the mysteries and beauties of faith

Here is my conversation with a dear brother Andrew Lamuda concering Philippians 4:15 during Christians On Campus bible study from yesterday:

I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me. -Philippians 4:15


Andrew Lamuda: "Hey, Richard! What does verse 15 mean?"

Me: "It means I am able to do all things in God who empowers me."

Andrew Lamuda: "What does "all things" mean? What if you don't study and take the final, can you still get a A?"

Me: "Yes, if you have faith."

Andrew Lamuda: "How can I have faith? You can't just go around and tell everybody to have faith. The question is how. What should I do to have faith?"

Me: ...


Here is my late response:

Faith is He is, I am not; He have, I have not; He can, I cannot. Faith is mysterious. There is no textbook to teach you how to have faith in God. This is not a chem lab. It's not like step 1, step 2, ..., step n, yah, then we have the result. Our God is more mysterious than that.

Reading and praying over the Scriptures is a good start. That alone can't make you have more faith. You need to experience the Triune God by faith.

As it's written, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him; and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I can testify that above verse is my experience.

The first beauty of the faith is that there is always uncertainties. When I offer my prayers, even though I "know" God heard my prayers and He is interceding for me, I sometimes "feel" like there is still chance that it's not gonna be done. More and more I realized that when I pray, I need to consider it already done. That saves me lot of trouble.

The second beauty of of the faith is that God will answer my prayers better than what I asked. The result is ALWAYS better than what I wanted in the first place. God's way is much much higher than my own foolish way. Faith is knowing that God will always give you something better than what you pray for. It may not be what you asked but it will help you in the way you most need it.

Luke 18 records an amazing story. A widow asked an unrighteous judge again and again to avenge of her opponent. In the beginning the unrighteous judge didn't want to, but he eventually helped the widow.

Brother and sisters, even an unrighteous judge helped the widow, WHAT ABOUT OUR RIGHTEOUS GOD? "And will not God by all means carry out the avenging of His chosen ones, who cry to Him day and night, though He is long-suffering over them?"

O Lord Jesus. Thank you this is my experience for the last three years. I ask, then I receive; I seek, then I find; I knock, then it's opened. I have faith in my God.

Let's say you have a son. He asks you for a piece of bread. Will you give him a stone? He asks you for a fish. Will you give him a serpent?

As it's written, "If you then being the evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those who ask Him!"

If we pray day and night and ask our Father, how much more will the Father give us? The Lord covers me for saying this. If you pray and you don't have faith, and you are still doubting, are you practically saying our God is less righteous than the unrighteous judge? This is a very serious issue. Hope we can all see this. May the Lord have mercy on us.

Praise the Lord and You gave me faith. I can boast this in Your sacred name. Amen.