Understanding And Applying Faith

Lesson 1: Faith is Tactical and Practical

Psalm 15 and Philippians 4:4-9 Read!

As Christians we must come to the point that we allow the search and conviction of the Holy Spirit upon our lives to the very core of our souls (2 Corinthians 13:5)! Once this happens, the result will be more faith and more use to Christ. The result for your church will be more focus upon His precepts and increased prayer, which will bring an outpouring of the Spirit and renewal! This will impact your neighborhood and the world in which you live. It all starts with your determination to encompass the faith He has given you and obey! What is stopping you?

Psalm 15 is a crucial image of how we are to approach God. It tells us that He is indeed working in us; we are learning and receiving His Truth and are willing, able, and called to impart it to others. These are the traits of faith that will produce results. Faith will help, along with the Holy Spirit, to build maturity and character. If you are wondering if you have faith, or enough faith, the results will be:

·        Walking with integrity and honesty, genuine and just to God and to others!

·        Worshiping, rejoicing, and praising Christ as Lord!

·        Teaching God’s Truth with power, conviction, and clarity!

·        Restraining the tongue that reflects the soul!

·        Working and living for righteousness and truth!

·        Modeling Christ’s love to others!

·        Always humble, generous, gentle and kind!

·        Not over-worrying, and trusting in the Lord!

·        Committed to the importance and practice of prayer!

·        Speaking from the heart with love!

·        No gossiping, slandering or lying—or even listening to it!

·        Not doing evil or reproaching others!

·        Despising of ungodliness!

·        Honoring people who fear and respect the Lord!

·        Not being influenced by power or position—of self or of others!

·        Not being corrupt!

·        Not extorting, manipulating, or using people for false gains!

·        Not taking bribes or fighting against the innocent!

·        Allowing the Holy Sprit to direct one’s life!

·        Swearing to one’s own oath and keeping promises!

Those who do these things will never be shaken!!! These are the instruments to determine character and how one has taken in and used faith. These gauges do not lie. If these precepts are weak, not functioning properly, or not at all, then there is something definitely wrong and you need to get on your knees and into His Word! Without a real, working faith, you will not be able to be used by God to build His Church! Real faith will cause the above principles to work from you to those around you! A real, called church leader follows these principles, from the heart and a desire to please God, resulting from the work of the Spirit within him or her. A pretender or false teacher in the pulpit will not exhibit these characteristics!

Lesson 2: The Main Theme of Romans is Faith! 

Romans 1:16-17 Read!   

This passage is the nuts and bolts of Romans where, in one sentence, Paul sums up his epistle and his life. Paul lived his life, not in theory, but in the fact that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and shows the only way of justification! Paul was totally surrendered and poured out to God with gratitude and indebtedness that infused and permeated all that he was and did. Our faith and trust in Christ must infuse us also so that all we do is a reflection of Christ working in us! If not, all we have is a religion and a philosophy—and not righteousness and impacting faith.  As Christians, we are to live out our faith with passion and conviction, being not ashamed of who we are in Christ.

·         Our Power refers to the life-changing power of the Word of God—the Gospel—and of the Spirit to totally transform us as He did with Paul. Only this power can remove our stubborn nature that bonds us to sin and that refuses His grace. We cannot receive His grace without the Power that intervenes and removes our bond of sin. (Rom. 5:6; 8:5-9). Power is Salvation; it is by the work of Christ alone, through the Holy Sprit!

·         ·We are not to be embarrassed of who we are as Christians, nor, are we to fear sharing our faith!  Thus, we as Christians must live by faith as this is the smart thing to do (1 Cor. 1:22-30)!

·         Faith is based on knowledge given by God.

·         Faith is not just simple trust; faith is not blind trust either, because we know the One who is leading!

·         Our faith is based on historical evidence, logical reasoning, and valid testimonies. Our life must be dictated and expressed by what Christ has done for us.

·         Faith is still trusting what is not seen and believing our God (Rom. 1:16-32; 5:1-11; 10:14-17; Gal. 3:1-4; Eph. 2:8-9; James 2:14-26)! 

·         We did not earn our faith; hence, grace is the ultimate free gift. 

·         Every aspect of faith is built on faith, and nothing else; this is the corner stone of the Gospel (Hab. 2:4). This means we are to trust God and His promises and provision. In Habakkuk, those who survive the Judgment do so because of their faith in God. Faith in the O.T. meant to pledge one’s life on the assertions that God gives (Jos. 24:15).  

·         Our response to faith is by godly living, and exercising out our faith with trust and obedience, whatever we face! It is not looking at our situation; rather, it is looking to God. God desires and deserves our whole-hearted loyalty, allegiance, trust, obedience, and devotion; so, what is stopping you?  

·         Have you realized that your debt has been cleared, your sin has been covered, and your dread has been replaced with wonder and eternity? Then, how has it affected your life? Do you obey His call and precepts? Does this transformed life impact others around you? Do you “get it” that everything you are is because Christ is in you? If not, why? What is in the way? Are you willing to go on your knees to seek His face and His righteousness for your life? Without it, you have nothing but debt and sin!

·         Thanksgiving of faith; who Christ is and what He has done (1 Cor. 11:4; Phil. 1:3; Col. 1:3; 1 Thess.1:2; 2 Thess.1:3; 2 Tim. 3:1; Philemon 4).

·         We are to Obey the Holy Spirit and submit to His precepts and Will (Rom. 8:13)! Not our will (Eph. 1:15; Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9; 1 Thess. 1:3; 2 Thess. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:3)!

·         Encouraged. One of the chief purposes of the Church is to encourage and strengthen one another in faith for His service, something so few of us actually do (Eph 1:15; 4:15-16; Phil. 1:6-9)!

·         Devout Jews in Paul’s time would spend many hours a day in prayer—as do many dedicated Christians today!

·         We have our plans; He has His. Guess what? His will win out!

·         Paul's will was conquered with a sense of gratitude and indebtedness to Christ. Are you totally submitted to God's ways? Do you feel indebted, or do you feel owed (1 Cor. 6:19-20)?  Being "poured out" means to take the focus off yourself and place it on others, as Christ did for us. Paul spent his life to express it!  Jesus gives us the ultimate example of being poured out (Matt 26:28; Rom. 5:5)! Our response is John 3: 5; 30; Phil. 2:14-18! 

·         Mutual faith means encouragement, support, and using spiritual gifts, all working as a team. (Eph. 4:15-16) This is the strength of the church; without it, we will fail.

·         Beware the failure to hear the call of our Lord because of the noise of our will. Being set apart for the Gospel is to be totally at the disposal of our Lord and master.  

·         Paul calls himself a "bondservant" (Rom. 9:3), the lowest form of a slave in Greek times who was totally at the master’s disposal and even expendable; they rowed the boats of war with a whip at their back. This means totally surrendered devotion; the slave/disciple of the Lord has a will that has been sacrificed to God's will, and thus is totally at the disposal of our Lord! Paul's slavery is his freedom (Gal. 1:15; 2:20)!  

Lesson 3: Hypocrisy Destroys Real Faith!

Romans 2:17-3:8 Read! 

When we rest on who we are as Christians and then do nothing with our faith, we do like the Jews who reject Christ. We may have our salvation (which they do not), but what good is it? This is also the theme of James; faith without works is dead. You are saved, but no big deal if you do nothing with it! When you are teaching others, your first and primary task is to be instructed yourself! You cannot teach what you do not know or have not experienced.

Hypocrisy is heinous before our loving Lord, that is, teaching one thing and doing the opposite. This negates faith and dishonors our Lord! Hypocrisy is also one of the main causes of people being driven away from the church; it is so now as it was then (Rom. 2: 24). Hypocrisy is opposing faith and opposing Jesus!

God's Word was given to the Jews for the purpose of evangelizing the world. Their responsibility was to reach all the people groups on earth; all people and cultures traveled through Israel from up north and east into Egypt for trading (Gen 12:1-3). The Jews’ responsibility, especially the Levites, was to be teachers of God, both to their fellow Jews and also to the Gentiles. However, the Bible rarely records the Levite’s adherence to their call. So, the people were not properly instructed in the faith and they easily fell into idolatry because they did not know better; they did not have faith. The Jewish leadership failed in their responsibility for education and modeling faith. Do not fail to teach and model faith!

