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This collection of meditations delves into the essence of faith, exploring the interplay between divine love and human belief. Through stories of biblical figures and spiritual introspection, it urges readers to seek authentic communion with the Divine, to transcend organized religion, and to embrace the transformative power of belief. It champions spiritual resilience and the triumph of the human spirit, calling for a life of purpose, hope, and unwavering faith amid life's trials, guided by the light of the Most High.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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RECIPE FOR MIRACLES
Franklin D. Todd
Recipe For Miracles
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2025 by Franklin D. Todd
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
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Published by - Spines
ISBN: 979-8-89950-606-2
RECIPE FOR MIRACLES
…INVOKING POWER AND AUTHORITY
- GOD VS. LOGIC AND REASONING -
FRANKLIN D. TODD
This book is not about me, my family, or anybody else for that matter. It is all about the Most High God (Yahweh), His people, and this beautiful world in which we find ourselves!
“It is so pathetic and unfortunate how religion has been used as a weapon of mass destruction designed to divide, rule, conquer, manipulate, exploit, control, brainwash, and ultimately destroy mankind in innumerable ways. However, this generation will rise above religion, embrace God in His true form, defeat hate, and learn to love one another. I believe in the Most High God (Yahweh) and all His prophets, especially the Lord Jesus Christ (Yehoshua), but I do not believe in the concept of organized religion.”
Franklin D. Todd
“The Lord Jesus Christ (Yehoshua), no doubt, came to shatter the shackles of religion and ignorance and give us the freedom to independently think outside the box of religion. Unfortunately, He was hated and misunderstood because of this simple truth. Therefore, we continue to wrap ourselves ignorantly with the fetters of religion. No wonder we consistently find ourselves in the circle of darkness, doubt, and retrogression.”
Franklin D. Todd
“We cannot measure God (Yahweh) by the size of our problems or successes. God is simply beyond measurement and far greater than anything we can ever see or imagine.”
Franklin D. Todd
“We are all considered ‘idiots’ if we are doing something that we do not understand and continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.”
Franklin D. Todd
SPECIAL WORDS OF WISDOM
“Friendship is very expensive because it is based on how you value each other equally, meaning that if you value a person who does not value you in return, that person is not your friend. Therefore, we should not consider every associate or acquaintance who smiles and laughs with us as a friend. Friendship is simply give-and-take, no matter how small or insignificant it may be.”
Franklin D. Todd
“In life, I have made many mistakes, and I have done so many wrongs that I deeply regret, especially to people who are so near and dear to me. I wish that I could go back in time to change things, but unfortunately, I cannot. Thank God that I outgrew my mistakes and became wise enough to realize that in this life, it is never good to burn bridges, no matter what. This is because time is an illusion, and we always cross paths in life. Memories are perpetual, and they can sometimes haunt us.”
Franklin Todd
I am not a faith expert, nor do I claim to be. I have my weaknesses and shortcomings, just as any mortal man, but only the grace of God has brought me this far. Therefore, this book is not about my intellectualism or academic performance; rather, it is based on divine revelation, research, and personal experience. The grace of the Most High God enabled me to write this book, all to His honor and glory!
Franklin Todd
“What makes you a true believer or a ‘Man or Woman of God’ is not your ‘holiness or self-righteousness’ but your ability to love all humankind as equally as you love yourself, irrespective of race, tribe, color, sex, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or financial status. Most of all, your ability to endure your trial to the end and love the Most High God with all your heart, mind, and soul is the essence of your faith.”
Franklin Todd
CONTENTS
Preface
1. How Is Faith Acquired And How Does It Work?
Understanding How Faith Works
2. The Sin And Lies Of Doubt And Fear
Cain and the aftermath of his doubt and unbelief
Moses and His Doubt and Unbelief at the End
Jacob and Esau
Gideon – From Lack of Confidence to Faith-Filled Confidence
King Saul and His Doubt, Unbelief and Disobedience
How King Solomon’s Doubt and Unbelief Led Him Into Idol Worship
How Zechariah, the High Priest, Allowed His Doubt and Unbelief to Lead Him Into Unnecessary Suffering
Why Did John the Baptist Doubt the Messiah Whom He Baptized and Spoke of?
3. The Power Of Our Belief And Overcoming Doubt And Fear
4. Overcoming Depression with Faith
The Unlimited Power of Our Imagination
The Mysteries of Our Spoken Words
5. The Mysticalness Of The Forbidden Fruit
6. The Principles Of Manifesting Your Heart’s Desires
David and His Great Faith
7. Understanding the Illusion Of Time
8. Understanding The Limitless Power of God’s Unconditional Love
Praise, Worship, and Dance Your Way Through It
9. Give unto Caesar What Belongs Unto Caesar, And Unto God The Things That Belongs Unto God
The Preparation Process
The Power of Our Decisions
NOTES
About the Author
PREFACE
This book is not about science, geography, anthropology, theology, logic, or reasoning; rather, it is mostly about the “reality” of faith, belief, and results. Therefore, nothing is sugar-coated in this book. The content is raw, straightforward, and right to the point. Unfortunately, most people perceive God (Yahweh) as mean, unreasonable, merciless, and hard to understand, who is filled with so much rage and vengeance. They are also of the pre-conceived notion that believing in Yahweh is a waste of time because it means that one will have to give up his or her personal freedom and enslave him or herself to Yahweh’s “selfish will”, which in turn robs us of our happiness and personal desires.
