Faith is the Beginning.

Faith is to persuade, to draw towards something. The beginning of belief: the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another.

Jesus references faith as a "grain of mustard seed". It begins "less than all the seeds that be in the earth" (Mark 4:31).

Jesus also spoke many times of the lack of faith shown by many in the gospels

(Matthew 8:10) "When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."

(Matthew 14:31) "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

(Matt 16:8), (Mark 11:22), etc...

How do you develop more faith? Read The Book. Study The Book

(Romans 10:17) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Hope, the next Step

Hope is a desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. To place confidence in; to trust in with confident expectation of good.

Increasing faith to get hope

(2 Corinthians 10:15) "Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,"

(Galatians 5:5) "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."

(1 Thessalonians 1:3) "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;"

You MUST be very careful who/what you listen to

(Galatians 1:6-9) "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

{7} Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

{8} But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

{9} As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

*That was so important, Paul repeated it twice!

I was told as a new Christian read the gospels, listen and learn from Jesus himself. Makes perfect sense. And yes you should, however it would be best to start with Romans-Philemon. Why? Most of the gospel is written for the Jews. Jesus speaks a lot to the jews. Applying jewish doctrine to Christian Age is not a good idea.

Don't believe me, read what Jesus said himself!

(Matt 15:24) "But he (JESUS) answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."😳

The apostle Paul, is the apostle to the Gentiles, non-jews in the Church Age. Romans-Philemon, of the New Testament, are specifically applicable to Christians in the "Church Age".

(Galatians 1:1) "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)"

FOLLOW PAUL'S TEACHINGS!

(1Cor 4:16) "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me."

(1Cor 11:1) "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

(Phil 3:17) "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample."

(Eph 3:1) "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,"

(Eph 3:3) "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,"

Jesus came for the JEWS! BUT was rejected and turned to the Gentiles via Paul! Let me repeat again:

(Matt 15:24) "But he (JESUS) answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."😳

Study your Bible. Keep reading, taking notes. Study Study Study. Paul is your teacher right now. 😳

1st and Foremost

(Matthew 22:37-40) "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. {38} This is the first and great commandment. {39} And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {40} On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Charity to Others

Charity is love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men.

Newer bibles use "love" in place of charity, but charity is much better as it is love in action.

Don't be a liar!

(1 John 4:20) "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"

Charity is when you receive The Word and it edifies you or helps you get closer to God. It is NOT jibberish nonsense spoken by heathens.

(1 Corinthians 13:1) "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13

The gift of "prophecy", visions, revelations, who is the anti-christ, dates of events, etc... However if you are not Charitable, you are nothing

{2} "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." 😳

Pity is NOT "Love in Action" (Charity)

{3} And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 😳

Enduring Charity, Jesus puts up with your nonsense. Rejoices for other's success. Do not show off. Being PRIDEFUL!

{4} Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Don't be a weirdo, remain calm, think good things. Don't be two faced

{5} Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

{6} Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Deal with it! Don't run away and be cowardly.

{7} Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity wins when everything else fails

{8} Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

When Jesus comes everything we don't know will be shown

{9} "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part."

{10} But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Be the adult when others are childish and do childish things

{11} When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

You think you're so high and mighty until you come face to face with seeing yourself clearly. There will be much shame in ourselves at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

{12} For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

😳 {13} And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."