78 - What is Faith?

Rebroadcast of Episode 28
 
 What is Faith?  This is a term that we hear related to spirituality, but what is it exactly? Listen in as Debora interviews Minister John Tate as he describes faith and shares with us how his faith was challenged as God did the miraculous in his life! 

Stay tuned for our next episode where we will learn how to – Trust in the Lord

Links

Engage with Debora Barr at https://tbtwpodcast.com/

Transcript

Announcer

Welcome to transformed by the word, a podcast about discovering how to live your life with gratifying purpose. God created you for a reason and the Bible contains the keys to unlock your transformed life. Now, here's your host, Debora Barr

Debora 0:27 

Thanks for joining me for Episode 28 of Transformed by the Word. 

Faith is our topic of discussion for today.

But what is faith?

Well, faith is a bit difficult to define or explain. It is easier to understand through examples of people who have demonstrated faith by their actions.

We read in Hebrews chapter 11, names and bits of stories of the lives of many people who demonstrated faith.

Here we learn of the faith of Abraham, who obeyed God, when he was called to leave behind everything he knew, and go where God directed him, and to do what God asked of him. And as a result, he, Abraham is referred to as the father of our faith.

By faith, Moses led the Israelites slaves out of Egypt, the land of their bondage. They even walk through the midst of the Red Sea, on dry ground and the miraculous exodus from Egypt. You can read all about it in Exodus chapter 14.

Through Moses’ faith, the people came to believe in the saving power of the Lord.

Faith is closely tied to belief. And the essence of faith is trust.

Hebrews chapter 11, verse one says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Debora 2:14  

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is essentially the stuff of what we hope for.

When we act on our faith, like Abraham or Moses, it is a demonstration or evidence of things not yet seen.

Abraham didn't see the promised land, yet he obeyed God to begin his journey toward it. And Moses had to step into the water of the Red Sea before it opened up before him.

Today, I've invited a special guest to our show to talk about faith.

His name is minister John Tate, and I met Minister Tate at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, where He currently serves. But formerly he was at the Tenth Street Baptist Church in Washington DC, where he was the assistant director of the Leadership Training Institute for over 20 years. He was an adult Sunday school teacher for over 30 years, and on the board of deacons for 20 years.

Before leaving that church, Minister John was elevated to the position of third assistant chairman of the deacons and was the chair of the mediation and reconciliation team.

Minister John accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior in 1974. And he accepted his call into the ministry in 2002 and was licensed to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in 2010. At the First Baptist Church of Glenarden

Minister John is currently enrolled with Light University, completing the work to become a Board Certified Christian counselor through the American Association of Christian counselors. He's been very happily married to Reverend Iris Tate for 26 and a half years.

One of Minister John's favorite songs is what God has done for me, it is for me, and his favorite scripture is Psalm 34:1-3. I will bless the Lord at all times, and his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord and the humble show, hear of it and be glad. Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Debora 4:49  

Stay tuned. We'll be back in just a moment.

MUSIC INTERLUDE

Debora 5:33  

Minister John, it is such a blessing to see you today.

John 5:38  

Thank you, Debora. Yeah, it's good to see you. 

Debora

Our topic today centers around what is faith?  And I wanted to ask you to share with our listeners just a little bit about your own faith journey, like when and how did you develop your own personal relationship with Jesus? 

John 6:03

Okay, it's a good question. When I was thinking about this, I thought about basically going back to the Scriptures, there's no point of reinventing it. But I thank God for what he says in his word. Now, Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. So mean Faith is the reality of what is hopeful, and a proof that you don't see. to exercise its faith, we have to have confidence about an expectation, without visible proof that is going to happen.

And with that faith holds a place of the intangible, until it actually manifests. By this, I mean, your faith is believing that you're going to get something that you want, or desire that is coming, but you just haven't gotten it yet.

For an example, like going to work, you get up you go to work every day, to prepare yourself, you go in and do the assigned a task. And you believe at the end of the week, you get a paycheck, you don't know you're going to get a paycheck, but you believe that you are so you go to work. Or if you are a farmer, you plow a field, you fertilize the field, you put the seeds in the ground, you water it, and you wait and expect the crop to grow. And you believe if all of that you go get a good crop. So faith is that it's that thing that you expected, and you hope for.

