Faith To Receive

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

For over thirty years, I heard this verse emphasized more than almost any other scripture in the bible. Sermon after sermon I heard about why I needed faith. How I could get faith. How I could build my faith. How I could exercise my faith.

The process is simple. I must believe in my heart and confess with my mouth. Beloved preachers taught me, “Faith is like a seed. Plant it and take care of it. Over time it will grow and produce a harvest.” To work this principle, first I must find a verse or a promise in the bible that concerns my need. It will be my seed. Then I must get sin out of my life so that my heart is good ground in which to plant the seed. Then I must begin speaking the verse out of my mouth repeatedly in order to plant the seed in my heart. The more I speak it, the more I will hear it. The more I hear it, the more I will believe it. The more seed I plant, the larger my harvest will be. Then I must not worry because worry will choke the seed like a weed. I must never speak anything contrary to my faith because that will cancel out my seed. Then I must water my seed by continually speaking my faith over it. Then one day, when my faith has grown large enough, I will be able to speak the word with enough faith to get my miracle.

Do not misunderstand me. For the most part, these are real bible principles that have greatly enriched my life. I have seen countless miracles because beloved preachers taught them to me and I worked them. But everything always depended upon me and my faith. If I did not work them, they did not work. The focus was always on me.

Yet I struggled to understand why I could not find any stories in the New Testament where someone got a miracle by building their faith like this. Repeatedly people just came to Jesus and received their healing. I knew they could not have heard any sermons on how to build their faith. I knew they had not spent the time needed to build their faith. Yet obviously, they had faith to receive. How did they get it?

Then one day I read Romans 10:17 from a transliteration of the original Greek language text.

ara hē pistis ex akoēs hē de akoē dia rhēmatos Christou (Romans 10:17 GNT)

So faith is by hearing, moreover hearing by the word of Christ (Literal English)

(I do not know Greek. Nevertheless, I have learned some very important things from studying the Greek New Testament.)

Did you notice that the last word of this scripture is Christ, not God? Some of our most common Bible translations say, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. But it is clearly the Greek word Christou not Theos

So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

What difference does that make?

Jesus knew that Cleopas and his friend did not understand what had happened and were slow to believe all the prophets had prophesied. So how did Jesus open their eyes to understand and comprehend the scriptures? He revealed Himself in the scriptures.

Faith does not come when you hear about the life and times of Joseph. Faith comes when you hear a preacher reveal how Joseph is a type of Jesus, condemned by His brothers, yet He forgives them and saves them.

Faith does not come when you hear about Moses and the ten commandments. Faith comes when you hear a preacher reveal that the law was given through Moses a servant, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Faith does not come when you hear about David and Bathsheba. Faith comes when you hear a preacher reveal how David prophesied about the new covenant of grace saying, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

Faith does not come when you hear about the Kings to whom Isaiah prophesied. Faith comes when you hear a preacher reveal how Isaiah 53 perfectly describes the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross hundreds of years before it happened.

These are just examples. But the main point is, faith comes when you hear about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ towards you.

That is why the people could receive from Him. When they heard Jesus speak, they believed His grace towards them. You cannot convince me that Jesus went about doing good and healing all those who understood how faith works and had gotten sin out of their lives. No! He went about doing good and healing all those who were oppressed by the devil. Everyone who desired to receive received from Him! That is love. That is compassion. That is mercy. That is grace!

Faith comes when you hear about how much Jesus loves you and wants to take care of you. The more you look at yourself, the more you see imperfections that disqualify you from receiving. The more you look at Jesus, the more you realize that He has already qualified you to receive from Him.

That is why we are to tell people about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When you see His grace, you know you are not disqualified. You do not have to be somebody special. You can be real and come just as you are. You cannot earn His love and you cannot lose it. 

Jesus did everything on the cross. And He did it freely for you. Come and receive!

Copyright (c) 2016 Rob Gore Ministries

The Things Concerning Himself

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”

Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

And He said to them, “What things?”

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:13-49)

All their lives these two had dreamed of the day that God would redeem Israel. And just when their dream seemed attainable, it was cruelly shattered. Their joy had turned to sadness, disillusion and doubts as they tried to make sense of all that had happened.