   Christian education is a priority—not just for children, but for adults, as well. People who are not grounded in the Word are not prepared to deal with life or grow in maturity.  The Jews, as with many Christians today, placed faith in ritual and tradition, boasting in their privileges and neglecting their responsibility and call.

    C. S. Lewis has a skillful argument, based mostly on this passage in Romans, proving the existence of God on the basis of man’s sense of moral absolutes (his sense that he ought to do some things, and ought not to do other things). “Only God could be the source of such universal belief and conviction based upon them."

    There are no secrets from God. So, are you prepared to face Him (Cor. 5:10)?

   God will be glorified and His justice will be vindicated to all! Never make up stories or testimonies, or use sin to please God or reach people; this is dead wrong! 

    We cannot hide behind our faith thinking; hey, I am a good Christian because I go to a church, or, I perform a certain task there. Nor, can we think we are a mature, growing Christian if we do some sort of ritual. Such thinking cannot place us in God’s good graces. We may think we are a real, practicing Christian, but in reality, these mindsets bring misunderstanding and confusion about Christ to the world. Christ must impact your whole being so you are a completely changed and revitalized person—from your old self to Himself!

    For many Christians, their faith has not transformed them. Their faith is only an external showing when it is convenient, such as on Sundays at 10 a.m., but on Monday, the faith is absent and the faith that should be internal is withered and dry. So, their mindset, attitudes, and how they relate Christ to the world tends to be more carnal than Biblical. This was Paul’s message to the Romans; does it need to be God’s message to you? I know I needed it to be for me at times. What about you? If so, what are you going to do about it? 

Lesson 4: Real Faith Realizes the Affects of Sin!

Romans 3:9-20 Read!

We humans have the natural tendency to play the blame game and refuse to accept responsibility for our actions, beliefs, and even our lives. We want to do as we please, so we do not, nor want to see the long-term consequences for our actions. We live for the “here and now” with our nose firmly planted in our desires and expectations. Then, we become unable or unwilling to see the big picture of what life is all about. Thus, when we experience life’s traumas from our own misdirected decisions, we go to God and blame Him.  We must learn responsibility; we cannot hide behind the church, or, for the Jew, the Law. We must come to the realization that it is all about what Christ has done for us; therefore, we need to live our lives in response to what He has done for us.

This passage is telling us that everyone is condemned because of sin; no one can ever escape it. No one since Adam and Eve was ever born right; that is why we have to be born again (John 3). We also have to see God as pure and just and ourselves as not even close to that. If you choose to live as you please, be aware that one day there will be an accounting, and all of your excuses that may have worked in the past will wither before His Presence.

    When we do accept Christ, we should have the desire to please Him and excel to benefit society and His glory. We have no reason or basis to complain. We tend to always focus on the "whys"—why did God allow this or that to happen? However, God desires us not to focus on the why, for He is sovereign. He wants us to focus on the "who" and the "what." The “who” is Christ, and the "what" is His will. When we focus our lives, beliefs, and will upon Him, then the "whys" fall away. Because, it is not a question of why bad things happen to us, but what we can learn from them, and how we can grow to be better in character, faith, and strength for His purpose.

    Our faith is not a cover over our sin and unrighteousness, Christ is! We are totally lost and helpless without Christ!

    We must realize the impact of sin in all aspects of society and all aspects of our lives. If we do not see sin, we will not see Christ. Because, we will fail to realize our need for His cleansing. We have to be cleansed before we can help others understand and undertake Christ’s cleansing (Matthew 7:1-5). With this mindset, we will realize that we are all under the same tent of offence, all in the same boat named peccadillo (sin); we are all the same—in Christ or outside of Christ. There are no favorites. We will realize our hypocrisy and pride and how we come across to others.

    We have no basis for pride. We will see Christ as who He is and be so overruled that He affects all of us all of the time!

Lesson 5: Righteousness comes by Faith in Christ!

Romans 3:21-26 Read!

Propitiation simply means that God takes our place. We cannot be saved by our own actions. We cannot rely on our own efforts, skills, personal connections, family background, or our beliefs. Only Christ can wash us clean and declare us righteous so that we are saved from our sins (Eph. 2:8-9). Jesus led the perfect, sinless life on our behalf; thus, He took our place, in His perfection, in life and sin through death. His Atonement covered us from God’s wrath and covered God (protected) from being affected by our sin. Knowing what Jesus did for you should help empower your faith! The promises of God will be of no use to us unless we have the understanding of God and are obedient to that understanding! We must not have a trace of self-interest in us if we are to call ourselves His disciples! Never say you cannot surrender yourself! Without surrender, you will have a very weak and meaningless faith!

   Righteousness comes by faith in Christ. Paul was accused of promoting sin, because he was teaching a Gospel by faith and leaving out works—thus, no accountability. However, those who are saved by faith should have no desire for sin; and, if they do, they are to confess it before forgiveness can be granted (1 Cor. 10:13; 1 John 1:5-2:1).

   Fear of God is respect and reverence, which turns into trust and obedience. Without faith and trust, we turn to atheism which requires more faith and more trust than what is conceivable and rational.

   We are Reconciliation to God. God has a righteous basis for our justification through the sacrifice of His Son for our sins.  Grace was not cheap for God. Christ paid a great debt by pleasing God's wrath, both in metaphysical pain and the human pain of the crucifixion (Lev. 16; Psalm 103:12).

   Pride is our biggest barrier to knowing Christ and receiving His redemption. It is also the biggest barrier to our growth in and application of faith!

    God increases our faith when we develop more confidence in Him and less confidence in ourselves.

    We, by our fallen nature, tend to only seek pleasure for ourselves, and are unable and unwilling to seek God. We have to be awakened by the Spirit to see Him as Savior and to receive His redemption. Without being sought, we would never have the faith to see or receive Him. We would just remain in our pride and blinded to our situation of sin. This means we cannot achieve anything spiritually on our own efforts. We cannot be saved, we cannot grow, we cannot worship, and we cannot even serve Him effectively. The great comfort is in knowing that He does the work; we only respond. But, if we say we are acceptable just by whom we are, that I am OK; I do not need Christ for my salvation and or growth, we have nothing but pride which will lead to our permanent death. Jesus Christ took your place and absorbed God’s wrath, He paid your debt! So, be willing to allow Him to take you beyond your self, beyond your pride, so you remain in Him and increase your faith (John 3:5; 30; 15:5).

Lesson 6: Faith Builds Us and Others Up!

Romans 3:27-31  Read!

We are to shut our mouths and renounce our pride and arrogance so we are able to trust in our Lord. Being sinful creatures, we have no right to boast. Because, Christ lived the perfect life, on our behalf, by obeying His own law for us that we were not able or willing to do. He was both able and willing. Thus, the Judge, who is rightly able to condemn us for our sins, is now our Savior. Since we had nothing to do with our place in eternity, we have no reason to be prideful of anything, either because of our accomplishments or for our salvation. In like manner, we had no right to boast before our salvation because of our condemnation. Because, we are saved, and all that we are, and all that we have is from Christ alone, by His grace, and by no real or true effort of our own. Christ covered and protected us from the wrath of God, which we truly deserved!

The world may see pride as a sign of respect and dignity, that our worth as human beings is supreme, and that we deserve respect and even worship for ourselves. The world may take pleasure and satisfaction with pride because it represents achievements that we think we deserve. But, the source of pride is ourselves; it elevates us as a god when there is only One True God! Pride is conceit; when we are filled with conceit, we have a vastly exaggerated opinion of ourselves. We become the main show, and filled with self-righteousness; this is the result of our imaginations about ourselves, and not from the reality of who we are, or who and what we were made to be.

   We cannot hide in our pride as we cannot hide in the church from God’s wrath. We cannot boast, because of our condemnation. Once we are saved, we still cannot boast because it was not a result our effort. 

   Legalism is to elevate our traditions and ideas onto the same level as God's Law. Thus, it blinds us to the fact we have been freed by Grace. Legalism also serves as a power and control over others! Legalism opposes real faith!

   Beware not to have a trace of self-satisfaction left in you! We have to realize that just having knowledge puffs us up; but, the demonstration of love and care—put into action because of the knowledge we have in Christ—builds us and others up!

   God increases our faith when we develop more dependence in Him and less dependence upon ourselves.