Now, my personal journey began at the Tenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC, when I was 12 years old, my parents took me to that church, and we joined there. And I was baptized. I didn't know at the time that I wasn't saved. I thought I had just by showing up. I was a Christian. I sang in the choir. I faithfully attended Sunday school, and the worship services. And I and I didn't know that that was not that was all that was all there was to it. Because faith is more than that. Faith also includes putting your trust in God and in His Word. And I actually hadn't done that yet.

Debora 8:17  

Yeah, there are so many people, they think just by growing up in a Christian home or going to church ever since they can remember as a small child that they are right with God. But that's not what the Bible teaches. And that's why it's so important for people to truly understand. What are some of the benefits of faith? 

John 8:44  

Some of the benefits of faith are that there are miracles that work in our life, because if they have miracles, and they're healings, there's hopes and joys and peace and prosperity, and deliverance, deliverance from things like anger and rage, and fear, sadness, even a mental illness. And then because of some of the benefits, our sanctification be set aside by God to do special works. He gives us special gifts to help the kingdom. In the other many other things are in the found in the word in the Bible. There are benefits. So there's a lot so we've got to get for me but what it says in the word, there are many benefits for us. Yeah, the word is the place to ground our faith. 

Debora

I know that when I first came to the Lord, God was doing a lot of miracles in my life that just things that is only god, there's no way you can explain them. Except that God was doing this and I think he was trying to encourage me to believe and to even trust him even more. One of the earlier podcasts that that I did, I was with your wife.

Debora 10:00  

Reverend Iris Tate, and that one was called my hiding place. And as I interviewed her, she was recounting the story of what happened when both of you went to England for your 25th wedding anniversary. And I bet you that's one you'll never forget. 

John 10:23 

Never, ever, ever. So faithful. And God is so wise, he knows exactly what we need.

John 10:30  

It's the truth of it is, God needed something more from me, and I didn't know it. But he chose to allow this to happen to get me to a place in him. I don't remember too much prior to that, that Christmas night, December 2019. I collapse and was close to death from my understanding. And I didn't wake up into two and a half weeks later, from a coma. And the first thing I saw was my wife obviously was there. And there was Bishop John Francis and his wife CoPastor Penny, from one of the churches there. I woke up with many questions and to find out that I had been laying there in a coma for two and a half weeks. And she was coming every day and praying over me, and praying, and playing worship music and praise music into my hearing, for me to reconnect and not to, she wasn't going to give up on me at all. And all these things were happening. I was not even aware that what was going on. But after that, I began to pray and ask God to help us because I just couldn't really understand why he was allowing me to go through this horrendous experience.

John 11:52  

And one of the greatest things that happened to me I was having terrorizing dreams. And I didn't know at the time that it was, some of it was the medication. And the other was demonic attacks on my mind. And but I recognize the enemy was trying to take me to a place of fear. And I know that that wasn't God. So I began to pray. I prayed I had nothing else to do, but to lay there and pray and pray and pray. And even though I was saved, I struggled, wondering why I was going through all of this. 

But I prayed for God to heal me, I prayed that God will deliver us, I prayed that God will protect Iris while I was there in the hospital, that she was in London away from everybody we knew, and she was there. And so that was my greatest concern, praying that God was still going to take care of her. But she reminded me that God was still in control. He knew exactly where we were, and what was happening to us. And God also sent angels and the person of Bishop John and Penny Francis from the Ruach ministries church there in London, and they became our family away from First Baptist Church Glenarden, they sent their members to pray over us to perform physical therapy on us, and get made sure that I was was eating well, and they shuffled around. And they did all these things. 

And as I watched God, answer my prayers, to honor the prayers that I had. And it was all about faith, there was absolutely nothing I could do. I had to believe that my prayers are being answered. And I had no choice but to lay there and believe that it was going to come to pass. And God does just that. That’s one of the hardest things faith does not tell time from the promise to the fulfillment. You have to be patient. You wait, you have to wait for God for the change to come. Knowing that God loves me and he heard my cry.

John 14:01  

I had faith that he was going to help us. And he did just that. But you but faith comes by believing and all and that God was going to work all things out for our good. We met Bishop Francis and his church. They were strangers to us when we first got there, but we left London with a new family in Christ. 

