How does one believe?
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It's a deep question.
To believe in God is to acknowledge that there is a creator and that he is the living God, or God with us daily. He is also our savior (Jesus).
To love God is to place your complete trust, or faith in God. Trust that he is who he says he is, trust in eternal salvation, and trust in his love each day.
To believe in God is to acknowledge that there is a creator and that he is the living God, or God with us daily. He is also our savior (Jesus).
To love God is to place your complete trust, or faith in God. Trust that he is who he says he is, trust in eternal salvation, and trust in his love each day.
Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Basically, this verse
teaches that the fear of God is foundational to true wisdom; all other types
of learning are worthless unless built upon a knowledge of the Lord Himself.
Many other passages talk about the fear of the Lord (e.g., Psalm 111:10;
Proverbs 1:7; 14:27; 15:33). Before we can understand how the fear of the Lord
leads to wisdom, we need to define what the Bible means by “fear” in this context.
In the Bible, the word translated “fear” can mean several things. It can refer to the
terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25). It can mean “respect”
in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14). Fear can
also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5).
The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these. from gotquestions.org
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Basically, this verse
teaches that the fear of God is foundational to true wisdom; all other types
of learning are worthless unless built upon a knowledge of the Lord Himself.
Many other passages talk about the fear of the Lord (e.g., Psalm 111:10;
Proverbs 1:7; 14:27; 15:33). Before we can understand how the fear of the Lord
leads to wisdom, we need to define what the Bible means by “fear” in this context.
In the Bible, the word translated “fear” can mean several things. It can refer to the
terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25). It can mean “respect”
in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14). Fear can
also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5).
The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these. from gotquestions.org
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Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Basically, this verse
teaches that the fear of God is foundational to true wisdom; all other types
of learning are worthless unless built upon a knowledge of the Lord Himself.
Many other passages talk about the fear of the Lord (e.g., Psalm 111:10;
Proverbs 1:7; 14:27; 15:33). Before we can understand how the fear of the Lord
leads to wisdom, we need to define what the Bible means by “fear” in this context.
In the Bible, the word translated “fear” can mean several things. It can refer to the
terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25). It can mean “respect”
in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14). Fear can
also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5).
The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these. from gotquestions.org
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Basically, this verse
teaches that the fear of God is foundational to true wisdom; all other types
of learning are worthless unless built upon a knowledge of the Lord Himself.
Many other passages talk about the fear of the Lord (e.g., Psalm 111:10;
Proverbs 1:7; 14:27; 15:33). Before we can understand how the fear of the Lord
leads to wisdom, we need to define what the Bible means by “fear” in this context.
In the Bible, the word translated “fear” can mean several things. It can refer to the
terror one feels in a frightening situation (Deuteronomy 2:25). It can mean “respect”
in the way a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (Joshua 24:14). Fear can
also denote the reverence or awe a person feels in the presence of greatness (Isaiah 6:5).
The fear of the Lord is a combination of all of these. from gotquestions.org
There is one meaning to the word fear
Middle English fere, from Old English fær "calamity, sudden danger, peril, sudden attack," from Proto-Germanic *feraz "danger"
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In my very early childhood I always felt I was being cared for by the Maker of all that is. I was given certain dreams and a vision. We were five children and my one sister and I were the youngest. We seven lived in a trailer, and we two yougest were sent off to Bible school in the summer.......this was before I enetered kindergarten, and my best lesson which gave me my religion for almost 30 years was Jesus Loves me...........I cannot say for certain I was saved but the process began with certainty when the HOly Spirit entered into me at 25. Faith i a gift but people must be willing to receive it first.
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Pretty vague...and pretty deep
Firstly I would ask you define what you mean by believe.
If you mean faith.
Then the first thing that came to my mind was Jesus as "The door"
Are there conceivably many ways that someone could come to the door? Too many to conceptualize. Each of our journeys are unique.
Ask. Seek. Knock. Or A.S.K for short
(Mt 7:7-8)
Firstly I would ask you define what you mean by believe.
If you mean faith.
Then the first thing that came to my mind was Jesus as "The door"
Are there conceivably many ways that someone could come to the door? Too many to conceptualize. Each of our journeys are unique.
