All posts by Unmesha Paul

Faith

How to Make Faith Work

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. ~ Carl Bard

 

Is your faith as effective as you think it should be? Is it working for you? Are you seeing the results you want? If not, you may want to reconsider how you are using (or not using) your faith.

 

Here’s the first thing to understand: you do have faith. God created you that way. You are always believing something. If you say, “Well, I don’t believe that”, you just affirmed that you do, in fact, believe the opposite. You’ve just put your faith to work on the opposite side of the issue.

 

Actually, the title of this article is a bit of a misnomer. You see, you can’t ‘make’ faith work because it is always working. Faith is a supernatural power source. It works all the time, like gravity. Gravity keeps you from floating off the planet, but it can be a real ‘downer’ if you jump off a 20-story building! Gravity doesn’t change, but how you use it can.

 

Think of it like this: God created the ground to grow whatever you plant in it. If you want tomatoes, don’t plant beets.

 

… we also believe, therefore we speak (2 Cor. 4:13). Faith is planted by words. What you say is the harvest you will get. If you want prosperity, you shouldn’t ‘plant’ words of financial woe and lack. Faith always works. But depending on how you use it, faith will work positively or negatively.

 

The Bible says faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17). It doesn’t say ‘maybe’ faith will come. Faith comes. What you believe is based on what you hear. If you constantly say (and hear yourself say), “I’m broke. I can’t ever get ahead”, you are growing faith for that situation to continue. Your debt will get worse and your financial challenges bigger. Faith comes. You are planting for a harvest of lack and shortage.

 

But, if in the midst of your lack, you will begin to speak God’s promise that My God shall meet all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19), your faith in that promise grows. Every time you speak it, you hear it. Speaking what you want – based on Biblical promise – is putting your faith to work on the situation. Psalm 103 says angels hearken to the voice [speaking] His Word (v. 20). As you put faith to work by speaking what you want, you commission the powers of heaven to go to work on your behalf.

 

The Bible says even Almighty God ‘calls things that be not as though they were’ (Rom. 4:17). He started that process in Genesis. And it works… every time. Yet, even for Him, it was not always instant. He waited over 4,000 years from the first words He spoke of Jesus’ coming in Genesis until the birth of His beloved Son. Why did it take so long? Because He had to find people here on earth to agree with Him, and speak His Word out loud. Spoken words have power, either positive or negative. Which side are your words on?

 

Words create. God designed the system that way. The very first verse of the Bible says, “God created the heaven and the earth.” That first chapter of Genesis tells us how: “And God said… and it was so”. Can you imagine God thinking to himself, “I wonder what else I need to do to make this happen? I wonder if I should wave my hands, or jump up and down, or moan and complain.” NO. Words were enough to put the Holy Spirit, the angels and whatever else was needed into operation.

 

On the sixth day, God created mankind – you and me – as spirit beings in His own image and likeness (v. 26). If we’re like God, we also can create with our words. Let’s look at the concept again.

 

We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:13, 18).

 

The primary way to ‘work’ the works of faith is with your words! You can change the ‘temporal’ things, the facts of your life by the words you speak. The truth of God’s Word trumps facts every time!

 

I heard a story of one woman, diagnosed with an incurable cancer, who made up her mind to speak only healing verses over herself. She declared aloud, “I shall live and not die” (Ps. 118:17) over a hundred times a day. She also took Jesus at His Word when He said ‘speak to the mountain’ (Matt. 17:20). She said, “Cancer, you can’t stay in my body. I am God’s and you have no place in me. You leave my body right now!” Can you imagine how much time and determination it took to stay with that plan for weeks and months on end? As I heard it, nine months later she was completely healed!

 

What would have happened if she had believed the doctor’s diagnosis more than the Word of God? What if she had told everyone that she’d been diagnosed with inoperable cancer? “The doctors say I’m going to die.” Her family and friends would have attended her funeral.

 

Another woman, also diagnosed with cancer, stood for three years on the promises she found in God’s Word. After she was sent home from the hospital to die, she looked up every scripture on healing and health, and wrote them down. She read that list out loud at least three times a day – like medicine. And at the end of her battle, he body was completely restored. No medicines or special treatments – the doctors had given up on her. But she put the power of faith to work by saying, by speaking The Word and nothing else.

 

Let’s look at Abraham. His wife was barren. They never had a baby even when they were both young. But God spoke to him (calling things that be not as though they were) saying, “I have made you the father of many nations” (Gen. 17:5). Abraham was 99 years old! Seriously?