   We must ask ourselves if our deepest desires and pleasures in life are dedicated to please Christ. Can we take a hard look at our life and see how others see us, how God sees us? Are our actions in life the result of our will, our desires, our inspirations, and our motivations; or, are they the result of living our lives to please God? Is there a distinguishable reality of the Lordship of Christ, versus the menagerie of living the lie of our desires? We must be set apart to be promoters of our Lord’s Kingdom and Grace, to live that life of distinction, a life that honors Christ and motivates and encourages others.

Lesson 7: The Response of Faith!

Romans 4:1-25 Read!  

The Jewish Christians were teaching the Gentile converts that they had to be circumcised and follow the law. Paul addressed the issue by showing in the O.T. that the promise was by faith and not by works. Abraham was saved by faith, not works, a prelude to God's grace, before he was circumcised (Gen. 15:5, 6, 16; 16:1-3; 17:1, 10, 23-27; Acts 10:47; 1 Cor 7:18-19; Gal. 5:6; 3:11; 6:15; James 2:21-26).  Faith, not works, provides righteousness; faith, not ritual, or religion, or wages we earn can we brag about (Rom. 7:18).

·     Faith is not feelings or emotions; it cannot be defined in subjective ways.

·     Faith is not passive, but is a response, by knowledge and belief, through agreement and trust, demonstrated by obedience and commitment. 

·     Faith involves our will being surrendered to God's will, involving all of our being—heart, mind, and soul; all sealed by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 10:14).

·     Abraham, without a Bible and past history to rely on, believed in God's promises.

·     Faith is directed to a real and personal God who loved us first.

·     Faith is not just obedience, nor is it in an object or idea. It is through faith we receive Christ.

·     Faith excludes all other means of obtaining righteousness. The world believes that through pious acts, a person can earn his or her way, because God is love and will not reject the good. The Bible tells us we have no good. God had Abraham wait for his child of promise to remove the "human equation" and strength, so only reliance on God was left.

·     The response of faith is developing the fruits of character (Isa. 40; Gal 5:22-23).

·     Faith is not sanctification; faith is a result thereof, not a cause. The promise of salvation is through what Christ has done, and through our faith. If we try to go to God by our works, we are attempting to cheat grace and nullify its purpose and greatness.  

·     David's redemption (2 Sam .11; Psalm 32) was by repentance and then forgiveness, yet there was still the consequence (2 Sam. 12).

·     Our salvation is accomplished by believing by faith, as Abraham did. Abraham looked toward the promise; we look back. Faith and promise go together as bread and butter, as Law and works. When we have a right relationship with God, our natural response will be to do as He pleases for us to do, out of our love and gratitude for what He did (2 Cor. 5:14).

·     Our service must be motivated by our love, not an obligation or some kind of payback or barter.  Abraham is our spiritual father, as he is the father of the Jewish nation (Matt. 3:7-9). He did not flounder at God's promises (Phil. 4:19). He ignored his abilities and wealth and possible actions, and trusted God (Isa. 55:8-9). He praised God and believed, even before God did anything for him (Isa. 40:15; Eph. 3:20). He is our example!

·     Since we have been given faith, we must live it out and not let it fall lifeless (Gal 5:6; Eph. 2:10).

·     James, chapter two, is not expressing “works-righteousness” as Catholic doctrine teaches; it is the outward expression of the proof and response of faith that has been received. Our works are only accepted by God because of what Christ has done on our behalf (Gal 5:17)  

·     Being prideful and arrogant is a slap in the face of our good and great God! We are to exercise humbleness, and reset ourselves to the example of our Lord Jesus Christ of goodness. We may not understand God’s plans and purposes, but we can rest assured in His love; He is there, loving us, even when we do not feel it or see it. He is there! Glorious times will come—if not in this life, then in the life to come. Paul, even in his sufferings, adored the depths of God’s wisdom, and the glory of His persevering love. God’s judgments are pure and perfect; He is sovereign, so we have firm reason to trust Christ, casting away our anxieties and fears.

Lesson 8: Faith helps us Surrender our Pride and Self-Determination!

Romans 5:1-11 Read!  

It is God's abiding love that keeps us attached in grace and purpose for His glory. We, alone, would quickly fall away into our sin, and forget who we are in Christ, just as the Israelites did throughout the O.T., especially in Judges, chapter two. The Holy Spirit is the glue who keeps us stuck together. Justification means that not only has God forgiven and accepted us, He has covered us with the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, we are pleasing to God. We who are justified by faith now have peace with God. Thus we are to rejoice in our hope (of what He did for us and Heaven to come), and rejoice and glory in troubles. The abundant love of God was shown to us when He reconciled us to Himself, by the death of his Son, while we were still unworthy sinners and His “enemies.” And, to top it off, God assures us of our salvation, and motivates us to rejoice and glory in Him, no matter what happens or what we go through.  Because, He has gone through more.

   As Christians, we must know what it means to rejoice in suffering (Phil. 3:10 ff; Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 10:13; James 1:2-4)! We must be able to surrender our attitudes and experiences to Christ, whatever the cost, even if it means suffering. We must be committed to surrendered prayer, bringing all problems, joys, and concerns to the Lord.  We must be willing to be mentored by a more mature and experienced Christian.

   Surrender your pride and self-determination. This will help give you the desire to grow and mature in the faith, and recognize that Christianity is not a spectator sport.  

   Repentance does not save us; repentance is only the realization of our salvation. We must place our focus on the cause (Christ), not the effect (what we do), then the effect will flow from a natural desire, and create growth and maturity.

   We need not be frustrated when we have Christ. Our confidence is in Christ and His character—not self-esteem, but Christ-esteem!

   True service is doing something for another which we do not usually like to do (2 Cor. 12:15). Christ no longer will hold our sins against us. Our identity is who we are in Christ, and nothing else.

   Once we fully realize that the love of Christ has been poured out in us, then we can identify ourselves in Him. We will be able to identify Christ's interests in others over against our own interests (John 15:3; Rom. 9:3; 1 Cor. 9:22).

   Our faith must not be guided by our desires or our needs. When we think we are important and special and others are not, we are of no use to Him. All we do is isolate ourselves. God calls us to be salt and light. Our goal is not to serve, but to be His child, to keep our eyes on Him, to keep our mind on Him, and that devotion will lead us to serve. Trials work in favor for us (Rom. 8:28) and not against us. They actually promote spiritual growth!

   Trials build faith and character, allowing us to be better used to glorify God. Trials are not a personal attack against us; but, rather, they allow God to work in us in a deep way, to be of better use to Him for others.  

   Faith helps us love! Love is that Christ died in our place. All this happened in God's timing (John 17:1; Acts: 2:23; Gal. 4:4); thus, we need to trust God in His timing and not ours.

   Christ will meet us in our deepest need. The love that flows from us is not from us, but from God through His Spirit (1 Cor. 13). We cannot prove love; we can only respond and obey it. Love is not from our nature, but from the work of the Spirit within us. The response is to put Jesus first (John 15:12; 21:17; 2 Pet. 1:5-7; 3:9; 3 John: 7) and let Him work in our lives. Thus, God will bring us to people and situations we do not normally like so we may learn true love. Love is also disciplined, constant, and spontaneous.

   Discipleship is our response to His love, to be passionate and obedient to our Lord.  

   We must be careful that our faith is developed from God's nature and not ours!

Lesson 9: Exercising our Faith!

Romans 6:15-23 Read! 

When we exercise our faith, we may still have struggles and setbacks, but the general underpinning and drive will be to seek Christ and yield to Him as our Lord. Then, we respond to Him and others because of what He has done for us. We do this along with seeking righteousness; this will translate into virtue, morality, justice, decency, uprightness, and honesty, which we will do completely—not just once in a while or when it is convenient, as the cross was not convenient to our Lord! Then we will see sin as unproductive and reprehensible, and be able to see its destructive nature both to us and to those around us. When we refuse to yield to Christ, we will earn the wages of death! 

   You must know the desires that feed sin, and be able to confront others in love to bring them back to the church.

   You must be committed to wisdom, and seek discernment; do not rely on feelings, innuendos, and half-truths. Go to more mature Christians and to prayer.

   You must be committed not to allow sin to reign in your life or in your church. 

   The liberty of the Christian life is by surrender, as it gives us freedom from law (Rom. 3:19; 6:14; -15; Gal. 3:23-25), forgiveness, acceptance, and access to His presence (Rom. 5:1-2).

   Our acceptance does not have to depend on our performance (Rom. 7: 7-11; 10:3). 