These are, of course, myths and lies formulated by the devil (Lucifer) and his cohorts, designed to manipulate the destiny of people, simply because Yahweh is the “Author of Freedom”, and He has always desired to work with humanity to achieve our good desires and destiny in life. Besides, the unconditional love of Yahweh is guided by His principles of faith and belief, and they are the secrets of tapping into His unconditional love, endless blessings, and grace. Yes, it is true that some of those who tend to represent God portray a different image of the Father for their self-aggrandizement. However, do they sincerely practice what they preach? In fact, for centuries, many authors have written extensively about the power, strength, and character of Yahweh, but none have ever written about the weakness of God. In this book, Franklin Todd reveals the weakness of God, which is compatible with the accuracy of Biblical truth.
Nevertheless, the type of belief and faith that makes a person move mountains is not as simple as many have been made to believe: it is spiritual warfare that is consistently fought on the battlefield of the mind. In this book, Franklin Todd reveals the ancient secret that unlocks the mysteries of life and points to the tools required to fight and win the war in the mind, in order to gain full access to your desires physically.
Recipe for Miracleswas written to help develop and transform God’s people into victorious, faith-driven, and prosperous people of destiny, especially in a desperate and deceptive environment where the faith and belief of most people are melting away, due to health issues, economic deprivation, social pressure, stress, etc. This is no surprise because the Good Master (Jesus Christ) spoke of this desperate and deceptive dispensation in Luke 8:18 over 2,000 years ago.
Unfortunately, most people doubt the ability of the Almighty God because they tend to misunderstand the principles of God’s blessings. They are of the belief that they must reap what they have sown. On the contrary, God’s blessings and favor dictate that you reap from where you do not sow. King Solomon understood this principle, which was why he wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:1, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.”
This book reveals the secret weapons of the devil and how to conquer and destroy these weapons in your circumstances, to enjoy the victory and success that Yahweh intended for you. Recipe for Miracles will systematically walk you through your circumstances and right onto the path to your destiny. Sadly, we live in a dispensation where most people tend to have itchy ears and are anxious to hear what is pleasant to their ears. However, such is a mistake because the truth is uncomfortable, but it has what it takes to bring you freedom from your circumstances, regardless of what your circumstances are. The content of this book is specifically revealed for this generation that needs faith more than the air they breathe. We, no doubt, find ourselves in a dispensation of desperation, where desperation is all around us – in our homes, places of work, places of worship, on the streets, etc. No matter where you go, people are desperate for something.
In addition, Franklin Todd reveals the illusion of time and goes on to tell us how we can be fooled by time whenever we limit ourselves to time. He also speaks of how depression and addiction can be overcome by the power of our minds through our beliefs and faith, and that whatever we believe is what we have accepted mentally. Hence, it is what we are in agreement with spiritually that will ultimately become our experience.
Ultimately, this book is about the regeneration of your health condition, your economic rebirth, your spiritual enlightenment, and reconnection to your power source. This book also reveals that it is your belief and faith that will shift your life and alter your destiny, and not your bank account, doctor appointments, or present state of health. Remember, sometimes Yahweh wants our situation to die spiritually, economically, medically, emotionally, and socially before He can come in to resurrect everything in full force for His glory, just as He did in the case of Lazarus, because faith is about turning the irrationality of man into a miracle. Therefore, we do not understand when things happen unexpectedly. We write volumes of books, do great things by the power of God, conduct global seminars, speak to millions around the world and think we understand everything about God, but when tragedy strikes and unfortunate things happen, we immediately become broken, taken off balance, and see our own emptiness and human inability in the mirror of life. It is then that we come to realize that we know so little about God, about whom we passionately preach, and that it is not by our might, nor by our power, but by our faith and belief, which profoundly contains the grace and spirit of the Almighty God. Therefore, it is only real faith that enables us to decode the mysteries of God and gives us some sort of understanding of God. Likewise, it is only within the depths of our true faith that God can open our eyes to see that life is not just about accumulating material things but is also about our spiritual lives. It is the lack of this simple understanding that brings pain, anger, and disappointment to most people when their loved one transitions (dies) from this physical life and returns to the spiritual life from whence he or she came.
We must also recognize that often, God puts us in certain situations repeatedly to teach us a valuable lesson, as well as to make our faith strong and consistent so that we can always depend on Him alone. Obviously, this book would be counterproductive and insignificant to anyone if it did not first have a long-term impact on the lives of the author and those closest to him.
