Program 112: Steps to increase your faith

Learn practical tips on how to grow and strengthen your faith.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Hello and a warm welcome to WLC Radio. I’m Miles Robey and joining me is Dave Wright.

Dave Wright: Welcome! Thank you for tuning in!

I’m really excited about the program we’ve planned for today. It’s all about faith. We’re going to be sharing some simple, practical steps you can do to nurture faith in your life.

Miles: If you’ve joined us before, you know that at WLC, we prefer, whenever possible, to use the personal name of the Creator. Scripture urges us to “call upon the name of the Lord,” but how can you do that if you don’t know what His name is?

Dave: And it doesn’t actually say to “call upon the name of the Lord.” The original Hebrew inserts His name, which is Yahuwah, or Yah. So what the Bible is telling us to do is to call upon the name of Yahuwah.

Miles: There’s a good reason for that. The name of Yah comes from the Hebrew verb of being, hayah. We’re not used to using a verb of being as a name, but that’s the Father’s name.

Dave: And it fits! Any verb of being—am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been—all of those perfectly reflect the fact that His existence is the originating source of everything else, and that He is the only self-existent being that is, that was, or ever shall be.

That in itself is a promise that He will never leave you or forsake you. He will always … be … right there for you.

Miles: Hebrew names were always very rich in meaning, weren’t they? The Saviour’s name isn’t Jesus but is actually Yahushua, which also describes what he is. He’s “Yahuwah’s salvation.”

Dave: You might also hear us use the words “el” or “elohim.” These are Hebrew titles used throughout the Old Testament that refer to the Father. In fact, in your modern translation, most times you see the word “god,” the actual word in Hebrew is “elohim.”

Miles: All right. Faith. I’ve been looking forward to today’s program because faith is so crucial to the Christian walk.

Dave: Without faith, doubts not only creep in, but they take over and soon there is nothing left of that vital connection between the soul and our Maker.

Miles: Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him,” so today Dave is going to share some practical, simple steps on how we can increase our faith.

Dave: Let’s start by defining precisely what faith is. While you look that up, I’ve got a story that illustrates why faith is so important.

I read this story years ago when I was reading a biography of the life of an English lord. I don’t remember who it was; just that he lived in the late eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries. Sometime around there.

Now, on his estate, there was this rock wall he wanted demolished. I think he was planning on using gun powder or something. Anyway, his little boy wanted to be there to watch it demolished and the nobleman—whoever he was—had promised his son that he’d make sure the boy was there to see it.

Miles: So, what happened?

Dave: Well, as it happened, his workers didn’t get the memo to wait and went ahead and demolished the wall even though the boy wasn’t there. I don’t know whether he was away at school or what, but he wasn’t there.

Miles: What did the father do?

Dave: What would you do?

Miles: Well, I’d probably apologize to my son. Tell him the men hadn’t known they were to wait and so they’d gone ahead and taken it down.

Dave: Yeah. That’s probably what I’d do, too. But that’s not what this father did. He had given his word to his son that the boy could watch and he wanted his son to know he could trust his father’s word. He had the workmen rebuild the wall, just so he could keep his promise to his boy.

Miles: You’ve got to be kidding. He actually paid his workmen to rebuild the wall, just so he could tear it down again.

Dave: No. He went to the extra expense of having the wall rebuilt so that he could honor his promise to his son. This man knew that a promise is only as good as the faith the other person has in the promise-giver’s word.

Miles: Good point. Time was, when a man’s word was his bond. Business deals were sealed with a handshake—no paperwork or monetary deposit was necessary.

Dave: The nobleman was a very wise father. He knew that for his son to be able to trust his father’s word, the boy had to have faith that his daddy would always keep his promises.

Go ahead and read the definition of “faith” now. What does it say.

Miles: It says faith is, quote: “Belief; the assent [or agreement] of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence.” Unquote.

Dave: Faith is nothing more, nothing less, than the absolute confidence that what someone is telling you is the truth, without needing any other evidence to back it up.

Miles: Put like that, I can see why a father would bend over backwards to keep his word to his son. And I can see Yahuwah doing that, too. He knows our faith in His promises is vital to overcoming.

So, practically speaking, what are some specific steps we can take to increase our faith in Yah?

Dave: The first thing to do is to realize that faith itself is a gift. Romans 12 verse 3 tells us Yah “has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” This is key to increasing your faith because while faith is necessary to claim the promises of Yah, faith itself is a gift!

