From the Elder's Pen "Faith" 4/14/02 Past/Future Articles

     “I have kept the faith” was the declaration of the apostle Paul when he was “ready to be offered.”  In Matthew 17:20, we read: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
     It seems that a living faith always challenges our best qualities.  Men are always at their highest when urged on by supreme faith in God.  No matter what the task may be, our faith can be increased by studying the Bible (God’s word).  Our daily studies will enable us better to ask our Father in Heaven to increase our faith so that we can truly follow in the steps of the great heroes of faith.  Some of these great heroes of faith are mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews.
     It was this type of faith that held the apostles together from the ascension of Jesus until Pentecost that brought them, “the power from on high.”  They were able to convince three thousand that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
     This victorious faith is needed today.  “But without faith it is impossible to please Him:  For He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:16).
     It was this type of faith that made Moses the greatest lawgiver of all times and gave to the world a code of laws that has been copied into all the system of law in all civilized nations.
     Let each one study the subject “Faith” and be more like Christ.