Limiting God (2)
Notes
Transcript
Limiting God
Text: Luke 2:1–14 (KJV 1900)
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
Introduction:
* I would like to bring to you a word from God this morning from the traditional Christ Story.
* There are two verses that I have underlined in our test this morning and I would like for you to take a look at with me.
* First look at verse 6:
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
* Now look at verse 12 if you will:
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
* There are many great, magnificent truths that can be found in the story of the birth of Jesus, but I want to focus in on just one this morning- and here it i:
* I want to speak to you about the truth that the almighty God, the God that can do anything, allows men to limit and bind his power.
* You might say that sound almost like blasphemy preacher! God can do anything! And I would have to agree with you- absolutely! God can do anything!
* I recently preached a sermon to you from this pulpit entitled “Is there anything too hard for God.” I spent close to an hour going through the Bible, story after story, proving from the Word of God, that God specializes in the hard things- the impossible things!
* I want to ask you a question this morning and it is a big question because it comes from a big person, it comes from almighty God.
* Is there anything that God cannot do?
* I'm going to let Jeremiah answer that question is Jeremiah 32:17 you might put it out in the margin of your bible, here's what Jeremiah said,
*Ah, Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, there is nothing too hard for thee.
* God has made in the bible some thirty thousand promises and every one of them he will keep! Every single one of them!
* In Titus 1:1-2, we read that God has promised those who have believed on Jesus eternal life:
Titus 1:1–2 (KJV 1900)
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
* Do you know why I know that I'm going to heaven? God can't lie. God can't lie. God has promised me eternal life before the world began.
* Numbers 23.19 says “God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoke it and shall he not make it good. “
* There is no promise that God cannot keep!
* There is no prayer that God cannot answer! no prayer!
* There is nothing too hard for the Lord! God says in Jeremiah 33:3,
call upon me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not.
* There is no problem that God cannot solve!
* When we look at the world with all of its trials, troubles, tribulations, and heartaches; we sometimes ask: “Where is God? Why doesn’t He do something?” Is it that God is not able? Is the situation too large or too difficult for God?
* The world says if God is all powerful, then why doesn't God do something? why is God silent? Why doesn't God act? Why doesn't God move? What is God waiting on?
* You may also say “Preacher, If these things are true, then why hasn't solved my problem?
* Well, dear friend, there are several things I want you to under- stand-
* First of all, God does not work necessarily the way you think he ought to work.
* God says in Isaiah 55:8:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
* God does not work on the same thought level that we work on.
* We think we have it all figured out how God ought to do things, how God ought to solve our problems. We would like to instruct the Lord.
* I imagine when those fiery serpents were biting those people out there in the wilderness there were people praying oh God, oh God, kill the snakes, kill the snakes, but God didn't do that.
* God had a different way and a better way. He put a brazen serpent on a pole and said everyone that looks will be healed. They thought God ought to do one thing, God did another, but God solved the problem.
* Today we're asking God, oh God, why don't you eradicate sin? Oh God, why don't you kill all of these snakes? God, why don't you kill the devil? Why don't you do something?
* God lifts his son up upon a cross and says believe in him, receive him!
* You see, God may not do it just the way you think he ought to do it, but there's no problem that God cannot solve!
* I heard about a farm boy one time who was critiquing the way the Lord Made creation.
* He said if I were God I would have done things differently!
* He said for example, there's a great big oak tree and it's got little acorns on it and here's a little weak vine and it has watermelons on it.!
* That seems backward to me, you ought to have the big watermelon on the big oak tree.
* About that time an acorn him on the head and he said I'm glad it wasn't a watermelon!
* Now, friend, God knows what he's doing!
* I am telling you friend,
- There is no promise that God cannot keep
- There is no prayer that God cannot hear
- There is no problem that God cannot solve
- There is no person that God cannot save. God will save anybody.
* The Bible says the same Lord overall is rich unto all that call upon him.! The Bible also says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!
* Alright then, if that is so, and it is, that God is a God of might and a God of miracles, then that brings us to another question:
* Why do we have so many problems?
* If there is no prayer that God cannot answer why are my prayers not answered?
* If there is no problem that God cannot solve, why are my problems not solved?
* If there is no person that God cannot save, why are my friends and neighbors not saved?
* We find the answers to these questions in the Christmas story this morning.
* I want you to see in the Christmas story this morning that God has chosen to allow mankind to limit His power!