HOWEVER, TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY IMMATURE AND BIBLICALLY LOST, THIS BOOK WILL ONLY ADD TO YOUR DOUBTS AND CONFUSION. NEVERTHELESS, FOR THE TRUE SEEKERS AND OPEN-MINDED WHO ARE THIRSTY AND DESPERATE FOR THE TRUTH, THIS BOOK WILL +BE A GUIDE TO UNCOVERING THE MYSTERIES OF GOD.
HENCE, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOING AFTER GOD AND GOING AFTER A RELIGION. THIS BOOK IS OBVIOUSLY NOT ABOUT RELIGION. IT IS ABOUT GETTING TO UNDERSTAND GOD TO A CERTAIN EXTENT AND HAVING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, WITHOUT A PASTOR OR A CHURCH BEING IN THE MIDDLE.
Luke 8:10, “And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.”
“Hope is a burden of torment that can only be lifted by our belief, faith, and work.”
Franklin Todd
“Memories are deceptive illusions that entrap a person into the past.”
Franklin Todd
“Unless we are hypnotized by God’s unconditional love, we will never understand what He is really doing in our lives or the direction our lives is heading. This is because it is only in love that we can truly understand the things which are misunderstood.”
Franklin Todd
“True love is meant to be blind, but when a person is no longer blinded in love, that love will cease to exist and become something other than love.”
Franklin Todd
“It is your faith and belief that define you and not your religion.”
Franklin Todd
HOW IS FAITH ACQUIRED AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Faith is something that most people claim to have, but the reality is different, based on our circumstances. For the most part, everybody has some semblance of faith; however, when it comes to “the faith” that changes circumstances and manifests miracles, it is a different matter entirely. The faith that changes our lives positively, changes our circumstances positively, and produces turning-point miracles, is a faith completely different from our everyday faith. This is faith on a whole new level; thus, it is not simple or easy to express, display, or demonstrate. Many claim to have this kind of faith, but the test of time or the trials of life usually prove them very wrong and contrary to their beliefs.
There’s a story about a young man who happens to be a very faithful member of a mega-church here in the States. He paid his tithes, gave offerings on Sundays, and did other things as a committed member of this huge and wealthy church. However, nobody knew what the young man was experiencing, simply because he came from a poor background and wasn’t as rich as those who were close to the pastor and his family. One Sunday, he went to church, and the pastor’s message was about faith. In his sermon, he spoke about Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and the Lord Jesus Christ. As the pastor preached, he was jumping around his pulpit, while the congregation shouted in excitement about his message of faith. The pastor thought that he had preached a great message and was very proud of himself. Sadly, the young man sat in the congregation wailing.
Tragically, at the end of the service, he went home and overdosed, which led to his death. He left a suicide note, which read, “Sorry, I did not know how I could acquire faith.” As it turned out, this young man was drowning in debt, collection agencies were threatening him, bills were piling up, and he ultimately sank into depression.
Oftentimes, people write, teach, and preach about faith, but only a few people have explained how faith is truly acquired. The most important part of any faith teaching is to know how faith is acquired because by knowing this, one will be able to establish him/herself in faith; thus, one will grow gradually in faith step-by-step and stage-by-stage.
Faith is acquired by constantly listening to faith-related teachings and messages, as well as reading books that are faith-related and faith-building, especially the Good Book of Life (the Holy Bible). Understanding this fundamental truth, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing,and hearing by the word of God.” We must recognize that the Word of God is more effective and even sharper than a two-edged sword, so it must never be taken for granted – Hebrew 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” In most cases, the effectiveness of the Word of God in our lives solely depends on the importance we attach to it, as well as the level of faith we have in it.
The above suggests that the more we read or listen to God’s Word or any good material on faith, the more it will automatically establish us in faith and even build our faith. Fortunately, some people are born with the gift of faith, but even at that, most of them still must develop the high-frequency level of their faith to achieve results – 1 Corinthians 12:4-12, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”
When it comes to exercising and demonstrating our faith, it doesn’t really matter if we were born with the gift of faith or acquired it by reading faith-related materials or the Good Book of Life. What is important is for us to humble ourselves and allow our faith to flow in us to manifest the desire of our hearts. The difference between having the gift of faith and acquiring faith is that those who are born with the gift of faith already have faith naturally, but still need guidance in developing their faith to the highest frequency level to get the desire of their heart. Contrariwise, those who acquire faith need to do a constant reading of faith-related materials and the Good Book of Life, and they need to meditate on God’s words constantly, as well as receive constant counseling and guidance for rapid growth in their faith.
