Hello,
Im a muslim and an artist, I want to write and draw a story taking place in some fictional medieval europe.
I could read as much bible as Id want but I dont think I could understand without asking what this faith means on a daily basis ? Like for exemple, what little things makes you think of Jesus or God, when do you look for them in your heart?
Sorry if this is a bit confused Im trying to understand it with my own experiences as a muslim but I dont think I can just rebrand my faith in my characters with christianity as its something different, please enlighten me, write however much you want about your faith Im really curious! And if you have recommandations of what verse exactly to look into I would like it too thank you!
Hi, I am glad you asked.
Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is a substance, it is not something that we can just command and it will come. Instead it is a gift that comes from God.
Romans 10:17 (KJV)
17 So then faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word (rhema) of God. In the original Greek, the word is "Rhema." Rhema is the spoken word of God. In practical terms this rhema is individual, that God at some point has made a path whereby he speaks to men. If they accept the invitation, then they can be born again, and be set on a path where they have more than just faith for salvation, but faith to be holy, faith for healing, faith for helping others, etc. Faith that gives them the evidence of something even before it occurs. This kind of faith is to basically do God's will on earth.
So at various times, God will individually speak to a believer, and grant them this faith. Where it gets interesting though is that some believers have more than others. I am not sure I can explain it fully but such faith can occur just because God wants it to, or it can occur too because the person seeks God, reads the bible, and puts themselves in a position to be given it.
An example of the latter would be Jesus' disciples could not cast out devils except by prayer and fasting. Why? They were saying the words, they tried to believe, but they could not. They simply had not heard from God. They needed the evidence that in this instance required prayer and fasting. Such prayer and fasting is an extreme example but it can put the physical body in a position to be able to hear and to believe God. Sometimes though it is just simple prayer and reading the bible because the hearing of God that brings faith can really occur at any time. So yes, there are little things Christians say and do when they have faith on a daily basis. Most of what we do is what we have learned and what God has spoken to us in the past. We also listen to the faith stories or teaching of others so that we can be encouraged and learn about more faith. Ultimately though we have to find our own faith. Faith is like brief moments when we grasp something that helps us in our walk with God. Here is that concept in scripture.
Romans 1:17 (KJV)
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
I guess in a since there is general faith in God, that he does certain things to help Christians. Within this faith though God does address specific and individual needs, he also grants faith like David had to face Goliath. How did David know his slingshot would work? Because he had previously killed wild animals in God's strength and surely he would kill the Philistine too.
I do of course have some solid proof where I have had faith and also sometimes too when I did not. But I will share a story from someone who trained at the same school I was at. This school in the EU, had every student learn in class first, then they were to go on a mission trip from some months. One particular student was slotted to go to Africa with a group. She had no money, and it became a concern of the school. She told everyone not too worry, that God would take care of it. On the day of the flight, she packed her bags like everyone else. She still had no money, just faith that God would do something. As the others were getting ready to board, (This was years before security required a ticket to enter the airport) a man come up to here and handed her something equivalent to about 800 dollars. It was enough to buy her ticket. This man was a stranger, she had never met or seen him before. So that day, her faith brought the evidence, she really had heard from God.
I also know of a documented story with a police report; a Filipina woman who was working as an aide to a Portuguese man. They were returning to Angola. The man had his family in one car, and she was leaving the airport in another car. On the way, some men in an SUV forced her driver to stop. When he did they came out and shot the driver, and kidnapped this woman to their SUV. She feared she would be raped or killed. As they had driven a bit she said she prayed and called out to Jesus. Inside her heart (Where God often speaks the most as few ever hear an audible voice) God told her to jump out of the moving vehicle. Before the men could grab her, she got the door open and flung herself out. She says she landed on her feet like walking on air for a moment, completely unhurt. As there was other traffic she was able to stop another car and get help as her kidnappers drove off. As a result of that faith, this woman today leads a church evangelism team where several or more are saved weekly. I can say too that though her life is relatively poor to any Westerner, she has more peace than anyone I ever met.
Of course these are incredible examples but in general they demonstrate the kind of faith that Christians can have. That faith starts with the promise that Jesus took our sins and his blood and resurrection satisfies the requirements of God to allow us into heaven.
Romans 10:8-13 (NASB)
8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus
as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same
Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Beyond that saving faith though is the privilege to share in the suffering and benefits of Christ. That every believing Christian should look to God for their things not just for their own needs, but for the love to share with others. Though even if I doubt God at times, it becomes impossible because I have seen and heard so much personally, that there is no doubt as to Jesus and what he has done, and will do. I do not doubt he takes away sin and in doing so created the path to heaven.
You did not ask but I will go ahead and say that every new convert to Christianity has their own path. Some are dramatic, others quite simple. One Jamiacan man I knew had vivid dreams from God to bring him to Jesus. Most though find some opportunity where their heart is in the right place and the conviction and gentle convincing of the Holy Spirit tells them to accept Jesus in their heart and make Him their Lord.
While some Christians think that God only calls some, most believe that Jesus paid the penalty for all men, and desires to save anyone that comes to him. So I pray that anyone reading this and yourself as well will pray that your heart is open and can inherit not just the saving faith for Jesus, but also the kind of faith that really can move mountains based on Mark 11. God bless you. I pray God will speak to you in your own writing and drawing and that you will have a heart toward God and be able to hear from Him.
Mark 11:22-24 (NASB)
22 And Jesus *answered saying to them, "Have faith in God.
23 "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be
granted him.
24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be
granted you.
