Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 20 Issue 28 November 14, 2010
One of my favorite scriptures is found in Genesis 22.
Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, wait here, the lad and I will come back to you.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The Amplified Bible states that faith is the leaning of our entire human personality on Jesus Christ in absolute trust and confidence in his power wisdom and goodness.
This means we believe that God has the power to help us, the wisdom to guide us and the goodness to be kind to us.
Faith is built up or developed by hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The Word is put into effect when we obey it.
James 1:22 Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
With this in mind consider Faith…. James 2:22 “by works was faith made perfect” James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Galatians says that you and I are to live our lives by faith! Galatians 2:20 … the life which I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
This is actually a “lifestyle” of faith. A lifestyle of ongoing trust in God, believing what His word says over and above and most often in spite of our circumstances.
Where does faith come from? Romans 12:3 ...God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. This says that God has given every man a measure of faith.
We often ask “Do we have faith?”
However, it is not so much do we have faith as What it is we put our faith into.
The sad truth is that those who put their faith in anything other than God will eventually be disappointed.
Putting our faith in God means we are trusting and relying on Him to provide us with everything we need.
God wants us to put our trust in Him for things both big and small.
Mark 10:27, Matthew 19:26, Luke 18:27 with God all things are possible. I am convinced that putting our faith in God is supposed to be continual. Each day we should surrender ourselves to God
Romans 1:17a For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: In other words we increase our faith by exercising it. Each time we trust God’s word above everything else our level of faith grows.
Faith to faith—not faith-to doubt- to worry-to doubt-to faith again. BUT FAITH TO FAITH
Faith in God wipes out worry, destroys doubt and removes reasoning.
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
How do we release our faith—how do we walk it out?
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Our going to God in prayer shows that we are leaning, depending and relying upon Him.
A sincere heart is a fertile ground for faith to grow.
James 1:6-7 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
If doubt or worry come your way …. Run to God in prayer.
Remind God of all the other times you ran to him and how he helped you ….
Find some specific scripture verses that strengthen your faith …. Memorize them, write them out.
Stop going through life hoping and wish’n for something to happen…
Use the faith that God has given you to trust him.
Exchange your wait and see attitude for an attitude that says, “With God all things are possible!”
FAITH AND WORKS: Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking.
First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again—until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other. William Booth
A young boy, on an errand for his mother, had just bought a dozen eggs. Walking out of the store, he tripped and dropped the sack. All the eggs broke, and the sidewalk was a mess. The boy tried not to cry. A few people gathered to see if he was OK and to tell him how sorry they were. In the midst of the works of pity, one man handed the boy a quarter. Then he turned to the group and said, “I care 25 cents worth. How much do the rest of you care?”
James 2:16 Let’s say someone in need comes to your door and you say to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; yet you gave nothing to help them; what does that profit?
This verse points out that words don’t mean much if we have the ability to do more.
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Niagara Falls preparing to cross pushing a wheelbarrow
Belief or faith is more than an intellectual affirmation. Belief or faith are action words
Faith is simply acting on the basis of God’s promises…..
Two closing thoughts regarding Faith
It's hard for God to walk with a man who gets his mind made up to do things his own way! Can two walk together except they be agreed? Amos 3:3
It is not the greatness of my faith that moves mountains, but my faith in the greatness of God! . . . the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. Ephesians 1:19
God bless you in the week to come… may your faith grow…. May you be found pleasing in God’s sight…… Without faith it is impossible yo please God.
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