CHRISTIAN LIVING - KEEPING THE FAITH PT 2

KEEPING THE FAITH

Last week we started off by talking about what Faith is and how to keep it. Remember it is one of the three greatest attributes we can have – 1 Corinthians 13:13 reminds us, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Remember the difference between faith and belief – James 2:19-20 reminds of the difference between belief and faith, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” Remember that Faith is putting complete trust or confidence in someone or something. In terms of religion, it is defined as a strong belief in God and doctrines of a religion. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Last week we talked about how faith, a saving faith requires us to forgive, we are commanded to forgive and let go of grudges. Living Faith, Saving Faith says that we receive forgiveness only when we forgive others.

Keeping the faith requires us to have active compassion; being doers of the word and not just readers or hearers of the word. We keep our faith by killing self-centeredness and growing compassionate hearts for all, not just those who love us or can repay us.

If we are to keep the faith, our faith has to be involved; involved in all areas of our life and involved in service to the church and service to the community through the church. Faith without works is useless or as James states, dead. Our faith is alive and active when we live for God and not self.

We finish off this week with keeping the faith by looking at trustworthy living and holy fervor, holy surrender.

Let Us Pray.

KEEPING THE F-A-I-T-H

IV. T-rustworthy

1 Peter 5:10 – And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

A. Undependable? Many fail to perform their duties to God and man. They lose their faith because they are undependable.

Proverbs 25:19 – Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.

v28 – A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.

1 Corinthians 3:19-21 – For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

Luke 16:11-12 – If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

Proverbs 18:24 NIV – One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

B. Dependable – If we are trustworthy, we will be rewarded with faith, hope, and love. The faithful also will receive the crown of life

Revelation 2:10-11 – Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Luke 16:10 – “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 – This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Psalm 37:18-19 – The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.

Proverbs 11:3 – The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

v13 – Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

Matthew 25:21 – His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

God is faithful, God is dependable and we are called to imitate Him

1 Thessalonians 5:24 – He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 – But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

V. H-oly

Leviticus 20:7-8 – Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

A. Subversive? Many are not totally committed to God. They depend solely on human effort.

James 4:17 – So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Romans 2:6, 8 – He will render to each one according to his works: but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Galatians 6:7-8 – Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

John 12:47-48 – If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

John 8:43-45 – Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

Jude 1:3 – Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

James 2:20 – Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

B. Surrendered – We need to be completely surrendered to God. When we give Him first place, He will help us to keep the faith

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

v10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James 1:22 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

1 Peter 5:6-7 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful.

Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Luke 1:38 – And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Acts 5:29 – But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

As we close, remember a saving FAITH requires us and commands us to forgive. To Keep Faith we must Active Compassion, caring for the needs of those who cannot care or provide for themselves. To Keep the Faith you must be involved in the church; not an attender but participant.

If you are to keep the faith you must be trustworthy. Hold true to your faith and relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If He cannot trust you with a little, how can He trust in you at all? Is your trust and wisdom in self and your own skills, or do you seek His Wisdom and lean on Him; receiving confidence from Him and not self. Are you living out 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 – are you regarded as a servant of Christ, a good, wise and faithful steward of His blessings?

Do you consecrate yourself before the Lord? Do you actively prepare for church beyond the physically getting ready? Do you ready your heart? Ready you mind and prepare for what God has to say? Have you completely surrendered to God? Not just your soul but your entire life – is it surrendered to Him? Do you respond to God’s Will for your life like Mary – I am a servant of the Lord – let it be to me according to your Will?

Let us Pray