   We have been freed from sin and declared cleaned (John 8:34-36; Rom 3:19; 6: 3-23; 1 Cor.15: 16; Gal. 3:10-20; 4:21-31)!

   Christ and the Holy Spirit give us the power to overcome and the motive to go in the right direction. 

   Always remember, we are not obligated to do anything with our faith, but what good would that be? Self-interest only serves to place us on the wrong path with the bad boss and bad wages

Lesson 10: Faith helps us with our Hope and Guidance!

Romans 8: 18–30 Read!

Even in the midst of dire circumstances, as with Paul in 2 Corinthians 11: 23-29, we can have hope beyond hope. We can have God Himself direct our path. Because, this life is a small wrinkle in time, a mere rehearsal to what is to come in the vastness of eternity. We are made for Heaven, and our life here is a classroom experience to learn and grow closer to God and those around us, to be our best for His glory. So, our true life is what we have not experienced yet, what is still to come. Thus, we should not get frustrated or lose faith. God has given us His Spirit to be our comforter and guide. In so doing, we can have greater trust and perseverance through good times and bad, as long as our eyes are upon the Lord!

   Faith helps us, with the Spirit’s guidance, to know what sin is.

   You must know what is meant by and apply being “an offering." You must know what it is to be a conqueror. Do not just know that God is sovereign, but believe and live it!

   Real faith will help us to see what God is trying to accomplish in our lives and through us for others. We will be able to see where He is kindling and be the person that the Holy Spirit uses to fuel it on, so to create a roaring fire for His glory!  

   We are to see the world by what its potential is, not just by the suffering we experience and see. This is where we apply our faith. Since we are His heirs, we should accept the responsibility and the inheritance (Matt. 19:28; Acts 3:21; 2 Cor. 4:17; Rev. 21:1).

   The world may live in sin and desire its evil, but there is a longing for order and a better existence; hence, the "felt" need to receive order and the Holy Spirit's role to reveal Christ that can fill that need.

   We must not remain in our ignorance and infirmity by receiving mercy, yet never giving it.

   When we lose hope, we lose desire to serve Him and receive His blessings.

   One of the Holy Spirit's roles is to reveal the deeper things of God. He wants not only to live through us, but work through us. He gives us the tasks and the strength; will we just accept it (John 14:16-26; 15:26; 16:7-15; 1 Cor. 12:4-13; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 4:6;5:16-23)? He will carry us through all that we could ever face, from sufferings and sorrow to joy and jubilation (Luke 11:2-4). By the way, the deeper things of God will never contradict the Word of God!

   God turns our faith into reality (Matt. 6:33; John 14:9). Allow Him to do so!

   The goal of faith is not the work we do, but allowing Him to do His will in us! There is no such thing as chance; this is God's providence. We may not understand; all we can do is “hang tight” and trust Him.

   Beware of trying to run ahead with your desires or distractions, or behind God's timing. Faith is not an excuse to do what you feel or desire or want. It must be focused on Christ alone!

   The Bible gives us the precepts and the plan; the Spirit enables us to follow!

   We are made for prayer, and not just for our needs. Prayer is not a tool to get our way and will. Prayer is to bring us closer to Christ. Prayer and faith work together!

   Never waste time with God seeking what you cannot have. Just as the role of the Holy Spirit is to intercede for us, we are called to do the same with one another (Mark 11:16-17; 1 Cor. 6:19; Heb. 7:25). So, do we? The Holy Spirit will "turbo boost" our prayers. He will fill in the areas that we do not understand and fill in the information we do not have. This is no excuse to be lazy in our prayers! We always need to know as much as we can and pray as specifically as we can! 

   Faith helps us with patience as God will continually place people in our lives that we do not like. Our desire is to put them down or avoid them. Unless we are truly worshiping God, we will miss crucial learning and growth opportunities; if we persist, He may allow us to fall apart! When we are callous to one another, it is a slap in the face of God! Let us keep His temple undefiled!

   We must continue to fight against pride and selfishness that get in the way (Eph. 6:13-18). That is, we are to wrestle before God against our nature and never wrestle against God (Gen. 32:24-25), unless you desire to be crippled!

   God's purpose and plan is to make us His children (1 John). He is the good Parent who guides His children and protects them. At the same time, He does not over protect them so they lose out on life's opportunities to please Him, to the ultimate good. Here, we are temporarily looking to the hope we have now and to come. Christ will see us through if we trust and obey to be in His way. 

Lesson 11: Do not allow your desires to disrupt your faith!

Romans 9:1–13 Read! 

Paul was deeply grieved and disturbed emotionally, to the point that it cut to his soul, because of the stupidity of his fellow Jews. They rejected God and replaced faith in Him with meaningless trivialities and pride. At the same time, Paul lets us know that God is not obligated to do anything! We are not owed, nor do we deserve His grace; yet, by God’s grace, we receive blessings even though we may not see them. Remember, faith looks to Christ, not to what we experience or know. The Gospel is the powerful demonstration of God's saving grace, because it is through faith in Christ that a new, Eschatological Israel, composed of Jew and Gentile, is established in fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers! This is the magnification of God's grace and the exaltation of His sovereignty. Faith knows we are eternally secure!

   Christians, pastors and churches fail not just because of sin but because we place our desires over God's direction and plan. Do not let your pride and desires destroy the work of God or your church!

   We must abandon ourselves to Him, and never hold back with reasoning and logic, nor hide in our theology or our ignorance. Our drive must be to follow His character and not our own or our culture.

   My interests must be surrendered to His; His interests must be mine (vs. 1:1; Gal. 1:5) so that doing what we do not want to do is sheer pleasure because it is serving Him (John 15:13; 1 Cor. 9:22; 2 Cor. 12:15)!  This is a clear and unequivocal instance of Christ being called God, the eternally blessed God (Rom. 9:5).

   We have no right to fight against God, or to complain or ask why. We cannot fit God in our extremely limited knowledge and reasoning ability and pass judgment on Him! God is righteous in all of His decisions, and we must trust Him in them, even when we do not like them or understand them. We must see our sin and weakness, and be humble before the Holiness of God.  The result is, we have no right to ever be bitter; so, dig out the root of bitterness so it does not bear the rotten fruits of the self!

   Real faith will build in times of stress and confusion, whereas just having confidence without faith will diminish us (1 Pet. 1:7).

   Remember that Pride is one of the biggest barriers for us to hurdle (Phil. 3:1-11).

Lesson 12: Faith helps us Trust in times of Uncertainty and Confusion!

Romans 11:1‑10  Read! 

Even when we mess up, God is there with His grace and His persevering love. If you have ever thought that God has left you out, then you have thought wrong! When we do fall astray and mess up, we will have consequences to our actions, but our salvation is secure in Him when we have genuinely received His grace through faith. Thus, we should respond with a life where fear and anxiety are extinguished by the trust and fear we have of Him—trust in times of uncertainty and confusion, fear as in respect and reverence. Because, we are deeply loved and pursued by the only eternal and wise God!

   Never lose sight of who you are in Christ, and the magnitude and wonder of the gift of your salvation!

   Never lose the promises of God, and the fact that He is God and you are not! That God is omniscient, omnipotent, that is, all knowing and all-powerful; this defines His incredible greatness. This applies to us. No matter what we are going through, God is there—through the valleys and the mountaintops, and the roads in between.

   When we have a healthy grasp on God's power and authority, it gives us correct confidence to persevere through battles and difficulties, as well as to stay firm in Him when things are going great (Col. 3:2).

   God is our strength and heartbeat and vision for life, regardless of our understanding. This all translates into our testimonies. Testimonies are the proof text to God's power working in people!

   It is never as bad as it seems! We tend to want to give up, but God does not give up (Zech. 12:10-13:1; 14:4; Acts 1:11; 9; Rev.1:7).

   Our greatest comfort is that God does not reject us, even when we reject Him. God is active in us, even we are not active in Him; this is a classic, human sociological pattern through our entire history (Duet. 29:4; Isa.29: 10-13; Psalm 69:22-23).

   Spurgeon said of vs. 5-6, "This is the gospel in a nut shell. He who remembers these distinctions is on the right road to sound theology.”

   When we know things about God yet do nothing with them, it is like having eyes, but being unwilling to see, or having ears, but refusing to listen, while Satan uses you for his glory.

