Faith

We want to keep the Stanley family in our prayers as they mourn the loss, but celebrate the homegoing of a giant in the faith, Charles Stanley who passed away at the age of 90. Loss at any age is still loss and there is still grief.

As we continue in our series on the fruit of the spirit, what I hope we’ve learned thus far is that there are nine elements, which can be divided into three categories.

There’s the inward fruit. Qualities you possess within yourself. You don’t look to others to provide this to or for you. They are love, joy, and peace.

There’s the outward fruit. Traits, or behaviors you display toward others. Those being long-suffering, gentleness, and goodness.

And today’s message begins the fruit that is displayed toward God. The first of those three is faith.

The title of today’s message is simply, Faith and we’re going to look at three aspects of faith.

Very plainly, Faith is the reliance upon and trust in God. It is a central emphasis of Christianity. Dare I say it’s what Christianity is built on, it’s what it’s all about. We believe in something we have never seen.

Watch this. We have faith that

• a God we’ve never seen

• created a Son we’ve never seen

• housed in and birthed through a girl we’ve never seen.

• That son converted 12 men we’ve never seen

• and He performed miracles we’ve never seen.

• He was crucified on a cross we didn’t see

• was resurrected to life and we didn’t see

• ascended back to a heaven we’ve never seen

• to sit at the right hand of a Father, we’ve never seen

• Oh yes, and He sent the Holy Spirit we’ve never seen to live inside us.

Yes, this Christian walk is all about faith, because we believe all those things I just named and some more about God. God, the Creator of everything there is, and everything you see in nature, and nature is where it all started.

Man is not able to create something from nothing. He must have something to start with and that something, was made by God. God spoke and things came into existence.

We have faith that God is, because we can see the evidence all around us.

God said, “Let there be light”; and God separated the light from the darkness and called the light day and darkness he called night and there was evening and there was morning. Every day we still have evening and morning.

God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters.” He divided the firmament under the dome from the firmament above the dome and called the firmament above the dome sky. Every day, we see the sky.

And God said, “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear...” And we still have the waters and dry land.

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself” And every day we see fruit yielding seeds and trees. Apple seeds grow apple trees, peach seeds grow peach trees, pear seeds grow pear trees.

God made the seasons, and spring turns to summer, summer turns to fall, fall turns winter, and winter turns to spring, year after year after year.

God spoke and the sun, moon and stars came to be. The sun lights and heats the earth every day. The moon lights the earth every night. And the stars twinkle, twinkle in the sky.

God spoke and the birds that fly in the air, the fish that swim in the sea and every creature that moves was created. He blessed them, told them to multiply, and we see them every day.

God spoke, and the cattle, creeping things and beasts of the earth became and we still see them today. That is if we haven’t abused our power as mankind and killed them all for sport, instead of as food to sustain us.

The point is, if we look around us, we can see evidence of God every day, everywhere, in everything.

But faith is, even if you don’t see those things, you still believe God is.

Faith is, even when you receive a diagnosis of cancer or heart failure or your loved one dies, you still believe God can heal.

Faith is, even when you lose your house, or your car is repossessed, or the lights are turned off because you couldn’t pay the bill, you still believe God provides.

Faith believes, despite what we see with our physical eyes, despite what we think in our minds, despite what we feel in our souls.

The first aspect of faith is believing in what we cannot see. When we look at what’s known as the faith chapter, Hebrews 11, beginning at verse one going to verse three, in the NLT we see these words,

Heb 11:1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. 3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

God, in His infinite wisdom and power spoke and what He spoke came to be. There was no big bang, order did not come from chaos. It never has and it never will.

Faith, needs no explanation. It requires no proof. It doesn’t have to be validated. Faith, just is.

When you become a believer, and are baptized, the preacher will say something like this, “And upon the profession of your faith, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

The profession of your faith. Your faith believes that God is.

Paul tells us in Romans, 5:1 — Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

It is faith that gives us the privilege of sharing God’s glory. Privilege, we sometimes call it favor. We say, “The favor of God is on your life.” And we enjoy that undeserved, unmerited favor of God.

We enjoy the grace of God — getting what we don’t deserve, [life, health, and strength], and the mercy of God — not getting what we do deserve, [death, destruction, and hell].

