Finding Faith Abraham believed God and it was
Finding Faith
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Romans 4: 3 Righteousness Faith
Unpacking Abraham’s Faith Passage Gen 15: 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him Believed in unseen for righteousness. God Rom 4: 17 Resurrection & Promises Rom 4: 19 Believed the impossible Rom 4: 20 Energizing Rom 4: 21 Unassailable Conviction As it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations. " Abraham acted in faith when he stood in God's presence, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don't even exist. He was then almost one hundred years old; but his faith did not weaken when he thought of his body, which was already practically dead, or of the fact that Sarah could not have children. His faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God's promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God. He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised.
Belief beyond Reason • Brings life from death • Calls into existence things that do not exist Romans 4: 17 Who against hope When there was no reason for hoping The realm of the impossible God does not expect us to submit our Faith to Him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make Faith a necessity
Our Faith 1. Belief in the unseen God 2. Belief in Resurrection 3. Belief in impossible – We can be made right with God 4. Unassailable Conviction 5. It is Energizing – Results in Action
Finding Faith Session 2 – Faith Perfects
1 The Basics of Faith – Faith Saves 2 The Mind of Faith – Faith Perfects 3 The Refining of Faith – Faith in Suffering 4 The Victory of Faith – Faith in Suffering 5 The Fathers of Faith – Faith in Action 6 The King of Faith – Faith by Example
The Mind of Faith Illustrated The Story of the Rich Young Man Matthew 19: 16 KJVR And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Compliance leads to Compromise Before And Pharisees we shake actually our heads believed at the that Pharisees: they could be good Matthew 15: 4 -9 WEB For God commanded, 'Honor your and acceptable God because complied father and your before mother, ' and, 'He whothey speaks evil ofwith the We “requirements” must remember how God: easy is death. ' for us to 5 fall father or mother, letof him be putit to Butinto youthe works/compliance say, 'Whoever maymindset: tell his father or his mother, Lowering the bar Philippians 3: 4 -6 KJVR Though I might also havefrom "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten confidence We see discipleship in the 100% flesh. as. God, " a. If series any 6 other of man not thinketh we must that do: me is gift devoted to he–things shall honor his he • a. To make possible laws were diluted hath he might trust made in thethe flesh, I more: 5 fatherwhereof or mother. ' You have commandment of and made possible Circumcised Be the eighth day, of the stock of hypocrites! Israel, of the Godbaptised void because of your tradition. 7 You • of. Focus was legal correctness – forget the tribe Attend the Benjamin, meeting aon Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 'These spirit of thetolaw the Help law, the aneedy Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the people draw near me with their mouth, and honor me church; Visit the touching sick righteousness which the law, with their lips; butthe their heart is far from me. is 9 in And in blameless. Preach vain do they. Gospel worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men. ' " As if any of these alone can save us …
Only God is Good There is no one Good but God Jesus Salvation was comes sinless to but those he was who still recognize flesh the condition 1 Peter 1: 24 KJVR For all flesh is as grass, and all the of human nature andflower seek God’s grace faith. • of. Why did Jesus challenge this first statement: glory man as the of grass. Thethrough grass withereth, In God’s eyes flesh canfalleth neveraway: be good – it needs to be and the flower thereof “Good Master”? Instead transformed of focusing on mistakes and trying to bring God challenging the mindset that down to. He anwas achievable levelperson (compliance) theyany stretch What • happened to the best ever to–live: for perfection relying on thebefore grace of God (excellence) flesh can be good God. Galatians 3: 13 KJVR Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Keep the Commandments What about the God-focused Commandments? Mat 19: 20 WEB The young man said to him, All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack? Honor Do not on the I’ve and measured my performance Dowatched not Your Bear Do not compliance graph – Do I lack anything or am I OK? Father Commit False Steal Kill Adultery And witness Mother
Graphical representation of Compliance-Based Salvation Good On track for Eternal life Rules, Commandments, Regulations Lacking a little Work to do My work s
Is God Topping us up? Passage But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our Isa 64: 6 righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us Filthy Rags away. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all Deut 6: 25 these commandments before the LORD our God, as he Our Righteousnesshath commanded us. Jer 23: 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, God’s Righteousness THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jer 33: 16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall God’s dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be Righteousness called, The LORD our righteousness. Jer 51: 10 KJV The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: God’s come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD Righteousness our God.
In Search of Perfection… Mat 19: 21 WEB Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.
Mission Impossible Mat 19: 25 -26 WEB When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved? (26) Looking at them, Jesus said, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible
How does God make impossible? Mat 17: 20 KJV 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. If only you had Faith and relied on God And not Riches and relied on Yourself
Starts with God Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin. (Rom 3: 20 WEB) FAITH (Gal 5: 5) RIGHTEO US-NESS death, but (Gal 5: 5) For the wages of sin is life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6: 23 WEB) GRACE (Eph 2: 8) LIFE (Eph 2: 8) the free gift of God is eternal Starts with Man For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (Gal 5: 5 KJVR) WORKS (Rom 3: 20) SIN (Rom 3: 20) WAGES (Rom 6: 23) DEATH (Rom 6: 23) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Eph 2: 8 KJVR)
Compliance vs Faith Mindset Compliance Mindset Faith Mindset Starts with Me Starts with God Focus on Works Focus on Faith Focus on Sins – Lacking Focus on Perfection Works Fears Failure Pushes for Growth Reduce Requirements Strives for Perfection Lives to comply Lives to delight What can I do? What will God do?
Pushing for Perfection through Faith Philippians 3: 12 -15 KJVR 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Faith Perfects Mat 5: 48 WEB Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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