THE GOD--KIND OF FAITH !

THE GOD-KIND OF FAITH: "And on the morrow, when they were coming from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree a for all having leave, he came, if happly he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus Answered and Said unto It, no man eat fruit of thee here after for ever. And his disciples heard it. And in the morning, as they pass by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, have faith in God." (Mark 11:12-- through 22). Let us focus our attention on the statement, "Have faith in God" (v. 22) or, as the margin reads, "Have the faith of God." Greek scholars tell us this could have been translated, "Have the God kind of faith." Jesus demonstrated that He had the "God kind of faith." From afar He saw that the fig tree had leaves, and He approached it looking for fruit. Some have questioned why Jesus looked for figs on this tree when it was not time for them to be ripe. However, in that country those trees which retain their leaves usually also had figs. Finding no fruit on the trees. Jesus spoke to it, as if it said something to him, saying, "No Man eat fruit of the hereafter for ever." The next day When Jesus and His disciples passed by again, they found the tree dried up from the roots. Peter said, "Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away," which brought this amazing and startling statement from the lips of Jesus: "Have faith in God [have the faith of God, or the God kind of faith]. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith" (Mark 11:22-23). God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3). After telling His disciples in verse 22 to have the God kind of faith, Jesus went on to define and describe for us what it is. The God kind of faith is the kind of faith in which a man: (1) believes in his or her heart, and (2) says with his or her mouth what they believes in their hearts, and (3) it comes to pass. Jesus showed that He had that kind of faith, for He believed that what He said would come to pass. He said to the tree, "No man eat fruit of thee here after for ever." This is the kind of faith that spoke the world into existence ! (Hebrews 11:3) "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." How did God do it ? God believe that what He said would come to pass. He spoke the Word, and there was earth. He spoke into existence the vegetation kingdom. He spoke into existence the animal kingdom. He spoke into existence the heavens and the earth, the moon, the sun, the stars and the universe. He said it, and it was so. That is the God kind of faith. God believed what He said would come to pass, and it did ! You and I, are created in the image and likeness of God. We are life or death or life speaking spirits. (Proverbs 18:21). Jesus demonstrated that God kind of faith to His disciples, and then He told them that they had that kind of faith-- the faith in which a man believes with his heart, says with his mouth what he believes, and it comes to pass. Someone might say, "I want that kind of faith. I am going to pray that God will give it to me." If you attempt this, you are wasting your time. You don't need to pray for it; you already have it. (Romans 12:3) proves that ! However, you just haven't developed it in the positive sense you have been speaking negatively because of the fallen nature now, you must be born again to even understand what the kingdom of God is all about ! Every believer has been dealt the measure of the God kind of faith however, (Romans 12:3) the apostle Paul wrote this to believers, for he says, "to every man that is among you." The epistles to the Romans is not written to the sinners in the world; it is written to believers. The letter is addressed to, "all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. . ." (Romans 1:7). An in this letter we are told that God has given to "every man [that is among you] the measure of faith." Every believer, every child of God, every Christian does have the measure of the God kind of faith.