Faith allows us to navigate through this life. Through all the things that would come to destroy us, destroy our marriages, destroy our children, destroy our faith, destroy our very existence. Satan comes but to steal, to kill and to destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

But we can have it only through faith, only through our belief in God, only through our knowledge of who and what Jesus sacrificed for us. Only through our confidence that the Holy Spirit is our Comforter and that he does indeed live inside us, leading and guiding us into all truth.

Faith starts with the recognition that we are lacking.

• Lacking safety

• Lacking protection

• Lacking life

• Lacking true joy

• Lacking peace

• Lacking real love

It starts with the realization we don’t have it all together and that there is a hole in us that only God can fill. A hole that houses all of our hurts, and disappointments, and pain, and suffering, and sorrows, and guilt, and shame, and wants, and desires.

A hole that houses those thoughts we won’t share with anyone, not even our closest friend.

• For fear that we’ll be rejected,

• for fear that we’ll be thrown away or tossed aside.

• For fear that they’ll discover, we’re not perfect,

• our lives are not faultless,

• our children are not flawless,

• and we don’t have all the answers.

• For fear they’ll discover we haven’t always gotten it right, that we’ve made mistakes along the way.

• That we’ve failed more than once, more than twice, more than three times. In fact, we can’t number the times we’ve failed, nor do we want to keep track.

But what you need to know is this, if you’ve never failed, you haven’t lived, you haven’t learned and you haven’t leveled up in your life. Because if you never stumble trying to get to the next level, you’ll never find out how high you need to step to get there. You’ll never discover what it takes to reach the next position. You’ll never grow into what and who God has called you to be.

Think of a child learning to walk. They fall down, they stumble, their first steps are unsteady, but mommy and daddy are there encouraging them, cheering them on, “Come on baby, you can do it!” And so they get up, again and again, until finally they’re walking and then they’re running.

But even after they get it, even after their confidence grows, even after they no longer need the constant encouragement and cheering on, they’re going to fall again. But this time they’ll get up on their own and they’ll keep getting up because there’s something they want, there’s some place they want to go and they can only get it, they can only get there, if they keep getting up, if they keep moving forward.

Faith is even though you know God is there, He no longer needs to encourage you to get up, when he no longer needs to tell you to try again. Even when it didn’t go so well the first time, even when you don’t see the church growing, even when they walk away, even when you’re rejected. Faith says not to be weary in well doing, that in due season you shall reap a harvest if you faint not.

What harvest are you believing God for?

If we continue reading in Hebrews 11, we see the second aspect of faith. When we get to verse six it says,

Heb 11:6“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

God wants to be pleased with us. We are his children and the sheep of his pasture. And just like we want our own children to please us, God wants us to please him, but that is only possible through faith. Without faith he is, it’s not possible to please him.

Why not? Because how can he be pleased

• with someone who doesn’t believe he exist

• with someone who doubts daily

• with someone who is perpetually asking for proof

• with someone who is always seeking a sign

• with someone constantly looking for confirmation

• with someone demanding a demonstration of his power

• with someone insisting on more information

• with someone vying for validation

• with someone continually certifying his credentials [as if we have the qualifications to do so]

Because when you want those things, can you truly say you believe that he is?

Faith believes without proof, without a sign, without confirmation, without demonstration. Faith believes beyond anything we could ask or think. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love him.

And when you have faith in God, you will seek him diligently.

You’ll long to be with him,

• and the more time you spend with him, the more time you’ll want to spend with him.

• And the more time you want to spend with him, the closer to him you’ll become.

• And the closer to him you become, [by the way that’s called relationship not religion], the closer to him you become, the stronger your relationship with him will be.

• And the stronger your relationship with him is, the more he’ll show you who he is.

• And the more he shows you who he is, the more you’ll believe what he can do.

• And the more you believe what he can do, the stronger your faith will become.

• And the stronger your faith becomes, the more you will seek him.

• And the more you seek him, the more pleased God will be.

• And the more pleased God is, the greater your rewards will be.

It’s in the text, “…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

What are you eagerly, earnestly, enthusiastically, purposefully, painstakingly, vigorously seeking?

Is God your priority or is he an afterthought?

Does he occupy the number one space in your thoughts, or does he come after your spouse and the children and the dog and the cat and the house and the finances and what’s today’s schedule, and oh yes, good morning God?

Is he your first thought or your last resort?

Is he your fair-weather friend or your ride or die?