* Look at that baby there in the manger all wound up with swaddling clothes this morning! How helpless He is!
* God chose to enter His own creation and limit Himself of the glory and power he had in heaven!
* That baby that lay there all bound up in waddling clothes by men
* In the story of the birth of Jesus God made himself subject to the will of men!
* I want you to understand this morning that the limit to your experience of God’s power rests not with God, but with you!
* If the power of God is not working in your life this morning the fault is not with God! The fault lies with you, and only you can do something about it!
* God can do extraordinary things through ordinary people like you and me…
* but only when we allow Him to enlarge your spiritual capacity and overcome our self-imposed limits that we have placed on God.
LIMITING GOD IN OUR LIFE
* By way of example this morning, consider the children of Israel as the wandered in the desert 40 years!
Psalm 78:39–41 (KJV 1900)
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, And grieve him in the desert! 41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel.
* Right there you have it in black and white my friends! How can you possible deny that puny man can limit the power of Almighty God!
And limited the Holy One of Israel.
* This passage speaks of God's people there in the wilderness and God is trying to lead them out of the land of bondage, through the wilderness, into a land that flows with milk and honey.
* God wanted to bless them, God wanted to pour out upon them lavish blessings, and God demonstrated this to them with many miracles in the wilderness, but they limited what God could do for them.
* To limit means to set boundaries, or to hinder. The Hebrew world used that is translated “limit” means “to draw a circle around.”
* The children of Israel had limited God to only what they thought God was able to do for them.
* let’s take a serious look at the ways men limit God this morning.
* I want you to think with me about what I'm going to call the mystery, of man's limiting power.
* Did you know that puny man can limit God?
* In Matthew 27:1-2 is the story of how the Lord Jesus Christ was taken in the Garden of Gethsemane by the chief priests, the scribes, the rulers, the soldiers, how the Lord Jesus was taken there to be judged.
* In Matthew 27:1-2 it says this, that they bound Jesus, they bound Jesus, they tied him up, I mean, they put fetters on him.
* I don't know whether they used chains, ropes, handcuffs, I don't know what they did, but someway they took those holy hands, the hands of the Lord Jesus and they tied him up, they bound him.
* Now, you think about it. He was the one who created the universe!
* The Bible says about Jesus that “Without him was not anything made that was made!”
* Universes, solar systems, billions and billions of starts and planets dripped from the fingertips of Jesus, worlds came from the words of Jesus, Jesus spoke and it was so, he spoke and it stood fast!
* All things were made by Jesus, and were made for him, and without him was not anything made that was made!
* Jesus was the one who said all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth!
* Jesus was- the one who scooped out the seas and heaped up the mountains, and flung out the sun, the moon and the stars!
*Jesus is the one who regulates the universe, for the bible says, for by him all things consist!
* And they tied this Jesus up! they bound Jesus and Jesus allowed them to do so!
* The hands of Jesus were giving hands and loving hands and soothing hands, hands that healed lepers, hands that gave sight to blind men, hands that were made to bless the very people who bound them! And they bound those precious hands!
* Now, don't think, don't think that he could have not stopped them if he'd wanted to.
* Jesus said look Simon, put your sword back, you don't have to defend me, he said if I wanted to I could call twelve legions of angels!
* We sing he could have called ten thousand angels, actually a hundred and forty four thousand angels, actually one angel, if you'll read back in the bible, one angel, one angel, killed a hundred and eighty five thousand Assyrians in one night, one angel.
* Run that out on a calculator, that's thirteen billion, seven hundred and fifty million people those that the 12 legions of angles could have killed the day men bound the hands of Jesus!
* Jesus allowed it, our Lord allowed himself to be limited!
* The world asks the question, and Christians as the question, “Why doesn't God work and show his Power?”
* I'll tell you why God doesn't work- God does not work because we have handcuffed the Lord God! We have fettered God! We have bound the bands that want to bless!
* It is absolutely necessary today that you learn how to unfetter the Lord in your life.
* Let me tell you some things that will bind the hands of the Lord Jesus in your life and in your home and in your family and in your business.
Body:
I. Lost Men limit God.
There are theologians that would have us to believe in something called "irristaible grace." But we see from the Bible that men can and do limit the grace of God in their lives.
A. Lost men limit God by their unwillingness. (An Unwilling Spirit)
* Unwillingness will bind the hands of Jesus. Let me give you a verse.