   The goal of Bible study and worship is to develop His character, and follow His will. It is not just about the gaining of knowledge, but about the indwelling of His love. Everything about life—thoughts, deeds, and meaning—are all about God. God is everything (not pantheism). Our service is because He first loved us, and we give our love back to Him.

   It is essential that we know how to build and apply a value system that lasts a lifetime. We must know the value of God’s love and allow it to affect us and flow to those around us, and that we are living, in response to His love, in the value of love.  

Lesson 13: Taking Faith to the Streets!

Romans 12:1-2 Read! 

We are to take faith “to the streets” in how we live—for ourselves, for others and even for our enemies. Yet, most Christians respond with a “rear end” firmly planted in a pew that goes nowhere in service or in glory to Christ. They hold on to a will that will not allow conviction or change to enter their routine or life. Thus, church is just a club for comfort, not a huddle to play the game and receive orders from the Coach. For many pastors, the church becomes a place of power and control. A pastor must allow the Spirit to transform him beyond his comfort zone and remove any fears of conviction; if not, how could, or why would God use him?

   Living Sacrifice refers to the fact that we belong solely to God, not to ourselves or anything else. (Rom. 3:25; 6:12-17; 8:13; John 15:13-15;37-38; 1 John 3:16)  His shed blood paid for us!

   Do not be conformed means that our minds and our thinking must be based on Christ and Scripture, through which the Spirit guides us. (2 Cor. 4:18; 1 John 2:17). If this is not so, the culture and pleasures of life will sweep us away from God's best for us. Our faith will become neutered!

   Renewing of your mind is changing our false mindset from our selfish nature to His character and call. We accomplish this by reshaping our minds to conform to God's Word. Until we do this, the deeper things of God's Will cannot be available to us. (Rom. 8:5-9; 13:11-14; 2 Cor. 4:18; 1 John 2:17)   

   Being renewed and conformed is our Christian life and purpose! Our standing before our Lord is solely upon His mercy, thus we are to reciprocate it.  Since God forgave us, we need to forgive others. Do not just ask God to use you, but, rather give yourself to Him to use!  

   The opposite of your being obedient is not just your being selfish or lazy, but, rather, creating your own opportunities with zeal, instead of the Lord's. In other words, it involves placing your passion on the wrong things. (1 Sam. 15:22; John 7:17; 13:17)

   We are to cling to His highest standard, not compromise to the flow of the group with whom we hang out (peer pressure). Will you obey?

   When we allow God's standard to be our "carrot on a stick,” then our paths will be straight and every aspect of our life will be governed by our Lord, in perfect harmony. When we debate with God and refuse His guidance, we lose sight of His path, and fall on rocky terrain. Stop, drop to your knees, and wake up to Him. (Eph. 4:30)

   The question is, will we be dedicated to our Lord or to ourselves (1 Cor. 6:19; 9:27; Gal. 2:21; Phil. 2:12). Being freed from sin, we must show a response and a responsibility. So, what is yours?  

   We can only build our trust as far as we know something for certain. The more you learn and know about our Lord, the more you can put your trust in Him! The knowledge we gain from the Bible of our Lord will build our intimacy and our faith (John 17:3)!

Lesson 14: Faith brings Maturity and Growth!

Romans 14: 13b-23 Read! 

This passage urges us to pursue peace and harmony and not let the childish and petty things of life divide us. We are not to cause people to stumble by our actions or inactions. Our faith and actions are monitored closely by God as well as by other people, and we must realize that our actions are more influential than our words. We will either lift people up or bring them down!

Maturity and growth in Christ is by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is also a choice we receive (Phil. 2). This is called sanctification, or, the Holy Spirit working in us. We are to never let our immaturity make us jealous of those who are mature. Do not seek an easy way to maturity. It takes years of discipline. Even Paul was discipled for three years by Barnabas before he went on his missionary journeys, and Christ, Himself, directly interdicted Paul! 

   Paul was overcome by his liberation in and by Christ (Mark 7:18-19). He stressed that we must behave and be responsible in the correct manner. We may enjoy our freedom, but freedom does not entitle one to do anything one wants, just as living in a “free” county like the U.S. does not.

   Consecration is the work we do to tear down the barriers of our self-will and pride that block the work of His sanctification!

   Our human tendency is to persuade others to agree with our views. God’s purpose is to get us in line with His views. Yet, so many Christians spend all of their time as pursuers of argumentation and not pursuers of holiness! There are times when we need to take a stand for correct doctrine and virtue with His Word, and there are times we need to separate childish, petty things from real things.

   A true Christian will never destroy another person’s faith just to have his or her own way!

   Our freedom must not bring dishonor, division, or disrepute to the church. We must not argue with people out of our petty presumptions and feelings. Rather, we are to let Biblical convictions and the core truths of our faith infuse us so we can maintain and model them!

   Conviction is the role of the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; Acts 1:8; 4:31; 10:45; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 3:16-17; Heb. 13:5-6). We must never we allow ourselves to be swayed from our convictions (ones that are Biblically based) by peer pressure!  

Lesson 15: Your Faith is Important!

Romans 16:1-24 Read! 

This passage in Romans is often just glanced over. You may never see a sermon or Bible study on it, because it is seen as just a list of names. But, is that all it is? Many people, especially we pastors, often forget those who contribute to the ministry, not necessarily out of callous disregard, but out of our hurriedness of the moment, or our focusing on ourselves and our needs over those of others. Paul cuts across cultural barriers and arrogance, and commends publicly, acknowledging many. We should be careful to always be people who honor and acknowledge others!

   No one, in the Lord, is unimportant! There are 27 names listed who were Paul’s friends and who helped him. Many of them—nine, in fact—were women. This is a testimony to the importance of personal relationships, of cooperation (working together for a unified vision and purpose), and the value of encouragement!

    It has been said that the service we give to others is the rent we give to live on this earth!

   Paul wholeheartedly and passionately warns that divisions will destroy the church! Paul admonishes us to discern between standing for truth and causing unrighteous divisions, confusing people’s faith, and their relationship to God.

   Nothing will destroy a church or ministry quicker than strife, competition, dissension, and gossip, all of which eventually lead to divisions in a church. True faith will not allow this (Rom.13: 13; Gal. 5:19-20)! Such dissension causes "offenses,” that is, it becomes a snare or stumbling block to others (v.14: 13).    

   Many people call Christ, "Master and Lord," but they are far from serving Him. They serve only their carnal, sensual, worldly interests. That is, a “what is in it for me” attitude and mindset! They corrupt the church by deceiving its heart and the people with misdirected and corrupted passion.

   Those who seed strife and make divisions in the Church are not doing Christ’s work, but are attempting to gratify their own selves. They cause people to follow a person and not the Person of Christ! Contentious, divisive people will cause others to stumble, so they must be avoided, and disciplined, which means removing them from fellowship if they persist (1 Cor. 5:9–13; 2 Thess. 3:6; 2 Tim. 3:5; Titus 3:10)!

        This is a stern warning against false teachers, including those in and out of the church.

Paul says to "turn away from them!" They must not be tolerated in the church, or on TV,

or anywhere else! False teaching promotes false faith!

        Divisive people destroy the peace and unity of the church, but God, who is the source

of peace, will crush this work of Satan through the wisdom and obedience of

believers. (v. 8:28).

       

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       

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       

        If truth is abandoned, unity and peace will not last long. We must keep our hearts open

to the Spirit with passion, and guard against that which is contrary to God's Word and

plan with all diligence.

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       

        This is so we will not be deceived. Pledge yourself, defiantly, not

to be a deceiver.

       

        Faith will grow and prosper in times of affliction and sorrow only when we face Him and

not the situation! God allows tough stuff to happen to us to grow us better, and for us to

be of better use to others around us. It is to increase our trust and dependence

uponim and remove the distractions that happer our growth. Suff Christ; this will fuel our need for Him and move us away from our selves.

Lesson 16: Obedience is the Willingness to go all out in Faith!

Matthew 3:1 -12  Read! 

 Obedience, willingness to go all out in faith, and a willingness to endure extreme persecution for the Lord characterized John the Baptist. He was the road builder, laying the path for the Lord. He removed the rocks of sin by tearing them up and exposing them, without fear of reprisal by the arrogant and prideful hypocrites. He was indeed extreme, and was needed to show a corrupt religious system its errors and point to the truly Righteous Messiah. I wonder if such a person would be welcomed in a church today? Such extreme commitment is considered foolish amongst the “world,” and even among many Christians. We may not be called to eat bugs and curse pious frauds, but we are called to obedience in our hearts, minds, and actions! In addition, this does force us to take an extreme stand!