Unfortunately, most people find it very difficult to focus and maintain their high-frequency level of faith during times of tension or circumstances. Honestly, I agree with that. It is truly difficult to focus and maintain that high-frequency level of one’s faith when a person is under intense pressure. When food needs to be put on the table, children need to be taken care of, bills are coming from all angles, and sometimes, it’s even hard to put gas in the car. Yes, it’s not that simple to maintain one’s faith amid such “intense distractions.” How do you stay focused under such circumstances? No doubt, in such a situation, it is very challenging to keep one’s head above it, so what do we do? When I first arrived in Washington, D.C., I experienced many challenges. In fact, at one point, I wanted to retreat to California, New Jersey, or Minneapolis, but I said to myself, “If I retreat, what would be my story? Would it be a story of defeat with excuses or a story of victory with testimony about going through the storm and coming out with a new song triumphantly?” I chose the latter. I stayed and went through hell, but by the grace of God, I came out victoriously. I remember during my first three months in D.C., it was as if the entire world was crashing down on me. I was overwhelmed with debts to pay, including rent, other household bills, etc. In addition, I kept on receiving citations for minor traffic violations, including parking in the wrong spot, parking on the street during the wrong hours, etc. I even got a citation for going through a yellow light, but they said it was red. As a law-abiding citizen and a rational being, I would never go through a red light for any reason.
All those occurrences really frustrated me because there was a lot of money that had to be paid, and all my accounts had a negative balance. I just couldn’t understand why I had to go through so much pain and suffering. Later, I realized that I was at a different level in life; thus, I needed a different level of faith to sustain me at that level and get me to the next level. All those challenges were huge distractions for me, but I had to do all I could to stay calm and focused so that I could achieve the desire of my heart. This was my only way out. I calmed myself down inwardly, breathed, and politely approached the situation with a sense of self-confidence. I contacted my debtors through emails, phone calls, and letters. Moreover, I addressed the situation with diplomacy and care, so that I could stay focused and achieve the high-frequency level of my faith, as required to achieve results.
Generally, I would suggest in a situation like this staying calm, relaxed, rest your mind, think beyond the prevailing circumstances, and tell all your debtors to back off and allow you to breathe freely because you are not running away. Well, you can find a more polite, nicer, and diplomatic way of putting it, rather than saying, “back off”. I’m sure that the last thing you need in a situation like that is a fight because a fight would destroy everything by disrupting your peaceful state of mind, disorganizing your spirit, and weakening your faith in every way, which would put you at the bottom again.
It is contradictory for one to read, understand, and even preach the Bible, yet, at the end of the day, he or she has no faith. As I wrote in the other chapters of this book, most believers mistake loyalty for faith, which means one can be loyal to his or her church or pastor but have no faith. Faith is the connecting power of every child of God, irrespective of one’s religion. Without faith, we have zero connecting energy and are powerless to achieve anything. The Apostle James was clear about this when he wrote in James 5:13-15, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” Here, the Apostle James did not say “any prayers” because any individual can pray; however, he was very specific when he said, “the prayer of faith.” The “prayer of faith” is not an ordinary prayer because it’s the kind of prayer that invokes virtue and power, which produce results. Again, the Apostle James did not limit the “prayer of faith” to a specific sickness or disease, which suggests that this “prayer of faith” is powerful enough to heal all manner of sickness and disease if such a prayer is done in faith.
Regarding wealth and riches, often, we quote scriptures and say, “God is the Landlord of the Universe, and we, His children, have rights to all that belongs to Him.” Yes, this is quite true, but the question is, “Do we really believe in the above?” Psalm 24:1 tells us, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Let us not forget that whatever we process in our minds or accept and believe, no doubt, affects our thinking pattern, and whatever affects our thinking, affects our actions and our lives. Therefore, we must always be careful of what to which we listen to and watch with our eyes because what we listen to and watch with our eyes can be processed into our minds and can affect our lives, either negatively or positively. The truth is, when we profess that we are children of the Most High God, we must believe it with all our hearts because that is our right, through faith.
It is one thing to say something, yet it is another to believe in what we are saying. Unfortunately, people say things that they don’t believe, yet they say those things because they just want to make themselves feel good, or they probably just want to go along with the crowd. However, when it comes to faith, it is about your life, your survival, and your destiny; thus, it’s no joke, and it must never be about the crowd or anyone, for that matter. It must only be about you, your God, your survival, your life, and your destiny. It is a battle that is fought in the spirit, which involves your body, soul, and spirit, which are directly connected to your energy source, the Creator. Spiritually, the words we speak have natural power that can affect our lives, especially when we speak them confidently from the heart with faith. The wise man, King Solomon, evidently experienced the power and effect of our spoken words, which is why he wrote in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Now, if we consider and accept the Almighty God as our Father, we must mean it from the bottom of our hearts, confess it with confidence, behave as though He is our biological or earthly father, and have no doubt in our hearts that whatever we ask of Him, He will surely do it for us. We must also remember that God is a Spirit; therefore, any dealing with Him must be done in the spirit, and our only connection to the spirit is faith. The Good Master made this clear in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
If a person really accepts and considers God, the Creator, as his/her Father, who is the Landlord of this entire universe, he or she would not be going around appearing fearful or behaving like some beggar or someone in need because such would be very shameful and disgraceful to the Father. We dishonor God by doing that. As a matter of fact, no rich man would feel good or happy to see his son or daughter begging on the street or being placed in a position of a commoner. This doesn’t mean any disrespect to our unfortunate brothers and sisters who have been denied assistance from society and find themselves begging for alms on the street to survive. Notwithstanding, even the father of the Biblical prodigal son was very unhappy, displeased, and felt ashamed upon hearing the bad news of his son in a strange country. He was restless and had no peace of mind until his son returned home and was restored to his previous ranking in the family.