* In Matthew 23:37 Jesus with those hands outstretched is weeping great, salty tears for the city of Jerusalem and here's what Jesus says. Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together even as the hen gathereth her chicks.
* Now, listen to this… Jesus said “but ye would not.” He said “I would have but you weren't willing, I wanted to bless you, but you limited me.
* It's not because I'm limited, I could have blessed you. I could have gathered you, I could have fed you like a mother feeds her chickens.
* I could have protected you like a mother hen protects her babies, I could have cared for you and warmed you and done all of the things that need to be done.
* I would have but you would not.
* They limited the Lord by their unwillingness.
* God wants to bless you today. God wants to pour out love, grace, peace, happiness, joy, fulfillment, purpose, forgiveness,
*God wants to save you and bless you this morning! God wants you to give you all of this today, but dear friend, he will never force it on you.
* There is someone in this room this morning that the power of God has been working on you, pleading for you to come to Jesus and be saved.
* Jesus is saying “I would” but like those people in Jesus day, your will not! You are not willing to experience the Power of God.
John 1:11–12 (KJV 1900)
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
* God has the power to save anybody this morning, but you have bound the hands of God by your unwillingness to walk down this isle and give your heart to God!
* It is your unwillingness, just sheer unwillingness, that keeps God from reaching down snatching you from the flames of hell this morning!
B. Lost Men limit God by their unreasonableness. (An unreasonable Mindset)
* God says in:
Isaiah 1:18 (KJV 1900)
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
* God wants to save you and forgive you of your sins, but you want to be unseasonal and stubborn about it!
* People say silly, unreasonable things like:
- “I will not go to church because my mother made me go to church.”
* I imagine his mother made him take a bath also, so now he doesn’t take a bath anymore?
- “Well, there are hypocrites in the church.”
* Some lawyers are shysters; some doctors are quacks; and some money is counterfeit. But, if you need a lawyer or a doctor, you find one. And you’ve not yet burned all of your cash because some money is fake.
- “I’d like to be a Christian, but there’s just so much to give up.”
That’s like saying, “I’d like to be healed, but I don’t want to give up my cancer.” The only things God asks you to give up are things that will hurt you.
C. Lost Men limit God by their uncleanness. (An unclean lifestyle)
* Jesus told the story of rich young man that was not willing to give up his sin in order to be saved.
* The young man argued with Jesus saying that He was a good person, but Jesus knew that he had sin in his life and that he was not willing to give it up in order to be saved.
* What was the sin in his life, which commandment had he broken?
* Why, is was the very first commandment!- “Thou shalt have no other God’s before me.”
* Jesus would not have normally told someone to sell at the he had a give it to the poor.
* But he told this to this you man because He knew that His wealth was his Idol. It was the sin of Idolatry!
* Just as Jesus knew he would, the young man walked away without getting saved. This young man had limited the ability of Jesus to save his eternal soul, because of sin.
Illustration:
(A monkey is trapped when he reaches in for a handful of rice, and refuses to let go)
II. Saved men limit God too.
A. Saved men limit God by their unconcern for the things of God. (An unconcerned attitude)
* We limit God with our lack of desire for the things of God.
Jeremiah 7:13 (KJV 1900)
13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
* Is this what God will say to you when you get to heaven?
* God invites each of us to spend time with Him and get to know Him, but God will not force Himself on us.
* God wants to do great things in your life, but He wants you to make the first move. He will not come to you uninvited.
James 4:7–8 (KJV 1900)
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
* We draw the limit of how close God is to us.
* Jacob would not let go of God until he blessed him.
* My friend, if you have no desire to be any closer to God than you are right now, you are limiting what God can do in your
Life!
* Walking close with the Lord in this life is like a group of people climbing a mountain. Not everyone reaches the same level. Some go higher than others.
* Each of us decides how much effort we are willing to expend to climb higher and closer to God.
* It's up to you how far and how high you will go in your relationship with the Lord.
* The higher you go up the mountain with God, the greater your scenic view will be. The higher you go with God, the more you will be able to see.
* Take for example the story or Elisha and his servant as they were surrounded by the Syrian army. Elijah had a
Different view of the situation than his servant did. Elijah was higher up the mountain- he could see more that his servant could see.
* Some people take the time to know God and as a result they are more in tune with the heart of God than others. God is able to direct them in to His will for their lives as the serve Him.
* Because they are more familiar with the heart of God, they can more readily see what God is doing around them, and God can direct them from His Word, showing them greater truths the higher they go up the mountain with Him.