Miles: I’ve read Romans 12:3 before, but it’s never really sunk in that it’s a gift, too. I guess I’ve had this idea that faith is like this rare spiritual accomplishment, some people have attained while others haven’t.

Dave: You’re not the only one. Bruce McConkie wrote, quote: “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God’s laws, the greater will be the endowment of faith.”

Miles: Hm. The words sound “righteous” but …

Dave: I know. “But.”

It’s a mixture of truth and error. That’s the problem. The truth is that faith is a gift. But the error is that it’s a gift given only to the righteous as a reward for personal righteousness.

Miles: It contradicts Romans 12:3 that says Yah has given everyone the gift of faith.

Dave: And “personal righteousness” is not a prerequisite!

Think about it: let’s say a person has made some poor choices and landed himself in jail. The fear, the stress … it’s all overwhelming and in his hour of need he turns to Yah.

You can’t say he’s righteous!

Miles: No.

Dave: So, in his hour of need, feeling the depths into which he has sunk, if he turns to Yah and prays, “Lord, I do believe; help thou mine unbelief,” [Mark 9:24] is Yahuwah going to refuse to gift him with more faith just because he lacks personal righteousness?

Miles: Of course not! In fact, this whole idea that faith is a reward for personal righteousness also contradicts Romans 3:10-12. Listen to this. It says, quote:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after Yah.
They have all turned aside …”

Dave: Perfect. So this idea that faith is some special spiritual attainment is wrong. Yes, faith is necessary to overcoming. It’s vital. But it’s also a gift of divine grace.

Earlier you quoted Hebrews 11:6, but only the first part of the verse. Why don’t you turn there and read the entire thing? This can shed some light on the issue.

Miles: Got it. It says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Yah must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Dave: If you want to increase your faith, the first thing to do is to go to Yah and ask Him for more. You can’t please Him without it, but it’s not something you can conjure up in yourself. It’s a gift … but it’s one you can ask for.

Miles: I think, too, it’s important to realize that because it’s a gift, we’ve got to accept it, if we want it. Yah never forces anyone to accept His gifts. We’ve got the power, the Yah-given right to reject His gifts. So, if you want more faith, I think it’s important to make a conscious choice to not only ask for more faith, but to accept it.

Dave: And remember, too, that faith is not a feeling. I think this is where a lot of people get confused. They assume that if they have faith, they’ve got this nice, warm feeling. But that’s not faith at all.

Remember the definition you read?

Miles: Faith is the assent or agreement of the mind that what someone else is saying is indeed the truth, without needing any other evidence. That’s one step further than belief.

Dave: That sort of confidence comes only when you know the other person enough to trust him.

So, that’s the next step to increasing your faith: get to know Yahuwah for yourself.

Miles: Oh, yeah. When it comes to salvation, it’s not what you know but who you know.

We don’t talk about this much, but Ezekiel 14 verse 20 spells it out. It says, quote: “Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith Yahuwah Eloah, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”

Dave: The only way we can do that is investing time in a personal relationship with our Maker. It’s not what church you go to; it’s not what your pastor says. In fact, that can make it harder to accept new truth.

Ultimately, it comes down to: do you know Yahuwah for yourself?

Miles: So, what’s the best way to do that?

Dave: Spend time with Him! Not just a hurried prayer in the morning as you rush out the door. Read and meditate on His word. If you drive to work, listen to uplifting music. If you take the train, spend that time memorizing Scripture.

Let your thoughts turn to Him throughout the day. Get to know Him as a person.

Miles: I like that: getting to know Yah as a person. Psalm 34 verse 8 says: “O taste and see that Yahuwah is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.”

That’s an invitation to do more than just sit in a pew once or twice a week and listen to someone else talk about him.

Dave: The only way anyone can accept the word of Yah at face value, not needing any other evidence, is if he or she has gotten to know Him on a very personal, deeply intimate level.

If you want to increase your faith, make it a habit to start exercising faith on a daily basis. Search for a promise that fits your need and claim it! Pray very specifically. It’s been said that faith is a plant that will grow quickly when nurtured. So, start nurturing it! The way you do that is by choosing to make it a daily habit to exercise faith.

Miles: I remember Elise O’Brien talking about a friend of hers whose family went through a difficult time. The friend got these large pieces of paper and wrote promises on them, then posted them all over her house: doors, stair landings, the refrigerator, any flat surface where her eyes would rest while walking through the house.