Upon his return home, a party was held in his honor, just to make him feel welcomed back at home because it gave his father a sense of pride and honor to see his long-lost son finally reconnecting to the honor of the family (See Luke 15:11-32). God feels the same way whenever we connect with Him in faith. He welcomes us with open arms of love and supplies us with more than we can ask. However, we can only achieve this special relationship through faith.
Today, most of God’s children suffer unnecessarily, simply because of the doubt, disbelief, and faithlessness that they are hiding in their minds, yet they are pretending to have faith. The truth is that faith never lies. Once it’s faith, it’s faith, but once it’s not, we just can’t fake it; therefore, it just wouldn’t work. Faith is a function that is clear, pure, and doubtless, with a 100% positive mind. That’s the only way that we can achieve results. God owns the universe and everything within it; therefore, we, as His children, have the right to have access to every good thing in the universe, including riches and good health. If we are denied access to the good things of the universe, which by right belong to us, it means that we are disconnected from the source of our supply, and this source is faith, because God Himself is faith. We cannot see God physically, but we connect to Him through faith. God, being our merciful, compassionate, and gracious Father, already knows our heart’s desire, even before we ask, which means that He grants our desire before our request is made. Nevertheless, it is only faith that gives us access to that which has been granted unto us. The Good Master made it clear in Matthew 7:7-11 when He said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” Please note that asking is different from mere begging. When you ask, you are not a beggar unless continuous asking becomes your only means of survival.
If you truly believe and accept that the Almighty God is your Heavenly Father and you are truly His child, then you must mean it from the bottom of your heart, confess it with confidence, and live it through your actions. Often, some people claim to have faith and that God is their Father; ironically, their actions contradict their confession. They walk in fear, doubt, and uncertainty. How can you live with an earthly father in a palace, yet behave as if you are a stranger who has no access to his wealth and riches? This is what most people who claim to have faith do. In fact, some even behave as if God doesn’t exist, or perhaps, He’s dysfunctional, or He does not know them. We ought to recognize that salvation, mercy, grace, compassion, forgiveness, peace, and glory are all packaged in faith, which is why the scripture says that it’s impossible to please God without faith. This suggests that God is only pleased with us when we demonstrate faith or display our faith.
UNDERSTANDING HOW FAITH WORKS
Before going any further, we all need to acknowledge that “Faith is the key that unlocks the mysteries of God” and “It’s the power that changes our lives or circumstances for the better.” Faith is also the channel through which we receive our blessings or heart’s desires. Given this fact, we must recognize that the mystery of God’s love is found in our faith. Hence, demonstrating or expressing our faith is not as easy as one may think. It is only circumstances that can categorize the level of faith we have or if we even have faith at all. Going through circumstances or the challenges of life, then coming out victoriously, determines our level of faith. In other words, our faith is measured by circumstances. We live in a world of countless distractions and problems, sufficient to water down our faith, distract us from our path of focus, and even change our destiny negatively. Amid all of these, we need faith to carry on, breathe, smile, share, and find not just hope but self-peace, victory, and satisfaction amid life’s challenges.
Basically, we all need to understand that faith is contrary to logic and reasoning, which suggests that one cannot use logic to analyze faith. A person cannot use his or her reasoning to explain the mystery of faith. It just wouldn’t make any logical sense. This is because spiritual things usually do not make any sense to a rational mind. Above all, faith is a mystery that can never be understood by rationality and logic. The things of the spirit cannot be understood by logic; hence, it just wouldn’t add up because you would be trying to blend two separate worlds. It’s like trying to mix fire and water into one substance, which is literally impossible. Therefore, one has to die physically and drop off the physical body in order to fully have access to the spiritual world, or basically transform our logical mentality of the flesh into a spirit-driven mentality, in order to have access to God’s glory. This is what the Master was trying to tell Nicodemus in John 3:1-8, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”
It is obvious that we cannot use our human logic to comprehend the spiritual world, this can never work. One must give way to the other, so please stop being analytical about faith.
To be able to exercise our faith and achieve results, we must be prepared to go against the conventional teaching of logic and simply believe like a child who expects to receive from his or her parents without any doubt in his or her mind. This means that you must be a fool in your belief to see the manifestation of the power of God working through your own faith. No wonder, often time, faith-driven people are considered as delusional or unrealistic. Well, the truth is that it is more profitable to be delusional and unrealistic in trusting the Most High God than to be doubtful and have faith in nothing.
