I was involved in a conversation with a person close to me the other day when some words that were said sparked a reply of substance to come forth from that person that left us both hoping for the thing to manifest. I instantly realized that the spark that came to the person from the words that were said was faith: faith was the spark that had come by the words heard in the form of the substance to bring to pass the thing hoped for. And I want you to keep in mind for practical purposes along with what we know the scripture says concerning faith, in Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God:” so keep in mind that faith to do can come by words other than the “word” of God, but we the members of the Body of Christ must follow scripture, and operate in the faith that comes by hearing the “word” of God. Why only the “word” of God? Well, the “word” of God is “Truth,” and all of the substances that come your way for you to operate in, need to be in Spirit and in Truth. We can have complete confidence in God’s truth because he is not a man that he should lie. Other words from other well meaning sources may give you a spark of substance to move a step or so, but they can’t give you the consistent, all knowing, unstoppable, and already have the victory substances to the end to obtain that which is already yours.

This brings me to Second-hand Faith to talk about in this post. We may talk about other harmful types of faith in a later post, but today we will go with this one. Plus there are many good practical types of faith word sources for normal living such as, words from your kids, friends, close associates that will move you, and inspire you with an unction to love and to act goodly, and Godly on their behalf. These types are all good, and are accounted for by the measure of faith given to every man according to the grace of God. So separate all that good, and let’s talk about how second-hand faith can cause harm. How can faith even be second-hand, and cause harm? Think about second hand smoke: we know first-hand smoke is harmful, but it is intentional. The smoker knows that smoke will be inhaled. Now second-hand smoke, which comes from more places than just being around a cigarette smoker, is also harmful, but it is unintentional. The non-smoker does not want to inhale the smoke, and many times does not even know smoke or other substances have been emanated. In comparison, first-hand faith can cause harm as the person is knowingly standing on a “word,” but intentionally decides not to move on substances of truth when they come to bring to pass the things hoped for. This is very harmful to that individual: there are needs, desires, and the will of God hinging on that “word” being made flesh, or natural for use. Now, second-hand faith is the pickle because it’s not even your “word” from God being stood on, but the person in first-hand faith somehow brought you into the picture. The thing that makes one of second-hand faith is the fact that your unintentional involvement, left you without the “word” in the bag to hold. Now unlike the smoker, the non-smoker was not looking to inhale the smoker’s exhaled smoke; and in comparison, like the person of first-hand faith already standing on a “word,” the person now of second-hand faith was made to stand on another’s “word” without even looking to do so.

In the beginning of the first paragraph above, I mentioned a conversation with a person who was in first-hand faith. This person shared with me a line of the “word substance” to bring to pass the thing hoped for: so now I am in second-hand faith because I know the “word” of God the person is standing on, and I am now able to hear the faith of how its substance could emanate to benefit me also. And then it happened, the person in the first-hand faith decided not to follow through after having used the spark to emanate the substances hoped for to anyone else in the area, me. The new plans that were made based on the substances that the person of first-hand faith had sparked my way, could go no farther. The harm is that when the “word” is not your “word,” there is no engine of hope behind it to bring new faith if the person of first faith, or original faith does not follow through. So even when someone close to you in first-hand faith spreads the exhaled “word substances” your way, treat the spark from it as an imagination, until it is made flesh or natural for use. If you are left on the island of hope standing on the “word” of God to another, you will be left with the dead substance which was exhaled, and not left to inhale the new fresh substance that will bring to pass the things hoped for.

The Father Still Loves To Do The Body Good.

Adopted son,