Let's take a closer look at faith, firm belief in something for which there is no logical, material, or absolute proof, a closer look belief, trust, loyalty to God or any set of beliefs, or principles, belief in the truth, value or trustworthiness of an idea, principle person or thing,reliance,allegiance, or hope. When I look closer might I find that faith has been misuse it has been said that faith attracts rewards, but faith is a reward when examined by definition faith needs no proof neither does it require proof that can be seen, handle or demonstrated.

I vaguely remember Jesus the great faith teacher saying that proof was for the unbeliever but in the times we live in a group of people have been taught to believe that faith is demonstrated by rewards in the form of miracles, we have been taught that faith is the hand that takes from God but Jesus taught that faith was the hand extended to God

Case in point the woman with the issues of blood did she use her hand to take or to reach let's look Matt. 9:20-22 "And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment I shall be made whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith has made thee whole." Let's look a little close she heard, she came, she saw, she reached was made whole. So her faith had works, but she did not take she received according to her faith and her determination to touch. The Bible gives account after account of people seeking Jesus out with determination and every time it is rewarded as being faith. If you examine the scripture you will see that all that received by faith did these four things while believing they came, heard, saw and reached out.

Which shows that faith has works or if you like a unique way of working in the life of the believer the one who believes? The believer dos not expect to receive he only desires to touch the giver. The woman with the issues of blood believes that if she touched Jesus he was capable of healing regardless of her ability to receive healing. Let's examine another case where Jesus rewards faith, Matthew 8:5 "and when Jesus was entered into Capernaum; there came into him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy grievously tormented ,and Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed, for I am a man under authority having soldiers under me: And I say to this man. Go, and he goeth, and unto another, come, and he cometh and to my servant, do this and he doeth. When Jesus heard it he marveled, and said to them that followed Verily I say unto you I have found so great faith not even in Israel."The centurion heared, came, saw and believed he was rewarded not for receiving but recognizing the authority of Jesus.

Unless the wording is incorrect the faith is in the authority of the giver which the receiver recognizes in depends on. So faith is directly tied to belief in the giver in requires four components coming, hearing, seeing, reaching out to the giver Jesus. You may ask how I can reach for Jesus today its simple faith knows that he is available remember part of the definition of faith is allegiance, and unbreakable bond and we know that Jesus promise to never forsake or leave us do I believe he cares for me, that he has not left me comfortless.

I have come to believe that faith has nothing to do with my ability to receive it's about my willingness to reach out for Jesus and to believe his teachings and trust that his word will never fail the Centurion was rewarded for understanding the authority of Jesus that authority is the same today as it was the day the centurion acknowledge it.

After Jesus was gone the disciples still directed believers to look unto Jesus as the author and finisher of their faith, faith that works has always sought God out in second Kings Naaman the Syrian general comes to Samaria because he heard a prophet of God was present he heard, came, saw, reached out to the man of God and he left heal.

The scripture are full of accounts that demonstrate faith in action that works and it always reaches out to God faith is about reaching not taking draw near to God and he will draw near to us when God draws near then and only then do we receive.

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