She said it felt like being surrounded by Yah’s personal presence, like a … giant hug.

Dave: I remember that. She said, at first, it was difficult to trust 100% in the promises because it was a scary, dangerous situation for her family.

Miles: Right. So, even though she didn’t emotionally “feel” it, she made a conscious choice to trust the promises, regardless of her feelings. And Yah brought the family through, unscathed.

The net effect was that this woman and her family had a deeper, more personal knowledge of Yahuwah for themselves than they’d ever had before.

Dave: I believe it. There’s nothing that builds faith quite like tasting and seeing that Yah is good for yourself.

Miles: Amen.

We’ll be right back with more practical steps on how to increase faith.

* * *

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Sunday-keepers claim Galatians teaches the Sabbath was nailed to the cross. Saturday-keepers use the same texts to claim Yahuwah's feasts are no longer binding. And everyone claims that the "weak and beggarly elements" mentioned in Galatians 4, refers to Israelite law they say is no longer binding on Christians today.

However, once you have an understanding of the issues involved, you quickly realize that Paul is saying something entirely different. If it were possible for Yah’s law to be changed or set aside, Yahushua would not have needed to die! Yah could have just changed the wages of sin to being some punishment other than death.

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: You were just saying that there’s nothing quite like tasting and seeing that Yah is good for yourself to build faith. What does that look like on a day-to-day basis? Practically speaking, just how do we “taste and see” that Yah is good?

Dave: I think one of the best ways is simply to make it a daily habit to claim the promises. If faith is a plant that will grow quickly when nurtured, start nurturing it! Look for promises that fit your current situation and make it a point to claim those promises!

Smith Wigglesworth was a British evangelist, born in 1859.

Miles laughs: Smith Wigglesworth? His mummy hate him or something?

Dave laughs: I don’t think so. Regardless of his name, he was quite influential in the early history of Pentecostalism. Now, I don’t agree with everything he believed, but he said something once that I thought was quite insightful. He said: “Fear looks; faith jumps.”

When you were little, did your mum or dad ever tell you, “Jump and I’ll catch you”?

Miles: Sure!

Dave: What did you do?

Miles: I jumped!

Dave: And what did they do?

Miles: They caught me, of course!

Dave: Actually, there’s no “of course” about it. I read the story once of a little boy whose daddy told him “Jump and I’ll catch you.” The lad jumped … and the father let the little boy fall on the floor.

Miles: That’s horrible. What a way to destroy trust.

Dave: The little boy was obviously hurt, both physically and emotionally, and as he cried, his father told him: “Remember this and never trust anyone.”

Apparently, the little boy was P. T. Barnum, an American showman of the mid-19^th century. A phrase widely attributed to him is the statement: “There’s a sucker born every minute.”

Miles: What a terrible thing to do to a trusting child.

Dave: Now contrast that with your experience as a child. The first time your parents said, “Jump and I’ll catch you,” did you immediately jump?

Miles: Well … If I’m being strictly honest, no. I was worried that they’d drop me or miss. But I eventually jumped and they did, in fact, catch me.

Dave: So, the next time they said, “Jump and I’ll catch you,” was there as much hesitation?

Miles: No. I jumped right off. In fact, I remember one time my father almost did drop me because he wasn’t expecting me to jump. But he still caught me. I jumped because, by that point, I had every confidence that he’d catch me. He’d proven he could and would, so I had no worries.

Dave: Your personal experience taught you that you could trust Mum and Dad to do what they said.

That’s how it is with Yahuwah. When we find ourselves in trouble and we don’t know what to do: we need wisdom, help, deliverance, money, healing, a job, whatever—and we then claim a promise, choosing to trust Yah’s word, our faith will grow exponentially. But it’s not going to grow if we never exercise it.

Miles: I like your use of the word “exercise” in this context. Yes, faith is a gift, but it works rather like a muscle, doesn’t it? A muscle grows stronger when it is (slightly) damaged. Then, when the muscle is allowed to rest, it grows stronger in the repair process.

That’s what faith does, when you think about it. It grows stronger when it’s stressed, or under pressure.

Speaking for myself, I know sometimes I’m so desperate to get out of a stressful situation, that resolving the problem consumes my focus when, in reality, Yah may very well be allowing it, just so that I can exercise my faith and grow it stronger!

