Faith, Provision, and Peace By Pastor Dan Kennedy © September 10, 2017 www.pastorkennedy.com “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” Hebrews 11:1–2 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 What did the governor of Florida tell the citizens of his state over the last few days as they were facing the physical devastation of Hurricane Irma? “I can give you back your homes and your property, but I cannot give you back your life!” (Flee for your life!) · The Spirit of Life and Consciousness is unseen in each of us, yet given a home in our human body. Our spirit may be unseen, but it is the most precious possession on the face of the earth. · God is Spirit, and is Unseen, but He is most Important in the Universe! · The Trinity, the Spiritual Dynamic of those who have gone on before, the Heavenly Host, the Heavenly Kingdom are all unseen for the present, but they are Eternal! The First Foundation of Faith, is Faith in God, The Creator of All Things. Without God, there is nothing to substantiate faith. Hebrews 11:3 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. It is from the secure Foundation of God’s Reality that a person’s perspective and understanding of life is revealed and sustained. No matter what happens in each of our individual and unique lives, the fact that God IS and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him provides the anchor to the believing soul and peace to our spirit in an increasingly anxious world. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 Faith: Is unseen, yet it can be clearly visualized;  Is intangible, yet it can become solidly concrete in the spirit, heart and mind;  May seem speculative, but can become securely tangible;  Might be called theoretical, but in Truth, it is Divinely inspired  What seeks to Destroy Faith? Found in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:18-23) The Evil One: The snatching away of Faith in God from our heart.  Conflict: Experiencing trouble, adversity or persecution because of the Word, can uproot Faith.  Anxiety, or Self-assured Pride: The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth can choke out faith in God’s Word.  Benefits of Faith - Faith is the Significant Counter to Deception and Doubt - Faith is the Oil of Healing for Pessimism - Faith can Bind up the Wounds of the Brokenhearted - Faith in the Living Savior, is the means whereby a guilty Soul finds forgiveness for sin, sustainable peace, and Eternal Hope. - Faith holds on to God to accomplish His Will and Purpose in our lives! - “Without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6) The world hates faith, because faith justly condemns its unbelief, and reveals an eternal righteous inheritance, obtainable only through faith. (Heb. 11:7) Hebrews 11:7 7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Faith looks for an eternal city with secure foundations whose Builder and Architect is God. (Heb. 11:10) Those who have Faith in God admit they are foreigners and strangers here on earth, and are looking for a better country – a heavenly one. God is not ashamed to be called their God, and He has prepared a city for them. (Heb. 11:14-16) Faith stands in the face of sin, trial, affliction or death, because it sees Him who is Invisible. (Heb. 11:23-27) The Tensions of Faith Faith involves an aspect of tension when co-mingled with our human nature. We may not only have faith in God, but we may also have expectations of self-perceived and self-fulfilled fulfillment. There are many Dynamics that somehow become intertwined with projections of Faith causing struggle and tension…Yet refining our faith, bringing Glory to God. · Time – God does not always answer our prayers of faith in the time and way we expect. · Motives – Our motives play a key part in whether or not our prayers of faith are answered. · Limitations – God is not limited, but we are and our expectations and goals are not always the same as His. · Circumstances – There can be many avenues of circumstances that need to converge so that God’s Goals are met for all individuals involved. · Trials, Health, Age and Issues with family and others both local and worldwide – God uses trials, hardships, and sufferings to mold His Children of Faith into a more mature Image of Christ…in order to fulfill His will both now on earth, and in His Eternal Kingdom. “Faith-Choking” Attitudes and Actions: There are many attitudes and actions that “taint” and diminish, or undermine our faith making us less fruitful in our service for the Lord. “Faith-Choking” Attitudes and Actions… Matthew 13:22 …The seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. · Skepticism · Resentment · Sheltering sin in our hearts · Pride · Reliance on the Self-provision of personal wealth · Anger · Unbelief · Etc., etc. Faith and Prayer Many times, our Faith is closely associated with our prayers! Sometimes God answers our prayers right away; at other times, God allows us to “wait” for an answer; still other times, God says, “no.” Jesus was a prime example of experiencing all three responses. · Jesus had many, many Immediate Answers of “Yes” with Innumerable healings and miracles during His Ministry The Withering Fig Tree Matthew 21:18–22 18 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. 21 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” “Wait” …Until the “Fullness of Time” Jesus was aware that timing was important in the accomplishment of His Father’s plan for Him. He knew when the time had not come, and when it had come. “My hour has not yet come” – Jesus’ response on several occasions. · To Jesus’ mother at the wedding feast (John 2:4) · To Jesus’ skeptical brothers (John 7:3-9) · To those seeking to arrest and kill Jesus prematurely (John 7:30; 8:20) Jesus also knew when His “hour” had come (Mk. 14:41; Matt. 26:18; Jn. 12:23; 13:1; 17:1) John 13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. (To wash His disciples’ feet.) Jesus’ waiting also encompassed events of Sorrow, entrusted to His Father’s Hand Sadness over the Murder of John the Baptist Jesus, the One who raised Lazarus from the dead, understood His Father’s Plan, but was still terribly saddened when John the Baptist was put to death by