Ask. Seek. Knock. Or A.S.K for short
(Mt 7:7-8)
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Heb 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."
We must first believe that the Lord is and that he answers prayer to have faith. Faith is that form of believing that is based upon the illuminated word of God and true faith will always produce works appropriate to repentance in the one who has it.
The Lord makes himself known to all mankind and when the word of the Lord comes to a person and they believe it, then as Jesus is lifted up; the Spirit, who reproves the world for sin, convicts that one's heart and if their sorrow is not of the world, but rather a godly sorrow that leads them to repent with a repentance not to be repented of; then Jesus reveals himself to Spirit to spirit and puts a mustard seed of faith into their soul as the Spirit baptizes each such into the body of Christ, taking up residence in that person's spirit forever. So that faith our relationship with the Lord is a component of faith. The Spirit speaketh not of his own, but what he hears that shall he speak. So that the Spirit illuminates scripture to us, making it to be Jesus' word to us and we learn of him in our souls and spirits.
"If our heart condemns us not then have we confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask, w receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
So that one might say that a clear conscience empowers full power faith whereas when one feels guilty before the Lord, then that person's faith isn't confident.
We must first believe that the Lord is and that he answers prayer to have faith. Faith is that form of believing that is based upon the illuminated word of God and true faith will always produce works appropriate to repentance in the one who has it.
The Lord makes himself known to all mankind and when the word of the Lord comes to a person and they believe it, then as Jesus is lifted up; the Spirit, who reproves the world for sin, convicts that one's heart and if their sorrow is not of the world, but rather a godly sorrow that leads them to repent with a repentance not to be repented of; then Jesus reveals himself to Spirit to spirit and puts a mustard seed of faith into their soul as the Spirit baptizes each such into the body of Christ, taking up residence in that person's spirit forever. So that faith our relationship with the Lord is a component of faith. The Spirit speaketh not of his own, but what he hears that shall he speak. So that the Spirit illuminates scripture to us, making it to be Jesus' word to us and we learn of him in our souls and spirits.
"If our heart condemns us not then have we confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask, w receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
So that one might say that a clear conscience empowers full power faith whereas when one feels guilty before the Lord, then that person's faith isn't confident.
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We must first hear to believe. The natural man cannot hear (discern) spiritual things until he is regenerated and given a new heart that can hear and discern spiritual things. The Holy Spirit, that is placed within us in regeneration, is the one that reveals the truth of the scriptures, we also have faith after regeneration, because faith is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5).
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Your story is similar to mine. I honestly don't remember a time in my life that I didn't believe and trust in Jesus as my Savior. I'm sure that's probably because my mother was saved before I was born and started talking about Jesus to me as a toddler. When I made my public profession of faith and followed Christ in water baptism, it was only to follow church ordinances, but I already knew I was saved. I think that's why I've always loved the Bible scripture in Mark 10:14-15, when Jesus voiced displeasure with His disciples for their rebuking of parents wanting to bring their children to Jesus so that He might touch them, in which Jesus said: "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." My very first memorized Christian song was "Jesus Loves Me" and I've sung it thousands of times as a child, teenager, young adult and as a senior adult. Believing that Jesus loved me enough to die for me and would never forsake me got me through some pretty bad patches in my life. Jesus has never left my side, and when I haven't had the strength to walk by His side, He picked me up and carried me. I can't stress enough how important it is to get your kids and grandkids in a good Bible-believing church as they will need that solid foundation of faith and trust in Christ to help them through the various trials that will surely come throughout their lives. The definition of "believe" in the dictionary is: 1) to accept as true or real; 2) to credit with veracity: I believe you; 3) to have faith, confidence or trust; 4) to have confidence in the truth or value of something. God purposely made salvation simple enough that a child can understand it's simplicity--BELIEVE in who Christ is (only begotten Son of God the Father; God the Son-2nd Person of the Holy Trinity, God manifested in the flesh), and that Jesus came to the world to redeem us from our sins through the shedding of His blood on the cross of calvary in which He sacrificed His life for us while we were yet sinners. Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross, The Bible states in 1 John 5:11-12 - "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does NOT have life." John 1:12-13 - "But as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
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Simple but a very good question..
