Philip lived with Jesus every day for over three years. He was there when Peter said Jesus was the Christ. He saw the miracles and heard the teachings we read about in the New Testament. But it’s more than that. Philip sat with Christ in the quiet of many meals, around the table where He would have shared so much more than He spoke to the crowds. Philip should have known Christ intimately. And yet he was unable to understand that Jesus was God.

 We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

The idea that we would do greater works  begins with an exchange between Thomas, Philip and Jesus. This exchange starts in verse 1 of John 14:1-15, with Jesus saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled…”  His Words that were meant to comfort His disciples as He saw the near future coming closer, namely His death on the cross and the resurrection. It continues with Jesus explaining, if not defending, His statement.  

 We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

Who are “they”? Who is Christ saying this to? He is speaking first to Thomas and Philip. Is He talking to anyone else? I believe so.  Look at His phrasing as He moves from a direct response to those two disciples. In John 14:10 you can see He is talking directly to Thomas and Philip. By verse 12, He changes who He is speaking to when He says, “whoever believes in me …”

 We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

In John 14:12, Jesus is concluding a conversation He’s been having with Thomas and Philip. You can see what Christ is saying in His conclusion: “…they will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.”  

 We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him. I belong.   

Because I have relationship with Him, I belong in Him and to Him. I can ask questions of Him.  

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him. I belong.   

Because I have relationship with Him, I belong in Him and to Him. I can ask questions of Him.  

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him. I belong.   

Because I have relationship with Him, I belong in Him and to Him. I can ask questions of Him.  

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him. I belong.   

Because I have relationship with Him, I belong in Him and to Him. I can ask questions of Him.  

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him. I belong.   

Because I have relationship with Him, I belong in Him and to Him. I can ask questions of Him.  

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him. I belong.   

Because I have relationship with Him, I belong in Him and to Him. I can ask questions of Him.  

In the heat of the moment, I said, “Everything in Your creation can be defined by math, by some kind of formula. Except faith. Faith doesn’t appear to work in any kind of formula. But Your Word says many things that indicate all I need is faith to overcome my circumstances.”  

In the heat of the moment, I said, “Everything in Your creation can be defined by math, by some kind of formula. Except faith. Faith doesn’t appear to work in any kind of formula. But Your Word says many things that indicate all I need is faith to overcome my circumstances.”  

When I wrote my first book, We Can Get There From Here, published in 2013, I had a sense that I would write two more books. This book was written after a lot of procrastination and resistance, Followed by submission and then obedience. As I was completing the first book, “We Can Get There From Here (2013) I thought the Lord wanted me to write a book about faith. I was not excited, to say the least.  

Allow me to introduce the blog series from the second book in the From Here Books series, “From here …By Faith (Ouradnik, 2024)!

The purpose of this book is to help the reader discover that God has good works prepared for him or her to do.  These works will require faith.  That’s what makes them ‘greater works.’

Come bust my website:

www.Lennyo.org or www.fromherebooks.com

Next week we’ll begin to post blogs from the second book in there From Here Books series.  This book, “From Here …By Faith (Ouradnik, 2024) will help you learn more about how to grow in faith.

From Here Books at lennyo.org is built for you.  For the last several months I have posted blogs taken from the first book of the series, “We Can Get There From Here (Ouradnik 2013).”  I wrote that book to bring focus to simple things any one can learn to do.  For instance, choosing to become a thankful person will change your life.  There’s biblical evidence for this, even as there is scientific evidence in the psychological body of work.

The word for salvation in Hebrew is yesha (pronounced yay-shah; Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #H3468).

Yesha means this: deliverance, salvation, rescue, safety, welfare.

Safety

Welfare

Prosperity

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have this salvation actively working in your life every day? It can.

Once we begin to know the love of God in our lives, we can begin to take the next step.  I believe that the right next step is to choose to become thankful.

David understood the importance of being thankful.  He wrote what God has to say about giving thanks in difficult times in Psalm 50.

If you’re going to go through the pain and effort to tell the truth about yourself, there better be a pretty good reason!

That reason has to be that we can rely on the steadfast love of the Lord. No matter who we are or what we have done.