Herod. Could He have stopped it? Certainly, but He clearly trusted His Father and understood that His Father knew what was happening and Jesus submitted to His Plan and Will. Jesus also knew that His life would be taken too – it was only a matter of time. John the Baptist · After hearing of John’s murder Jesus withdrew privately to a solitary place. (Matt. 14:13) · Among those born of women, none greater than John the Baptist. (Matt. 11:11) · John the Baptist was Elijah, in spirit and power – announcing the coming of the Suffering Messiah. (Matt. 17:11-13) · Jesus knew His time was also coming. Jesus also knew “No” Gethsemane: “If It Is Possible”… When Jesus was in His final hours in Gethsemane, He fell to the ground in agony in prayer and asked His Father that “the cup” be taken from Him (Matt. 26:39); but, He continued His prayer, “yet not My will but Yours be done!” Other “No’s” Paul’s prayer regarding the removing of his “Thorn in the Flesh” was denied. (2 Cor. 12:7-10)  Many had received healing during Paul’s ministry, but he left Trophimus at Miletus because he was sick.  2 Timothy 4:20 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. Paul and his companions were kept from preaching the word in the province of Asia; instead, they were instead guided toward Macedonia. (Acts 16:6-10)  Acts 16:6–7 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Since we may not always receive the answer we are looking for, should we stop asking? God always wants our request to be offered to Him, since He is our Heavenly Father and He loves us as His Children. The Dynamic of “Asking, Seeking and Knocking” by Faith Matthew 7:7–11 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! John 16:24 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. Luke 17:5–6 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. Ask in Believing Faith without Doubting James 1:6 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Don’t Babble On, when You Ask We should not babble on, like the heathen, in our “asking,” thinking such repetition will press God to answer our request favorably. Matthew 6:7–8 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Instead of “Babbling,” be Persistent in Prayer The Parable of the Persistent Widow Luke 18:1–8 18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Have Faith with Honorable Motives Sometimes, we expect God to answer presumptuous or selfish prayers. James 4:2–4 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Sometimes an answer is involved with our own spiritual condition. The Healing of a Boy with a Demon Matthew 17:14–20 14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” 17 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” True Faith is Revealed through two dimensions: 1. What We Do: Our Deeds 2. Who We Are: Our Fruit 1. A Person’s Faith can be Revealed through their Deeds As Deeds without Faith is Dead; so, Faith without Deeds is Dead James 2:14–26 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. 2. God Reveals the enduring accomplishments of a person’s “Deeds of Faith” through the Fruit of their Life The Revelation of Who We Are: A Tree is Revealed by Its Fruit Matthew 12:33 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. Matthew 7:15–20 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 12:33–37 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Luke 6:43–45 43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Faith in God is the Antidote to Worry and the Prescription for Rest Matthew 6:25–34 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Philippians 4:6–7 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The Lord is With Us, He want Us to be Nearer to Him Psalm 23:4 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 145:18 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Isaiah 55:6–7 6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Philippians 4:5 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. James 4:7–8 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Acts 17:24–28 (Paul speaks to the Athenians at the Areopagus (the Athenian meeting place where they discussed any new or meaningful idea) 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ · God (YHWH/Jehovah) made us and everything else (v. 24a) · God is Lord of Heaven and Earth (v. 24b) · God is not served by human hands (v. 25) · God created from one man every person and nation to inhabit the earth (v. 26a) · God determined when and where they would live (v. 26b) · God created humankind this way so people would seek Him (v. 27a) · God is not far from each one of us (v. 27b) · In God we live, move and have our being (v.28) Conclusion The First Foundation of Faith, is Faith in God, The Creator of All Things. Hebrews 11:3 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. It is from this secure Foundation that a person’s perspective and understanding of life is revealed. No matter what happens in each of our individual and unique lives, the fact that God IS and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him provides the anchor to the believing soul and peace to an anxious spirit. Faith: Is unseen, yet it can be clearly visualized;  Is intangible, yet it can become solidly concrete in the spirit, heart and mind;  May seem speculative, but can become securely tangible;  Might be called theoretical, but it is Divinely inspired  What seeks to Destroy Faith? (Matt. 13:18-23) The Evil One: The snatching away of Faith in God from our heart.  Conflict: Experiencing trouble, adversity or persecution because of the Word, can uproot Faith.  Anxiety, or Self-assured Pride: The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of reliance on the self-provision of personal wealth can choke out faith in God’s Word.  Benefits of Faith - Faith is the Significant Counter to Deception and Doubt - Faith is the Oil of Healing for Pessimism - Faith can Bind up the Wounds of the Brokenhearted - Faith in the Living Savior, is the means whereby a guilty Soul finds forgiveness for sin, sustainable peace, and Eternal Hope. - Faith holds on to God to accomplish His Will and Purpose in our lives! Hebrews 11:32–40 32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Faith, Provision, and Peace

