1. – Exercising Your Faith… GLORIFIES GOD.
“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised “-{Rom 4:18-21}
2. – It Is A Faith that…WORKS;
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” – {James 2:14-26}
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; “-{1 Thess 1;2-5}
3. – Faith… PLEASES God.
“…without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to Please God.”-{Heb 11:6}. The Great Impossibility, that without faith it is impossible to please God!
People in and of themselves can never please God, for they are captives, prisoners spiritually, their mind’s governed by the sinful nature as flesh refers to here…
“The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.”-{Rom 8:7-8 NLT}
4. – Faith …GROWS.
The faith that saves us changes us. If it is not changing you in your thinking, motives, deeds, thought about God and compliance and love For His Word, then you have no reason to believe you have ever been saved, delivered, rescued from the wrath of God, the authority of satan, the power and consequences to sin.
It is not perfection in your living, but a new direction in Whom you are living for!
More the Savior than self!
This new imparted faith is Not Stagnant but Progressive. Like a health baby at birth has an appetite, desires food, milk so their is growth. Growth in size, weight, understanding, development into adulthood. There is growth, progression, evidenced. Indeed, go back and look at photos from a year ago, ten years ago twenty, thirty years ago of yourself and see the change!!!
Faith is a living, vibrant trust, reliance upon Him that develops as weight training develops, tones, strengthens the body in the physical realm, so, Faith In The Lord Jesus, through the knowledge and appropriation of His Word Grows the person, changing them from the inside out, how they view life. A “World view,”where the emphasis is on self and the standards, goals of this world are what is pursued and prominent. And there is “God’s View” where God, His Kingdom is what is pursued. Everyone lives in one of these two realms as the overriding pursuit, passion of their thinking and doing! The one you live for shows which realm you are living in! Genuine faith in the Lord Jesus is manifested, evidenced in growth. As an apple tree produces apples, not apricots, so a child of God produces fruit that is manifested through spiritual…growth!
Having been saved by faith, we now are to live by faith in Him. And to grow in our faith, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;”- {2 Peter 1:5}; “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” “-{2 Peter 3:18}; “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” – {1 Peter 2:2-3}.
5. – Faith in Him is PRE-EMINENT IN the way we are to Live;
” For we live by faith, not by sight” -{2 Cor 5:7}.
Moses is one example from Hebrews 11 which is known as the “Hall of faith,” by many.
“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them…”-{Heb 11:24-28}.
Moses chose to live by faith in Him who was unseen. This meant choices to “refuse…the fleeting pleasures of sin” and to “choose” mistreatment with the people of God. “He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth…” and these and more he did “By FAITH…” There are times when you and I must make decisions to refuse… sin… though it tempts with it’s seductive call, promising life but in the end offering and leading to death. The death of a relationship… the death of trust… the death of honor… the death of righteousness… there are times when such choosing will lead to suffering! Have you ever considered that? Like Joseph, who when tempted by Potiphar’s wife refused to “commit this great evil in the sight of The LORD,” ran from the temptation to do right by God her husband and even her. And her husband had him thrown in jail! HE SUFFERED FOR DOING RIGHT!! John the baptist lost his head for doing right! No, perhaps it will not cost you a jail sentence or martyrdom. But it can cost you your “reputation,”… “standing in society… so called friends. all for // doing right , by faith… For Him and Before Him. But that is never the end of the story. perhaps temporally not not eternally, for the LORD Jesus said,…
” Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
There is a future for you … and in Heaven… He will not forget and will give you a great reward, in the meantime? he says “rejoice, be glad”- Literally- “Jump for joy!? and he gives the reason why, with the word, “BECAUSE…” a great Reward awaits you for honoring Him and He then places you in a great band of people- “the prophets” whom you follow in their footsteps who also suffered for Christ’s sake!!
6. – Faith has a FOCUS;
“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”-{Heb 12:2}.
7. – Faith COMES BY HEARING And DOING;
God’s Word is the spiritual food He uses to develop our faith. Jesus said,
“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” – He appeals to the WORD of God as necessity. Indeed believers are told,
” Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”– {Col 3:16}.. We are to be “Wealthy” in the Word so we can know Him, His revealed will and that we may help one another!
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ…”- {Rom 10:17}
“Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. “- { James 1:22}
8. – FAITH’S PRAYER;
“Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law “– {Psalm 119:18}.
” The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”- {Psalm 119:130}.