BY FAITH

BIG IDEA: BY FAITH, WE EXPERIENCE ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US.

OUR NEW YEAR’S EVE MESSAGE POSED THE QUESTION, “DO YOU FEEL STUCK?”

STUCK IN THE SENSE OF NOT MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS ONE’S VISION AND PURPOSE...

IN A SIMILAR MANNER, I WANT TO POSE A QUESTION OF ONE BEING STUCK: DO YOU FEEL STUCK, AS IF FEAR IS KEEPING YOU FROM FULFILLING THAT THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO?

THIS IS NOT A STUCK OF CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT A STUCK OF FEAR…LACK OF CONFIDENCE.

I AM CONVINCED THAT THE ENEMY IS USING THE UNKNOWN AGAINST BELIEVERS...

NOT KNOWING IF I’LL CATCH SOMETHING...

NOT KNOWING IF I’LL SPREAD SOMETHING...

NOT KNOWING IF WHAT I MAY CATCH WILL KILL ME...

AWWW BELOVED, THIS KIND OF STUCK CAN KILL US BEFORE ANY VIRUS LAY A HAND ON US!

HELP ME HOLY GHOST:

(NOW) FAITH ISN’T BEING IRRESPONSIBLE (LIVING AS IF THIS THREAT ISN’T REAL)

(EVEN GREATER) FAITH ISN’T BEING IMMOBILE (LIVING AS IF THIS THREAT IS BIGGER THAN GOD)!

NAWWWWWW.

FAITH IS BEING INTENTIONAL (TAKING STEPS TOWARDS FULFILLMENT & PURPOSE), WHILE RELYING UPON GOD’S WORD, WHICH IS CREDIBLE! EVEN THOUGH THINGS MAY SEEM IMPOSSIBLE!!!

When Hudson Taylor went to China, he made the voyage on a sailing vessel. As it neared the channel between the southern Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the missionary heard an urgent knock on his stateroom door. He opened it, and there stood the captain of the ship. "Mr. Taylor," he said, "we have no wind. We are drifting toward an island where the people are heathen, and I fear they are cannibals." "What can I do?" asked Taylor. "I understand that you believe in God. I want you to pray for wind." "All right, Captain, I will, but you must set the sail." "Why that's ridiculous! There's not even the slightest breeze. Besides, the sailors will think I'm crazy." But finally, because of Taylor's insistence, he agreed. Forty- five minutes later he returned and found the missionary still on his knees. "You can stop praying now," said the captain. "We've got more wind than we know what to do with!"

FAITH SETS THE SAIL, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO WIND!!!

AND THAT’S MY PRAYER FOR US TODAY, BELOVED! THAT EACH OF US WOULD SET OUR SAILS…THAT WE WOULD SEEK TO MOVE FORWARD INTO 2021, BELIEVING - PRAYING - TRUSTING THAT GOD WILL BLOW US INTO HIS DIVINE PATH TOWARDS OUR DESTINY!

THAT WE WOULDN’T LIVE LIVES OF FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN, BUT LIVES OF FAITH IN THE UNSEEN!!! (((YES, BY FAITH)))!

IN HEBREWS 11, WE PICK UP AS THE WRITER HAS CHALLENGED ALL BELIEVERS TO “LIVE BY FAITH” - HEB. 10:38...

38 But my righteous one will live by faith;

Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Heb 10:38). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

AFTER HE TALKS A LITTLE ABOUT FAITH, HE THEN TAKES US THROUGH A PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATION OF FAITH-WALKERS! ((AND AS WE KICK OFF 2021, WE’LL EXPLORE THESE “FAITH-WALKERS” TO SEE IF WE CAN PICK UP SOME PRINCIPLES THAT WILL PROFIT OUR OWN PILGRIMAGE... ))

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 11

11 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for,

King James Version Chapter 11

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

The New International Version Chapter 11

11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for

The NET Bible Chapter 11

11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for,

BELOVED, I’VE TAUGHT YOU BEFORE THAT THE ABSENCE OF THE ARTICLE ((THE)) PRECEDING THE WORD (PISTIS) OR FAITH, COMMUNICATES THAT (VS. 1) IS A DESCRIPTION OF FAITH, NOT A DEFINITION OF FAITH…IT’S LIKE DESCRIBING LOVE AS WALKS IN THE PARK - GAZING INTO YOUR LOVE’S EYES - OR HOLDING HANDS, RATHER THAN DEFINING LOVE AS A HEARTFELT EMOTIONAL BOND, BROUGHT ABOUT BY TRUST, ATTRACTION, AND SACRIFICE

SO, RATHER THAN DEFINE FAITH AS - confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances & consequences.

THE WRITER DESCRIBES FAITH AS “BEING SURE” - OR THE REALITY - OR THE SUBSTANCE: OF WHAT WE HOPE FOR!

AT IT’S ROOT, “Faith is the basis, the substructure (hypostasis means lit. ‘that which stands under’) of all that the Christian life means, all that the Christian hopes for.”

Constable, T. (2003). Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Heb 11:1). Galaxie Software.

(((BIBLICAL FAITH ALLOWS US TO LOOK BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS AT THE SAME TIME)))!!

BIBLICAL FAITH IS SURE (BASED UPON THE SUBSTANCE OF GOD’S WORD) THAT WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED WILL BE FULFILLED! BIBLICAL FAITH HAS CONVICTIONS (EVIDENCE) THAT WHAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IS STILL REAL!

It is a solid conviction resting on God’s words that makes the future PRESENT and the invisible SEEN!

HERE IS THE FIRST MOVEMENT:

BY FAITH WE BELIEVE WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED!

NOW FAITH IS THE REALITY OF WHAT IS HOPED FOR, ((FAITH IS)) THE PROOF WHAT IS NOT SEEN.

BELOVED, THIS IS THE VERY NATURE OF FAITH: TO BELIEVE WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED WILL COME TO PASS...

WHAT PROMISES? WELL HOW ABOUT: 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 8:28). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 14

14 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going.”

CHURCH, WHEN WE DOUBT THE WORD OF GOD - THE PROMISES OF GOD, WE ERODE THE SUBSTANCE OF OUR FAITH...

WATCH THIS: DOUBT IS TO FAITH, WHAT DISSENT IS TO UNITY! IT DELUDES - ERODES - DESTROYS...

IF WE FAIL TO BELIEVE GOD, IT AIN’T BECAUSE OF SOMETHING GOD HAS OR HASN’T DONE. IT’S BECAUSE OF OUR FAILURE TO CONTINUALLY TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD!!!

Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.

Augustine.

Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible 1. Faith in the Antediluvian Era 11:1–7

“. . . faith celebrates now the reality of the future blessings that constitute the objective content of hope.”

BY FAITH WE BELIEVE WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED: WHAT ARE WE BELIEVING GOD FOR:

WHAT ARE WE HOPING FOR? CHRIST’S RETURN - THE BELIEVER’S SANCTIFICATION & GLORIFICATION - THE CHURCH’S MISSIONAL FULFILLMENT - GOD’S CONSTANT PROTECTION/

PROVISIONS - THAT HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US!! - Faith enables us to see what others cannot see (note Heb. 11:7, 13, 27). As a result, faith enables us to do what others cannot do!

OUR MISSION HAS NOT CHANGED - OUR POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED! YES, THINGS ARE DIFFICULT, BUT THAT’S WHY WE HAVE FAITH!

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain:

This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.

BY FAITH WE BELIEVE WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED!

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 11

2 For by this our ancestors were approved.

BY FAITH WE LIVE TO HONOR GOD!

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