Yet in the midst of their discouragement, Jesus drew near. He is near you also, right now, and He cares deeply about what you are going through. Notice how Jesus asks them a question in order to permit them to share their hurt and pain. That is our Savior. How easily He might have sat them down, and given them a lecture. Instead, His concern is for them. Do not ever be afraid to tell Jesus how you feel or what is discouraging you. You may be focused on your problem, but Jesus is focused on you.

Jesus did not give them a sermon on what they needed to do. He said they were slow to believe what the prophets had spoken because they did not understand (the actual meaning of the Greek word translated foolish) that all the prophecies were about Him!

“Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:26-27)

That is what we are supposed to be hearing from the pulpit! Every sermon is supposed to be a fresh revelation of the loveliness of Jesus. Here is Jesus preaching the first New Testament sermon ever.

What did He think was the most important subject of all? Seeing Jesus in the scriptures.

You would think that Cleopas and his friend would have been tired at the end of their seven-mile journey home. But their hearts burned within them and their strength and joy had returned. They rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples who told them Jesus had appeared to Peter also. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to all of them and they were terrified and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost.

Jesus did not condemn them for their unbelief. He was so personal and compassionate. He showed them His hands and feet. He told them to handle Him and give Him a hug. And because they were still struggling to believe, He asked for some food and ate it before them. What grace! Instead of condemning their unbelief, it was as if Jesus was willing to do whatever it took for them to believe.

He will do the same for you my friend.

Copyright (c) 2016 Rob Gore Ministries

Jesus Reveals Himself

Jesus Reveals Himself

The Journey Begins

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

In February 1981, I met a beautiful young woman named Toni Escobedo. She told me that Jesus loves me so much, that He died in my place so that I would not perish but have everlasting life. Hearing these beautiful words of unconditional love and grace, I consented to receive the love of Jesus and I was gloriously born again. Words cannot adequately express the joy of knowing you are loved and forgiven. Oh to the glory of His amazing grace, by which He loved me and died for me while I was yet a sinner.

I fervently began to read the scriptures and relished the life and joy that accompanied every fresh new revelation of Jesus. Jesus had become the center of my life. I knew I was loved, forgiven and blessed because of the grace of God and not my own efforts. The miracles seemed endless. The joy uncontainable.

About a year later, a thought entered my mind, “It is time for you to grow up and no longer be a baby Christian.” The thought seemed perfectly reasonable. Up to this point Jesus had done everything for me. Now, He was expecting me to grow up and become a mature Christian. I decided I would do whatever I needed to do to become a mature Christian. I was determined to make God proud of me.

I had swallowed the bait.

Thankfully, I was planted in a wonderful church and surrounded by thousands of people who loved Jesus with all of their heart. Together, we searched the scriptures and endeavored to believe everything we read. I began to learn about the Holy Spirit, faith, the wages of sin, righteousness, sanctification, holiness, different types of prayer, the authority of the believer, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the qualifications of a leader, the importance of giving, sowing and reaping, the tithe, the five-fold ministry, elders, deacons, the responsibility of a believer, and much, much more.

And as the years passed, I began to personalize every sermon I heard. It seemed that each sermon contained another secret or another list of what I needed to do to be a mature and successful Christian. I learned what I needed to do to please God. What I needed to believe in order to receive from Him. How I was supposed to talk, walk in the Spirit, walk in love and forgive others. Why I needed to be patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and diligent. The importance of exercising self-control, resisting sin, resisting the devil, praying for the sick, visiting the imprisoned, helping the poor, praying for our leaders, possessing my soul, finding rest, interceding for others, and using my God-given talents.

I knew I was saved by God’s grace. But I also reasoned that to whom much is given, much is required. So I concluded it would require much more than grace to please God when you are a mature Christian. It was going to take my faith. It was going to take being a doer of the word. It was going to take effort and perseverance. In fact, so much emphasis was put on our responsibility to stand in faith, resist the devil, use the weapons of our warfare and persevere in tribulation, that I met Christians who proudly boasted about all the struggles God had put them through before He would answer their prayer.