   Repentance was not just sorrow or emotion, but an actual change (Matt. 4:17; 27:3)! This change would then allow us to feel the sorrow of the hurt we caused, not only to ourselves, but also to the people around us, and even God (2 Co 7:10-11)! When one serves the Lord or has repented, the fruits will be manifested. If not, something is very wrong. Therefore, if a leader is gossiping, or a Christian is acting one way on Sunday and another on Monday, something is very wrong! (Gal 5)

   All that you do in life must be a reflection of a life surrendered to Christ. If you are so self-willed there can be no room for the living Christ, this may mean that others will use you, take advantage of you, get mad at you, ignore you, go around you, ridicule you, and persecute you! But, remember, what they do to you, they do to Him! Make sure you are not the one persecuting the Lord!

   Keep your eyes on God, not on people! If you only seek God for your “felt” needs, you will never understand or rely on God for your “real” needs! Neither will you understand yourself, or His wonderful plan for you (John 17:22)! Your faith will be on your terms only. How sad that would be! How much you will lose (Gal. 2:20-21).

   Our motives, obedience, and persevering will be the keys! Be in love with Him. Seek His presence, and be persistent in your prayers. If you fear you will ask Him for the wrong thing, remember, we all do that. As you draw closer to Him, you will learn the right things to ask. Prayer is persistence and learning! 

   Obedience is not in words, but in deeds that demonstrate our words through practice and action (James 1:22-25)! When we read and/or hear the Word of God, we will have the desire and heed the call to put it into action. There will be times we do not feel like it, but our obedience will override our feelings so we do remain steadfast and secure (1 Thess. 2:23).

   By our obedience in faith, we may suffer temptations, trouble, persecution, and condemnation from the world. It may seem our foundation has shifted by that constant beating, but He will remain steadfast in us when we remain steadfast in our faith! Keep your faith real, valuable, and practical on His solid Rock. He will not leave you, nor forsake you (1 Cor. 3:11; 10:4; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:4-6; Heb. 13:5). So, let Him be the Rock-solid foundation of your life (Matt. 7)!

Lesson 17: Faith Builds Intimacy!

Matthew 7: 21-29 Read!

Even though we have a special intimacy with God because of what Christ has done, we have to be careful that we do not rest in this intimacy. The intimacy is important, but God is most concerned with what we do with what He gives us. The intimacy is the frosting; the cake is to do His Will. True intimacy with God is not found in our feelings, works, or deeds, or the saying of creeds, or even having the right theology in mind. Rather, intimacy is a deep affection and knowledge of Christ that is generated by our real, heartfelt devotion, commitment, and trust, and is demonstrated by our willingness and the action of moving forward in our journey of faith.

   When we profess Christ as Lord, or make a public testimony, we are declaring that Jesus Christ has a hold on our life—from now through eternity—that transcends human understanding. We are no longer of this world, but belong to Him as His child—saved, and redeemed.

   Do you feel your faith is distant and cold? Do you desire to have more intimacy with Him? Then, seek His will! Seeking to do God’s will is God’s will. It is striving further into the depths of one’s relationship with Christ, as LORD over all. By the surrender of our will (John 3:5; 29-30; Gal. 2:21-21), and the courage to make Him known to those around us (1 Cor. 8:2-3), we will gain closeness and more intimacy with Him!

   If your faith is not practiced, it will not last. That would also serve as a true sign that you never had it, or that you had not let it dive deep enough into you to create the transforming action from the fallen, sinful state, to redemption in the blood of the Lamb. These things are not up to our judgment. They are His. Your fruits will tell the true story to others around you.

   It is useless to call ourselves Christians unless we practice what He has taught us, which we are to believe and also teach.

   To achieve more intimacy with, and function for our Lord, we must be willing to take a look at ourselves to see where we are and on what foundation our lives are built. This passage tells us where we lay the foundation for our life. What is it that moves, stimulates, and inspires us? Will we be able to weather the storms of life, or will we be washed away? Is our life built on shifting sand, the ways of the world that distract us and lead us away from Him? Does everything we consider to be valuable and important just wash away from the stresses, chaos, misdirected deeds, and bad decisions of life—from SIN? Or, do we build on His foundation and from the precepts of His Word, where we remain steadfast and secure? 

   When we build on the rock, we are securing a firm foundation with our obedience and trust in what Christ has done, as we put it in all aspects of our life. So, our motivation is based on who we are in Him. This is not done by our proclamations and speeches, it is manifested by taking the knowledge of our Lord and His work, and the relationship we have with Him so it becomes the transforming force to motivate us. If all we have is knowledge, we have nothing. If we do works in His name without the knowledge of who Christ is, we have nothing.

   To weather the storms of life and to please and glorify God we must be real, authentic Christians, whose lives are transformed and built on His foundation. As we will be tested in life in preparation for eternity, being only a “fair-weather” Christian, who has never struggled or who has never taken seriously his/her faith, may soon find out that he/she had neither faith nor a relationship with Christ as Lord! So, do you?

   To be His disciple means personal, passionate devotion that contains the humbleness to surrender one’s will to Him, and the boldness to proclaim Him. This will result in a response of our love and gratitude, glued with the faith to make it real, and powered by the Holy Spirit so it is impacting upon you and flowing to others around you (Luke 14:26-27; 33; Rom. 5:5).

Lesson 18: Faith must have Humility!

Matthew 8: 5- 13 Read!

Jesus sees the value of faith as paramount over anything else; faith is lifted up as the most important thing we have or do. Yet, all too often, we do not seek faith, but rather, just what we can get. This can and will distort our thinking and direct our actions in the wrong direction. Faith encourages humility and gives us the realization of who we are in Christ. Without humility, we cannot come to the Lord, because we will never admit our need, surrender our will, nor be able to grow in faith. We will not be able to serve others, because we will think them unworthy, just as the people did toward that soldier’s servant.

   The more you find God in the midst of your problems, the more your problems will disappear or seem irrelevant (Col. 3:2).

   Obedience and the willingness to go all out in faith and prayer shows persistence and learning!  How can you speak and model this to others so they might be inclined to accept the authority of Jesus Christ?

   I am not worthy. The Centurion realized his depravity and the fact that he did not even deserve for Jesus to go to his house (Luke 7:1-10). He did not have only faith, but also humility—rare qualities for a powerful soldier and leader, but, qualities essential for the Christian, and vital for the Christian leader. The Centurion knew that a Jewish leader would not go to his house, but Jesus was willing to anyway. Here is where faith comes in. He probably witnessed, first hand, miracles of Jesus for others, and, with Jesus being there physically, realized Jesus’ authority and discipline. He thought that perhaps Jesus could just say the word as a command, as he, as a soldier, commanded others. This was a thought not even considered by Jesus’ closest disciples. Later, at His trial, Jesus is flogged (whipped) by Centurions. (Matt. 27:26). Just imagine the compassion Jesus must have had knowing what his “friends and colleagues” would do to Him later! As Christians, we must realize that we, too, are unworthy. That is why grace is so special and faith is so vital to overcoming our sin and depravity. Even though we do not deserve Christ and His grace, we can boldly ask for and have fellowship with Him, with the confidence that He is there listening and working in our best interests all of the time (Romans 8).  

   Faith is paramount. It is the most important possession you have and the most important thing you do. Faith is what we take for granted. We assume that all Christians have it, although the Bible says no, not all do have it (Mark 4:40).  Some have just a little (Matthew 6:30), while, for others, we do not observe them having great faith, as is so in this passage (vs. 8:10 and Matt. 15:28).

   Faith does not mean we say the word and do nothing.  Christ did not do “nothing.” He healed the servant. We are still to work while still relying, a synergistic blend, because if we do not, we will think of faith as a vending machine, and never get off our couch and into life, as our Lord demonstrated for us to do.

   God’s desire is for all Christians to have and practice great faith! He tells us that faith is to be planted, grown, and cultivated, as one does a seed (Matt. 17:20). So, it is something we are initially given, but it is up to us to make it grow. We cannot sit around, put it under the couch, and expect great things to happen. Faith requires action.

   John tells us that our feelings will lead us astray, but faith will be the foundation to give us victory to be the Christian God wants us to be (1 John 5:1-5).

