This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (ts@godspeak.org)

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                       What is Faith?

Child of Mine, do you understand what faith really is?  So many of My
people confuse faith and emotions.  Others confuse faith with the 
certainty of future events.  But I say to you that faith is neither of 
these. Faith is knowing Me and putting your trust in Me.

Look at the lives of Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego, for they walked in
faith and their faith was rewarded.  They were commanded to bow the knee 
to a false god under penalty of death.  And they refused because they 
choose to honor only Me.  They did not know what I would do for them -- but 
they knew Me.  They had no knowledge of the future, but they understood 
that I had commanded My people not to have any idols and not to bow down 
to them or worship them.  They did not know if I would deliver them from 
execution, but they knew that I would be greatly displeased if they 
compromised and bowed down to a false god.  

And because they knew Me, they choose to please Me. They desired to honor 
Me even if it would cost them their lives.  And I counted that as great 
faith -- the type of faith that moves Me to move mountains on behalf of My 
people.

Even when the guards bound My three faithful servants, they did not know
what lay ahead for them.  I say to you, their hearts were beating rapidly
and their adrenalin was flowing and they were afraid of the pain of being 
burned alive.  They did not enjoy pain and they did not desire to suffer 
pain on My behalf -- in fact they were afraid of the pain.  But they were 
willing to face their fears instead of being driven by their fears. They 
did this because they choose to honor Me.  

They knew Me as their God and they knew I did not want them bowing to false
gods or honoring anything other than Me, the living and true God. They did
not know what I would do for them. They did not know if I would keep them
from the pain of their execution or spare their lives.  And they were 
frightened.  Yet they choose to obey Me -- they choose to exercise their
faith. And their faith pleased Me to the point where I caused their lives
to be spared in a miraculous way.  And I caused My own name to be lifted 
up and glorified above the name of the false god that they would not bow 
down to.

Child of Mine, don't you see?  Faith is not the absence of fear, it is
obedience despite the presence of fear.  Faith is not the certainty of 
what lays ahead.  Faith is the certainty of knowing Me, and of knowing and 
doing that which I command.  Faith is obedience, born out of a heart of 
love for Me.  Faith is staying true to what I have asked of you and 
faltering not in the presence of adverse circumstances.  Faith is not
in knowing what lays ahead, it is in knowing Me.

How do you grow in faith?  Child you do so by pressing into Me, by growing
in intimacy with Me, by getting to know Me better.  If you put your faith
in anything besides Myself, it is not a faith that will please Me.  Faith
is knowing Who I am and what I have required of you -- and then doing it.
If you desire to increase your faith, then increase your knowledge of Me.  
Draw near to Me, honor Me, obey Me and come to know Me.  True faith is not 
based on anything but a trust in My character and in My faithfulness.  The 
more you know Me, the greater your faith will be.  For I am the Way and the 
Truth and the Life, and I am the substance from which true faith is composed.