Promises for our faith.

I have never really understood the word faith, I try to,  but the Bible says if we have faith the size of a grain of mustard seed we can do all kinds of things, that is a very small amount and the Bible also says that we have all been given a measure of faith.  What is this faith that we have been given?  How do we stir up this kind of faith within ourselves?  Let's check it out?  I hope we can come up with something that I can wrap my mind around.

Hebrews 11: 1  " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Ephesians 2:8,9  "For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast."

Matthew 17: 20  (The disciples were asking Jesus why they couldn't cast a demon out of a young man and this was Jesus answer)  Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'move from here to there' and nothing will be impossible for you."

Romans 10:17  "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

James 2:19,20  "You believe that there is one God.  You do well.  Even the demons believe--and  tremble.  But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?"

This faith without works is dead, I believe that it means when we read a promise in the Bible whatever it is, that our works is believing that He does what He has promised.  The evidence of things not seen means that we have to have faith whether we can see any reason to or not.  We can't see God but we know He is there.  Every time you drive across a big or little bridge, you have faith because you believe it will hold you up.  When you sit in a chair you believe you won't crash through it.  When you get on a Ferris Wheel, you believe you will come  back down and walk away with no problems.  When you go up in an airplane, you must believe you will come down safely or you wouldn't fly in one.  All these things take faith.  If we can have faith in manmade objects, why is it so hard to have faith in God's promises?  Believe me, I am talking to myself right now.

This is such a profound subject to study, I'm going to have to continue it in the next study.  Hope you don't mind, it will be well worth it to study it out, however long it takes, because for most people including myself, our faith is weak to say the least, we need much, much more faith.  We have learned that it is a gift from God and we need more faith and it comes by hearing or reading the word of God.  I try to read the word of God before I get up and when I go to bed and like today, am studying in the middle of the day.  Hopefully my faith will grow by doing this.  I want to learn because I want to spend eternity with Him forever and ever, to be with my Savior.  Grandma Joan