Do you trust him with all that you are, or are you holding back certain parts of your life? God you can have that over there, but I got this over here.

Have you allowed him access to your entire life or is there a secret closet that only you have the key to with a private keep out sign posted on the door?

Do you trust him with your whole heart or are there parts that are still off limits, because you want to hang on to the heartache that person caused you and the unforgiveness that goes with it?

Can you declare,

I’m yours Lord, everything I’ve got, everything I am, everything I’m not. I’m yours Lord, try me now and see, see if I can be completely yours.

…and mean it?

Can you say?

Lord, I’m available to you, my will I give to you, I’ll do what you say do, use me Lord, to show someone the way, and enable me to say, my storage is empty, and I am available to you.

…and be sincere?

And the third aspect of faith we’ll talk about today is found in James 2:17 which says…

17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Faith will motivate you to act. Your actions do not prove you have faith, but your faith will determine your actions.

When times get rough, can you say like Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.”

When it seems like the world, including those in your own household are against you, can you declare like David, “1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. 3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Faith demonstrates that even when people rise up against you, even when people don’t believe God is for you, even when people say you have no help, you believe God is your shield, that he is your glory, and he will lift your head. You believe that when you cry out to him he will hear and answer you, and because you have that confidence you can have sweet peace, you can have rest, you can sleep because God will sustain you.

Faith allows you to be bold like Joshua and declare, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Faith gives you the confidence to say like Samuel, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.”

Faith gives you the intelligence to ask for wisdom like Solomon, not riches. And James tells us, “5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. 6 But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; 7, 8 for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”

Even if you find yourself about to be thrown into the fire of public opinion, in this cancel culture we live in, can you say like the three Hebrew boys, I know my God is able to deliver, but even if he doesn’t I will never believe that which goes against God, I will never worship a false God, I will never drink the Kool-Aid of sin.

Can the demonstration of your faith cause leadership to say about you what King Darius decreed through Daniel’s faith? King Darius said, “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. […before the God of —insert your name here] For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. 27 He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

What has God rescued you from, that made someone take note? Did he get the credit he deserved or was it chalked up to good luck or being in the right place at the right time, or hard work?

Do you believe that God can and will bless you, even when the world says you’re past your prime?

Give God a more excellent sacrifice and watch what he gives you in return.

But here’s the thing, he’s what we know. God already gave the best he had, he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus came and lived a perfect life. He was the perfect example for us to follow. Stop looking to fallible men and women to follow. Look to the infallible Christ who never got it wrong, who never made a mistake.

He gave his life for you and for me, so that we could have the opportunity to not only see heaven but to have that be our home for all eternity.

Jesus is waiting with open arms for you to, by faith, accept his invitation. While you yet have breath in your body, give him your life, give him your heart, take down all the private, keep out signs you’ve put up and allow him to come in and repair, and renew so you can release.

Release all the hurt and anger and unforgiveness and negativity that has been allowed to fester in your spirit. Today is a good day to turn it all over to Jesus and all it takes is a prayer of repentance, a prayer of surrender.

Father, I admit that I’m a sinner, please forgive me. I repent this day and Jesus I ask you to come into my heart, I give you control of my life, in your name I pray, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer or one similar to it for the first time, or even a second or third time, please contact us at [e-mail] and let us celebrate your new beginning with you. Now find a Bible believing, Bible teaching church where you can work out your soul salvation.

If you live in the Douglas County, GA area, please consider coming by for a visit, and if the Holy Spirit leads you, make Love Christian Center your church home. We’re located at 3500 Hwy 5, in Douglasville, and we’d be so happy to welcome you and be the conduit through which you fulfill what God has for your life. We are a small church, with a clear mission and direction, on the move for a big God. We’d love for you to join us in that work.

For more information about us, how to join us live on Zoom for our weekly services, how to contact us or how you can sew your seed into fertile ground and bless this ministry financially, please go to our website at www.lovechristianctr.org and click on the various tabs. And for content you won’t see anywhere else, subscribe to our YouTube channel, Love Christian Center, Douglasville, and check out Rev. Ed’s podcast, Our Reasonable Service, Ed Richardson. You can access it from the link on our website.

Faith, is believing, even when you can’t see it. Faith is necessary to please God. And faith is demonstrated through action. God responds to faith. How is His response to you?