 

Yet… Against hope [Abraham] believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, ‘So shall thy seed be’. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. (Rom. 4:18-21).

 

Fourteen years earlier, God said the same thing. But Abraham didn’t believe. Instead, he tried to help God out by taking Sarah’s maid and Ishmael was born. God had to wait all those years for Abraham’s faith to develop enough to bring His prophecy to fruition. Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born.

 

Faith works when you are willing to rest in God’s promises, not demanding or requiring any other proof than the fact that He said it. Abraham ‘staggered not’. He set aside every doubt and question and hung onto the promise. You and I can do the same thing. It may not be easy, but it is do-able. The Bible is full of examples of God’s faithfulness to anyone who believed.

 

The woman with the issue of blood said, “If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.”

Jairus told Jesus, “If You will come and lay hands on her, my daughter will live.”

When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He quoted The Word, the only weapon He needed.

The centurion said, “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”

The leper said, “If You wilt, You can make me clean” and Jesus said, “I will”.

In Mark 11:24, Jesus taught, “What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.” Did you get that? Faith believes the promise is real when you pray, not when you see it. “Shall have” is a result of working, active faith.

 

How much word ‘seed’ does it take to overcome your particular problem? I don’t know, but I do know that God’s promises are yea and amen (2 Cor. 1:20). God says “Yes! Absolutely!” if you ask in faith, never wavering (James 1:6). Jesus always said “Yes” to those who asked for healing or help.

 

Seed produces harvest. The more you sow, the greater your harvest will be. The Word is seed. Are you planting enough to fill a flower pot, a garden plot or a field? How much harvest do you want?

 

How will you know you’re faith is working? When you are able to cast the care of that situation or circumstance on God and not worry about it any longer. Are you are willing to believe that it is already taken care of, that God has it well in hand? As long as you maintain the ‘care’ (worry, stress, responsibility) of the problem, you’re not letting your faith (or God) work for you. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).

 

If you feel like your faith isn’t strong enough, remember how to get more. Faith comes by hearing. Speak the Word to yourself over and over until it becomes real in your spirit. Those women didn’t experience healing the first time they said “I am healed”. But they didn’t give up at the hundredth or thousandth or ten-thousandth saying. They spoke the Word until they saw the results they wanted!

 

Being humble doesn’t mean telling God that you’re not worthy or good enough. It doesn’t mean begging Him to do what He’s already promised. It means submitting yourself to His Word, regardless of how you feel about the situation. If He said He will do it, you must also believe that He will do it for you.

 

The next time you are faced with a difficult situation, pour it on! Put your faith to work by speaking words of victory and deliverance. When the disciples came to Jesus asking, “What should we do?” He didn’t give them a list of requirements. Instead, He told them, “Believe only.” Faith will move mountains, heal bodies, supply prosperity and deliverance.

 

Faith believes. Faith speaks. Faith works when you put it to work. And it will give you a harvest of victory, plenty and peace.

 

For more information on developing life skills, better relationships, and becoming the best YOU possible, visit [http://seebecksolutions.com] and sign up to receive your FREE subscription to “Solutions For Success”, a weekly ezine of inspiration, motivation and humor from a Christian perspective.

 

Ruth Seebeck has built a reputation over the last three decades as a life-skills coach, mentor, Christian counselor and friend. She is a business owner, author, community volunteer and event coordinator whose passion is helping others overcome life’s challenges. Seebeck Solutions: Helping you make the most of What Matters Most!

 

 

 

 

Faith

Faith Is Not for the Faint of Heart

Stay in the Word of God until you can see it so clearly on the inside that you don’t need to see it on the outside. ~ Gloria Copeland

God is faithful. Most of us have heard that statement, but have we ever really considered what faith requires? It is certainly not for the faint of heart.

The Old Testament testifies to the faithfulness of God, His steadfast love, goodness, mercy and grace. He stood by the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace and was faithful to Daniel in the lion’s den. His grace led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness, fed them with manna and doves, and poured water from rock. Ps. 119:90 says ‘Thy faithfulness is unto all generations; Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth’. Psalm 92 says God shows us His ‘lovingkindness in the morning and [His] faithfulness every night’. He even dressed Adam and Eve after the disaster in the Garden.

The examples of God’s faithfulness are far too many to mention, but the ultimate example was His faithfulness to Jesus. From the first prophecy spoken in Genesis (‘one is coming’) to Jesus’ resurrection from hell itself, God’s proved His faithfulness to His plan for all mankind.

