Walking by Faith
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· 20 viewsGrace Fellowship in Rusk, Texas Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 10:30 AM
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Walking by Faith
Walking by Faith
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
We cannot please God without faith
We cannot please God without faith
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.
We live by faith
We live by faith
But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
We walk by faith
We walk by faith
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
We die in faith
We die in faith
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Faith in God is not an event, it is a journey.
Faith in God is not an event, it is a journey.
It is a journey with the invisible God.
It is a walk by faith and not by sight.
It is a pilgrimage to a place we belong but have never been before.
It is journey through a land of shadows to a land of light.
It is a journey through a foreign land to our eternal homeland.
It is a journey from this earthly Babylon to the heavenly Jerusalem.
It is a journey through the temporal on our way to the eternal.
It is a journey that passes through the doorway of death.
Death is simply a transition from earth to heaven.
Whether the pangs of death be easy or difficult, they are only birth pangs from this mortal realm into the immortal realm.
Death is a transition from the corruption of sin into the glorious presence of God.
In God’s presence, Death is forgotten, and Life is enjoyed forevermore.
Faith holds on to God regardless of current circumstances
Faith holds on to God regardless of current circumstances
In certain instances of standing in faith, we have experienced miraculous answers to our prayers. We rejoice in such divine interventions.
At other times, we find that God did not answer the way we expected. Questions arise:
Why did God not answer our prayers the way we expected?
How can we live by faith when our faith did not seem to work?
Does God even exist? If so, is He good?
There are two aspects of faith that we must recognize.
One is when we feel we have gained victory. The other is when it seems we have suffered defeat.
One is faith that receives the expected result. The other is the faith that trusts in God when it doesn’t receive the expected result.
Such faith was evident in the life of Job.
In one day, Job lost everything he had worked for and that was precious to him.
Rather than wallow in self-pity, Job chose to worship the LORD.
Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
Job’s faith was not in a temporal outcome but in the God of the eternal outcome.
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
Such faith was evident in the life of David.
David prayed that God would heal his infant son, but the child died. David turned his grief into worship.
When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”
So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate.
Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’
But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
David’s faith was not in a temporal outcome but in the God of the eternal outcome.
Such faith was evident in the life of Peter
When Jesus was betrayed and crucified, Peter denied Him and hid himself away in fear. At the death of Christ all seemed lost, but what seemed like loss turned in to God’s plan of victory in Christ’s resurrection.
What may look like defeat in this life will be turned into victory at our resurrection from the dead.
Because of what Peter learned, he encouraged New Testament believers to lean into their faith toward God even when they were going through severe trials for their faith.
Jesus had prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail. Peter’s faith greatly wavered, and it seemed like it was gone, but in the end, Peter’s faith came out stronger than before.
Such was the case with Martha and Mary
In John 11 Lazarus was sick unto death. His sisters, Mary and Martha sent for Jesus to come heal him. Jesus delayed until he died. This is not what they had requested. But Jesus knew there was a higher purpose for the glory of God.
This life is temporary. God works for the benefit of eternity in our lives and for His glory. When Jesus arrived after Lazarus’ death, they grieved that He was too late. Jesus redirected their attention to Himself rather than to their brother. Jesus said to Martha,
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Tests do not destroy true faith in God
Tests do not destroy true faith in God
Tests prove and refine the precious imperishable gold of genuine faith.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
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,
whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
Tests reveal the strengths and weaknesses in our faith.
Tests reveals where our faith is strong and unwavering.
Tests reveal where our faith is missing, miniscule, misplaced, or misguided.
Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Tests remind us that faith must be founded upon the word, watered by the word, and receive the sunlight of God’s presence in prayer.
Tests reveal the presence or absence of love.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Faith is not in a temporal outcome, but in a Person
Faith is not in a temporal outcome, but in a Person
Jesus reminded Martha that her faith was not to be in a pre-determined outcome but in the LORD who determines the right outcome for our ultimate good and for His glory.
It is not in the promise but in the God of the promise.
Do we trust Him regardless of the outcome?
Do we believe that He will keep His promises even if we don’t see them in this life?
Do we trust that He is working all things in this life—whether good or bad—together for good?
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The Geneva Bible says “And we know that all things work together for the best.”
We must lean forward in faith toward God even in death.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
It is always right to put our faith in God and in His promises
It is always right to put our faith in God and in His promises
It is always right to put our faith in God and in His promises.
It is always right to lean forward in faith toward God regardless of our current questions and limitation in knowledge of the divine will and perspective.
It is always right to trust God whether we understand or whether we do not.
If God is God, and He is, and if God keeps His promises, and He does, then we must trust Him and not our own understanding.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Faith when our prayers seem unanswered
Faith when our prayers seem unanswered
We must lean into faith toward God even when it seems our prayers are unanswered.
God always answers our prayers even if the answer is no or not now.
The reason for His answer of no or not now is sometimes withheld. It is His right to keep it a secret. This too is a test of our faith.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Faith looks forward and does not draw back in unbelief
Faith looks forward and does not draw back in unbelief
We must lean into faith toward God and not draw back in unbelief in the day of trial.
Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
“For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.