By Pastor Dan Kennedy

www.pastorkennedy.com

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what we do not see.

This is what the ancients were commended for.”

Hebrews 11:1–2

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:18

What did the governor of Florida tell the citizens of his state over the last few days as they were facing the physical devastation of Hurricane Irma? “I can give you back your homes and your property, but I cannot give you back your life!” (Flee for your life!)

· The Spirit of Life and Consciousness is unseen in each of us, yet given a home in our human body. Our spirit may be unseen, but it is the most precious possession on the face of the earth.

· God is Spirit, and is Unseen, but He is most Important in the Universe!

· The Trinity, the Spiritual Dynamic of those who have gone on before, the Heavenly Host, the Heavenly Kingdom are all unseen for the present, but they are Eternal!

The First Foundation of Faith, is Faith in God, The Creator of All Things.

Without God, there is nothing to substantiate faith.

Hebrews 11:3

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

It is from the secure Foundation of God’s Reality that a person’s perspective and understanding of life is revealed and sustained. No matter what happens in each of our individual and unique lives, the fact that God IS and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him provides the anchor to the believing soul and peace to our spirit in an increasingly anxious world.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to God

must believe that He exists

and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Hebrews 11:6

Faith:

•Is unseen, yet it can be clearly visualized;
•Is intangible, yet it can become solidly concrete in the spirit, heart and mind;
• May seem speculative, but can become securely tangible;
•Might be called theoretical, but in Truth, it is Divinely inspired

What seeks to Destroy Faith?

Found in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:18-23)

•The Evil One: The snatching away of Faith in God from our heart.
•Conflict: Experiencing trouble, adversity or persecution because of the Word, can uproot Faith.
•Anxiety, or Self-assured Pride: The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth can choke out faith in God’s Word.

Benefits of Faith

- Faith is the Significant Counter to Deception and Doubt

- Faith is the Oil of Healing for Pessimism

- Faith can Bind up the Wounds of the Brokenhearted

- Faith in the Living Savior, is the means whereby a guilty Soul finds forgiveness for sin, sustainable peace, and Eternal Hope.

- Faith holds on to God to accomplish His Will and Purpose in our lives!