Have you ever thought about the price God pays to remain faithful to us, His children? Think for just a moment how much He forgives us. Every day, every day, every day – no matter what dumb stuff we’ve done! Think about His infinite patience with our attempts to override or ignore His wisdom. Consider His constant vigilance to protect and guide us out of our messes and disasters.

The Bible uses the word ‘faith’ and its derivatives almost 350 times. While Old Covenant references talk about God’s faithfulness, the New Covenant shifts from His faith to ours. The entire New Testament shows us how Jesus walked by faith and how we are to learn to live by faith. If we look at the lives of the disciples, we soon realize that faith is not for the faint of heart!

Most of them were persecuted for their faith and spent time in prison. Yet the Church continued to prosper and grow. Today, we are millions strong, all because of twelve dedicated men and the additional 108 who met in that Upper Room so many centuries ago.

One of the strongest instructions regarding faith was given to Joshua after Moses’ death. Joshua was one of the twelve who were sent to spy out the Promised Land. After God told the Israelites that He had given them the land, only two – Joshua and Caleb – agreed with God’s Word. The other ten came back complaining that the task was too difficult and the tribes of Israel could never win. They doubted God’s Word, giving it no credit at all. They were faint of heart.

Forty years later, after Moses’ death, it fell to Joshua to complete the task God had given the Israelites four decades earlier. Everyone in the previous generation was dead. Their complaining and doubting had shortened their lives. Only Joshua and Caleb remained to lead the people. Here’s what God told him: Only be strong and very courageous, that you mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go. (Josh. 1:7) We can learn a lot from that instruction.

Faith believes. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. (I Tim. 4:15) Whether the ‘profit’ you need is financial, physical, mental, social or spiritual, you must start with what you believe. If you don’t believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6), you will never have enough faith to defeat the devil’s attacks or the world’s problems. If you believe that He is able, but don’t believe He will do it for ‘you’, then your faith is unplugged from the Source. Like Jacob, your heart [spirit] will faint (become weak and ineffective) because you believe not (Gen. 45:26).

Faith is strong. And His name, through faith in His name, hath made this man strong… hath given him this perfect soundness (Acts 3:16). ‘Perfect soundness’, to me, is another way of describing the Hebrew word for ‘peace’ – Salem. It is translated ‘wholeness, completeness, with nothing missing and nothing broken’. That would include physical health, overflowing finances, peace mentally (no stress or torment) and socially.

Faith creates strength. Weak men do not win tournaments. If you want to overcome life’s adversities, you will have to exercise your faith (practice it, like an athlete or musician practices their craft) until it becomes strong. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10), then you will be like the woman with the issue of blood whose story is told in Matthew, chapter 9.

She said to herself, “if I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole (sound, strong, healed). She put her faith on the line. She’d been bleeding for twelve years. No doctor could help her, and she had spent everything she had. She could easily have been faint of heart, but she chose not to let her illness or weakness stop her. She crawled through the crowd, speaking the result she wanted – calling things that be not as though they were! (Rom. 4:17). And in the very next verse, Jesus told her, “Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith has made thee whole” (v. 22).

Faith is courageous. Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord thy God, He it is who doth go with thee. He will not fail thee nor forsake thee (Deut. 31:6). God has called you to be a soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:4). Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand… and having done all, to stand (Eph. 6:11, 13). As His soldier, He’s armored and equipped you to win every battle.

War – whether physical or spiritual – requires courage. Courage enables you to take a stand and take the ground. Jesus said you can move mountains with a grain of faith! (Matt. 17:20). But you have to bold and courageous enough to stand until the battle is won. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart (Ps. 27:14).

Faith is diligent. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues [forces] of life. Prov. 4:23 God told Joshua to observe to do according to all the law. In the next verse, He said to ‘meditate on His Word day and night’. Why? So the promise would be stronger and more alive to Joshua than the obstacles he faced. When you’re up against a seemingly impossible situation, you need to meditate on God’s promises until they become bigger inside you than any problem you face in the world.

Faith wavers not. Let us hold fast to the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful who promised) (Heb. 10:23). James asked the question, “Does a fountain send forth from the same place sweet water and bitter?” (v. 3:11). In other words, are you speaking faith one minute and grumbling the next? Do you believe God can and will turn your situation around or are you busy telling everyone how bad things are and how it will never change?