Debora

Wow. Yeah, that that whole story was just amazing. I mean, when I heard what had happened to you and what was going on, even you know, I was here in the US and hearing about it. I was like, wow, how in the world are they going to get through this? But God brought people to help you right there. 

John

Amen. Didn't know us. But I think also the godly connection. Pastor, when people have back here at home in the states heard about our dilemma. Pastor got in touch with the bishop, and it was part of our plan and recently visited his church because we'd watched his programs back here in the States on TV for years. And one of the plans was to go visit their church. Iris was fortunate enough to get there. Unfortunately, I wasn't. So that means we're going back. Yeah, that's church. He sent his army of soldiers. He said, the people of God, the physical therapy was amazing. Although I was in the hospital, they came in, they did perform physical therapy on me. And anointed my body with oil my roommates got a whole new experience too!

John 15:32  

They prayed fervently, they were they were unashamed in their prayers. And all of this allowed me to know that God was so solid, and God knew exactly where we were. We weren't alone. And I didn't have to fear that. 

Debora

Yeah, the Word tells us no matter where we are in the world, no matter where we are, God is always there. And that is actually one of the benefits of faith. You just mentioned it about the body of Christ, and how we are so connected with one another, even if we don't know each other yet, exactly. If we are part and connected to the body of Christ, we have a family that is thicker than blood it is so amazing. 

John 16:23

One of my greatest concern, I was an accountant, and my job, and so actuary, bean counter, if you will, that I knew about finances, and our eight day trip turned into a two and a half months stay, I had not budgeted nor had I prepared for that term there. But God guide came to our rescue. It is it was just so tremendously overpowering. How our watched God, do the impossible. He knew what we needed before we did. And we didn't have to ask. We didn't have to ask God about it the resources. 

Now we prayed that God would meet every need. However, I didn't even know what all our needs were. God provided the need. The financial resources were enormous. And the emotional toll. Iris and her protective self didn't want me to know all the details. So much I didn't know if she kept from me because she wanted me to concentrate on getting better. But I think off of my BID brother's back here, they called her they encouraged her and they assured her that everything that we were going to need, they were going to help. And our family and our church, they all are very supportive. 

And I was thankful how they encouraged her, and me and so I'm in the midst of all of that. I thank God, he assured me that he heard my prayers. And I could depend and trust him. Um, I think I had been pretty cavalier about I had my good government job, I could depend on my own finances and things. And I didn't have to depend on anybody else. I mean, I was I was healthy. I was going to work every day, and I was handling my business. You never know what's going to happen. As a result, I had to totally, depend on God. And he proved to be trustworthy, because he handled my business, our business by faith. 

Debora

Wow, that Yeah, there's so much there and all the people's lives who were impacted by watching you and Iris going through this. I'm imagining the other people in the hospital, the doctors, the nurses, the the other patients. I mean, so many people had to be witnessing what was going on. Just amazing. 

John 18:54  

I was so pleased that my best friend, they were really concerned and praying, and they wanted to help. And so I said, well, when we get home you can help. Well, I think my best friend Ron Frazier, he came he flew over, and he came to help us and he flew, he stayed for five, four days. While he was there. This was just emotional support for Iris because as she went from the embassy to the Red Cross into the other hospitals, I was in three different hospitals there. And he just accompanied her and for moral support. But Reverend Iris and the Lord handled the business. They told her no way. She said My God has spoken as someone's gonna answer. And it was through the faith. I found out that I worried more than I thought I did about things. And she constantly assured me that God is aware. trust him. He had proven to be trustworthy. Through this entire journey, it was not an ordeal. It was a journey. 

Debora

Yes, it was a long time thing. 

John

Yes. And even getting back here to the States, I had to go in John Hopkins for two weeks, and from there to a rehab center, and I was there for two and a half months, I was away from my home. from December to June, December 2019. to June of 2020. 

Debora 20:31

For a short anniversary trip to England, 

John

yes, an 8-day trip turned into six months away from my home. And but God was faithful. God was faithful in him I was so grateful. And I can honestly say, I'm glad for the experience. I'm glad for experience, God proved even the more that how I have to trust him. Yeah. And it's all by faith. Absolutely no proof. No, no, this was gonna happen. And I know that it was successful because I didn't panic. I didn't worry. I didn't get depressed. And I just trusted in God. 

