How to nurture your Faith? (Faith series- 2nd Session)

Our Theme : "Rooted and Built up in God & Strengthened in the Faith" (Colossians 2:7)

Result : Psalm 92:13-14

कसरी विश्वासलाई हुर्काउने?

परमेश्वर तपाईको जीवनमा फिक्का र मनतातो विश्वास भएको चाहनुहुन्न तर कलस्सी २:७ खण्डमा भनिएझैं परमेश्वरको इच्छा चाहिॅं हामी "उहाँमा (ख्रीष्टमा) जरा गाडिएका र निर्माण भएका र विश्वासमा दह्रिला भएको" चाहनुहुन्छ।

हाम्रो विश्वासको जग येशू ख्रीष्टलाई हाम्रो मुक्तिदाताको रुपमा चिन्न र स्वीकार गर्नमा आधारित छ। रोमी १०:९ खण्डले भन्छ, "यदि तिमीले येशूलाई प्रभु हो भनी आफ्नो मुखले स्वीकार गर्यौ, र परमेश्वरले उहाँलाई मरेकाहरूबाट जीवित पार्नुभयो भनी आफ्नो हृदयमा विश्वास गर्यौ भने तिम्रो उद्धार हुनेछ।"

विश्वासको यो प्रारम्भिक सुरुवाती चरण महत्वपूर्ण छ, तर यो हाम्रो आत्मिक यात्राको सुरुवात मात्र हो-यो नै अन्त होइन। यो विश्वास कच्चा र बच्चा हुन्छ। यसलाई हुर्काउन धेरै लगानी गर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ। यस चरणमै हामी रोकिनुहुन्न।

विश्वास के हो?

विश्वास भनेको परमेश्वरमा आशा गरिएको कुराको निश्चिय र दृढ आश्वासन हो र नदेखिएको कुराको पूर्ण भरोसा हो। यो परमेश्वर र उहाँका प्रतिज्ञाहरुमा गहिरो र निर्धक्क भरोसा हो।

यो तपाईको वर्तमान परिस्थितीको बाबजुद, परमेश्वरमा भरोसा गरिरहनु हो। धेरै पटक हामी जीवनमा आशिष चाहन्छौं, उन्नती र सफलता चाहन्छौं, शरीरमा चंगाई अपेक्षा गर्छौं यो आफैमा नराम्रो छैन तर यी चाहेको कुनै पनि थोक नमिल्दा के अझै पनि तपाई परमेश्वरलाई पक्रिराख्नुहुन्छ, के ती समयहरूमा तपाई उॅंहामा स्थिर हुन सक्नुहुन्छ? त्यो विश्वास हो।

1. Feed your faith. . .through the Word

१. तपाईको विश्वासलाई निरन्तर परमेश्वरको वचन खुवाउनुहोस।

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17 (NIV)

"जे सुनिएको छ, त्यसैबाट विश्वास आउँछ र जे सुनिन्छ त्यो ख्रीष्टको प्रचारबाट आउँछ।" रोमी १०:१७

तर केवल कानले मात्र सुनेर पुग्दैन; जसले ख्रीष्‍टको सुसमाचार सुन्दछ, उसले खुला हृदयले र ध्यान दिने मनले सुन्‍नुपर्छ। उसलाई परमेश्‍वरको सत्यता देखाउँदा उसमा त्यसलाई स्वीकार गर्ने तयारी हुनुपर्छ। सत्यता ग्रहण गर्न तयारी मनसित सुन्‍ने व्यक्तिले ख्रीष्‍टको सुसमाचार सत्यताले परिपूर्ण भएको पाउँछ; अनि सत्यताले आफ्नो परिचय आफैले गर्दछ; अनि तब उसले विश्‍वास गर्दछ। अनि यस पदमा भनिएको ‘सुनाइ’ को विषयमा हामी यहाँ कुरा स्पष्‍ट पारौंः यसमा हामीले कानले सुन्‍न सकिने शब्दहरू मात्र बुझ्नुहुँदैन, तर यो ता पढ़िने शुभ सन्देश पनि हुन सक्छ। यस सन्दर्भमा सुन्‍नको अर्थ जुनसुकै साधनले प्रस्तुत गरिएको ख्रीष्‍टको सुसमाचार सत्यताको वचनको रूपमा ग्रहण गर्नु हो।