Instead, become like Abraham who believed in the Lord; and He accounted it to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6). Abraham believed God even to the sacrifice of his teenaged son – the very same boy God had promised him. Abraham waited almost three decades for Isaac’s birth. How difficult it must have been to trust God to restore the boy’s life after Abraham himself killed him on the altar. It didn’t get that far because God stilled Abraham’s hand. Yet four thousand years later, Jesus trusted God enough to surrender to Pilate and be crucified, believing God for His resurrection… the just shall live by faith (Rom. 1:17).

Faith is patient. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself… (Ps. 37:7). Patience isn’t learning to put up with bad things with a good attitude. Biblical patience means taking a stand of faith without wavering or doubting… for as long as it takes. It means casting all your care upon Him because He cares for you (I Peter 5:7) and not allowing stress, pressure, doubt or fear to move you away from your faith.

The disciples asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we might work the work of God?” and He responded, “This is the work of God: that ye believe in Him whom He hath sent.” (John 6:28-29) Later, Jesus told the ruler of the synagogue, “Fear not, believe only”. Patience puts a wall between faith and the bombardment of arguments and attacks that come your way. Patience says, “I don’t care how long it takes, I believe God. Nothing is impossible with Him. I will see the salvation of the Lord in this situation!”

Faith forgives. And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against any… (Mark 11:25). Just like the fountain that can’t spew sweet water and bitter, faith cannot function if unforgiveness clogs the channel. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, He explains that ‘faith works by love’. In other words, if you’re operating outside of love, faith cannot work. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand (Mark 3:25). I know, it takes strength, courage and patience to forgive those who hurt you, but Jesus’ instruction is clear: “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you.” Several chapters later, when Peter asked, “How often shall… I forgive him” Until seven times?” and Jesus responded, “Not… seven times, but until seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:21-22).

Even on the cross, after torture and extreme pain, Jesus put forgiveness into action saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” If He can do that, we must also be strong enough to forgive.

Faith is tough. If it weren’t, everyone would be a faith giant. Faith requires commitment, steadfastness and tenacity. It’s definitely not for the lazy or faint of heart. But if you will be strong and very courageous, spend time meditating the promises of God’s Word, keeping your ‘shield of faith’ in place and wielding the ‘sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God’ (Eph. 6:17), you can become a faith hero, just like Joshua and Abraham. And you will see the glory, goodness and blessing of the Lord, just like He promised.

For more information on developing life skills, better relationships, and becoming the best YOU possible, visit [http://seebecksolutions.com] and sign up to receive your FREE subscription to “Solutions For Success”, a weekly ezine of inspiration, motivation and humor from a Christian perspective.

Ruth Seebeck has built a reputation over the last three decades as a life-skills coach, mentor, Christian counselor and friend. She is a business owner, author, community volunteer and event coordinator whose passion is helping others overcome life’s challenges. Seebeck Solutions: Helping you make the most of What Matters Most!

 

Faith

Keys to Effective Faith

Faith reaches into the realm of the spirit, grasps the promise of God and brings forth a tangible, physical fulfillment of that promise. ~ Gloria Copeland

Let’s talk about faith – the God kind of faith. He defines it as effective faith – faith that moves mountains.

The Apostle Paul knew a lot about faith. He wrote most of the New Testament letters and talks about faith in those Epistles more than 200 times. I’m guessing he has a lot for us to learn about the keys to effective faith.

You might remember that Paul (Saul) persecuted Christians, sanctioning their scourging and execution or imprisonment, prior to his spiritual transformation on the road to Damascus. When he discovered the truth of Jesus Christ, he also discovered the power of effective faith – absolute trust in the integrity and surety of God’s power, grace and mercy. He is the one who declared that God meets ALL your need; that God’s promises are sure, and faith is your connection to the manifestation of every promise.

In Philemon, Paul prayed that the communication of your faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus (v. 6). Let’s take a deeper look into the wisdom of that scripture.

… the communication: Communication is a means of exchange or expression. Faith communicates. It is not stagnant or ineffective. It connects with, reveals, or causes a transfer of something.

We talk about communicating disease from one person to another. We are aware that our emotions communicate themselves to others. And we communicate verbally by sharing stories, ideas and concepts, warnings and information. You get the idea.

Faith communicates. On a physical level, you place your faith in people and circumstances. “I believe my mom is picking me up after school.” Or… “I trust my boss to pay me on Friday.”

On a spiritual level, faith communicates your trust in God and His Word. In Hebrews, Paul says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not [yet] seen (v. 11:1). Be assured, God wants to meet your needs, provide everything you require, and give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 34:7). Faith is the key that connects you to God’s heavenly supply.

