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Fresh Bread # 148
FAITH BEGINS AT HOME
My Prayer _ My Faith _ My Family _ My Desires…. “Hmmm.” That
is where we should start so we can teach others how to do the same. It’s not selfish. It’s a good plan
of action so others can see our Faith Work and desire to have the same kind of faith in God.
Everyone wants to be on the right track. We all desire a strong foundation of Faith.
“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (John 10:17).
Our faith
in someone else’s hands is weak, watered down,
and not sufficient to meet the needs God intends for them. They need their own personal Faith…which begins at home. Faith
for their families and personal provision.
We each must learn to speak the Language of Faith for ourselves. It takes practice but is
not hard to do when we understand the importance of speaking the TRUTH…(what God says), rather than cursing ourselves with words of doubt, lack,
and loss that the enemy has provided so abundantly in our thought processes.
I’ve had people look at me like it was my fault that their prayers were not being answered. I
admit, I didn’t understand either until now.
They were expecting my faith to be enough for them, but it somehow became watered-down in the
transfer to someone who was no longer a baby Christian, but knew enough of God’s Word to have their own faith.
My faith was not established strong enough to carry us both. We each needed the kind of
Faith that begins at Home.
A HOME-BASED FAITH
A home-based faith
is one that is tested by growth and training right where it is the most obvious.
Why are we praying for people we don’t know when we haven’t built our faith to believe
God for our own family and the obvious needs in our own lives?
WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE OTHERS?
I don’t know what you do, but for “all those others”,
I usually pray in the Spirit, which is another powerful form of prayer. Praying in the Spirit builds my Faith to pray for
them. But how do we build our faith so that we see the results of even these prayers?
WE PRACTICE AT HOME
   
We change our language and practice speaking words of Faith instead of doubt. We clean up
our language…mouth.
As children we learned to say “am not” instead of “ain’t”. We
may have been constantly trained to use better words and shun cuss words or vulgar talk.
On the other hand, there are those who were not trained to speak a more refined language. They
continued to talk like the people around them. Curse words were their natural language.
But something happens to us when we receive Jesus. We are changed from the inside. We
have new desires and a better language because we want to be more like Him…and the change is supernatural. If a few words slip here and
there, we are quick to correct them because we want to talk like Jesus talks.
PEACE COMES
Peace comes each time we hear ourselves talking like Him…in our
new Faith Language. Each time we hear ourselves say a dirty word of doubt or unbelief…we want to wash out our own
mouths with soap, like mothers use to do long ago.
In the spiritual mouth washing, we must do this ourselves…by washing our mouths with the
Water of the Word. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” Eph
5:26.
We may even use some other old terms we heard, like: “Bite Your Tongue.”
Oh yes, the tongue is a flaming fire and not easily controlled, but it can be…by Faith
and Practice.
If we desire to change our language, we can. If we desire to speak this new language and
no other…we can. If, in love, we are able to correct each other when we hear improper faith language, we will be helping each other to prosper
in all areas of our lives as we all grow in Faith…speaking the Same Language.
ARE YOU AT HOME?
Are you at home as you read this? Then you are in the perfect place
to practice. By Faith we call things that be not as though they are. (Romans 4:17).
Speak truth on all occasions. Never lie. Choose the language of God…not Satan
or the world.
Speak Faith words out loud so others can hear God’s Words through you and learn the Better
Language.
It’s not hard to do when we understand that we are either speaking a blessing or a curse
over others or ourselves. “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing
and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” James 3:10
Repetition is a high form of learning. Mothers may repeat many times, “The fork goes
to the left side of the plate.” Years later, you hear yourself telling your granddaughter the same things, including a few others like, “Yes,
Mam.” and “Thank you.”
We can do it. Let’s Practice, beginning today. And when the phone rings, will
we use our Best Telephone Voice, speaking clearly and deliberately…in our Best Language?
YES, PRACTICE BEGINS AT HOME
It begins with us wherever we are. If we miss it…so what? We’ll
do better the next time and keep improving until this New Language of Solid Faith is the only language we speak. Let’s
help each other. By Faith, we can and will do it.
WHEN OTHERS DON’T UNDERSTAND
What if others don’t
understand your new language?
My suggestion is that you listen to them but don’t allow their language to change yours. Keep
your language pure…no matter what they may say. Remember, this language may be very unfamiliar to them as it was to you when you began
speaking it. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
This too is a practice and a challenge. Holy Spirit will guide you to stay focused on Him. You
will hear clearer than ever before when they are
Speaking falsely (unbelief). Listen for a place to speak Truth when you recognize the opportunity where they can receive.
Don’t be “preachy”. Just know your own language and be committed
to yourself that you intend to keep it and not be swayed by what anyone else says.
If you want this you can have it. Remember: this must begin at Home with you
and your personal desires. Don’t try to change others unless they are a close friend and the two of you have agreed to help each other in
this. Just bless others by allowing them to see and hear another person (you) speaking in a Pure Language that they will be attracted to. Let
it be the voice of Jesus through you.
PRACTICE TODAY
Would you like to practice today and see how well you do on a scale of
1-10? Pick up the phone and call a friend. Be ready. Or just talk out loud to yourself in your own home. I’m
going to right now. And the more I speak it out loud, the more I hear the truth, and the better I become at speaking my
New Language. (Romans 10:17) |
