"How can I increase my faith?"

2 Corinthians 4:8  8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

2 Corinthians 5:1-5  1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

People get Saved, or people make a "profession" to serve God.  There is a need to recognize as a new convert,  or for those looking this way to be saved, that one of the things that keeps us together, that identifies us With this way of life, is the Value we place on the..Practice.. of our Faith.

The Value of our Faith is always going to out-weigh all else,.. if of truth and salvation.  People need to perceive that the Value of Faith is greater than All else.  The Practice of our Faith never of itself produces friction or strife of any kind within us.   As we practice our Faith though,...  it will produce friction and trials in the fleshliness of this world.  What keeps us is,.. the Value that our Faith hasdemostrated.  Because we have had to "overcome some things," we have" stumbled while overcoming."  True Value of our Faith is in the overcoming through Jesus.  Faith is what keeps us in what we have learned.  The practice of our Faith, is our (Core Beliefs).  Only God can always touch our Core beliefs sthrough Salvation, effecting a Change.    

The practice of our Faith must be a solution to our problems.  How do you See God?  How do you see yourself.. before God?  

Our Core Beliefs must solve Core problems,.. or they must solve Our problems.  A core belief must solve or satisfy core problems to have Real value.   If our core beliefs are not solving core problems, we need to examine those core beliefs.  If our Core beliefs are not producing the fruits of the Spirit, we must Examine the value of that faith.   Our core value or faith needs to be convincing to others.  It must be cohesive, -we need to have faith that sticks us together Not opposing- or pushing away.  Practice of our Faith must demostrate Value- Cohesiveness.   Attractive to lost souls, Visible to the "hungry" souls that might be seeking Real Faith,..and Any needing to come to the Church.  Using wisdom with others is part of the Value, that is a practice that helps solve problems. 

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 The "cares" cause us to groan in this tabernacle .  God gives us a compulsion to desire to work out problems that we groan to Him about.  The early Church's practice of their faith created persecution, sometimes amongst their own brethern.  It was a time of real testing of their faith.   Their faith divided their homes, even from their previous faith they had had, before.   A true testing.  It Clairified where the value of their Faith was.   Persecutions, and a groaning while practicing their faith.  God helps us to work out these problems, with a groaning in the spirit to Him.  This is necessary.  Your practice of Faith must demostrate Value to those around you,.. that are without Faith.  

Luke 15: 21-24    21: And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22: But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

The practice of our Faith will solve Core problems and demostrate to others, God,...and not much else.  

I John 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 

Not just what we believe, but How we Practice our Faith is what overcomes the world.  The value of Faith with God,.. keeps us from the influences of the world.  We Are Kept from the influences of the world through the practiced Value of our Faith.  This is especially important for the new convert, that they are kept with the practice of their newly acquired faith, and by the prayers of the seasoned saints of labored prayers,.. on their behalf.   What resolves, that influences, and conquers the world, is the Practice of Our Faith.  If we are not demostrating the value of Faith.. Practicing Faith, we are falling short of our purpose Of Faith.  It must be translated (our faith) to others,.. to be of any value.  In each different age or era, the practice of our Faith is revelant to the times that we are living in.  How you practice your faith,.. determines how you see doctrine.  

Many years ago, Faith Stewart (a past missionary to Cuba) saw "some things" she saw as problems surrounding her where she was, and which in turn helped her in the building of that local Church of God, in those times of where she was living.  Each of us is obligated to see the Value of Faith of how God shows us Today to work out the problems of Today.  The doctrine is not different, but how we see it might be different,.. for that different time.  

John 1 :1-27  The light was Jesus, the Word, the knowledge of Truth.  An awesome acknowledgement. Our faith gives understanding to the meaning of Life, that before Salvation,.. made no real sense.  The practice of our Faith demostrates the purpose of Life or Salvation, through Jesus.    The Practice of our faith must be convincing, to have value.  

II Timothy 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 

Our core Faith needs to be persuasive and convincing.  There is a value in assembling with God's people. We need to show our persuasion, convincing that Christ is Able to keep that which is commited.  Practice of our Faith.

Titus 1: 9  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 

The "gain sayer" is one that would question the value of your faith.  They (gain sayer) can also be caused to be "convicted" by our demostrated persuasion, conversation, or "living."  Otherwise we are fooling ourselves...and the practice of our faith is Worthless,..if it is not convincing.  We need to be living to all that we know, so that our testimony cannot be reproached.  Faith that is "cohesive",..or "sticky".  

Galatians 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

There should be no burden too heavy to carry with our brethern.  

Proverbs 18:24  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. 

One who is sticking closer than a brother.  

There was a time,.. of testing and persecution that would truly measure your Faith, a time when those would not bow to "a worldly emperor,".. so many died for their faith.  Peter had been delivered from prison with the assistance of the saint's prayers of Faith.  The practice of our Faith needs to also be cohesive, -demostrating Value.  Value for some is subjective,.. how I see faith, presented with the many present earthly choices.  Going through trials,.. helps us to see the Value of a practiced faith.  

Acts 21: 37-38    37: And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? 38: Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? 

Paul was being questioned about who, or what his identity was,.. admist the uproar of that time.  The way we practice the Value of our Faith should demostrate or help in Understanding,.. This Way of Faith.  By the Fruits of the Spirit,.. that Solves Core problems.  A spirit of a Cohesivenesss,.. one of Core Beliefs.