The Bible says that we come to believe by hearing / reading the message / Word of God.. It is also the case the Gods Holy Spirit acts upon a person while they are hearing the Word of God to convince / convict them of the truth of the Message and the reality of the One from whom the Message has come..
No of course people can and do react differently to the Message and to the moving ( convincing / convicting ) of the Holy Spirit.. People can and often do resist the moving of the Holy Spirit they get angry and offended by the conviction of the message and some have a mocking attitude towards the offer of forgiveness God is offering them..
Some will accept and embrace the Message and so believe in and trust to Source of the Message,, God..
The Bible says that we come to believe by hearing / reading the message / Word of God.. It is also the case the Gods Holy Spirit acts upon a person while they are hearing the Word of God to convince / convict them of the truth of the Message and the reality of the One from whom the Message has come..
No of course people can and do react differently to the Message and to the moving ( convincing / convicting ) of the Holy Spirit.. People can and often do resist the moving of the Holy Spirit they get angry and offended by the conviction of the message and some have a mocking attitude towards the offer of forgiveness God is offering them..
Some will accept and embrace the Message and so believe in and trust to Source of the Message,, God..
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Faith is a gift no man can believe unless God grants it. God has chosen to use the gospel as a means faith comes by hearing.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Faith is a gift no man can believe unless God grants it. God has chosen to use the gospel as a means faith comes by hearing.
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P
Your belief in God comes by faith and that faith comes by hearing. But don't be a hearer only but a doer. For that measure of faith you have to believe what you have heard is a gift from God.
True faith in God is in a action not a acknowledgement. We are first asked to repent from our sinful ways. To repent means to turn away from. We are then asked to lay down our lives. This means to stop pursuing our own worldly ambitious and allowing the Christ to come into our heart and mind excepting him as your savior and Lord over all. This does not mean you quit your job, divorce your wife, and such but to be willing to give over all that you have.
We are then asked to be baptized, this event is asked of Jesus it does not secure our salvation nor does it take away from our relationship but Jesus had asked for us to be baptized so I will not excluded it.
That small measure of faith that God has given you will grow as you hear and do what he has commanded bringing you into the mind set of Jesus himself as you seek first the kingdom of God.
True faith in God is in a action not a acknowledgement. We are first asked to repent from our sinful ways. To repent means to turn away from. We are then asked to lay down our lives. This means to stop pursuing our own worldly ambitious and allowing the Christ to come into our heart and mind excepting him as your savior and Lord over all. This does not mean you quit your job, divorce your wife, and such but to be willing to give over all that you have.
We are then asked to be baptized, this event is asked of Jesus it does not secure our salvation nor does it take away from our relationship but Jesus had asked for us to be baptized so I will not excluded it.
That small measure of faith that God has given you will grow as you hear and do what he has commanded bringing you into the mind set of Jesus himself as you seek first the kingdom of God.
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Well not really.
Fear would be the reaction to those things.
I am not mandated to fear.
I can simply take care of the situation.
But the fear of the Lord is more akin to respect.
In Hebrew,the "Acharight" is the ability to avoid sin by seeing the end result or horror that accompanies sin.
(Fear of the Lord)
Ps 91 has that ingredient
"......you shall only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked"
Again,fear of the Lord
Fear would be the reaction to those things.
I am not mandated to fear.
I can simply take care of the situation.
But the fear of the Lord is more akin to respect.
In Hebrew,the "Acharight" is the ability to avoid sin by seeing the end result or horror that accompanies sin.
(Fear of the Lord)
Ps 91 has that ingredient
"......you shall only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked"
Again,fear of the Lord
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God is not willing that ANY should perish and makes eternal life available to all who believe in the Gospel of Christ. Salvation is the free gift from God, our faith comes from hearing and BELIEVING the Word of God. Hebrews 4:2 -"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." 1 Thess. 2:13 - "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."
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Ok,i like this reply because the walk is like looking at plywood in a cross section. Each layer adds to its strength and integrity.
So faith is a part of the whole.
But what did Jesus say? He said if you have tiny tiny faith as small as a mustard seed,you shall command mountains to move and they WILL"
Now i like that.
Peter walked on water with tiny faith.