Dave: I think we all tend to get impatient when we’re stressed or hurting. We point to Isaiah 65:24 and pray, “See, Father? Right here You say: ‘Before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.’ Okay. I’m calling now, so where’s my answer already?”

Miles: Sounds about right. I know I’ve prayed that sort of prayer before.

Dave: It becomes, by default, our favorite promise to claim. But what we need to be doing is learning patience and that it is safe, in all circumstances, to wait upon Yahuwah.

Turn to Psalm 27. This passage really addresses this issue. It opens with the well-known declaration: “Yahuwah is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? Yahuwah is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?”

But I want you to read how this psalm ends. Would you read verses 13 and 14 of Psalm 27, please?

Miles: It says:

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of Yahuwah
In the land of the living.

Wait on Yahuwah;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on Yahuwah!

Dave: Trials have a purpose, and if we will remember that, then instead of immediately demanding deliverance, we will trust in Yah even when we don’t see how deliverance will come. In fact, troubles are specifically designed to teach us lessons in faith! And the sooner we learn to submit, the easier it will be.

Instead of looking at the difficulties, we need to be grateful for the opportunity we have to see Yah work on our behalf! We need to trust Him and thank Him for the chance to have our faith increased!

Miles: This is really speaking to my own heart. I can see where I need to learn patience and trust. It reminds me of Peter’s words in 1 Peter 4, verses 12 and 13.

Give me just a second to find it … Here we go. It says: ^“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

Dave: That’s beautiful! Thank you for sharing that passage. It brings me to the next point on how to increase your faith and that is: be grateful. When, in the midst of stress, trial, fear, and doubt, you can express gratitude, your faith will be strengthened. Would you read 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16 to 18 for us? I think this passage says it best.

Miles: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of Yah in Christ Yahushua for you.”

Dave: It is impossible to doubt when you’re actively praising Yah. It’s impossible to give in to fear, when you’re focused on the many ways He has blessed you and delivered you in the past.

Miles: That’s true. When you’re thanking Yah for His blessings, your focus is not on the mountain in front of you, but on the handholds that will get you over the mountain.

I know in my own experience that when I’m focused on praising Yah, even in the midst of difficulties, I start to see possibilities, openings, and opportunities I didn’t see when I was focusing only on the problem.

Dave: At first, it can be hard to change your focus, but it does get easier. Start with a mental list of all the things you’re thankful for. It’s a great way to go to sleep at night, reviewing the day and all the ways you see Yah provided for you and your family that day.

And the more you do this, the more faith with grow in your heart. When you’re aware of Yah’s presence, when you take the time to notice the blessings He is constantly pouring out, your heart will respond with love. Love awakens love.

That love will then increase your confidence in His word which, in turn, builds more faith. It’s a beautiful process!

Miles: It really is. One thing that has really helped me in gaining stronger faith is actually really simple. Any of us, under any circumstances can do it, and that is to simply immerse myself in the word of Yah.

Let me read to you from Romans 10. Verse … here we go. It’s verse 17. It says: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Yah.”

When you immerse your mind in the promises of Yah, your faith will increase!

Dave: You can’t get more clear than that.

Miles: You really can’t! Immerse yourself in the word of Yah and your faith will grow.

Dave: The reason for that is beautiful and that is that the word of Yah contains supernatural power to accomplish what that word says. I know we’ve touched on this theme before, but for those who haven’t heard of this concept before, let’s talk about it. Would you turn to Isaiah 55—

Miles: Already turning there. This is a great passage. Really faith inspiring. If you missed our earlier programs on how to access divine power, it’s not too late to listen to them. We upload the audio files to our website.

WorldsLastChance.com and click on the WLC Radio icon. Then, scroll down. There are two programs in particular that address this. One is entitled “The most powerful promise in the universe” [#87] and the other is “Learn how to access divine power!” [#86]

They’re both really good. Okay. Isaiah 55 …?

Dave: Start reading at verse 6.

Miles: All right. It says:

Seek Yahuwah while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to Yahuwah,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

Dave: Now, right there! That’s a promise! We worship a god of love; a god who forgives. Yahuwah is saying if we will return to Him, He will have mercy upon us. That’s a promise. One you can trust though the heavens fall.

Okay. Go on.

Miles:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says Yahuwah.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Dave: Now listen; He’s going to use a simile. He’s going to liken His word to rain and the effect it has on dry ground.

Miles:

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It—

Dave: Yah’s word.

