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paralleling ASFG 1 lesson on “FAITH”
(pages 41 and 42)
Where Faith Abounds and Self-Analysis Necessary
1. The Example of Peter — Faith Tested in Action
Peter’s moment of walking on water (Matthew 14:28-31) shows that faith is not just belief—it requires trust in the midst of fear. Peter began in faith but faltered when he looked at the storm rather than Christ. Jesus’ gentle rebuke, “O ye of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31), reminds us that doubt weakens our spiritual power.
Like Peter, we often step out in trust but then let our senses and fears shake us. The lesson: keep your eyes on Christ, not the storm. As Hebrews 12:2 urges, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”
2. Faith as the Measure of Supply
Cayce teaches that God’s provision is limited only by our faith. Jesus affirmed this truth repeatedly:
“According to your faith be it unto you.” — Matthew 9:29
Faith opens the channel for divine supply—mental, spiritual, and physical. Healing and abundance flow when belief becomes application, not just affirmation (James 2:17). To live by faith means acting as though God’s promise is already true.
3. The Israelites and Dependence on God
The Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16; Deuteronomy 8:2-3) lived forty years wholly dependent on divine provision—manna each day, water from the rock. The lesson is not about the substance itself but the trust it represented. They learned, “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
Faith was their daily exercise; each morning they had to believe again. So must we.
4. Pharaoh’s Hardened Heart — Free Will and Testing
When Scripture says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 9:12), it expresses how divine law tests human will. Pharaoh’s own pride caused resistance. God’s purpose was to prove His people’s faith—just as our trials today reveal our inner trust (1 Peter 1:7).
The question Cayce raises is timeless: Do we trust God when the way seems impossible? Faith walks through parted seas while reason waits for an explanation.
5. Faith Beyond the World’s Wisdom
Modern minds seek scientific proof, but “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). To “believe that He is” (Hebrews 11:6) requires inward knowing, not outward evidence. Cayce reminds us that spiritual perception begins within: faith is a lens that reveals divine cause behind material appearance.
6. Self-Analysis and Active Faith
Cayce’s section “Self-Analysis Necessary” aligns with James 1:22: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Reflection without action stagnates the soul. The mind must be set right—the “builder” of our lives—but then faith must move.
As Jesus said, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Faith must energize behavior, not merely sentiment.
7. Patterning After Christ
When our ideal is Christ, all other needs find their place (Matthew 6:33). Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14) illustrates divine multiplication: where there is gratitude and faith, there is abundance. Miracles are not violations of natural law—they are the fulfillment of spiritual law through faith.
8. Growth, Ideals, and the Power of the Mind
Cayce says, “We cannot rise higher than our ideal.” This echoes Proverbs 23:7: “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” If our minds dwell on weakness, we reinforce it; if we fix them on divine strength, we are transformed.
Paul wrote, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Prayer should not deny weakness but ask for strength: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
9. Overcoming Little Things
Big trials are made of small daily choices. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). Mastering little habits—thoughts, words, tempers—prepares us for greater victories. Faith is practiced moment by moment, not only in crises.
10. Standing Still and Moving Forward
Faith knows when to act and when to wait. “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13) does not mean passivity but peaceful readiness. When we have done all we can, we wait in stillness until God gives the next impulse. Then we move forward in confidence.
Isaiah 30:15 says, “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.”
11. The Battle Is the Lord’s
Finally, Cayce concludes with 1 Samuel 17:47: “The battle is the Lord’s.” Our task is faithfulness; the outcome belongs to God. If we “call upon Him,” He promises, “I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things” (Jeremiah 33:3).
Faith frees us—mentally, physically, and spiritually—to live as children of God. Victory is not achieved by force but by steadfast trust.
Summary Thought
Faith is not blind optimism; it is spiritual sight. It looks beyond circumstances to the eternal reality of God’s presence and provision. To live “where faith abounds” is to walk as Peter did toward Christ, to trust as Israel did in the desert, and to build one’s life as Jesus taught—on the rock of doing, believing, and loving.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7
The Power and Practice of Living Faith
1. Faith as the Foundation of Spiritual Growth
Faith is the cornerstone of spiritual life. It is the invisible power that connects the human heart to divine law. Without faith, our material and mental efforts remain limited, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).