It is reasonable and logical to accept that “seeing is believing,” but this saying contradicts faith in every way because spiritual or Biblical law suggests that we must first believe before we can see any results or manifestation. Faith is a direct channel of communicating with the Almighty God without saying a single word verbally. Faith gives us direct access to the throne of God, which is why the scripture tells us in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he thatcometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarded of them that diligently seek him.” What this tells us is that everything else is secondary, but it is our faith in God that pleases Him. This also shows that God takes our faith issues very seriously. The reason for this is simply because everything relating to our existence as human beings is based on faith. The Apostle Paul, acknowledging this truth, wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Walking by faith simply tells us that without faith, our existence is empty and meaningless. This implies that everything we do in life revolves around faith directly or indirectly.
Now, what is faith? To answer this, we need to go back to the Good Book of Life (the Holy Bible) to have a better understanding of faith. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This shows that faith brings into reality the things we hope for and manifests the physical evidence of our imaginations or unseen desires.
True faith may appear to be very unrealistic or impractical; this is because that which is practical is also logical, and logic is incompatible with faith. Likewise, faith may appear to be very unrealistic from a practical standpoint or from a logical perspective. If this is true, then we might as well ask ourselves, “What is even real in life?” From the spiritual viewpoint or from an understanding of faith, there is no such thing as reality in life. Every individual has his or her own reality of life because we all see and understand things differently. Therefore, a person’s reality is that which he or she believes and accepts to be his or her reality. Nature is changing our so-called reality every day and every second in our world, which is why reality does not exist in God’s eyes. Everything material is perishable. Destruction is taking place every day, people are dying every day, babies are being born every day, people are falling sick every day, and people are being healed every day. New inventions are made, and things are changing every day. Nothing is permanent in life, so this suggests that nothing in our material life is a reality, except that which is spiritual. This is because everything in the spiritual is somehow permanent, which makes it real.
When we are demonstrating or displaying our faith, we create our own mental reality and bring it into physical manifestation. God supports us because it is our “strong faith” that moves the Hand of God on our behalf. In Psalm 81:10, the Lord said, “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” This scripture tells us that whenever we speak out about our destiny in faith, God supports us and brings it to pass or “reality.” Faith does not only connects us to the Throne of the Most High God, but it also supports God’s plan for our lives.
Faith is very essential in all aspects of our lives because the battles of life are first fought from within us and not from without. Every physical manifestation in our lives is the result of what took place from within us. In fact, miracles are the result or end work of faith, and so is the manifestation of our heart’s desires.
Once we win the war from within (by overcoming our negative thoughts and imaginations and mentally prevailing over the cares of life and our physical circumstances), no doubt, we will immediately begin to see the physical manifestation in our lives, and unexpected miracles will begin to happen, one after another. On the other hand, if we are defeated from within by allowing fear, doubt, peer pressure, confusion, worry, frustration, discouragement, faithlessness, depression, etc. to overcome our faith, then defeat will be manifested outwardly in the form of physical disappointment, failure, etc.
Now, in a simplified manner, how do we really understand faith? Faith, as I put it, is to stand strong or firm in your belief, having no alternative or backup plan. The reason for this is that alternatives or backup plans distract us from the focus of our faith (what we are believing God for), and in most cases, this creates room for doubt and eventually faithlessness. According to spiritual law, once you have a backup plan or an alternative, it means that you have already doubted the possibility of your faith producing any results. True faith is being single-minded in your belief to produce your desired result, irrespective of the circumstances you may find yourself. The truth is, having an alternative or a backup plan is telling yourself, “Well, just in case this doesn’t work out as expected or planned, then this is what I’m going to do……” The point is, if we don’t have a backup plan or an alternative to exercising our faith, then what happens “if” things don’t materialize? Well, God forbid, if things do not materialize, it means we just didn’t have the kind of faith needed to produce our miracle, simply because with faith all things are possible.
First, we need to believe and accept that God (Yahweh) is self-sufficient, and He is the God who is capable of creating something out of nothing. With Him, all things are possible, only if we can believe. Every level in life has its own kind of faith; therefore, the higher we climb in life, the bigger and stronger our faith needs to be to sustain us at that level, then progress to the next. Basically, true faith or strong faith is seen as “total madness” to the world of logic and reasoning because it puts a person in the position of trusting God single-mindedly; therefore, not having an alternative or backup plan but completely believing in Him, risking everything, including one’s life and reputation, until that miracle is manifested – That’s real faith!
Spiritual law reveals that faith is the greatest risk of total trust in God, whom we believe. This brings us back to the faith of a child who trusts the promises of his/her parents without any backup plan or alternative and without seeing any physical evidence to prove that his/her parents will deliver on the promise. He/she just believes without a shadow of a doubt. This was exactly what the Good Master (the Lord Jesus Christ) meant when He told His followers in Matthew 18:4, “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Having faith in God to accomplish the desires of our hearts reveals a great deal of trust in God, and it also demonstrates humility in our spiritual characters. In the spiritual application of the above scripture, the “Kingdom of God” is, no doubt, the blessings and benefits of God in our lives and not necessarily “Heaven.”
