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paralleling ASFG 1 lesson on “FAITH”
Where Faith Abounds
BIBLE READING: Hebrews 11:35-40
(pages 39 and 40)
Faith, the Inner Witness, and the Courage to Believe
1. Seeking Truth Through Inner Experience
The ASFG lesson and Cayce’s commentary remind us that faith begins with seeking — not blind acceptance.
“We are all seekers after truth… reasoning with ourselves in order that we may answer for the faith that lies within.”
Faith is not inherited or imposed; it is personally tested and proven. Hebrews 11:39–40 declares that the saints of old “obtained a good report through faith,” though they did not receive the full promise in their lifetime. They knew in whom they believed, and that was enough to sustain them.
This echoes the heart of Where Faith Abounds:
“Only into the heart that is free from selfish love can there come a faith that will sustain in all conditions of life.”
True seekers test truth not by logic alone, but by living it — finding that what is divine proves itself in daily life. As Paul urges:
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.” — 2 Corinthians 13:5
Faith is therefore not passive belief, but reasoned conviction confirmed by inner witness and experience.
2. Faith and Confidence — Two Different Powers
Cayce distinguishes between faith and confidence:
“Conditions may arise to make us lose confidence in individuals, but it doesn't necessarily follow that we lose faith in the ability of the individual.”
Confidence is human trust — fragile and dependent on behavior. Faith, however, is spiritual assurance in God’s power working through the human soul.
When we lose confidence in others, we can still love and believe in the divine spark within them. This parallels Paul’s teaching:
“We walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7
Faith does not depend on appearances but on the unchanging nature of God within creation. The ASFG lesson likewise teaches that “where there is real faith, there is no fear,” for faith rests in the abiding love of the Father, not in the changing behavior of people.
3. The Inner Witness: Knowing That We Please God
Cayce cites the example of Enoch:
“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death… for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” — Hebrews 11:5
How did Enoch know he pleased God? By the inner witness of the Spirit:
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” — Romans 8:16
This is the secret of living faith — not speculation, but direct awareness of divine harmony within. When our thoughts, words, and deeds reflect love, peace, and truth, the Spirit confirms: “You are Mine.”
Cayce insists this experience is open to all:
“If that was done once, it may be done again… by faith we may be able to know what God would have us do, irrespective of the world.”
As Hebrews 11:6 declares:
“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.”
Faith thus becomes the way of communion — our spiritual senses awakened to the living presence of God.
4. Tested Faith: The Path of the Elders (Hebrews 11:35–40)
The heroes of faith — those “of whom the world was not worthy” — endured unimaginable trials:
“They were tortured, not accepting deliverance… they wandered in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” — Hebrews 11:35–38
Their perseverance mirrors the message of Where Faith Abounds:
“When faith abides within, we have true freedom… and the peace that passes understanding.”
Faith tested by suffering becomes faith perfected by endurance. Each trial is not punishment but refinement — the soul learning to trust the unseen hand of God.
Cayce’s reading challenges us:
“How many of us ever undertake to prove God to ourselves?... How many of us have had God Himself tell us the correct path?”
Faith is not complete until it is tried and lived. The saints obtained their “good report” because they acted “as if they believed it” — faith in action, not mere words.
5. Faith and Divine Partnership
Cayce beautifully declares that God needs no favors from man, but chooses to work through us:
“In ministering to the children of men, God has chosen us to be His ministers… to carry out their prayers and supplications.”
This teaching harmonizes with James 2:17:
“Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
When we answer the call to serve others — to become the answer to someone’s prayer — we act as divine partners. Faith becomes creative cooperation with God.
As Paul writes:
“For we are laborers together with God.” — 1 Corinthians 3:9
6. The Reward of a Tested Faith
Cayce concludes with a metaphor:
“If God commands me to jump through the wall, it's my job to do the jumping and God's job to put me through the wall.”
This is not blind faith — it is obedient trust. It echoes Abraham’s readiness to obey without seeing the outcome (Hebrews 11:8–10). When faith is rightly placed, God provides both strength and direction.
Those who “seek a better country” (Hebrews 11:16) are those whose faith looks beyond this world to the eternal reality “whose builder and maker is God.”
Faith, then, is not a human gamble — it is divine certainty. It invites us to act as though the unseen is already real, and in doing so, we bring heaven nearer to earth.