… of your faith: Paul said in Romans that God gave every man the measure of faith (v. 12:3). That means if you’re here on this earth, faith is in you and available, ready to be put to work. Later, in Ephesians, he noted that we should all come into the unity of the faith and… the measure of the fullness of Christ (v. 4:13). If you’re going to ‘come’ to something, you must not be there yet. In other words, you’re going to have to grow and develop your faith until it is strong and unshakeable – just like Jesus’.

Jesus never met a disease or situation that He couldn’t heal or change. He fed thousands, healed lepers, calmed storms and raised the dead. After He defeated Satan, He affirmed His resurrection to His disciples and sent the Holy Spirit to live in every born-again believer.

Why? So that we would have access to the same kind of faith-power that He did. He explained it this way: Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believes in Me, the works that I do he [you] shall do also; and greater works than these shall he [you] do, because I go unto My Father (John 14:12). He expects us – you and me – to develop our faith to the point where we expect miracles to happen as a result of our prayers.

… may become effectual: Effectual – effective, producing the desired result. If you’re not seeing the results you want, something’s not working right. Face the fact that God is not the problem. He’s already provided everything, every promise and every instruction that you need. Somewhere along the line, your faith is being hindered. It’s not making a clear, strong connection.

If you’ve ever tried to make a cell phone call in the mountains or some rural area, you know the chances are pretty good that the trees and hills are going to block your reception. You need to find out what’s blocking your faith-connection – and fix it.

Often, faith is weakened by a lack of faith-food. You may not be spending enough time studying and meditating in The Word of God. It’s easy to let the cares and responsibilities of daily life crowd out time with God. Jesus taught as much in the parable of the sower. He said they choke the Word, and [faith] becomes unfruitful (Matt. 13:22). Faith needs nurtured and fed, watered by The Word, to become strong and effective.

Sadly, most people won’t do that. They’d rather hope that God will just ‘fix it’ – wave a magic wand, so to speak, and make it all better. Miracles do happen, but they are usually triggered by someone’s faith. Everything God does on this earth is a result of faith and grace. Paul explained in Romans that it [whatever ‘it’ you are believing or hoping for] is of faith, that it might be given by grace [why?] so that the promise might be sure to all the seed (v. 4:16). The promise is ‘sure’, confirmed, absolute from God’s side. Are you willing to do what it takes to develop your faith to make a strong connection?

… by the acknowledging of every good thing: One way to develop your faith is to recognize and acknowledge the good that is already present in your life. You need to know and admit that whatever good comes your way, it’s from God. He’s the Master behind it all! His good plan incorporates every good and perfect gift (James 1:17) – from the smallest to the greatest.

The question is: how grateful are you? Do you take time throughout the day to say ‘thank you’ to your Heavenly Father, to acknowledge His hand in your life? Are you grateful for running water… or the fact that you can get out of bed in the morning. If you don’t have those particular blessings, what else can you be grateful for?

It’s easy to get your thoughts tangled up in the negatives. Your whole body might feel just fine, but if you have a hangnail, the only thing you notice is the pain in your fingertip. For your faith to be effective, however, you need to focus on the positives and be ‘eternally’ grateful. In every thing give thanks… (I Thess. 5:18). No matter what you’re going through, find the ‘good thing’ you can be thankful for. Keeping your mind on things which are above (Col. 3:2)is key to developing effective faith.

… which is in you in Christ Jesus: Here’s the bottom line. Whatever you need or desire, as long as it’s in line with God’s Word (I assume you’re not praying for an infinite supply of drugs, or for God to hurt someone), the promise is accessible in you! The Bible says that Christ is in you. You carry the seed of faith, love, peace, abundance and every good thing. Now, you need to grow that seed!

Just before He died on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” (John 10:30)What was? Everything He came to earth to do: to bring healing, deliverance, abundance, grace and mercy to every person. All He did during His earthly ministry would now carry forward into eternity. Old Testament verses that say ‘shall’ or ‘will’ became past tense with the death and resurrection of Christ! It is already done, as far as God is concerned.

You can have it all – every promise. Actually, you already have it- it is already in you! Jesus made the connection from heaven to earth. Now you need to use your faith to finish the connection.

Think of it this way. Electricity (power) is readily available at any outlet. But if you don’t plug in the toaster or laptop, you won’t have any power for your situation. No toast. No email.