- “Without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6)

The world hates faith, because faith justly condemns its unbelief, and reveals an eternal righteous inheritance, obtainable only through faith. (Heb. 11:7)

Hebrews 11:7

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Faith looks for an eternal city with secure foundations whose Builder and Architect is God. (Heb. 11:10)

Those who have Faith in God admit they are foreigners and strangers here on earth, and are looking for a better country – a heavenly one. God is not ashamed to be called their God, and He has prepared a city for them. (Heb. 11:14-16)

Faith stands in the face of sin, trial, affliction or death, because it sees Him who is Invisible. (Heb. 11:23-27)

The Tensions of Faith

Faith involves an aspect of tension when co-mingled with our human nature. We may not only have faith in God, but we may also have expectations of self-perceived and self-fulfilled fulfillment.

There are many Dynamics that somehow become intertwined with projections of Faith causing struggle and tension…Yet refining our faith, bringing Glory to God.

· Time – God does not always answer our prayers of faith in the time and way we expect.

· Motives – Our motives play a key part in whether or not our prayers of faith are answered.

· Limitations – God is not limited, but we are and our expectations and goals are not always the same as His.

· Circumstances – There can be many avenues of circumstances that need to converge so that God’s Goals are met for all individuals involved.

· Trials, Health, Age and Issues with family and others both local and worldwide – God uses trials, hardships, and sufferings to mold His Children of Faith into a more mature Image of Christ…in order to fulfill His will both now on earth, and in His Eternal Kingdom.

“Faith-Choking” Attitudes and Actions:

There are many attitudes and actions that “taint” and diminish, or undermine our faith making us less fruitful in our service for the Lord.

“Faith-Choking” Attitudes and Actions…

Matthew 13:22

…The seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

· Skepticism

· Resentment

· Sheltering sin in our hearts

· Pride

· Reliance on the Self-provision of personal wealth

· Anger

· Unbelief

· Etc., etc.

Faith and Prayer

Many times, our Faith is closely associated with our prayers!

Sometimes God answers our prayers right away; at other times, God allows us to “wait” for an answer; still other times, God says, “no.”

Jesus was a prime example of experiencing all three responses.

· Jesus had many, many Immediate Answers of “Yes” with Innumerable healings and miracles during His Ministry

The Withering Fig Tree

Matthew 21:18–22

18 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.

21 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

“Wait” …Until the “Fullness of Time”

Jesus was aware that timing was important in the accomplishment of His Father’s plan for Him. He knew when the time had not come, and when it had come.

“My hour has not yet come” – Jesus’ response on several occasions.

· To Jesus’ mother at the wedding feast (John 2:4)

· To Jesus’ skeptical brothers (John 7:3-9)

· To those seeking to arrest and kill Jesus prematurely (John 7:30; 8:20)

Jesus also knew when His “hour” had come (Mk. 14:41; Matt. 26:18; Jn. 12:23; 13:1; 17:1)

John 13:1

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. (To wash His disciples’ feet.)

Jesus’ waiting also encompassed events of Sorrow, entrusted to His Father’s Hand

Sadness over the Murder of John the Baptist

Jesus, the One who raised Lazarus from the dead, understood His Father’s Plan, but was still terribly saddened when John the Baptist was put to death by Herod. Could He have stopped it? Certainly, but He clearly trusted His Father and understood that His Father knew what was happening and Jesus submitted to His Plan and Will. Jesus also knew that His life would be taken too – it was only a matter of time.

John the Baptist

· After hearing of John’s murder Jesus withdrew privately to a solitary place. (Matt. 14:13)

· Among those born of women, none greater than John the Baptist. (Matt. 11:11)

· John the Baptist was Elijah, in spirit and power – announcing the coming of the Suffering Messiah. (Matt. 17:11-13)

· Jesus knew His time was also coming.

Jesus also knew “No”

Gethsemane: “If It Is Possible”…

When Jesus was in His final hours in Gethsemane, He fell to the ground in agony in prayer and asked His Father that “the cup” be taken from Him (Matt. 26:39); but, He continued His prayer, “yet not My will but Yours be done!”