Though I would not realize it for years, I had fallen from grace.

When I was born-again, God took care of me because I was a baby Christian. He had to do everything for me. I was totally dependent upon His grace. I knew I was helpless without Him. But now, as a mature Christian, God was expecting me to do my part. With each sermon, I would discover more of what He required from me. I began to understand that God was holding me responsible to do everything I had learned. I must be a doer of the word. A beloved preacher once said, “If you do it, it will work. If you don’t it won’t!” Therefore, I endeavored to do everything I learned.

Initially, I experienced great satisfaction (and pride) in the results of my efforts. The fruit that came from facing my fears and pursuing God’s direction for my life was quite fulfilling. I experienced many physical, emotional and financial breakthroughs. Each one bringing with it a completely new level of expectations from God. If I wanted more of God, He was going to require more from me.

Unfortunately, I also had stubborn areas in my life that were not progressing in spite of my most ardent efforts. One day, while listening to a sermon, I learned that the key to success was praying in the Spirit more. So I excitedly started praying more in the Spirit. From another sermon, I learned that the key to success was walking in love and forgiving more. Another revealed that my lack of tithing and giving was the reason for my struggles. Then another sermon revealed that unbroken generational curses were hindering my breakthrough. Other sermons revealed that I needed to resist the devil more, use the name of Jesus more, cast down imaginations more and confess the word more. Every sermon was about me and what I needed to do (more). I suppose I could fill this entire book with the list of things I was told I needed to do to enjoy a successful Christian life.

Year after year, I experienced so many victories and yet I still failed to see progress in certain areas. I diligently searched for the reasons why my prayers were still unanswered. The answer was always the same. I did not pray enough. I did not give enough. I did not worship enough. I did not confess enough. No matter the issue, the answer was always the same. I did not do something enough. It was never enough. I was never enough.

Unlike so many other Christians who were taught that God brings us troubles to teach us, I knew God would never do anything to hurt me. I knew He would never make me sick in order to teach me something. But I did believe that God would set some righteous level of faith to which I must attain before He would act. I believed I would not get a miracle from God until I had enough faith. Accepting the accusation that I did not have enough faith, I attempted to find solace by being grateful for the level of faith to which I had attained and the determination to have more. One day I would have enough faith to please God and He would answer my prayer.

Your story may be different from mine, but I know you have experienced the love of God. And like I once was, you may be overwhelmed by life and its never-ending list of expectations for which you have few options, limited resources and little strength.

You may have lost the joy of your salvation. You may have lost any hope of enjoying your life. You may even feel like God has let you down. And like Cleopas, sadness has filled your heart.

Discouraged, you decide to go home to Emmaus…

To be continued...

Copyright (c) 2016 Rob Gore Ministries

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Don't try to hold on to God. HE is holding on to you - He is restoring everything that was taken from you (even if it was your fault) and has great NEW THINGS that He will show you quickly.

You cannot earn His favor. He has freely given it to you!!!!!

The heavenly host proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, peace [the peace of mind that comes from being made whole] on earth and goodwill [forgiveness, grace and favor] towards men!"

Merry Christmas!

p.s. it would really bless me if you would share this post so as many people as possible may be blessed

Finding Rest - 31 Stories That Help You Breath

Available as an Ebook or in Print from Amazon!

          If you are worn out from the constant demands of life and condemned by thoughts of never being good enough, this book is for you.

          Unfortunately, so many people have come to see God as the one who is always in need and always demanding our service and sacrifice. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are the ones in need of him.

          He is the one who sacrificed for us. He is the one who daily supplies grace (mercy, unmerited favor and blessing) to us. You won't find rest in religion. Religious rules and expectations will lay heavy burdens on your shoulders and condemn you for not carrying them. Neither will you find rest by rejecting religion and believing in yourself. You cannot supply what you do not possess.

          Jesus said, “Come to me and I will give you rest.”

           Finding Rest   is a collection of stories told by people who came to Jesus and found rest in his grace. So relax. Allow these stories to focus your mind back on Jesus. You will find rest in his grace.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. The Message Matthew 11:28-29