Your faith ‘communicates’ with God, plugging in to the power of heaven. Study and meditate, then communicate your faith through prayer, praise, thanksgiving and affirmation. Stay with it until your faith overpowers every faith blocker, every doubt and fear. Then you will experience the results of effective faith and the fulfillment of every prayer.

For more information on developing life skills, better relationships, and becoming the best YOU possible, visit [http://seebecksolutions.com] and sign up to receive your FREE subscription to “Solutions For Success”, a weekly ezine of inspiration, motivation and humor from a Christian perspective.

Ruth Seebeck has built a reputation over the last three decades as a life-skills coach, mentor, Christian counselor and friend. She is a business owner, author, community volunteer and event coordinator whose passion is helping others overcome life’s challenges. Seebeck Solutions: Helping you make the most of What Matters Most!

 

Faith

Talk About Faith

What is Faith?

 

Faith is one of those words that is difficult to tie down to one simple definition. The concept of faith is a broad one. Generally, ‘faith’ means much the same as ‘trust’. Faith has been defined in many ways (free online dictionary) as;

 

• Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing,

 

• An allegiance to duty or a person,

 

• Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence,

 

• Secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God’s will.

 

• A set of principles or beliefs.

 

Of course, there is no ‘established’ terminology for different meanings or definitions of faith.

 

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy gives a brief initial characterisation of the principal models of faith and their nomenclature which may nevertheless be helpful. These are:

 

the ‘purely affective’ model: faith as a feeling of existential confidence.

 

the ‘special knowledge’ model: faith as knowledge of specific truths, revealed by God.

 

the ‘belief’ model: faith as belief that God exists.

 

the ‘trust’ model: faith as belief in (trust in) God.

 

the ‘doxastic venture’ model: faith as practical commitment beyond the evidence to one’s belief that God exists.

 

the ‘sub-doxastic venture’ model: faith as practical commitment without belief.

 

the ‘hope’ model: faith as hoping or acting in the hope that the God who saves exists.

 

FAITH AND CHRISTIANITY

 

Many Bible students will give Hebrews 11:1 as the meaning of faith and leave it at that. It states that, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” – NLT. However, even though this is the form definitions are given in, this verse is more of an expression of the power and importance of faith than it is a definition of faith. In fact, one already needs to know what faith is before this verse will make much sense to them. This makes this verse a frustrating answer to someone who is trying to get a footing on the foundational meaning of faith.

 

Biblical Definition of Faith

 

If you want a short definition of faith, it could be this: taking God at His word. It is true that our faith is in God. But we do not properly know the God we should believe in or know how to believe in Him unless He tells us in His word. This is why Paul says in Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Biblical faith is not an “unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence” (Webster’s New World Dictionary). It is full confidence in God’s word. FAITH accepts God’s word (His promises and His warnings) as FACT and acts accordingly. Since there are many evidences that the word of God is true, this is not a blind leap of faith. It is rather an intelligent, holy reaction to the wondrous words of God.

 

Faith as a Concept to the Gospel

 

Faith is also a central concept taught by Jesus Christ. It is the culminating element in reference to the Gospel which the Biblical Writers termed as the “good news”, which is proclaimed by Christians to the entire world. This is found in the most famous of all Bible passages, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

 

(Mark 1:15). In the understanding of Jesus, faith is an act of trust and of self-abandonment by which a person no longer rely on his/her own strength and policies but commit himself/herself to the power and guiding word of him in whom he/she believes (Matthew 21:25,32; Luke 1:20, 45). Most of the definitions in the history of Christian knowledge and teachings still followed biblical principles as contained in Apostle Paul`s letter to Hebrews quoted above. As in other monotheistic faiths or religions, it includes a belief in God, a belief in the reality of a transcendent domain that God administers as His Kingdom from His Throne and in the benevolence of God’s will or plan for mankind and the World to Come.

 

Moreover, Faith in Christianity in the same vein differs from those Abrahamic religions in that it focuses on the ministry of Jesus, and on his place as the prophesied Christ. It also includes a belief in the New Covenant. According to most Christian traditions, Christian faith requires a belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (God the Son) from the dead by God the Father through God the Holy Spirit.

 

The precise understanding of the term “faith” differs among the various Christian traditions. Despite these differences, Christians generally agree that faith in Jesus lies at the core of the Christian tradition, and that such faith is required in order to be a Christian. The Christian tradition is sometimes called “the faith”, since faith in Jesus is so central to the tradition. Faith and the word “belief” are often used synonymously, which has led to Christians being called ‘believers’ i.e. those who believes in the Lord Jesus and have endeared themselves to His ways and teachings.