Other “No’s”

•Paul’s prayer regarding the removing of his “Thorn in the Flesh” was denied. (2 Cor. 12:7-10)
• Many had received healing during Paul’s ministry, but he left Trophimus at Miletus because he was sick.

2 Timothy 4:20

20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.

•Paul and his companions were kept from preaching the word in the province of Asia; instead, they were instead guided toward Macedonia. (Acts 16:6-10)

Acts 16:6–7

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

Since we may not always receive the answer we are looking for, should we stop asking?

God always wants our request to be offered to Him, since He is our Heavenly Father and He loves us as His Children.

The Dynamic of “Asking, Seeking and Knocking” by Faith

Matthew 7:7–11

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

John 16:24

24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Luke 17:5–6

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

Ask in Believing Faith without Doubting

James 1:6

6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Don’t Babble On, when You Ask

We should not babble on, like the heathen, in our “asking,” thinking such repetition will press God to answer our request favorably.

Matthew 6:7–8

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Instead of “Babbling,” be Persistent in Prayer

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

Luke 18:1–8

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ ”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Have Faith with Honorable Motives

Sometimes, we expect God to answer presumptuous or selfish prayers.

James 4:2–4

2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Sometimes an answer is involved with our own spiritual condition.

The Healing of a Boy with a Demon

Matthew 17:14–20

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

True Faith is Revealed through two dimensions:

1. What We Do: Our Deeds

2. Who We Are: Our Fruit

1. A Person’s Faith can be Revealed through their Deeds

As Deeds without Faith is Dead; so, Faith without Deeds is Dead

James 2:14–26

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

2. God Reveals the enduring accomplishments of a person’s “Deeds of Faith” through the Fruit of their Life

The Revelation of Who We Are: A Tree is Revealed by Its Fruit

Matthew 12:33

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

Matthew 7:15–20

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Matthew 12:33–37

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Luke 6:43–45

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Faith in God is the Antidote to Worry and the Prescription for Rest

Matthew 6:25–34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Philippians 4:6–7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Lord is With Us, He want Us to be Nearer to Him

Psalm 23:4

4 Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

Psalm 145:18

18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

Isaiah 55:6–7

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake his way

and the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Philippians 4:5

5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

James 4:7–8

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Acts 17:24–28 (Paul speaks to the Athenians at the Areopagus (the Athenian meeting place where they discussed any new or meaningful idea)

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

· God (YHWH/Jehovah) made us and everything else (v. 24a)

· God is Lord of Heaven and Earth (v. 24b)

· God is not served by human hands (v. 25)

· God created from one man every person and nation to inhabit the earth (v. 26a)

· God determined when and where they would live (v. 26b)

· God created humankind this way so people would seek Him (v. 27a)

· God is not far from each one of us (v. 27b)

· In God we live, move and have our being (v.28)

Conclusion

The First Foundation of Faith, is Faith in God, The Creator of All Things.

Hebrews 11:3

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

It is from this secure Foundation that a person’s perspective and understanding of life is revealed. No matter what happens in each of our individual and unique lives, the fact that God IS and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him provides the anchor to the believing soul and peace to an anxious spirit.

Faith:

• Is unseen, yet it can be clearly visualized;
• Is intangible, yet it can become solidly concrete in the spirit, heart and mind;
•May seem speculative, but can become securely tangible;
•Might be called theoretical, but it is Divinely inspired

What seeks to Destroy Faith? (Matt. 13:18-23)

•The Evil One: The snatching away of Faith in God from our heart.
•Conflict: Experiencing trouble, adversity or persecution because of the Word, can uproot Faith.
•Anxiety, or Self-assured Pride: The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of reliance on the self-provision of personal wealth can choke out faith in God’s Word.

Benefits of Faith

- Faith is the Significant Counter to Deception and Doubt

- Faith is the Oil of Healing for Pessimism

- Faith can Bind up the Wounds of the Brokenhearted

- Faith in the Living Savior, is the means whereby a guilty Soul finds forgiveness for sin, sustainable peace, and Eternal Hope.

- Faith holds on to God to accomplish His Will and Purpose in our lives!

Hebrews 11:32–40

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.

Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who comes to God

must believe that He exists

and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Hebrews 11:6