* We, as believers, look at how bad God needs to intervene in the world, and in our own life and ask “why doesn't God do something!” but we are the ones limiting and restricting what God can do!
* At Mount Sinai, After God declared that the people were not ready to come any closer to Him, God gave to them the 10 commandments, but the people feared and stayed from the mountain of God.
* They were satisfied to not be close to God, but Moses went on up the mountain and there uncovered himself to Moses and his face shined with the Glory of God.
* If you want god to make a change in you, you must want it and ask for it.
* If you want God to do something in your life you are going to have to invest the effort to climb higher up the mountain with God.
* If you don't make the first move and ask God to reveal more of Himself to you like Moses did, you will limit what God can do in your life.
* We bind the hands of God and limit God when we refuse to grow as a Christian.
* When we are unwilling to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to our relationship with the Lord, we limit God’s work in us, and we place restrictions on the amount of service we are able accomplish.
* God knows our potential, and He wants to use our circumstances to develop our faith and increase our capacity to serve Him, but we must surrender and do whatever it takes to draw closer to Him.
* We must grow into a larger container so that we might be able to hold greater blessings from God.
* Growing involves fresh challenges.
B). We limit God with our lack of obedience.
* If you are not faithful in what God has set before you to do now, you limit what God can do for you in the future.
Luke 16:10 (KJV 1900)
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
* You say " I want God to show me His will for my life," but If you don't respond to what God is doing in your life right now, he will not give you further instructions.
C). Saved men limit God when we have no concern for His Word.
* The apostle Paul spoke of those who could only understand the milk of God's word, but others could handle the meat.
* Most of us go the amusement park of God’s Word, and never get past the kiddie rides. While God begging us to ride the rollercoaster, we insist on always riding the choo choo train in the kiddie section.
*God is continually coming to us and inviting us to go higher and deeper with him in His Word, but we are too afraid to leave our comfortable choo choo train and experience a greater knowledge of God through this Bible.
* Are you limiting God to the choo choo train?
* God patiently promises to go with us and to hold our hand, but we still limit Him.
D. Saved men limit God with their lack of concern for the souls of men.
* When it comes to catching a vision of what God wants you to do for Him, it is important that you catch Jesus vision.
* What was Jesus vision? “Look on the fields for they are white already to harvest.”
* It doesn’t matter what you do for God, if it is not motivated by Christ’s vision “to seek and save that which is lost,” then laboring in vain- limiting the power and blessing of God.
E. Saved men limit God by their unbelief. (An unbelieving heart)
Introduction:
* Last Sunday I preached to you a sermon entitled “Limiting God.” In which I used two examples of how puny little man, can limit an “all Powerful,” sovereign, God.
* The first example was when God limited himself and entered into His own creation in the form of a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes.
* The second example we looked at was when Jesus, the creator of the universe, allowed men to bind his hands and lead Him to the cross.
* We looked at several ways in which men, both saved and lost, limit an “all powerful,” sovereign, God.
I. Lost Men limit God.
A. Lost men limit God by their unwillingness. (An Unwilling Spirit)
B. Lost Men limit God by their unreasonableness. (An unreasonable Mindset)
C. Lost Men limit God by their uncleanness. (An unclean lifestyle)
II. Saved men limit God too.
A. Saved men limit God by their unconcern for the things of God. (An unconcerned attitude)
B). We limit God with our lack of obedience.
C). Saved men limit God when we have no concern for His Word.
D. Saved men limit God with their lack of concern for the souls of men.
E. Saved men limit God by their unbelief. (An unbelieving heart)
* This morning, I would like to take a separate sermon to deal with what I think is the most important of the ways in which we limit God.
* We limit God when we limit what we believe God can or will do in our lives.
* When answers to our prayers don’t come in the time or way we think they should, we stop praying—and we stop believing—because we fail to realize that God allows troubles and difficulties so that we will become more mature, trusting believers.
* Instead of embracing the work God is doing through our troubles, we entertain doubt and place limitations on what God can do for and through us.
* We limit God with our faithlessness and unbelieving attitude.
* We limit God with a lack of faith.
* There were certain towns where Jesus was limited by the unbelief of the people.
Mark 6:3–6 (KJV 1900)
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
* I want you to understand what God thinks about faith this morning. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 10:38:
Hebrews 10:38–39 (KJV 1900)
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
* Now from this verse I want you to see two things:
1). God is displeased with us when we don’t move forward in faith.