 

We then conclude that it is true that faith is much more than a mental acceptance of something as true; it also involves a trust in or reliance on that something.

 

 

 

 

FAQ, Healthcare

Diabetes Statistics – Reliable Numbers

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 200 national diabetes associations in over 160 countries. Besides promoting diabetes care and prevention, the IDF tracks statistics on diabetes and diabetics on a worldwide basis.

The Federation publishes the Diabetes Atlas, a collection of statistics and comments on diabetes which is issued from time-to-time. The Atlas is based on data supplied by its members. As these are national associations, the facts and figures published by the IDF are considered quite reliable.

According to the 6th edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas, which was published in 2013, the total population of the world is 7.2 billion. This is expected to have risen to 8.7 billion by 2035, ie in 22 years time.

This total population includes 4.6 billion adults and these has been projected to reach 5.9 billion by 2035. The IDF defines an adult as a person aged 20-79 years, the most likely age range for the development of type 2 diabetes.

According to the Diabetes Atlas, 382 million people around the world or 8.3% of all 4.6 million adults (20-79 years) are estimated to be suffering from diabetes. Almost half of all adults with diabetes are aged 40-59 years, the age range during which people are at their most productive phase in life.

The number of people with type 2 diabetes is increasing in every country. If current trends continue, the IDF expects that there will be more than 592 million diabetics by 2035, a rise of 55%, when one adult in ten will be diabetic.

Undiagnosed diabetes

Type 2 diabetes may be undiagnosed for several reasons. There are few symptoms in the early years of the disease. In addition, the complications vary so widely that, even when symptoms do exist, diabetes may not be recognised as the cause.

The IDF figure for 382 million diabetics in 2013 includes 175 million who are undiagnosed. I must admit I was astounded when I first read that 46% of diabetics are undiagnosed. How can you count something if you don’t know it exists?

Estimating the number of undiagnosed diabetics, I discovered, is relatively easy. All the IDF had to do was to arrange tests for a sample of people living in a particular area. The tests, which are carried out by the IDF’s national associates, identify both known and unknown cases of diabetes, and it is a simple mathematical exercise to extrapolate to the population as a whole with a high degree of accuracy.

Many (but not all) persons who know they have the disease will be making some attempts to beat their diabetes. The problem with undiagnosed diabetes is that these diabetics will not be managing their blood glucose levels and may be developing complications, such as kidney disease, heart failure, retinopathy and neuropathy, unbeknownst to themselves.

Regional differences

The Diabetes Atlas provides statistics for 219 countries which the IDF have grouped into seven regions: Africa, Europe, the Middle East & North Africa, North America & the Caribbean, South & Central America, South-east Asia, and the Western Pacific.

The IDF estimates that 80% of diabetics live in low- and middle-income countries where the disease is increasing very fast and posing a threat to development. The prevalence of diabetes, however, varies widely from region to region and country to country. It also varies widely within regions… to an extent that suggests that the grouping of countries into regions by the IDF needs revising.

While about 8% of adults (aged 20-79) in the Western Pacific have diabetes, in certain countries in that region the proportion of adult diabetics is much higher. In Tokelau, for example, 37.5% of adults are diabetic. The figure for the Federated States of Micronesia is 35%.

In the Middle East and North Africa, nearly 11% of adults have diabetes. However this is an average for the entire region and the figures for the Arabian Gulf states are much higher, more than double the average, with 24% of adults in Saudi Arabia, 23.1% in Kuwait and 22.9% in Qatar being diabetic.

Undiagnosed diabetes also varies from region to region. In some countries in sub-Saharan Africa up to 90% of diabetics are undiagnosed, mainly due to a lack of resources and priorities. By contrast, in high-income countries about one-third of the people with diabetes have not been diagnosed.

In most countries diabetes is increasing in tandem with rapid economic development, which is leading to changes in diets, ageing populations, increasing urbanisation, reduced physical activity and unhealthy behaviour. Many governments, however, seem to be unaware of the growing crisis and the likelihood of serious consequences that could stifle their countries’ development.

Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)

The IDF estimates that about 316 million people or 6.9% of adults (20-79) have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). By 2035 this number is expected to have risen to 471 million (8.0% of the world’s adult population).

This is serious, as people with IGT or pre-diabetes have a greatly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. IGT is also linked with the development of cardiovascular disease.

