scholarship will facilitate my growth in knowledge and enhance and develop my work. I want to bear witness that God is sovereign, that God fulfils all that is promised to us in Jesus. That we can know and experience the grace of God.

Finally, I believe in education but especially education that leads to freedom to live as God wants us, to encounter all God has for us in Christ Jesus, not only in this life but the life to come.

Rahab aided the people of Israel to capture a city. The picture above shows the ‘red cord’ that Rahab, let out of her window so she and her household would be kept safe when the armies arrived. She did so as an act of faith and in return for her help she and her household were saved. This image speaks to me of the need to exercise my faith in God. Like Rahab I am letting down a ‘red cord’ of faith.