Hebrews 10:38–39 (KJV 1900)
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back,
my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
* Peter had reached the limit of his faith when he began to sink after walking on water.
* Peter had a greater faith than the other disciples, but Peter’s faith had a limit. Peter failed when he began to look at the storm and the waves.
* We limit the power of God when we doubt. The moment Peter began to sink, he had reached the limit of his belief.
* The Lord rebuked his disciples for their lack of faith when they feared for their lives in that storm on the sea of Galilee.
Mark 4:36–41 (KJV 1900)
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
2). It pleases God greatly when we live by faith.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
* Most of us are not familiar with these verses, but we are very familiar with the verses of the following chapter, Hebrews chapter 11, the chapter sometimes referred to as the great “Hall of faith” chapter.
Hebrews 11:1–2 (KJV 1900)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
I. The kind of faith that pleases God is based in God’s reality.
* You see in verse 1 that the kind of faith that pleases God is a faith that is real, not talk, but a belief that can be looked at and examined by others.
* Faith that pleases God must have substance- it must be the essence of our reality.
* Faith that pleases God, believes in God’s reality, not the world’s reality.
* The world would have you believe this morning that you and the universe around you are the product of a process of evolution.
* The world would have you believe that the universe around you is the result of random chance.
* The world would have you believe that there is no one in control of the universe, and that there is no such thing as the supernatural, and miracles, and the resurrection of the dead.
* God has a different reality, and our faith is based on that reality. In God’s reality the universe around us is a direct result of the World of God.
* As it says in Genesis 1 God spoke the world into existence. Look now at Hebrews 11 and verse 3:
Hebrews 11:3 (KJV 1900)
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
* Our faith is based in this reality, God’s reality.
* When we live by this reality, God’s reality, this is what the Bible calls living by faith:
Hebrews 10:38–39 (KJV 1900)
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
* Notice how the apostle Paul also shows that our faith is based in God’s reality, and it is rooted in God’s creation:
Romans 1:17–20 (KJV 1900)
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
* The wrath of God is upon those of this world who refuse to believe God’s reality, and live by faith in God’s reality.
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
II. Faith that is rooted in God’s reality will produce evidence of itself.
I. The kind of faith that pleases God is based in God’s reality.
II. Faith that is rooted in God’s reality will produce evidence of itself.
Hebrews 11:1–3 (KJV 1900)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
* The kind of faith that pleases God is not just something we talk about, but something that has real tangible evidence.
James 2:17–18 (KJV 1900)
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
* When we pray it is evidence that we have faith in God. An indication that you have stopped believing is when you stop praying.
* When you give up praying about something, or for someone, it is evidence that you have stopped believing that with God, in God’s reality, all things are possible.
* Another indication that you have stopped believing is fear and worry. Fear and Anxiety limits God's power in your life and it is evidence that your faith in God’s reality is wavering.
* Another indication that we have stopped believing is that we start to miss church services. If we really believed that the Holy Spirit of God will be there to meet with us every time the church comes together, then we would be there.
* If you don’t show up for church when would could have, then it is proof my friend that you don’t really believe that God is going to be there to meet you.
* The same goes for reading and studying your Bible.
* James tells us that if our faith does not have works, then our faith is dead.
III. With a faith that is based upon God’s reality, nothing is impossible.
I. The kind of faith that pleases God is based in God’s reality.
II. Faith that is rooted in God’s reality will produce evidence of itself.
III. With a faith that is based upon God’s reality, nothing is impossible.
Matthew 17:16–21 (KJV 1900)
16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Matthew 19:22–26 (KJV 1900)
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Luke 1:34–37 (KJV 1900)
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
IV. Our faith determines our capacity to receive from God.
I. The kind of faith that pleases God is based in God’s reality.
II. Faith that is rooted in God’s reality will produce evidence of itself.
III. With a faith that is based upon God’s reality, nothing is impossible.
IV. Our faith determines our capacity to receive from God.
Matthew 13:58
* Jesus came to his hometown and they had very low expectations for this carpenter's son. As a result, the Bible says "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
* Here we find a principle- God gives to us according to our faith.
* God's ability to bless us is unlimited, but God blesses us according to our faith.
* This is illustrated by the story of the widow who was in need and the prophet told her to gather pots.