7. The Cloud of Witnesses — Encouragement to Persevere
Cayce closes with Hebrews 12:1:
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses… let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
The saints of Hebrews 11, the faithful of every age, and the Spirit within us all testify that faith works. Each act of trust adds to the “cloud” that surrounds and sustains humanity’s spiritual evolution.
“Where Faith Abounds” reminds us that faith conquers fear; Cayce adds that faith enables us to “prove God” through experience. Together, they call us to live as conscious co-workers with the Divine — humble, steadfast, and radiant with the light of truth.
Summary Table: Faith, the Inner Witness, and the Eternal Reward
Principle - Scripture - Spiritual Insight
Faith is personal discovery, not blind belief - 2 Corinthians 13:5; Hebrews 11:39–40 - Truth must be lived and experienced
Faith transcends human confidence - 2 Corinthians 5:7 - Trust the divine power, not appearances
Faith brings inner witness - Romans 8:16; Hebrews 11:5–6 - The Spirit confirms we please God
Faith endures suffering - Hebrews 11:35–38 - Trials refine and perfect the soul
Faith expresses itself in service - James 2:17; 1 Corinthians 3: - God works through our compassionate action
Faith is active trust - Hebrews 11:8–10 - Obedience turns the unseen into reality
Faith joins us with the great cloud of witnesses - Hebrews 12:1 - Our faith adds to God’s continuing revelation
Affirmation
I am a seeker of divine truth.
The Spirit within bears witness that I am God’s child.
I trust not in appearances but in eternal reality.
My faith is tested, and through it, perfected.
I act as if God’s promise is already fulfilled.
Through faith, I live, move, and have my being in Him.
Prayer:
Father of Light and Eternal Truth,
You who are the Source of all faith and the Giver of all good,
I come before You as a seeker, longing to know and to trust You more.
When doubt clouds my understanding, let Your Spirit bear witness within me
that I am Your child, beloved and secure.
When weakness whispers that I am unworthy,
remind me that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness.
Grant me the courage of those who endured trials by faith —
who saw the unseen, who believed when there was no proof,
who walked through darkness holding only to Your light.
Teach me, like Enoch, to please You in thought and deed,
to walk with You until fear gives way to joy.
Let me serve as Your hands to answer another’s prayer,
Your voice to speak peace into troubled hearts,
Your heart to love those who falter and fail.
I release all faith that is based in appearance or personality
and place my whole trust in Your abiding Presence.
May I live as one of that great cloud of witnesses —
strong, steadfast, radiant with the light of Christ within.
Through faith, let me see beyond the veil of circumstance
to the city whose Builder and Maker is God.
Amen.
Meditation: “The Inner Witness of Faith”
Scripture Focus:
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” — Romans 8:16
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” — Hebrews 12:2
Preparation:
Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably.
Close your eyes. Take three slow, deep breaths.
With each exhale, release tension and thoughts of the outer world.
With each inhale, draw in peace, as if breathing the very life of God.
1. Center in Stillness
Visualize yourself standing in a gentle field of golden light.
Above you, a radiant sun shines — warm, calm, unwavering.
This is the Presence of God — the Source of all strength and certainty.
2. Awaken the Inner Flame
Bring your awareness to the center of your being — your heart.
See within it a small, steady flame.
This is your faith — quiet but eternal, given to you before birth.
As you breathe, see this flame grow brighter.
Each breath feeds it; each doubt that arises becomes fuel for its strength.
3. Hear the Divine Whisper
In the silence, listen inwardly.
Hear the still, small voice of Spirit saying:
“You are My beloved child.
I am with you in every step, every choice, every challenge.”
Let these words settle deep within you.
Feel peace spreading through your mind, your heart, your whole being.
4. Affirm the Truth
Silently repeat:
“The Spirit within me bears witness to the truth.
I am guided by divine wisdom.
My faith is light, strong, and creative.
God’s power works through me now.”
5. Expand the Light
See your inner flame extending outward —
filling your entire body, your surroundings,
and radiating through the world.
See this light touching others —
strengthening the weary, healing the sorrowful,
rekindling faith wherever it has grown dim.
6. Rest in Oneness
Now rest in the awareness that you and God are one.
There is no distance, no separation — only communion.
Faith is not striving, but remembering.
In this stillness, you know that all is well.
Closing Thought:
“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death.” — Hebrews 11:5
As you return to waking awareness, let this truth remain:
Faith is the living bridge between heaven and earth,
between your spirit and the heart of God.
Carry the light you have awakened within,
and let your life itself become your prayer.
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