08/18/2023
A CHAPTER FROM: SEEDS: GROWING WITH GOD BOOK
BY TBN AUTHOR - VINCENT FAULKNER
FAITH - A Map to Jesus
Would you follow a map if it guaranteed all the riches you could dream of would be there? Of course, you would because it is a guaranteed direction to reach your location and desires. Faith works in exactly the same way and is the only map you need to find salvation in Jesus Christ, guaranteeing you will never be lost.
Let’s look at what the blessings are inside the word “faith.” Faith is the must-have ingredient to begin a relationship with God. Faith is the assurance that the things revealed and promised in the Word are true, even though unseen, and it gives the believer a conviction and peace that what he or she expects by having faith will come to pass.
What is faith according to God’s Word? Let’s explore Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The evidence of your conviction, belief, and living the life of God’s Word is so positive and powerful that it is described as faith.
You may ask yourself, “What is the purpose of faith?” The purpose of faith is to believe in oneself and allow God to come into your life and take control. Faith becomes an undeniable truth and is essential to your belief as a child of God and a Christian.
Now, let’s look at what the word “faith” can mean in your life:
F – Forgiven
Let’s start with the scripture of 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Your very first step to faith is to ask for forgiveness of your sins so God can forgive you of all of your sins. This is the first step to acquiring faith. You must break the chains of sin and leave them in God’s hands to be saved and born again.
A – Assurance
Our next scripture is Philippians 4:6–7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The next part of faith is you have to accept God’s forgiveness and understand you are born new again. You must believe you have been forgiven, as His Word says you have. You are to leave the ways of the world behind you and seek Him as if He was the air you breathe through His Word and prayer.
You need to know and believe that, no matter what season God has you in, you are to be thankful to be His child and that He always has the best for your life even if you do not understand. You must let the peace and joy of God saturate your heart and spirit and walk in His lighted path.
By accepting God as your Lord and Savior, you will be protected by Him as His child through your commitment to His Word, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I – I AM
Our next scripture is Revelation 1:8: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
You must, with all your heart, mind, and soul, believe and know that God is real and that He was here in the beginning, long before you were born as His miracle, during your life with you in this world, and that God will be in heaven waiting on you as His child coming home.
You must know that there is only one real God who can forgive you of all of your sins and save you for eternal life with the Father and the Son in the kingdom of heaven.
T – Truth
Now we are going to the scripture of John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
This is where you must understand that God’s way is the only way you were created to exist and that all else is forms of evil, trying to destroy what God has created. Listen: don’t miss this. God is truth, and the truth is with all He says, and He cannot and does not lie, deceive, or betray. Your only way to salvation and eternal life as His child is through His Word and His Son, Jesus Christ, so you become who He intends you to be as His child.
H – Heaven
Let’s review God’s Word about heaven with the scripture of John 14:2: “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”
This is your cornerstone; this is your rock that you now are fully aware of and have a complete understanding of: faith is the map to Jesus Christ with salvation, eternal life, and all the blessings that come with being a child of God as you were intended to be, including that you have to be keeping your faith always.
You now absolutely know the destination God has for you in your life as His child and that faith is your guaranteed map to Jesus Christ. Without faith, it is also impossible to please God and follow His Word. This is so important: God is once again telling you He has already made a place for you in heaven because His Son saved you. Do not doubt the Word of God, as He is the truth and you are to rely on the Father for everything as His child through your faith.
Let’s discuss a few ways to keep your faith looking up, even when life brings you seasons of challenges.
1. Get the ball rolling first thing every morning: get in your prayer space, read the Word of God, and pray for His guidance, protection, and love in your life to glorify His name as His child.
2. Pray. Ask God for the strength to love the Father, the Son, and others in the way He loves you and has intended you to love.
3. Find a way to bless others to keep your focus on being a servant of God and not on what God will take care of for you if you lay it down to the Father.
4. Get inspired, motivated, and continually read and expose yourself to the Word of God.
5. Surround yourself with spiritual leaders and other believers that can help you grow your faith.
One of the most important commitments you can make as a Christian is to read your Bible every day. In each message, we will provide you with a few scriptures to look up and read on your own to plant seeds inside of you for a deeper understanding so you can grow closer to Jesus Christ through His written word.
It’s time to get your Bible. For your growing with God, scriptures for “Faith: a Map to Jesus” are Romans 10:17, Mark 11:22–24, and Luke 1:37.
I pray that this message creates a path for you to grow closer to Jesus Christ or meet Him for the first time. If you want to receive the guaranteed passage that He sacrificed Himself on the cross for so you can be saved as a child of God, then become who you are created to be and turn the words you read in this book into action now so you can have eternal life in the kingdom of heaven that is just waiting for you.