That part where he did his water walk is a great lesson on what a sliver of faith can do,and how the believer wrecks his own faith.
What a powerhouse of information.
What initiated Peters miracle?
1 inspiration when he saw Jesus.
So get inspired,and "see" Jesus.Dont listen to cessationists. That wrecks faith.
2 learn to hear his " now voice" (it was peters desire for his ears to hear Jesus say "come") he told Jesus to activate his faith by letting a rhema word come into his ear gates. "Come!!"
That alone will go a million miles
It was on those 2 things that peter did that miracle.
Inspiration,and personal rhema faith building word.
The failure involved the eyes.
Your eyes will help or wreck your faith.
So faith is a part of the whole.
But what did Jesus say? He said if you have tiny tiny faith as small as a mustard seed,you shall command mountains to move and they WILL"
Now i like that.
Peter walked on water with tiny faith.
That part where he did his water walk is a great lesson on what a sliver of faith can do,and how the believer wrecks his own faith.
What a powerhouse of information.
What initiated Peters miracle?
1 inspiration when he saw Jesus.
So get inspired,and "see" Jesus.Dont listen to cessationists. That wrecks faith.
2 learn to hear his " now voice" (it was peters desire for his ears to hear Jesus say "come") he told Jesus to activate his faith by letting a rhema word come into his ear gates. "Come!!"
That alone will go a million miles
It was on those 2 things that peter did that miracle.
Inspiration,and personal rhema faith building word.
The failure involved the eyes.
Your eyes will help or wreck your faith.
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David's calm faith to slay goliath came from knowledge and experience.
Iow,a perspective unique to the man of God.
David invoked past conquests (punched his memory)
But David was not done. He had another " card to play" so to speak.
The prophetic ("...ye shall say to this MOUNTAIN....").
He told goliath "...i see your head coming off" (so to speak)
So go out,get your testimony,(conquests),tell the devil and religious people "hey devil,remember when ...." Then invoke mat 18:18 and mat 18;19,and watch that mountain bow to Gods power.
Oh,one tiny little thing.
David did what he did under the baptism in the Holy Ghost.
But not to worry,Jesus made that deal possible at penticost and continued that awesome outpouring even till today.
It is available.
Ask for it and "cling to elijah" till it is yours.
Jesus said greater works shall you do.
Be like elisha and get your mantle.
Go out and move mountains.
(Little faith....tiny faith is all you need)
Iow,a perspective unique to the man of God.
David invoked past conquests (punched his memory)
But David was not done. He had another " card to play" so to speak.
The prophetic ("...ye shall say to this MOUNTAIN....").
He told goliath "...i see your head coming off" (so to speak)
So go out,get your testimony,(conquests),tell the devil and religious people "hey devil,remember when ...." Then invoke mat 18:18 and mat 18;19,and watch that mountain bow to Gods power.
Oh,one tiny little thing.
David did what he did under the baptism in the Holy Ghost.
But not to worry,Jesus made that deal possible at penticost and continued that awesome outpouring even till today.
It is available.
Ask for it and "cling to elijah" till it is yours.
Jesus said greater works shall you do.
Be like elisha and get your mantle.
Go out and move mountains.
(Little faith....tiny faith is all you need)
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Everything you just posted reflects works, works, works, i.e., "action not a acknowledgement," "repent/turn away from our sinful ways," "lay down our lives," stop pursuing our own worldly ambitions," "allow Christ to come into our heart and mind," "do what he has commanded," ect. How do WORKS apply to: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) When we receive forgiveness of our sins by believing/trusting in the FINISHED work of Jesus on the cross, our born again spirit is saved--that is the beginning of our faith. If you add any of your own works into the gospel plan of salvation, then you're believing in "another" gospel. Yes, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works--NOT by our good works. Good works are usually the natural outgrowth of a relationship with Him, and they are empowered by the Holy Spirit. (John 15:8; 2 Cor. 9:8; 2Tim. 3:16,17; Titus 2:14; 3:8; James 2:20). The word translated "workmanship" is the Greek word polema, the root of the English word "poem." God's people are His handiwork, His masterpieces. Masterpieces usually take time to complete, and our sanctification process begins when we first believe in the gospel message and continues throughout our lives as we grow in Christ.
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