Peter’s experience walking on water (Matthew 14:28–31) illustrates this truth. When he kept his eyes on Jesus, he stood upon the waves; when he focused on fear, he sank. Faith, then, must be sustained—not momentary. It is the inner knowing that God is present and able.
2. Dependence on God — The Example of Israel
Like the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4–15), we are called to depend upon divine provision daily. Whether the manna was physical or symbolic matters little; what matters is that the people acted on faith. God provided as they trusted. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) echoes that same spiritual principle.
True faith does not demand visible cause; it acts in trust. As Jesus said, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
3. Self-Analysis Necessary — The Mind as Builder
Mental and spiritual harmony are more vital than physical strength. “Free the mind and the battle is almost won.” The mind shapes reality, for “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
We must know in whom we believe (2 Timothy 1:12) and align our ideals with that divine pattern—Christ. Faith must be continually examined, refined, and reinforced. Through prayer and self-analysis, we discover where we are weak and seek the Spirit’s strength.
Cayce reminds: freeing the mind is not enough; we must do something with it. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Faith is active, not passive—it expresses itself through works of love and service.
4. Reward of Faith — The Measure We Give
Our spiritual and material blessings are in direct proportion to our exercised faith. Jesus declared, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29). Faith sets the measure of what we can receive, for God’s supply is limitless.
“Prove Me now,” says the Lord, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven” (Malachi 3:10). This is not testing God arrogantly, but trusting His promise with expectancy. The faithful soul becomes a channel for blessing—“a vessel unto honor” (2 Timothy 2:21).
5. The Faith of the Heroes — Our Example
Hebrews 11 celebrates those who “through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises.” They lived not by sight, but by unseen conviction. Though some “received not the promise,” their steadfast faith prepared a better way for those who followed (Hebrews 11:32–40).
We, too, are surrounded by this “great cloud of witnesses.” Therefore, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2).
6. The Battle and the Victory
“The battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). Our task is faithfulness, not control. When we surrender our will to divine guidance, we become instruments through which the Spirit works. Jesus promised, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth” (John 14:16–17).
Faith’s reward is inner peace, strength of purpose, and the quiet assurance that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).
Conclusion: Living Where Faith Abounds
Faith is more than belief—it is the living awareness of divine reality expressed in action, trust, and perseverance.
To live “where faith abounds” means:
To see God in every circumstance,
To act with courage when sight fails,
To refine the mind through spiritual self-analysis,
And to trust that every challenge is a step toward greater understanding.
As Cayce’s lesson affirms: “The battle is the Lord’s, and we have only to remain faithful.”
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7
Affirmation — “Faith Made Living”
“I rest in the strength of God within me.
My faith is the bridge between the unseen and the seen.
I walk forward in trust, knowing that the battle is the Lord’s.
With every breath, I open my heart to divine guidance and say,
‘Be it unto me according to Thy word.’ (Luke 1:38)”
Repeat this affirmation upon waking or when faced with doubt. Let the words move from thought into feeling.
Prayer — “O Lord, Strengthen My Faith”
Heavenly Father, Source of all life and love,
I thank Thee for the measure of faith already within me.
Help me to keep my eyes upon Christ when the storms arise,
as Peter did upon the water. When fear and doubt surround me,
remind me that Thou art near and Thy hand upholds me.
Teach me to act upon faith, to trust Thy unseen guidance
more than the world’s wisdom.
Let my thoughts be centered in Thee,
that my works may reveal Thy light.
Cleanse my mind of restlessness,
renew my courage, and make my heart steadfast.
May I daily prove Thy promise:
“According to your faith be it unto you.”
In the name of the Living Christ, Amen.
Meditation — “Standing Still in the Light”
Preparation:
Sit quietly. Breathe deeply and evenly. Let each breath remind you: God is the life within me.
Focus Thought:
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
Inner Contemplation:
As your body relaxes, turn awareness inward.
Sense a calm light at the center of your being — the Christ Presence.
Let this light expand with each breath until it surrounds and fills you.
Silently repeat:
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.” — Psalm 28:7
Feel gratitude. See faith as quiet certainty, not effort — a gentle knowing that God is at work through you.
Rest in that awareness.
Close:
When ready, whisper:
“Father, Thy will be done in me, through me, and as me. I walk in faith.”
Remain a moment in silence, then carry the peace you feel into your daily actions.
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