तर प्रश्नचाहिँ तपाई के सुन्नुहुन्छ? धेरैपटक हामी नकारात्मक कुरा सुन्छौं, अप्रेमिलो र निराशाको कुरा सुन्छौ, हाम्रो विश्वासलाई असर पार्ने कुराहरु सुनिपठाउँछौं, त्यस्ता कुराहरू सुन्न रुचाउँछौ जुन बाइबल सम्मत छैन। ती कुराहरुले हाम्रो विश्वासलाई हुर्कनबाट अवरोध पुग्दछ।

जसरी एउटा शरीर बढदै परिपक्क हुन थाल्छ, शरीरलाई खँदिलो र पोष्टिक आहारको आवश्यकता हुन्छ त्यसरी नै जसै तपाईको विश्वास हुर्कदै जान्छ, तपाईको विश्वासलाई खँदिलो भोजनको आवश्यकता पर्छ। हाम्रो विश्वासको हुर्काईको निम्ति परमेश्वरको वचन नितान्त आवश्यक छ।

As much as you grow in Faith the more you need solid food not a milk and the solid food is the Word of God (Hebrew 5:11-14).

परमेश्वरको वचन खुवाउनु भनेको के हो?

"तर परमप्रभुको व्यवस्थामा नै त्यो खुशी रहन्छ, र त्यसले दिनरात उहाँकै व्यवस्थामा मनन गर्छ।" भजनसंग्रह १:२

धन्य मानिस अर्थात एक आशिषित मानिसको नजरबाट परमेश्वरको वचन कहिल्यै हटदैन्। जब ऊ सुत्नको निम्ति ढल्कन्छ र जब ऊ बिहान उठ्छ, हरेक समय र सबै कुरामा, यो मानिस परमेश्वरको वचनमा सुरक्षित हुन्छ। उसलाई परमेश्वरको वचन थाहा मात्र हुँदैन तर उसले वचनलाई प्रेम गर्दछ, त्यसैमा ऊ रमाउँछ, त्यसैमा उसले आनन्द भेट्टाउँछ। उसको हरेक पाइलाहरू परमेश्वरको बुद्धिद्धारा निर्देशित हुन्छ र ऊ वचनद्वारा जिउँदछ।

तपाईको विश्वासलाई दह्रिलो बनाउन निरन्तर प्रार्थनामा समय बिताउनुहोस।प्रार्थनाद्वारा नै हामी परमेश्वरसँगको घनिष्टतामा जिउन सक्छौं। जसै हामी परमेश्वरसँग निरन्तर समय बिताउछौं, हामी उहाँमा अझै बलियो गरि निर्भर हुन सिक्छौं, उहाँको योजनलाई बुझ्न सक्छौं, उहाँमा भरोसा गर्न सक्छौं।

Brother Kenneth Hagin said: “Faith begins where the will of God is known.”

How do you know the will of God?

READ YOUR BIBLE. . .BEGIN DOING WHAT IT SAYS AND YOU WILL HAVE A GROWTH SPURT IN FAITH.

As the prophet Jeremiah tells us in Jeremiah 17:7-8, "But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and never stop producing fruit" (NLT).

यर्मिया १७:७-८

"तर त्यो मानिस धन्यको हो, जसले परमप्रभुमा भरोसा राख्तछ, जसको आशा परमप्रभु हुनुहुन्छ। त्यो पानीको किनारमा रोपेको रूखजस्तो हुनेछ, जसले आफ्ना जराहरू खोलाका किनारसम्म फिँजाएको हुन्छ। गर्मी हुँदा त्यो डराउँदैन, त्यसका पातहरू सधैँ हरियै हुन्छन्। खड़ेरीको समयमा त्यसलाई केही चिन्ता हुँदैन, र त्यसले फल फलाउन कहिल्यै चुक्दैन।"

By feeding on the Word. . .you never have to wonder or worry about what to do next. The Word of God is alive. It is like food that nourishes our souls. Our faith activates the Word.