In addition, a child’s faith is what one would consider “blind belief.” When we blindly believe in God for our heart’s desire, it means that we believe in God alone, without a single doubt or hesitancy. In essence, faith does not require any human analysis of the situation; rather, a complete focus on God’s mercy, compassion, grace, faithfulness, lovingkindness, unfailing love, greatness, and unlimited possibilities. Our human analysis of the circumstances will always lead us to slip from grace into self-condemnation, guilt, and our human abilities, which eventually cause us to doubt and fall short of the glory of God. In this regard, we must recognize that faith exceeds righteousness, holiness, and all others because it is faith that even brings us salvation, draws us closer to God, provides for us, and gives us the desires of our hearts. This explains why the great Abraham (the Father of Faith) did not become the friend of the Almighty God because of his “holiness,” “righteousness,” etc., but because of his “implicit faith” in God. We know that the prophet Abraham did so many wrongs. For example, he lied, committed adultery, and had many girlfriends who had children for him; yet he was called “the friend of God.”
What distinguished Abraham from others in the scriptures and made him stand out clean was his faith. Paul, who himself was a filthy sinner before encountering the Good Master and Lord Jesus Christ, understood the secret and power of faith and wrote from his prison cell in Rome in Romans 4:3-8, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
Also, the author of Hebrews understood the secret and power of faith and wrote in Hebrews 11:8-19, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”
The prophet Abraham’s amazing friendship with the Almighty God is clearly revealed in 2 Chronicles 20:7, “Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?” Also, James 2:23 says, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”
Faith does not mean a person should ascribe to any form of laziness. Also, it does not mean it is acceptable to live in unrighteousness if you have faith, no! In life, we must always follow our convictions and conscience in a positive manner and strive to always do the right thing, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves. We, as God’s people, ought to recognize that faith is our only source to function in the fullness of our capacities as children of the Creator. Circumstances, obstacles, and challenges are all inevitable in life’s journey, but it is only our faith that makes us overcomers and more than conquerors. Solomon, who was the wisest man in his days, understood the secret power of faith and urged God’s people to trust in the Lord God Almighty with all our entire being and never depend on our human understanding or ability – Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD and depart from evil.”
The above scripture teaches that faith is total dependence on God for the manifestation of our heart desires. The Apostle Paul, who was a former Pharisee or that which would be considered in modern-day as a Ph.D. holder in theology, wrote and cautioned fellow believers that our faith must not stand in the wisdom (logic and reasoning) of men; rather, in the power of God – 1 Corinthians 2:5, “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” This suggests that our faith must never be based on our human ability, logic, reasoning, knowledge, or analysis of the circumstances. We must look beyond the circumstances, our physical sight, our human capacity, etc., and just trust and believe in God blindly, like a child, and see His great power manifesting in our lives. The Master Himself, understanding the human limitations in our circumstances, urged His followers in Matthew 19:26, “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, ‘With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible’.”
The above scripture tells us that it will always be impossible with men, especially considering our human abilities and limitations, unless God is fully involved in it. In addition, the psalmist wrote in Psalm 127:1, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” However, God’s involvement is based on our faith, and once we prove to be firm in our faith, all things will be possible for us, no matter how dire our circumstances may appear to be. Remember, if the Master, our Lord Jesus Christ, can cause money to come out of the mouth of the fish, He can also increase the amount in your bank account miraculously – Matthew 17:24-27, “And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinnest thou, Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.”
Your bank accounts are just numbers, so what does it take for God to change those numbers in your favor and increase them as you desire? It takes only faith and works! If you believe, all things are possible! God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and so is His power and miracle formula. Remember, Peter had to work long hours as a fisherman, and when he obeyed the Master in faith, a miracle took place. Therefore, it is your work (diligence) and faith that will produce your miracle. God knows how to turn the table around in your favor and He knows how to grant your heart's desire, only if you can believe and have faith – Malachi 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I changed not; therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Also, the author of the Book of Hebrews put it this way in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Faith, Work, Serving Others, and the Blessing of Sowing in Tears
As I have repeatedly stated in this book, specifically in chapter eight, time is an illusion, life itself is an illusion, and everything around us is an illusion that is perishable, just as our bodies are. Unfortunately, we often subject ourselves to the illusion of life and suffer unnecessarily. However, the good news is that God has adequately given us power and dominion over the illusions of life and time, yet many are still struggling to tap into this power and dominion and subject time to their control. For those who have discovered this power and dominion, the question is, “How do you utilize this power and dominion to subject time and the resources of life to your advantage and enjoy life in its fullness?”
