1 Chron. 16:34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
I'm reminded rascism is a spiritual battle first, we can’t debate it away, we can’t fix it - only Jesus. Take a few moments to pray for.
Today - we continue our series on ‘big audacious faith’ - stories found in the scriptures revealed through the lives of men and women who believed God inspite of their circumstances. These are men and women who cried out instead of shutting up. These are those who moved when others said you can’t go there. These are those who got back up when life pushed them down.
These are those sacred ‘God’ moments in the lives of people who believed God. People just like us. These are found in moments and seasons of crisis, stress, great need, desperation, storms that are within and without.
Big Audacious faith defined: showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks, bold, daring, fearless, brave, courageous, valiant, heroic….based on faith in Him, his word.
Jesus invites us to follow him into the complexity of life, relationships, and all the crazy stuff and challenge the tensions between what looks good and feels good ... with that which is truth and of the faith.
Illustration:
Have you heard the statement: To thine own self be true? it’s from Hamlet
Have you heard this statement: Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
My goal is to be true to the King of Kings rather than true to myself. I can’t trust the voice of my flesh or an unrenewed mind. These voices, if followed, will take me places contrary to where Jesus calls me to follow Him too. They will lead me from true freedom to lawlessness.
Prayer…..Our Father in heaven,Hallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come.
Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Life is to be lived with a faith that is awake/alive…..By Faith. With Faith. Through Faith.
1. Have faith in God.
Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Mark 11:22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.”
John 20:27-29 27 Then said he to Thomas, Reach here your finger, and behold my hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said to him, My LORD and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
1 Peter 1:6-9
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen[a] you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
Faith: conviction of the truth, belief; persuaded fully; trust; confidence;
When we look at the Healings of Jesus. There are at least 19 different healings recorded in the gospels. In 12 of these Jesus said…Your faith has made you well/whole/healed you.
When we look at Heb. 11 - the Hero’s of faith chapter we see this phrase: “by faith”…
-18 times: What’s it there for? to encourage us to faith / to believe God
Heb. 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
2. My faith has a purpose.
Heb. 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
In this life of faith. We must believe that He is (who He said He is/who He revealed Himself to be) and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
a. Faith is God pleasing. Faith is about Honor. I think about the words perseverance, continue, faithfulness - words that describe our faith.
1 John 5:4-5
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our[your] faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
b. Faith is our victory.
Last week in looking at David with Goliath. His Faith - was about the honor of God. About His Name. About His Fame. Faith honors God.
c. Faith receives the promises of God.
3. Faith awakens.
1 Peter 1:23-25 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
Corruptible seed: that which perishes
Incorruptible seed: not liable to corruption or decay - imperishable
Peter calls this seed: incorruptible - What is it? God’s word
Heb. 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
May I submit to you: ‘Big Audacious Faith’ begins with an incorruptible Seed received.
A Woman 12 years sick:
Mark 5:27-28 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
Blind Bartimaeus:
Mark 10:47-48 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Stay Close. Keep yourself around Jesus. He is near.
Keep yourself around God’s word. His presence. His people. His church.
Keep yourself in a posture of hearing.
Keep yours eyes open to the truth.
Keep your heart free from clutter.
Ask the Holy Spirit to Help.
Why?
Rom. 10:17
NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
NLV So then, faith comes to us by hearing the Good News. And the Good News comes by someone preaching it.
Word: Rhema-that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken
Planting is required if a harvest is desired! Plant the Word in your heart. Read it. Receive it. Obey it. Say it. Be steady. Be consistent.
Feed your spirit daily. Jesus is the author and the finisher of faith. Talk with him. Commune with him. Let faith grow. The seed plus time equals a harvest.
Keep sowing. Keep watering. The seed is alive and full of power. Let it grow.
Who/What have you allowed to poison your faith?
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