In this issue, we examine the spiritual gift faith. In essence there are two types. The external and the internal.
Today, we're going to examine external faith and what it really means. Faith is a powerful belief and trust in someone or something. It goes beyond what we can see or prove with our senses. You might think of it as a deep confidence in God or the teachings of a religion.
The Bible, a sacred book, gives us some insight into faith. In the book of Hebrews, 11:1, it says that "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
This verse shows us that faith is all about having strong trust and conviction. But it's important to know that blindly believing without any proof has its limitations.
Life is like a woven tapestry with both good and tough times. It has taught us that having faith doesn't make us immune to hardships. Difficulties can come to anyone, whether they have faith or not. That's why we need to look at faith in a different way.
One problem with relying only on external help is that when our prayers aren't answered, we may feel unworthy or abandoned. We might think we're flawed or don't deserve what we desire, or the help we seek. Or we might question if the loving God we believe in actually cares about us. These feelings come from the limitations of human-made religion.
It's important to understand that organized religion sometimes strays from the true spiritual teachings. While religion serves a purpose in guiding societies, it can deviate from the wisdom and enlightenment shared by genuine spiritual leaders.
As a prime example, look at this teaching of Jesus found in Matthew 6:24. It reads: “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.” [Mammon is the Syrian god of riches. The dictionary defines Mammon as: 1) the false god of riches and avarice; 2) riches regarded as an object of worship and greedy pursuit.]
Is it me, or do we seem to place a higher value on gaining more material objects, wealth, than caring for the veterans and homeless people. It is happening as you read this, that the rich are getting richer, and the rest are struggling to make ends meet.
In our next discussion, we will explore the teachings of Jesus, a revered and wise teacher, elevated to God by man. We'll dive deep into his insights about faith and uncover the timeless wisdom within his words. This is why he said in the book of Matthew 7:24. “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.”
As we look around it seems this is NOT happening. The best example is that we do not “love one another.” (John 13:34. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.)
As we go on we will see that Jesus brought Universal Teachings to mankind to help it go within and advance Self to the higher dimension and principles of true spirituality.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@cutateachings.org.