Debora 21:07  

If there's someone in our listening audience that feels like they've lost their faith in God because of something that has happened to them. I mean, you went through a very traumatic thing, and a lot of people have, but some of them have lost their faith in God. What would you say to them right now to reignite their faith in the Lord.

John 21:27  

I don't like to give false hope. But I will say this, trust that God really loves you. And he gives give him an opportunity to work things out for your behalf and for your good. Don't give up on God. Because he has not, and will not give up on you. trust him. 

Debora 21:46

Yeah, that's powerful.

Are there any last thoughts that you would like to share with our listeners before I let you go? 

John 22:00

Yes, again, the financial miracles, the spiritual miracles, emotional miracles, this journey was just a tremendous time in faith. Tremendous time in faith and I thank God because I didn't let it take me out. Suddenly, faith is believing that God is telling the truth in His Word, the Bible. If you want to increase in your faith, read his word, read the Word of God, and grow and get to understand our God.

By faith, things are done, not by feelings. We must walk by faith, believe and trust in the integrity of God and His Word. So hold on to your faith, until your faith materializes. 

Debora

Hmm, I love that. One last thing I would like for you to just say a prayer over our listeners and to help reignite their faith. 

John

Okay, thank you. Father, God, in the precious and adorable name of Jesus, we come even now God said, Thank you for this opportunity to speak well of You, Lord God, because you have an awesome God, you're loving God, you're caring and forgiving God, you love us so much that you made a way for us, God and we thank you right now for the awesome opportunity that we've had to talk today about you. Because it's all about you, Lord God. And thank you for even teaching us how to develop our faith that we will have faith in you to occur. We thank you for forgiving us and sending your son who made a way for us, we reconciled you Lord God, and God, all we have to do is accept that faith the work that you have prepared for us. You had a plan from the beginning, you plan to send your son You sent Your son who hung bled and died on Calvary’s cross that we would have a right to eternal life. 

We thank you that he paid the ultimate price. He sacrificed his life gave the blood. But he didn't stay there though God He rose again with all power and authority in earth. And you allowed him to come and present himself to us. And all we have to do is accept by faith who Jesus is. And by doing so we could have eternal life with you forever. We asked you to sanctify this word God, that our heart our mind will receive the story of Jesus and His love and accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior and have a testimony that God is my Savior. He is my Lord. In him I believe. In Jesus name, we pray give you things. Amen. 

Debora 25:15

Amen. 

Don't go away. We'll be right back after this short break.

MUSIC INTERLUDE

Debora 25:20  

We just heard from Minister John Tate about faith. He and his wife, Iris experienced a life altering experience when they went to London for a short trip to celebrate their anniversary, and that short trip turned into a six-month long journey, going from a near death experience, followed by months of recovery to where they are today. But God!

Debora 25:50  

Their faith in God and His goodness, never wavered. And God did the miraculous for both of them.

God wants your faith, to be just as strong as theirs.

The Bible says that without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Diligently seek the Lord, and exercise your faith today.

Debora 26:29  

Now, if you've never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, you don't have access to this faith relationship with God. But you can correct that right now. It is by faith that we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. exercise your faith, and declare that you will place your trust in the Lordship of Jesus Christ and receive the forgiveness of all of your sins.

If you would like to take that step today, pray this prayer with me.

God, I confess that I'm a sinner and I need Jesus in my life.

I repent of my sins and I turn to you.

I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, He was buried and rose from the dead.

And I accept this by faith and invite Jesus to be Lord of my life, to reign and rule in my heart.

Thank you, God for forgiving me, and saving me. Amen.

If you just prayed that prayer, and made a decision for Christ today, I want to hear from you. Please visit my website at TBTWPodcast.com. That stands for transformed by the word TBTWpodcast.com. Click on the link and let me know about your decision for Christ so that I can reach out to you and encourage you with the next steps in your faith.

Debora 28:07  

My prayer for you today is that you will exercise your faith on a daily basis. diligently seeking a deeper relationship with the Lord so that you might be rewarded by our Heavenly Father. Amen.

Stay tuned for our next episode of transformed by the word entitled, Trust in the Lord.

Announcer 28:34  

Thank you for listening to transformed by the word with your host Debora Barr, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or Google Play and connect with us at TBTWPodcast.com. Until next time, be blessed.