John 14:26 says:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Reading the Word allows the Holy Spirit to bring to our remembrance exactly what we need to apply to our daily situations.

2. Exercise your faith. . .by your actions

तपाईको विश्वासलाई कार्यद्धारा अभ्यास गर्नुहोस्।

James clearly states, "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?" - James 2:14

“मेरा भाइ हो, यदि कोही मानिसले "मसित विश्वास छ" भन्छ, तर कामचाहिँ गर्दैन भने, यसबाट के लाभ? के त्यसको विश्वासले त्यसलाई बचाउन सक्छ र?” याकूब २ः१४

Our Faith is complete in our action.

Knowledge is information but Wisdom is application.

When you act and response in faith in the midst of obstacles and difficulties, your faith will grow more. Sometime in our tough situation we like to act and response by our ability and source rather than by faith in God.

Abraham was not a perfect man but he was faithful man. “Faith, unaccompanied by deeds (of love, compassion, etc.) is dead.” “What we believe is revealed by how we live.”

हाम्रो विश्वास कार्यमा देखिन्छ।

Do you have confidence in God in your difficult time?

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways"- James 1:8

3. Free your faith. . .from negativity

Negativity means Doubts. Brother Kenneth Hagin often said: “Feed your faith and starve your doubts.”

तपाईको विश्वासलाई खुवाउनुहोस् र आफ्नो शंकालाई भोको राख्नुहोस्।

F.F. Bosworth, the author of Christ the Healer, said “faith and doubt cannot live in the same house.”

शंकाः The Greek word here is 'Diakrino' (διακρινω), which means to separate, to withdraw, oppose, hesitate, discern, doubt, judge, be partial, stagger, waiver (अलग हुनु, फिर्ता लिनु, विरोध गर्नु, संकोच मान्नु, विवेक, शंका, न्याय, आंशिक हुन, डगमगाउने, छूट।

James 1:6 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.”

“तर त्यसले कत्ति पनि शङ्का नगरी विश्वाससाथ मागोस्। शङ्का गर्नेचाहिँ बतासले उचाल्दै पछार्दैगर्ने समुद्रका छालसमान हुनेछ।” याकूब १ः६

Doubts gives birth to worry.

Bible clearly warns us against worry- Matthew 6:25-34

When doubt leaves your life . . .you are presented with unlimited opportunities.

Matthew 21:21 in the New Living Translation says:

“Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.”

“येशूले जवाफ दिएर तिनीहरूलाई भन्नुभयो, "साँच्चै, म तिमीहरूलाई भन्दछु, तिमीहरूमा विश्वास छ र कहिल्यै शङ्का गरेनौ भने, अञ्जीरको बोटलाई जे गरियो त्यति मात्र होइन, तर यस डाँड़ालाई पनि 'उखेलिएर समुद्रमा खस' भन्यौ भने सो हुनेछ। विश्वास गरेर प्रार्थनामा जे माग्छौ त्यो तिमीहरूले पाउनेछौ।” मत्ती २१ः२१-२२

4. Speak to your faith. . .to make it grow.

Faith and spoken word has connection. Actually man speaks what he believes. Bible is clear about the power of our speak, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit"- proverb 18:21

When we speak with confidence in Lord it will influence our Faith.

I love preaching in church more enthusiastically when people speak back to me.

I’m reminded of a story I heard once about a preacher who had a congregation that would talk back to him during his sermon as they got excited about their future.

One Sunday morning, the preacher said, “this church is like a crippled man who needs to get up and walk under the power of Jesus.”

The congregation replied with enthusiasm, “let it walk preacher, let it walk.”

Then the preacher said, “This church like Elijah on Mount Carmel has got to run.”

The congregation replied with enthusiasm, “let it run preacher, let it run.”