Miles: –Shall not return to Me void, But it—

Dave: Yah’s word.

Miles: –Shall accomplish what I please,
And it—

Dave: Yah’s word.

Miles: –Shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. [Isaiah 55:6-11]

Dave: He can’t get more clear than that! His word itself contains the power that called the universe into existence! Yah’s word contains divine, omnipotent power to do what that very word says.

Miles: Psalm 33, verse 9: “For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.”

Dave: Precisely! That’s why Yah doesn’t have to do anything to accomplish His will. He only needs to speak. And that power is contained in His word.

So, then, when we immerse ourselves in that word, when we meditate on it—and I’m not talking sitting in the lotus position and chanting “Ommmm!” I’m talking about letting our mind turn to Him throughout the day; I’m talking about thinking about what we’ve read that morning and how it applies to our lives—then our faith will begin to grow.

Miles: Another thing I think that factors in here is self-talk. How do we talk to ourselves in our own mind? In a way, it’s part of meditation.

Dave: How so?

Miles: Well, it’s part of our thinking process. Words have power. They can react on our own thoughts and emotions.

When we meditate on Yah’s word, that is a form of speaking to ourselves and it releases the power of faith within us to believe whatever it is we’re focusing on.

Dave: I can see that. Problem is, our words aren’t always good.

Miles: You’re right. And negative words and thoughts can have an equally negative reaction upon us.

But if we fill our minds with Yah’s word—immerse ourselves, as you said—then when we meditate on a promise, that becomes our self-talk.

For example, take Romans 8:28 which says “All things work together for good to those who love Yah, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

When we meditate on that, that becomes our self-talk. It begins to have an effect on our minds and our beliefs.

Dave: I see what you’re saying. And because Yah’s word has the power to do what it says, when you speak those words to yourself, the words themselves give you the power to actually believe it!

Miles: Exactly! Likewise 1 Peter 5, verse 7, which says, quote: “Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” The words themselves contain the power to do what they say, so when you meditate on them, when you repeat them to yourself, the words themselves will create faith in you to believe Yah’s word.

Dave: That’s beautiful. And the more we study and spend time in the word of Yah, the more we meditate on what His words mean to us, and repeat those same words back to ourselves, the more our faith is going to grow and the more we will believe His word.

Look. We know we’re saved by grace through faith, and that, not of ourselves; it’s the gift of Yah. Not of works, lest anyone should boast. [See Ephesians 2:8 and 9.]

All right. If salvation with all it entails is a gift—and it is—that means that faith itself is also a gift. We need it in order to be saved, so it stands to reason that faith itself would also be a gift of Yah’s abundant grace.

* * *

You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Advertisement * * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Dave: So from where is today’s Daily Mailbag question coming?

Miles: France! The city of Bayonne, to be precise.

Dave: Did you know the French army was the first to use camouflage? They did it in 1915.

Miles: Really? I didn’t know that. Well, here’s a bit of trivia to add to your collection. Did you know that in France you can marry a dead person?

Dave: I beg your pardon?!

Miles laughs: Seriously! As long as you can prove the dead person intended to marry you, you can still get married even after the person dies. Oh, and you do need special permission from the president to do so. Most recent case I know of was that of a French policeman, gunned down before he could get married. This was in 2017. His partner got permission to marry him posthumously.

Dave: Well, I can see why that might be beneficial for inheritance or survivor’s benefits or something. It makes sense when you think about it, but it’s shocking when you first hear of it.

Miles: That’s why I mentioned it. That reaction—shock, even disgust, then understanding—kind of goes along with our question. It’s a good one. Elena-Manon Colbert writes: “Dear Dave and Miles, I really enjoy your show and listen every chance I get. I always look forward especially to the advice part of your show, the Daily Mailbag. I’ve noticed that for a lot of the questions you’re asked, you don’t give specific answers so much as refer people to Biblical principles. I really like that. My question today is: is there one over-arching principle in particular that, when in doubt, can be applied to any situation?”

Dave: What a great question! Yes, actually, there is. Miles, would you turn to Matthew 22 and read verses 37 to 40, please?

Here, Yahushua is explicitly spelling out a principle which, if understood correctly, can be applied to any situation in life and will give you clarity and understanding.

You have it? What does it say?