The majority of adults with IGT (about 3.5% of the world’s total adult population) are under the age of 50 and are thus at a high risk of becoming type 2 diabetics later in life. Even more worry-some is the fact that nearly 1/3 of all those who have IGT are aged 20 to 39 years. Unless they overhaul their life-styles these people are virtually guaranteed to become diabetic later in life.

Adding the number of diabetics worldwide (382 million) to the number of people with IGT (316 million) gives a total of 698 million. In other words, nearly 10% of the total population of the world or over 15% of all adults (20-79) have either diabetes or pre-diabetes.

By comparison, only 33.4 million people on this planet are living with HIV/AIDS… about 1/20th of all diabetics and pre-diabetics. It’s glaringly obvious that diabetes and pre-diabetes represent a massive crisis that is threatening to overwhelm global health systems.

Deaths

Received opinion is that the medical complications caused by diabetes, such as heart failure and kidney disease, are major causes of death in most countries.

However, it is very difficult to accurately estimate the number of deaths because (a) more than a third of countries do not maintain data on death due to diabetes and (b) routine health statistics under-record these deaths, because the death certificates on which these statistics are based often omit diabetes as a cause of death.

To overcome these problems, the IDF uses a modelling approach to estimate the number of deaths attributable to diabetes, and appears to have come up with some reasonable estimates.

Diabetes is expected to be the cause of about 5.1 million deaths in adults aged between 20 and 79 in 2013 and nearly half (48%) of these will be people under the age of 60. Diabetes ranks as a leading cause of premature death.

These deaths represent about 8.4% of all deaths of adults (20-79). Deaths due to diabetes are increasing. The estimated overall number of deaths in 2013 represents an 11% increase over the estimates for 2011. Death from diabetes is on a rising trend.

Health costs

There is no cure for diabetes. For this reason, diabetics have to look after their health assiduously. Where they are unable to control their diabetes through diet and exercise, they have to resort to regular medication. This can be expensive both for health systems and for diabetics and their families.

The IDF has estimated global health spending on diabetes to be at least USD 548 billion dollars in 2013… 11% of the total spent on adult health. This is expected to exceed USD 627 billion by 2035.

Where diabetes is undiagnosed, the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment are lost. Thus, the costs relating to undiagnosed diabetes must be considerable. One study found that undiagnosed diabetes in the USA was responsible for an additional USD 18 billion in healthcare costs in one year.

There are large disparities in spending between regions and countries. Only 20% of global health expenditure on diabetes was made in the low- and middle-income countries where 80% of diabetics live. On average, the estimate spend in 2013 is USD 5,621 per diabetic in high-income countries but only USD 356 in low- and middle-income countries.

However, when individual countries are compared, the disparities are extremely stark. Norway spends an average of USD 10,368 on diabetes healthcare per diabetic, while countries such as Somalia and Eritrea spend less than USD 30.

The costs associated with diabetes, however, are much wider that just the costs of providing the appropriate health services. The overall costs include losses in productivity, social costs such as disability payments, and losses of income. Without a doubt, diabetes imposes a heavy economic burden on countries, families and individuals.

To find out more, visit IDF Diabetes Atlas where you can download the book free of charge.

If you explore the site, you’ll also find plenty more statistics if you click on Diabetes: Facts & Figures.

Summary

Total world population in 2013 (2035): 7.2 billion (8.7 billion)

Adult (20-79 years) population 2013 (2035): 4.6 billion (5.9 billion)

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Number of diabetics in 2013 (2035): 382 million (592 million)

Adult (20-79) diabetics in 2013 (2035): 8.3% (10.1%)

Number of pre-diabetics (IGT) in 2013 (2035): 316 million (471 million)

Adult (20-79) pre-diabetics (IGT) in 2013 (2035): 6.9% (8.0%)

Undiagnosed diabetics in 2013: 175 million (46% of all diabetics)

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80% of diabetics live in low- and middle-income countries

Number of deaths of adults (20-79) in 2013: 5.1 million

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Health expenditure for diabetes in 2013 (2035): US$ 548 billion (US$627 billion)

Only 20% of total health expenditure spent in low- and middle-income countries

Total healthcare spend per diabetic in Norway: US$ 10,368

Total healthcare spend per diabetic in Somalia: US$ 30

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Paul D Kennedy is a type 2 diabetic. He used his skills as an international consultant and researcher to find a way to control his diabetes using diet alone and, about five years ago, he stopped taking medications to control his blood glucose levels. You can find out more from beating-diabetes.com or by contacting Paul at paul@beating-diabetes.com. His book Beating Diabetes is available for download from Amazon.