Then the preacher said, “This church has got to mount up on wings like eagles and fly.”

The congregation replied with enthusiasm, “let it fly preacher, let it fly.”

Then the preacher added, “Now if this church is going to fly it’s going to take MONEY.”

The congregation replied with lack of enthusiasm, “let it walk preacher, let it walk.”

That’s not exactly what I would call speaking your faith.

2 Corinthians 4:13 in the Good News Translation says:

“The scripture says, “I spoke because I believed.” In the same spirit of faith we also speak because we believe.”

Your boldness in your faith will open doors of opportunity for you.

1 Timothy 3:13 in the Good News Translation says:

“Those helpers who do their work well win for themselves a good standing and are able to speak boldly about their faith in Christ Jesus.”

5. Believing the impossible as possible

Never let fear of the unknown or untried prevent you from doing what appears at first to be impossible...when in reality...it's possible.

Luke 1:37 in the Amplified Bible says:

“For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”

With God. . .nothing is impossible. Well, there is one thing. . .it’s impossible to please God without faith.

Hebrews 11:6 says:

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

The Amplified Bible translation of Hebrews 11:6 says:

“But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].”

According to Strong’s Concordance the Greek word for rewarder is misthapodotēs (G3406) and it means: “one who pays wages, a rewarder”

He is one who pays wages to those who diligently seek him.

Are you getting this?

Jeremiah 17:10 in the New Living Translation says:

“But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

What are your due rewards for diligently faithfully seeking him? You’re going to get paid for it.

Hallelujah!!

6. Share it with others

Do you want to know how you can understand and receive every blessing God has for you?

The answer is found in Philemon 1:6 in God’s WORD Translation which says:

“As you share the faith you have in common with others, I pray that you may come to have a complete knowledge of every blessing we have in Christ.”

Every blessing we have in Christ.

1 Chronicles 16:8 says:

“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.”

The Message Bible translation of 1 Chronicles 16:8-9 says:

“Thank God! Call out his Name! Tell the whole world who he is and what he's done! Sing to him! Play songs for him! Broadcast all his wonders!”

When our favorite athlete does something remarkable. . .we want to talk with all our friends about his/her accomplishments.

Why, we even brag on our pets for doing a particularly good trick, our cars for their gas mileage or how they look. . .our big screen TV. . .the list could go on.

The question each of us need to answer is. . .how much time do we spend bragging on our God. . .the one who woke us up this morning. . .clothed us in our right mind. . .gave us air to breathe and food to eat?

The scripture is very clear. . .we’re to tell the world “who He is and what He’s done.”

In fact, the Message Bible translation of 1 Chronicles 16:9 says that we’re to “broadcast all His wonders.”

Psalm 34:3 says:

“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

One more scripture. Colossians 3:15 in the Message Bible says:

“Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

The way you thank Him. . .is by doing what He says in His word. . .share your faith.

7. Discuss your faith. . .frequently with your Manufacturer

Our manufacturer created an instruction manual for each of us to survive and thrive in any and every situation, circumstance and problem we face in life.

Here’s a revelation. . .if we don’t read and study it, then we’ll continually have problems all the days of our natural born life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

If something is profitable . . .it’s going to be beneficial. The word profitable in the Strong’s Concordance is from a Greek word that means “profitable, advantage.”

If we want to have advantages in life then we need to understand our instruction manual. . .God’s Holy Word. Every answer to every problem we face is in the book.

Smith Wigglesworth said:

“I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe.”

Matthew Barnett said:

“Faith is believing that God is going to take you places before you even get there.”

Mark Victor Hansen, the author of the Chicken Soup books said:

“Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results, but first you have to believe.”

One final quote by Smith Wigglesworth:

“Fear looks; faith jumps. Faith never fails to obtain its object. If I leave you as I found you, I am not God’s channel. I am not here to entertain you, but to get you to the place where you can laugh at the impossible.”

Now it’s time for you to take what you’ve heard and read. . .and begin to make your faith grow even stronger than it’s ever been.