Miles:

Yahushua said to him, “‘You shall love Yahuwah your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Dave: The first principle, loving Yah with all your heart, soul, and mind, covers you: your actions and behaviors. If you will make that the guiding principle in your life, making a full surrender to Him, everything else in your life will fall into place. You’ll be able to prioritize not only your words and actions, but decisions that affect every area of your life.

The second principle of loving your neighbor as yourself will give clarity in every interaction you have with others.

Miles: I think this is particularly important in the spiritual life, and that’s actually what I was kind of thinking of after reading her question and why I shared that tidbit about being able to marry a dead person in France.

It’s so easy to see something in someone else’s life and set ourselves up as judge and jury. We look at them and, if they do something we think is wrong, it’s tempting to judge them as not-very-good Christians.

Dave: I know what you mean. I have a friend who lives in the United States. California, to be precise. Well, her father was dying of cancer, but he lived in the state of Maine. Going from her home in Los Angeles, California, to his home in Portland, Maine, is over three thousand miles away, or almost 5,000 kilometers.

Miles: That’s further than going from London, England, to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia! A crazy amount of distance to go and still be in the same country. So, what happened?

Dave: Well, after her dad took a turn for the worse, my friend was notified that if she wanted to see her father one last time, she needed to come immediately. So, she booked a flight and got there a couple of hours before he passed.

Now, the problem for my friend arose when she asked a friend of hers to keep an eye on her house and come feed her cat while she was gone. When her friend found out she was going to be flying out on the soonest flight to Maine, she told her that it was wrong and a sin.

Miles: Are you serious? Why?

Dave: Because the flight was on Sabbath.

Miles: Ooooh.

Dave: So her friend was of the opinion that she should book a later flight, after the Sabbath, and trust in Yah, whether she got there in time to see her father one last time or not. As it happens, if she had done that, she wouldn’t have got there in time to see her dad before he died.

Miles: Well, personally, I don’t like to travel on the Sabbath.

Dave: My point isn’t who was right and who was wrong about traveling on the Sabbath. My point was that it was not the friend’s place to judge and it certainly wasn’t her place to voice that criticism when my friend was already under a lot of stress and pain.

Elena-Manon wanted to know what broad principle could apply to every situation? Well, loving your neighbor as yourself means that you do not set yourself up to judge them. Ever. That’s not our job. That’s the holy spirit’s job!

Yah doesn’t call on anyone to judge another and, again, it’s the holy spirit’s job to convict hearts. Not ours.

Miles: Reminds me of Yahushua’s words in Matthew 7. I’ve almost got it. Listen while I read it. It says:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Dave: I love that passage. It shows Christ had a sense of humor! And it sums up this issue perfectly.

I hate to say it, but the more conservative a Christian is, the more he or she tends to judge others. We’re not called to do that. What we are called to do is to love Yah with all our heart, mind, and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves. When those two commandments become our guiding principles, we will have the clarity to know how to respond in any given situation.

Miles: That’s good. That’s really good.

All right! Thank you, Dave. That’s all we have time for today. We enjoy hearing from our listeners around the world. Keep sending us any comments or questions you may have. Just go to WorldsLastChance.com and click on “contact us.”

You can even send us prayer requests. We pray over every one we receive.

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with today’s daily promise from Yah’s word.

Debbie Morrison was at the end of her rope. She was a single mother with a new born son, living in a new city, far from any family that could help. She felt alone, and very vulnerable. When you’re poor and have no back up, it’s very scary when something goes wrong, and Debbie was scared.

The United States doesn’t have a lot of public transportation and her old car had quit working. How was she supposed to make the 30-mile/48-kilometer trip to work without a car? How could she support her son if she lost her job?

Desperate, she cried out to Yahuwah: “Father, my best isn’t good enough. I can’t do it anymore. I need You. I need You to show me that You can take care of my little boy and me.”

A few nights later, Ben, the husband of a friend, called Debbie and asked her if she would meet him down at the car dealership where he worked. Ben and his wife Laura were beautiful Christians whom Debbie really admired. She wasn’t sure what the point was in going to the car dealership, but Ben told her Laura would babysit. All Debbie needed to do was trust Yah and go.

At the car dealership, Ben showed her a car they had just received as a trade-in from an older couple. It was an almost new Buick with all the perks. It had an automatic transmission, power windows, heating and air conditioning, and a working radio. It even had cruise control! And, it was very dependable. Debbie, of course, immediately loved the car but knew it was well out of her price range.