* The pots were gathered and the oil continued to flow until the last container was full. There was no more capacity to receive from God.
* The more pots were gathered, the more blessings could be received. We set the limit. II Kings 4:1-7.
2 Kings 4:1–7 (KJV 1900)
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. 2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house,
save a pot of oil. (Representative of the Holy Spirit)
3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
* This story illustrates how that our faith determines how much God is able bless us.
* Yes, God is all powerful, and yes, with God all things are possible, but we set limits on what God can do by our lack of faith.
Mark 9:19–24 (KJV 1900)
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation,
how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
V. Faith based in God’s reality involves a commitment on our part.
I. The kind of faith that pleases God is based in God’s reality.
II. Faith that is rooted in God’s reality will produce evidence of itself.
III. With a faith that is based upon God’s reality, nothing is impossible.
IV. Our faith determines our capacity to receive from God.
V. Faith based in God’s reality involves a commitment on our part.
Hebrews 11:1–6 (KJV 1900)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:
for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
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.
* You see, a faith that pleases God requires a commitment to diligently seek God.
* It brings pleasure to the heart of God when men make a commitment of faith to him.
* The verse we started with, Hebrews 10:38, explains that this commitment is even what saves our very soul.
* Listen again to the words:
Hebrews 10:38–39 (KJV 1900)
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
* That is what being saved is. It is the act of committing our soul to Jesus to raise us from the dead.
John 6:38–40 (KJV 1900)
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
2 Timothy 1:11–12 (KJV 1900)
11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
* Some people expect God to do great and mighty things in their life, and they prepare accordingly.
* Others pray little, read and study the Bible little, and are unconcerned about the things of God. They have not made a commitment to God.
* They are not single minded, but double minded about the things of God. The have one foot in the world and one foot in God’s house.
* James speaks of this kind of people in James
James 1:5–8 (KJV 1900)
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 4:7–8 (KJV 1900)
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
* My challenge as your pastor this morning is to push you forward in your faith.
*I must this morning push you toward making a commitment of faith with God.
* I began with Hebrews 10:38 this morning. Let met read it to you again:
Hebrews 10:38–39 (KJV 1900)
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
* This verse is all about making a commitment.
* The writer of Hebrews is here trying to get the reader to make A commitment to not draw back in unbelief, but to push forward in faith.
* Will you set out on faith this morning and make a commitment to live, not in the world’s reality, but in God’s reality?
* Next to the day when I got saved, the most wonderful day in my life was when as a 16 year old boy, I came to an alter in a little church like this one, and made that commitment that we all must make to God.
* Jesus said to the apostle Peter, “when you have been converted,’ feed my sheep.” Jesus wasn’t talking about being saved, Peter was already saved.
* That word “converted” in the context that it was used by Jesus, meant “committed.” Jesus knew the heart of Peter, Jesus knew that Peter had believed, but was not yet fully committed to living by faith. Peter was double-minded.
* The average church member today is like Peter, they have believed on Jesus for salvation, but yet they remain “un-converted,” uncommitted to God.
* James speaks of this state of the “unconverted”, uncommitted Christian in James 1:5:
James 1:5–8 (KJV 1900)
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
* Will you make the move this morning? Are you ready to commit? Listen to the voice of God calling you to make a commitment of faith in Him this morning.
* Come and make the commitment! Be converted and make up your mind to live for God!
* What are you afraid of? Don’t you trust God?
Notes:
* There are many individual Christians, and many churches, that should be totally embarrassed by their apparent failure to demonstrate the power of God to a skeptical world today as well.
* Was God limited? No, Jesus had already given them power and authority to heal and cast out devils.
* What then was limiting the power of God to deliver this poor boy! Jesus immediately pointed to their prayer life!
Mark 9:28–29 (KJV 1900)
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
* Are you limiting God by your prayer life this morning?
* Another indication that you have stopped believing God is the level of Joy in your life.
* We limit the amount of Joy we experience from God.
* Jesus taught us that no one could steal our joy, but we can surrender or limit our joy at any time. In every difficult circumstance we decide if that circumstance is significant enough to take our joy.
Our faith determines our capacity to receive joy from God.
Conclusion:
We limit God in our prayer life.
* When Jesus was on the mountain top with Peter, James and John, the other 9 remained below and could not free a boy from demonic possession.
* As Jesus approached the gathered crowd the 9 were being harassed by the Pharisees and were totally embarrassed by their apparent failure and lack of power with God.