#2010 0727 14A

            Faith that is being perfected is spiritual fruit that is showing in our life.  Our trust on God must increase and our faith in Him must be perfected—He does not allow substitutes.  Perfection of our faith results in the enjoyment of our inheritance rights in Christ Jesus.  Everything received from God, is received through faith in the Blood sacrifice of His Son.

            When our faith in His Atonement is perfected, God is able to grant the blessing.  At the moment of receiving the blessing, victory, or healing, we are to know that it was from Him.  That is the result and the response of perfected faith.  If our faith has not grown and is not perfected, we will give someone else, or something else, the credit.

            Many true believers in Christ prayed to God in believing faith and were healed of serious illnesses without any medical help or intervention.  Many who claim faith in God, say how they took medication and were healed—giving credit to a drug or a doctor.  Millions do not believe that a person can receive healing by divine power alone—without some help from the medical community.

            If we tell those same people—claiming to have faith in God—that He sent us a financial blessing in answer to prayer, they will tell of how they got money by a lucky ticket or a shrewd investment.  Millions do not believe God actually answers prayer for people today—therefore, He is not given any credit for the healing, the money, or the victory.  Satan always wants to take the glory away from God, and to hinder our readiness for eternity.

            Most religious teaching today is dangerous because the messages are saying that a person can be a Christian, and yet shut God out of the personal details of their life; that a person can go to Heaven by just claiming faith in God—but at the same time be following the world concerning health, healing, finances, justice, work issues, and many other details of life.

            It is a most serious delusion, because it destroys the foundation of Christianity—which is an active faith in God for things in this life.  Psalm 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  False teaching prevents preparation for eternity, because being ready to meet Jesus can only be accomplished by a trusting faith on the power of His atoning Blood.

            It would be like taking classes for a certain type of work and hoping to graduate, but at the same time putting the textbooks aside before starting to study.  When the time came for examinations and tests to be given, there would no way of passing or graduating.  The only way to pass tests and graduate is to study the lessons and apply the principles.

            The only way to be ready to meet Jesus is to learn lessons of faith by meeting spiritual battles—right here on earth, and right now in this life.  If a person shuts God out of their life—even though they may seem to be honest and sincere on the outside—they will never be ready for Heaven, because Romans 4:16 “It is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.”  It is “the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.”

            False teaching is prevalent today and most are serious delusions—because false doctrines prevent spiritual growth and perfection of faith—which is the result of trusting personally on God for things in this life.

            We all need to meet spiritual battles in faith; we need to trust God for healing by claiming our Atonement rights.  Perfection of faith is about obtaining the money needed each day, by trusting God in faith—without having financial assets in place—jewelry, gold, silver, or precious metals we could sell and depend on if needed.  Stored up treasures on earth, eliminates trust on God in Heaven.

            Rapid growth and perfection of faith is the result of trusting God for money.  The object of these faith lessons is that we be compelled to trust God, and to not depend on any other resource.  When we have made that commitment to trust God in faith—and we stay in that position—our problem will not be how to obtain money, but how to dispense the excess God will give us.

            Every believer is rightful heir to God’s wealth.  When we pray for money—and no matter how difficult the circumstance may seem—any temporary lack does not mean we cannot receive what God wants to give.  A well-stocked bank account in Heaven has been opened in our name.  If we deposited a thousand dollars in an earthly account, we would be comfortable, but we have many times more in our heavenly account.  Satan wants to keep us from discovering that fact, so that our financial blessings would be hindered.

            If we intend to graduate from God’s school of financial trust, and to pass the tests on faith given, the result of Heaven will be worth far more than anything we went through on earth to learn them.  Self will be gone, and God’s Spirit will take its place—inspiring us to stay the course until our faith in God is perfected.  Self hates to trust an unseen God for anything.

            Israel complained and murmured in the wilderness because they were forced to trust God in faith, for the food they needed each day—living by faith went against the grain.  When financial trust is learned correctly, we will have all the money we need and more.  If we are multi-millionaires, through God’s fabulous resources in Heaven, then we should have an abundance so that we can glorify His Name.