“It’s gorgeous,” she told Ben. “But there’s no way I could ever afford anything like this.”

“Well, how much do you have?” He asked.

Feeling foolish she told him about the thousand dollars she had saved. It was all she had, not a penny more.

“What a coincidence!” He grinned. “A thousand dollars is exactly what this car costs.”

He handed her the keys and sent her on a test drive while he finished up the paperwork. Debbie couldn’t stop crying. Yah had heard her prayer! He had heard and answered it far beyond anything she had even dared to dream. She knew the car cost far more than a thousand dollars and that Ben and Laura were paying the balance themselves.

Later, as she thought about the wonderful way Yah had provided for her desperate need, she realized that was exactly what Yahushua did for us on the cross. He paid far more than we ever could have for a gift we could never have afforded. In return, Yah just asks that we give Him all we have: ourselves.

For those who make a full surrender to Yah, there is no problem too difficult for Yah to unravel, no hardship too complex for Him to resolve. Philippians 4, verse 19 says: “For my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Yahushua.”

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Dave: I know we’re fast running out of time, but there’s one passage I want to get to before we close and that's James chapter 1, verses 2 to 6. Again, that’s James, chapter 1, verses 2 to 6.

This gives a really unique perspective on trials and the roll of patience under trial.

Miles: All right. It says:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Yahuwah, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

Dave: Hebrews 12, verse 1 tells us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” A large part of that endurance is being patient under trial, and continuing to trust in Yah as much when things appear to be collapsing down around our ears, as we do when things are going well.

I like this passage you just read from James because it tells us there is a purpose to our trials. That purpose is to test our faith. It’s only when faith is tested that it gets stronger.

Miles: It looks like James is describing a process:

• Trials test our faith.
• A tested faith is a strong faith.
• Strong faith produces patience and trust.
• Patience and trust work in us, developing a character that is like the character of Yah.

Dave: And notice that as we go through this process, — what’s the result? — a stronger faith that lets you ask Yah for anything you need.

And that’s exactly what we need to get through the days ahead. Yes, salvation is a free gift. Faith itself is a gift. But unless it is tested, we don’t know our own failings.

Miles: There’s nothing like trials to reveal what is in the heart.

Dave: Isn’t that the truth! The thing is, you don’t increase your faith by simply stirring up strong emotions in yourself. You don’t increase your faith by sheer grit, determination, and the sweat of your brow.

Instead, faith is a gift. It is the natural outcome of a loving, close friendship with Yah as your best friend.

Miles: That’s such an important realization to come to. To know Yahuwah is to love Him. Paul saw this connection between how well a believer knows and loves Yah, and how much faith is at work in the believer’s life.

In fact, he spelled it out in his letter to the Galatians. In Galatians 5, verse 6, he said, quote: “For in Yahushua Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”

Dave: Faith isn’t something any of us can ever earn. It’s not some reward for being righteous, since Romans 3 clearly states: “There is none righteous, no, not one.” It is always, and ever shall be, a gift.

By cooperating with Yah, aligning your will with His, you can be gifted with the very faith of Yahushua himself, and you will start gaining victories!

Miles: I’m just going to insert a little promotion for a recent program that gets into that even more. Because salvation is a gift, justification is also a gift, a lot of people think that the law of Yah is no longer binding. It is, but even obedience is a gift.

Once you’ve been gifted with Yahushua’s own faith, obedience naturally follows! Like faith, obedience isn’t something you can churn out. It has to flow from a heart that has been recreated, or it’s corrupted.

You don’t have to deny the perpetuity of the law of Yah because you know you can’t keep it. He doesn’t expect you to!

Dave: He knows you can’t!

Miles: Right! But with the gift of faith, comes the gift of obedience. It’s all Yah. When we surrender to Him, He writes His law on our hearts. Listen while I read 2 Corinthians 5:17 to 19. It says:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of Yah, who has reconciled us to Himself through Yahushua Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that Yahuwah was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Unquote. It says, right here, that “all things”—all things—are of (or from) Yah. And that includes justification, and the gift of faith, which brings with it the gift of obedience. It’s all Yah.

Dave: Amen: 1 John 5:4: “For whatsoever is born of Yah overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

You want more faith? Ask for it! Make it a daily habit to feast your mind on the word of Yah. Then, when your faith is tested, give thanks. Start making it a habit, every day, to get to know the Father on a personal level for yourself.

Miles: Well, our time is up for today, but please join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.