Lesson 19: Faith is relying on God’s Power!

Matthew 8: 23-27 Read! 

 This passage is about relying on God’s power. The disciples saw and believed some incredible events, but somehow, what they had observed and participated in firsthand did not create in them an ability to trust. We will see this theme tested within ourselves when the storms of life buffet against us. This includes the tempests of frustration, the chaos of stress, the gossip from toxic people, the daily grind of life, wrong choices, people conflict, and, of course, sin. How we deal with this is paramount to our ability to trust God. If we prepare to trust in Christ, we will be taken safely across. If we do not, we may sink.

There will be times when we are afraid. Sometimes, we will be just a little nervous; sometimes, we will be outright panic-stricken, as the disciples must have been. We will see the storms of life come against us, causing us to feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Even those who have been through them before and have grown and matured will become tired and weary. The danger is when our faith breaks down into fear so we will not venture out with it.  We become stuck, refusing to learn or grow.

He may even take you through the storm to the very edge of your breaking point to get your attention. But, the only thing that will be broken will be what must be broken, your will; the rest of you will become stronger. Just as most fishermen were unwilling to venture past the coastline (for good reason for them—not for those of us with faith), if you do the same in your walk in Christ, you will sink in those shallow depths. You will not realize that Jesus is there to take you through it; all you will see is the storm and not the growth and fruits that it can bring you. You will neither develop true confidence in our Lord, nor will He be able to take you where you will learn the most and do the most good.

   To help our faith and relationship with Christ and others to grow, and for Him to work in our lives, especially to touch others, we also have to be willing to trust and obey Christ as Lord over all things—including our lives.

   A common theme in the Gospels is that hearing the Word is not enough; you have to obey it (Luke 8:8, 18, 21-25).

   We can stay close to the shore of our comfort in the Christian life, and never take risks; or, we can exercise real, impacting faith. To pursue the Christian life and make an impact requires that we venture where we may not want to go. But, we only do this by His leading, and only move by His empowering. We merely trust and obey. This is also the pattern for life. We do not see what is ahead. We do not see how our choices, sin, and events may collide, causing sudden and violent storms of stress, chaos, strife, pain, and suffering.

   Sometimes we feel Jesus is asleep, as life overwhelms us. But, rest assured. He is still there, caring and carrying us. Even if He was asleep (He does not) and our troubles kept multiplying (and they will at times), we would still be safe when we remained in the boat—in Him (John 14-15)!

   Jesus was relaxed during the storm, a picture of faith for us to emulate. We can rest under His cover and still be tranquil in composure and free from our stress (2 Kings 6:16-16, 32; Psalm 4:8; Prov. 19:23).

   You of little faith. What a sting those words must have been to the worrisome disciples, as they realized they had messed up again. It is amazing how dense they were, they were with God Himself yet only saw their fears! The secret to remaining joyful in the face of adversity is our faith—our confidence and assurance that He is there in the boat with us. Jesus will not let the boat capsize. But, even if it did, He is still there.

   Jesus is Lord over creation, but you have to exercise your will to move it out of the way so He can be Lord over your life. He will rarely bully His way over you; you have to reach out to Him by faith, even though He reached out first to save you. It is by faith alone we receive His grace that is offered to us.

        These miracles over nature helped the disciples to develop and increase their faith in Jesus. (Mark 4:41)

   The key to unlocking fear so it opens into contentment is our worship and prayer time. Sometimes, that is all we can do; but, it is not a last resort. It is our front line and most important defense. It is to be our preparation for the weathering of a storm. It will help us build our relationship with Christ so our faith, confidence, and courage will grow. Then, those storms and crises will make us stronger and help us help others through them, too. When we fully learn to trust, then we can obey. That will build our confidence so we can sail across those storm-tossed seas of life as Jesus Christ is there beside us, manning the helm!

Lesson 20: Faith Follows Christ! 

Matthew 9: 9-13 Read! 

 Jesus was calling His follows to Follow Me! In so doing, He called the common laborers of Jewish society, such as fishermen, and then He sought after the most hated person in Jewish society at that time, a tax collector, who collected duties and fees like a troll under a bridge. Jesus comes to those who are sick to heal in ways we cannot fathom. He seeks us out, and we sinners become His friends as He offers us fellowship, and the transformation of our sickly selves to healthy, robed in His righteousness.

Matthew responded to Jesus’ radical command to leave all and follow Him. He could never return to his job, as he would be viewed as a traitor. For us, as well as for them, it required steadfast faithfulness, obedience, and trust to undertake His path. Matthew actually got up and followed! This man, with so much to lose by the world’s standards, left it all. Yet, he gained so much more. Matthew showed great faith by being willing to leave his prosperous position and follow Jesus to a life—from his perspective—of the unsecured and unknown. In reality, there is nothing more secure than following Jesus!

   Jesus saw Matthew, and called him with two simple words, follow me. Two words, when powered by the Spirit, will change a person to the core if he makes the response by his faith. Matthew made such a response, and showed great faith to permanently leave his prestigious job, and with overwhelming gratitude, throw a big feast in Jesus’ honor so his friends could see for themselves this most incredible God-Man.

   The Pharisees were puzzled by Jesus’ excellent teaching, and by His bizarre behavior of hanging out with sinners. They did not realize He was the Great Physician, who came to heal, and that one cannot heal another without seeing and touching that person.

        Since this is the Gospel that bears his name, and he compiled it without any superfluous words to describe himself, we see that he was also a humble man and did not want to draw attention to himself. He rather pointed to the One who deserved the attention. How many authors do you know who would do that?

   Jesus makes it clear that the sinners are indeed sick (Psalm 14:1-3; Mark 7:1-8), and need redemption, but ignoring them does them no good. The healthy Pharisees (Luke 18:9-14), refers to the health in their own minds, not in reality. Jesus is breaking down the “works-earned righteousness” philosophy of the Pharisees, and is giving us a glimpse of Grace (Psalm 51:1-18; Luke 19:9; Rom. 3:22).

   I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. This is a retort—that a self-righteous person will not realize their need for salvation, because they are too full of themselves to see a need. However, an admitted sinner will see his depravity when the Spirit points it out.

Follow me are two very powerful words, yet are so easily blocked when we are too puffed up with ourselves. If you think you do not need a doctor, you are very mistaken, for you would be the sickest of all. Jesus did not come for the righteous because there are no righteous people. There are only those who think they are. Their invitation to join His Kingdom will never be opened and read, because there is too much of them in the way; the words cannot be seen. The faith to respond will never grow in the shallow soil of pride.

Lesson 21: Be Determined in your Faith!

Matthew 9:27-34; 10:34-42 Read!

God calls us to be earnest, that is, to be pursuing a serious, deep rooted and determined faith. It is a call to persist in our faith and determination, regardless of obstacles—physical limitations, spiritual depression, spiritual warfare, or our circumstances. If everything came to us instantly, there would be no growth, no appreciation, no maturity, and no faith. Faith requires resistance and struggle to make it flourish and grow. God is not the One Who always holds us back; it is usually our refusal to reach out and seize the opportunity. It is we who refuse to exercise our faith and grow. It is we who speak just a simple prayer with no earnest thought behind it, with no zeal or realization of God’s mercy and grace. We get so caught up in our own struggles that we do not look past the crowd to call His Name. We do not realize that He will stop, look, and listen—just for us!

   What we ask for in prayer is usually determined by our will and desires. Do not let it be; rather, be determined to seek His will by faith!

   When our eyes are on obstacles rather than on possibilities, on self and not on Christ, we may miss an opportunity as Christ walks on by, not responding because we do not have the faith to call out. We will miss His call, as our eyes are too preoccupied with the junk of life, or the busyness of our own will.

   What we seek can be wrong, and even be an insult to the One who created and loves us. We need to see with a vision that goes beyond our eyes, a vision of faith and determination, based on His Word and precepts rather than what we desire and think we need. Be the one who looks up and sees who the Lord really is, and be willing to call His Name. Be willing to surrender all to Him, as LORD!

   John tells us that He must increase and we must decrease (John 3:29-30). If we refuse this vital call, God just may allow those hardships to come our way, breaking us down so we will yield and grow as His child. Just as a good loving parent will discipline his child, God will discipline us. But, this is not a personal attack; rather it is a way we can grow and be better used by our Lord (1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:27; 1 Thess. 4:3; 5:23-24; 1 Pet. 1:5).