            God is waiting to give His blessings to anyone who is willing to trust Him in faith.  He wants us to enjoy His peace, physical health, protection of body, and many other good gifts.  He wants our cup to overflow.  When our faith is perfected, then we can say Psalm 62:5 “My expectation is from him.”

            The goal of perfection of faith, is the receipt of many blessings from God.  Being in God’s will enables us to experience a Garden of Eden environment.  There was no hard labor or long hours—working from dawn to dusk, but only the easy task of maintaining the garden.  It was pleasant exercise with no difficult labor.  Jesus said His “yoke is easy” and His “burden is light” Matthew 11:30.

            Joseph needed his faith perfected, so he went through the trial of being sent to prison.  Everything seemed to be against him, but God was on his side; and Romans 8:31  “If God be for us, who can be against us?”  When Joseph got rid of the human help he depended on, God exalted him to governor of Egypt.

            We will be tested on everything—faith, family, finances, healing, and every other life issue.  If there is a catch of compromise in our heart, the devil will retain an advantage over us, and our answers to prayer will be delayed.  James 1:12 “Blessed is he who patiently endures trials; for when he has stood the test, he will gain the victor’s crown—.”

            Joseph had a little catch in his heart that hindered his blessings.  God’s plan is that His people have peace, righteousness, health, protection, and victory in all things.  We are not to tolerate any compromise—no matter how trivial.  The Pharaoh’s butler and baker both had a dream while in prison.  God had it all prepared to reveal what was in Joseph’s heart.

            Joseph would have told those men in jail with him all about his being sold into slavery, lied about, falsely accused, and put in prison.  After interpreting their dreams, the little catch in Joseph’s heart is revealed; Genesis 40:14 “When all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.”

            That little catch put him in prison, and it is the little compromise that causes trouble for us too—in the home, with money, our workplace, physical oppression, and everything else.  Just a change in attitude can end our problems.  When we take a right attitude, our faith will grow and be perfected.  Hebrews 12:11 “No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

            We are all of the opinion, at first, that we know what is best for us—we know more than God.  Everything done from self, shows how prone we are to worship the creature, more than the Creator.  With finances, we always think how someone would help us, if they knew of our need; or how easy it would be for us to use the rent money.  We have no scriptural right to hint to anyone about any of our needs, and we should never use money that belongs to another.  If we do, it reveals the catch of compromise in our heart—that will effectively rob us of God’s blessings.

            The compromise in Joseph’s heart caused him to ask the butler to put in a good word to the Pharaoh.  But after many weeks, months, and two years of waiting for the footsteps, and the key to the lock, he realized that Psalm 108:12 “vain is the help of man.” 

            The butler forgot him, which is the best thing that could have happened, because now God would receive the glory.  Joseph finally realized that he had to trust God alone for his release.  It was God’s mercy that allowed the butler to forget—now Joseph would learn the valuable lesson of transferring his trust from human to divine power.

            God’s mercy will do the same for anyone, if we are ready to learn.  He wants to bless us in the same way—spiritually, physical healing, finances, and in every other way, but our faith has to be centered on Him.  Joseph was released from prison, married, had children, and was reunited with his brothers and father again—his cup was running over.

            The divine way is the only way.  Joseph was wronged—big time; but there were no lawyers, no jury, or board of pardons—God just caused someone to have a dream, and asking to have it interpreted.  In less than twenty-four hours, Joseph was out of prison, and in the governor’s mansion.  God has a throne of blessing for every true child of His—He is waiting to bless, when we are ready to learn.

            All of these blessings were enjoyed because Joseph learned to depend on God for the perfection of his faith.  Previous to this huge change in circumstances, he had a little catch of compromise in his heart—and those same catches in our heart block the blessings we could enjoy.

            When all compromise is out of the way, the devil is eliminated, and the Spirit of God will inspire faith in us.  That is how faith is perfected—and that is how God wants to bless His children!