Is Your Faith In Action? Pt.1

Faith Moves

Genesis 6:22 NLT

22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

There is a beautiful thought here when we look at this passage to process in which says that Noah was in conversation with God regularly. Now this is important because I say all the time that God is talking to us, the question is are we listening? Or are we too distracted by the things of this world, or the voices of it too?

The verse clearly explains in four simple words “Noah did everything exactly”.

Now we in Christendom talk a lot about faith, we talk about having faith, the laws of faith, what faith is and why we need faith. Listen we even talk about the hardships of faith. Well all this month I want to look at the obedience of faith.

This one verse packs a punch in the focus of these four words Noah Did everything exactly.

If we are honest most of us don’t do everything exactly as the Lord tells us to do. somewhere in that conversation we add our own 2 cents and God is like what am I going to do with two cents! Why don’t you keep that and let me do this my way. But we say owe no Lord, I hear what you are saying but see you don’t understand you need my two cents. Interesting thought there - you - don’t - understand.

In Job chapter 38 God starts his questioning of Jobs complaints. and I want you to listen to just some of the verses as I read them to get an understanding of what we really don’t know!

Job 38:1–6 NLT

1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: 2 “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? 3 Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 5 Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? 6 What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone

He goes on giving Job the business. Now why does this matter, because most of us like Job complain about everything with no regards of understanding for God’s plans and purposes in our lives.

Noah didn’t wake up that day with the Lord speaking to him saying; Yeah Lord you got the right idea. Kill everyone, but my immediate family! Kill my in-laws, cousins, brothers and sisters, KILL EVERYONE BUT ME! I’m the only righteous one Lord!

But no that wasn’t the case, we don’t hear Noah say it because the author doesn’t go into details, but we know that human emotions dictate it.

I mean we see disaster strike in our world and our humanity kicks in automatically. I guarantee you that Noah’s did too.

But something more important was taking place… Noah’s Obedience.

Noah’s Faith In Action

Now this matters much because in order for God’s plan to work He needed Noah to follow His decrees to the letter.

This is why it says in:

Hebrews 11:7 NLT

7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

Now it is the second part of this passage I need you to get.

By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

Noah’s faith revealed the rest of the worlds unbelief. This is critical. As believers our faith in what God called us to do,

Condemns those who criticizes what God tells you to do.

Noah was ridiculed, he was looked upon as crazy, mocked, laughed at and probably even had debates about the great storm coming, when there had never even been any rain on the earth.

Picture Noah cutting down trees, the labor in that work and moving them from one point to another. (talk about Noah building the ark)

But Noah’s faith moved into action and caused him to be obedient to God’s every, exact, command.

Faith Moves

faith involves obedience in the face of the unseen.

Hebrews 11:1 NCV

1 Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.

Listen, when God tells you to move, don’t hesitate. You’ve been hoping for it, now move on it.

Faith Doesn’t Question

Faith conferred upon those events a reality so substantial that Noah did not hesitate to act as though they were already beginning to happen.

Matthew 8:13 NLT

13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

Faith shuts up and just does. It moves God’s hands, on your behalf. (Explain the story)

Faith Uses What God Supplies

Noah used what God had given him, to accomplish what God had expected of him.

Matthew 25:22–30 NLT

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ 28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Your faith is faithful when it brings things into fruition, which God supplies you.

More Perfect Illustrations: For Every Topic and Occasion Faith: Praying in Faith

Television interviewer and journalist Larry King describes three farmers who gather daily in a field during a horrible drought. The men are down on their knees, looking upward, and praying the skies will open and pour forth a much-needed rain. Unfortunately, the heavens are silent, and the petitioners become discouraged, but they continue to meet every morning to lift up their request to God.

One morning an uninvited stranger approaches and asks the men what they are doing. They respond, “We’re praying for rain.”

The newcomer looks at each of them and shakes his head, “No, I don’t think so.”

The first farmer says, “Of course we’re praying. We are down on our knees pleading for rain. Look around; see the drought. We haven’t had rain in more than a year!”

The outsider continues to nod his head and advises them their efforts will never work. The second farmer jumps in and says, “We need the rain; we aren’t asking only for ourselves, but for our families and livestock.”

The man listens, nods, and says he still isn’t impressed. “You’re wasting your time,” he says.

The third farmer can’t take any more, and in anger he says, “Okay, what would you do if you were in our shoes?”

The visitor asks, “You really want to know?”

The three landowners answer, “We really want to know! The future of our farmlands is at stake.”

The guest announces, “I would have brought an umbrella!”

Let’s pray