Word of God ( 03.04.2016) - Faith

Faith

Dictionary meaning – It is a trust placed on someone or something

Biblical meaning – It is a trust placed on the Lord and our saviour Jesus Christ.

Hebrew 11 (The Chapter of Faith) : 1-2  says,

Faith in Action

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.This is what the ancients were commended for.

Hebrew 11:6 says,

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

·         Coming to church is not the religious duty but we need to make the commitment with the Lord.

1.      Let’s see what faith is not?

Our Faith is not in our (faith/Words/ Works) but in Our God.

2.      It can’t be manipulated and can’t be forced.

-          World’s philosophy is different from the God’s Principles.

-          Philosophy of this world - It says, Name it and claim it ( daily declaring affirmative statements like I will become millionaire and will live for long years will help. And it supplies positive energy to achieve the things we wanted to). Kind of mind science.

-          But God’s principle is simple and clear. Trust in Him with all your heart with all your mind and with all your soul. By surrendering ourselves realizing we are nothing before Him.

Be Alert to Keep up your Faith in the Lord

1.       Without faith we can’t be saved.

Hebrew 11:6 &

Galatians 2:16New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

2.       God wisdom is above all our understanding.

Isaiah 55:8-9New International Version (NIV)

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts

.

3.       God knows what you need

Matthew 6:8New International Version (NIV)

⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

4.       All things are possible with God

Matthew 19:26New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

5.       All things works together for who puts their faith in God.

Romans 8:28New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.

6.   Stand firm in Faith

1 Corinthians 16:13New International Version (NIV)

¹³ Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong

Ephesians 6:10-13New International Version (NIV)

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Ephesians 6:16New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Biblical role models:

1.       Abraham :

Romans 4:3New International Version (NIV)

³ What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[a]

Romans 4:17-25New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[a] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

¹⁸ 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.”^[b] 19 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. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” ²³ The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

2.      Noah

Hebrews 11:7New International Version (NIV)

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 is in keeping with faith.

·       Trials and Temptations

James 1:2-4New International Version (NIV)

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

·       genuineness of your faith

1 Peter 1:6-9New International Version (NIV)

⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls