Faith For These Days
by Pastor Bertrand L. Comparet, A.B., J.D.
In Hebrews 11:1 we are told, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. It is interesting to note that the word evidence, is also used in the Bible to mean the title deed to land, as for example Jeremiah 32:8-14. Therefore, we might say that faith is the title deed by which you get the right to claim the things you hope for. Now faith is belief, but belief in what? The worshippers of Baal and Moloch had faith, but in the wrong things. It is not enough just to believe but what must you believe? All of Yahweh’s promises!
Faith is taking Yahweh at His word, thereby getting what He promised, it applies to your salvation and redemption. If you bake Yahweh at His word, you are free from your burden of sins now. There is no uncertainty about it, no need to wait and see what happen. Believe now and you know the joy of salvation and redemption now. If you don’t believe, you labor under the awful burden of your sins. This isn’t because Yahweh has withheld relief, but because you didn’t accept what He offered.
Yahweh never asked man to believe anything unreasonable. He always gave proof beforehand, enough to convince any reasonable person. Yahweh foretold the plagues He would bring on the Egyptians, then did it. After that, He told the Israelites to march to the promised land. He used fulfilled prophecy to demonstrate the complete reliability of His word. In Isaiah 48:3-5 Yahweh said, “I have declared the former things from the beginning and they went forth from My mouth, and I showed them: I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; I have even from the beginning declared it to thee: before it came to pass, I showed it thee.”
In the New Testament II Peter 1:19 reminds us, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arises in your hearts.” In I Corinthians 13:22 Paul tells us, “Therefore, (speaking in) tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not; but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe”. Yahshua said in John 13:19, “Now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am He”.
The whole 11th chapter of Hebrews is filled with examples of those whose faith was triumphant. Enoch by his faith, was translated into the next life, without ever experiencing death. Noah, by believing and acting upon his faith, he and his family were saved from death in the flood. Abraham, because of his faith, received a son when both he and his wife were very old. Moses, by his faith, was able to lead his people safely through the plagues of Egypt. He also led them through the waters of the Red Sea and forty years in the desert. Joshua, who believed Yahweh, marched around Jericho seven days, then blew the ram’s horn trumpet and the walls fell.
However note this, faith always blows the ram’s horn before the walls fall. Noah built the ark years before there was any flood in sight. It is like a checker game. Yahweh makes His move when He offers you His blessings of salvation, healing, deliverance from dangers etc… Then it is your move. Believe in Him to fulfill His promises. Don’t say, “Yahweh, I don’t think I can trust you, I’ll have to wait and see”. Believe Him, then it will again be His move, and He will make it. Yahshua said, “According to your faith be if unto you.
Faith is for these days, not for the sweet by and by. Present material salvation and redemption, as well as spiritual, was given to those who believed. Noah and his family escaped drowning, Enoch escaped death altogether. Moses led his people dry shod, through the Red Sea. Then Moses was given food and drink for all the multitude in a barren desert and he was given great military victories. Joshua was promised military victories over “seven nations mightier than thou”. He believed and he got the victories. Think of the many who were healed of all manner of diseases.
Today we are in peril of death from atomic attacks, germ warfare, etc – Why don t we, as a nation, rely upon Yahweh’s promises of deliverance? In Isaiah 54: 15-17 Yahweh said “Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for they sake. ** No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness is of Me, saith Yahweh.”
Psalm 91:15-16 promises, “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made Yahweh, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation, there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Then Yahweh says, “Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I shall be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” What can Russia and China, with any number of bombs, do against the power of Yahweh?
Should we fear the epidemics which we are told are threatening us? Why don’t all the churches offer their people Yahweh’s healing? We have had many, many times demonstrated the power of Yahweh to heal. Yes, and His willingness to heal, as he has promised.
Yahweh’s promises are still ours for the asking, if we have faith. They are real, don’t limit them by spiritualizing them away. Yahweh took upon himself the material body of a man, and walked this material earth in the form of Yahshua. He made to material man, His promises of help when needed, help as great as great as our need. Yahshua said in John 16:23-24, “Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name He will give it to you. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in My Name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
In I John 5: 4-15 we are told, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Why should we fear the terrible international convulsions of the last days, now just ahead of us? We are told in advance of these things just so we would not fear them. We know that these things are the fulfillment of Yahweh’s prophecies, and the signs of the dawn to follow.
In these times, to compromise with evil is literally suicide. When we abandon right and justice, we lose Yahweh’s protection and yet our enemies still hate us as much as ever. This is the time for boldness for the right, not cowardly surrender. Certainly the war of all organized evil, against the remnant of good, will come and very soon.
Don’t pray that these things will not happen, that is not praying according to His will, for Yahweh prophesied this. Pray they shall not happen to you. Pray for health, security and victory. As Luke 1:70-75 tells us, “As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us: to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant: the oath which He swore to our father Abraham, that He would grant to us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.”
PRAY FOR THIS, BELIEVE IT AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THESE PROMISES!!!
The following are verses about works and faith that we found and thought that you should also know.
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Romans 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.
Hebrews 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.
The following 3 verses should give those of us who are fearful hope for the future.
Isaiah 35:3-5 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them [that are] of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come [with] vengeance, [even] God [with] a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.