First, we must humble ourselves in all circumstances and do whatever job is available and legal in the eyes of God and the law to survive, even if it means driving a taxi, taking deliveries, being a caregiver, or even cleaning someone’s toilet (excuse me to say). After all, a toilet is just processed food and waste from the body with a bad odor and appearance. Most importantly, you could honorably join the military and serve your country and fellow citizens with pride, or even join the police and help fight crime in your community. Ultimately, you could be a schoolteacher to serve society by imparting knowledge into the heads of the upcoming generation. The point is to do what we can do for now to survive, pay bills, serve, and get our lives together until we are mature enough and faith-ready to get where we desire to be or belong.
Second, we must recognize that life does not end in trials or in the process of serving or surviving unless we give up on God, our hope, our dreams (vision), our faith, and on life itself. The end only comes when we are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually ready for it and convince our spirits and minds to accept it. This is when the end finally comes! It is all wrapped around our beliefs and thoughts. As a matter of fact, trials are never the end of hope; instead, they are the beginning of a new chapter of hope in one’s life.
Therefore, let no man laugh at you because you are going through trials. They have no idea that trials do not break our eagle wings, but they only make our feathers wet. As soon as they are dry, we will fly high again.
It is important to recognize, in this regard, that we cannot become who we ought to be in life unless we humble ourselves in serving others through our work and job responsibilities. Humility in service is the secret to rising to the top. The Lord Jesus Christ, Yehoshua, understood this very profound life principle and revealed the following to His disciples in Matthew 20:27, “And whosoever will be chief (leader) among you, let him be your servant.” The question is, “Who have you sincerely served from the bottom of your heart and with all humility?” In this regard, if you are truly peaceful in your service to others but trouble finds you, God will shield you amid your trouble and fight for you to the end. However, if your aggression and negative character lead you into trouble, you will be forced to fight your way out of the mess that you created. For example, Joseph was very humble and peaceful in his service to his master, Potiphar, yet trouble came to him in Potiphar’s house, irrespective of his frantic efforts to avoid the trouble. This explains why God shielded him from all harms, deadly lies, and danger amid his troubles, and at the end of it all, God used his troubles as the channel through which he was elevated to a position of leadership in Egypt, the very nation of his enslavement. Remember, God always fights for the innocent to the end, irrespective of your foolish mistakes at times.
The point is that service or servanthood is the path and process to success and greatness. Almost all great leaders and successful people went through this difficult path. For example, most musicians and actors who became very successful and famous were naturally endowed with special talents and gifts; yet they did not just appear in Hollywood overnight or magically find themselves in the recording studio preparing to release a hit. No! They got on the street, struggled painfully, and they went through the process of service under people, they would not have served under normal circumstances. The true path to success and greatness is rough and tough, and often, we are left with no option but to serve with humility if we are to stand on our faith and belief. Most of these great people who made it through service were enriched with all the right gifts and talents and had everything they needed to make it in life; however, no one saw them or was willing to invest in them until the day they decided to humble themselves and wholeheartedly serve others. It was then that they got their break in the humble process of service. The Lord Jesus Christ metaphorically revealed this humble process of service and prosperity in John 12:24, “Verily, verily I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
The above scripture reveals that whenever we die to self and to our ego during the process of servanthood, which is when God brings out the best in us and sets us on the path to our destiny. Also, let us not forget that service is simply self-denial and putting others before you. Whenever we serve and put others first, we are sending the signal to God that we are ready to lead.
Milton Hershey, who became a multi-billionaire and is known to have built the largest chocolate factory in the world, served in many capacities and went through many painful trials in life, including filing for bankruptcy and being homeless at some point in his life. But amid it all, he courageously stood his ground, held on to his vision, kept his focus, and never gave up and never stopped trying. Today, his name and legacy will live on in our contemporary time because of his faith and belief. The secret is that when you are extremely frustrated with your condition, painfully desperate for miracles, exhausted in your quest for answers, and starving for change, Heaven will receive your signals; thus, the Angels of miracles, extraordinary favor, and blessings will immediately be dispatched to rescue you. However, if you are busy wallowing in self-pity and having suicidal thoughts, your rescue will take longer because it means that you are still struggling with your faith and belief and are not mature enough to receive the kind of blessings the Lord has in store for you.
In my sincere efforts to serve, I took on two extra jobs in addition to my company business and being a writer. Those two extra jobs were with Door Dash and Amazon. With Door Dash, I was humbly delivering food from restaurants to homes, hotels, and workplaces. I was doing this under all climatic conditions and during all seasons. Sometimes I would work until after midnight, risking my life by traveling to the darkest and most isolated places, in search of addresses that were not visible on the side of mailboxes or on the front of some homes. It was very risky, stressful, and sometimes very frustrating, especially in some predominantly white neighborhoods, where anyone could easily mistake you for a trespasser or criminal at such a late hour of the night. Nevertheless, I did not complain because I desperately wanted the opportunity to serve and, at the same time, take care of certain financial obligations. After all, faith is a risk worth dying for, and that was the kind of risk I took in serving to live. I call this “The Faith of the Four Lepers.”