   We have to be willing to be identified with Him no matter what the cost, as the rewards will be far greater than we could ever imagine! So, are you willing to reduce yourself to the real you? The person you are called by Jesus Christ to be so that He is greater in character and precepts in your trust and faith, and in your obedience and application of life? And, so you become less in your will, aspirations, lust, and sin? If not, what is in the way of God working in you?  

   A step of faith is easy when we can see; but, in a storm, we usually cannot see. We cannot wait until it clears up; we have to step out and obey His precepts, regardless of the weather or what others say. Do not let doubt and fear adjoin to the storm. See Jesus cut across the storm, so you can see His hand (Matt. 14: 22-36)! We must obey with joy (John 2:5)!

Lesson 22:  Growing through the Crises of Faith

Matthew 11:1-19 Read!

Take a look at Isaiah 35:4-6; 50:10! We will all experience crises of faith as some point, where our experience and expectations converge, yet do not meet. This will happen when we venture beyond our comfort zone into His service and we find our circumstances are challenging our faith (Phil. 4:19). We will wonder if our life has been meaningless. Did I do the right thing? How come, even though I have been faithful, I have experienced such suffering and disappointment?  This is what the book of Habakkuk is all about. Habakkuk starts out cursing and complaining to God. God reveals Himself; Habakkuk repents, and ends by worshiping God, even though his circumstances did not change. His perspective and outlook changed!

When a crisis comes, do what John the Baptist did; go tell Jesus! Get in His Word and allow it to give you assurance and peace. Allow God to refresh you and give you strength; He will come and save you. Turning back in defeat, distrust, or disillusionment is no real answer. Realize that your faith needs to be challenged so it can grow, and glow (Heb. 13:5-6)!

   What we think we know pales in comparison to who Christ is and what He does for us. When we feel we are wise, we are like a four-year-old thinking he knows better than his parents. How far can a four-year-old carry himself in life?

   How far can we carry ourselves in life without Christ? We may think we are doing well, but when we look back, with eternity as our guide, our ways are revealed as very pathetic indeed! We need to allow God’s truth to reign in us by trust and obedience. When we do this by trusting instead of worrying, we will grow, and real wisdom will flow to us and through us to those all around. Just be aware that God will not give you more faith, more wisdom, or more gifts until you have mastered what He has already given you (Luke 16:10; 19:17; John 7:17; 14:12; Heb. 12:6)!

   Come unto me (Matt. 11: 28) is a promise of wisdom and the offering of God’s strength—and perhaps the most endearing words uttered by our Lord! It is so simple for the humble to see and accept, yet so hard for a mind preoccupied with the pride of self. Without humbling ourselves to acknowledge Him, we cannot receive the Savior. Rather, we get a need unmet and a soul empty. Jesus’ load is heavy and requires our fullest for His Highest; yet, it is easy when our eyes and faith are on Him (1 John 1:7)!

   Believing something does not mean you live it. Faith must be real and invoke a response from within you. It cannot be just academic!

   People then, as people today, differentiate others by their words, and more importantly, by their actions. What do your actions say about what is in your heart? To confess one thing and do another was what Proverbs and the Jew would heartily say was a fool! Thus, our faith will produce our actions, but our actions will demonstrate our faith (Duet. 6:4; Matt. 12: 22-37; Mark 12:29)!

A crisis comes. How often we forget that Jesus got us though the last one. We always need to see where we came from to see where we need to go; we need to see how He once guided us in order to have the assurance that He will guide us through again. They did not wait for Jesus’ intervention; the disciples jumped into the crisis without Jesus (Psalm 106:13; Matt. 14:22-33).  We have to see where He has led us so we can realize He will help us again. Each problem that is solved in our life is an increase in our faith storage; let us use that storage and not keep it so tightly shut that we do not even remember it when we need it again. How can you know when you are unable or unwilling to apply God’s Word into your life? How can this awareness help you apply His truth? 

Lesson 23: How God Multiplies our Faith 

Matthew 14:13-21 Read! 

We, as a Church, tend to forget the impossible; we leave out faith and trust; we hoard what little we have; we fail to surrender to His Lordship or precepts. Regardless of this mindset of ours, Jesus stands at the door that we have closed in His face. He could just kick it down, but, He does not. He lets us live with what little we have when we could have so much more—5000 times as much!

This passage is about letting go, giving to Him, and allowing His multiplication to be glorified! This passage has a powerful lesson for us on faith and surrender. All too often, we in the church are much better at sending people away, stemming from our own misdirection. We forget that Christ is the One who calls us to Him. He says, bring what you have to me, while we focus on, what can you do for me? It is about how we can serve and glorify or Lord. Out of our poverty, He seems to use us the most, because, we are emptied from our pride and trivialities and are able to focus upon Him.  We are to give Him all we have so He can meet our needs. When we do this, Jesus will multiply our efforts and we will be able to be used so much more effectively, giving the glory back to Him. Allow Him to do the miracle; then, distribute it! Remember, Jesus begins where we are and uses what we have. Therefore, we can grow more and He can use us more! So, let us give what we have, along with our faith, talent, time, and treasures, so He can make more with it! 

   Jesus is our High Priest who intercedes for us. We do not need to worry about His busy schedule or if we are interrupting, He is there for us; He is there for you (Heb 7:23-28)!  This passage demonstrates how much God loves and cares for us (Num. 27: 15 -17).

   We can also demonstrate His care by showing hospitality and the proclaiming of His Word in truth. It has been said, people will not care what you say until they know you care (1 Cor. 5:8; 2 Cor. 4:2; Col. 1:3-8)!

   Jesus forsook His own needs! This is not just concern, as in sympathy. It is, rather, a deep, heartfelt awareness that leads to action (Num. 27:15-17; Psalm 23:1; 53; 77:20; 78:52, 70-72; 80:1; Ezek. 34:11, 14-15; Matt. 20:24; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13). 

   Mark adds sheep without a Shepherd, meaning a reflection of abandonment by unfaithful leaders who chase their own whims, forsaking God and His people (Jer. 50:6).

   We may think we do not much to work with, but, we have to remember—it is not what we can see we have; it is what He is able to do!

   The disciples must have known that Jesus was powerful enough to meet their needs, but, did not consider it in this situation. How much is this like our spiritual lives—that we do not consider Jesus when we need Him, and, especially when we do not think we need Him? They quickly switched to the normal way of their culture, unaffected by the One whom they had with them! 

   Jesus challenges the disciples to care and then become the care equippers, ministers of His provision. Christ is looking for hands that can pass His basket with clean hearts, and a will focused on His.

Lesson 24:  Faith Learns Trust and Reliance

Matthew 17:14-27 Read! 

After seeing God’s glory, the disciples had to learn trust and reliance. Jesus brought the disciples from their incredible emotional mountain top experience directly into the valley of daily life where they were met with opposition and failure. The valley was filled with unbelief, Jesus’ coming suffering, and taxes. The disciples put into practice what they saw and learned, and quickly hit a wall of opposition. They saw that taking both what they had learned and their experiences, then applying all of it took more than merely an attitude of, “just do it.” Jesus had already given the disciples the power to exorcise demons; they were perplexed that, for some reason, they were unable to follow though (Matthew, chapter 10).

   The disciples sought to do an exorcism under their own power, neglecting God’s power as well as prayer. After trying to do the work of God without prayer or trust, they had to learn how to take their knowledge and make it real and impacting in their life.

   We can never just stay in the glory of great experiences and insights, of worship and growth. There has to be a time when we take what we have learned and apply it. When the reality of Christ’s power and purpose hits us, we must also realize that others will not have the same beliefs and experiences. We will face the daily trivialities of life that seem to take a toll on us. We will face people who will reject us. We will try to put into practice what we have learned and we may fail. We can become frustrated and give up unless we focus, learn, and do not give up. We can best get though by our prayer life, and by our trust and reliance on His work!

   Do not let your lack of willingness to grow in the faith rob you of His plan for you. We can enjoy the mountain top, but we also have to get busy in the valley where we live. When we do succeed, we need to be sure it is His success that is motivating us.

   Enjoying success and blessings is not a result of faith or what faith is about. Faith helps our relationship with God by bringing us closer to Him so He can use us more. Our experiences and ideas tend to get in the way, so God sometimes has to knock us off our stool of pride so we will look to Him (Job. 13:15; 2 Cor. 5:7).

   The disciples had confidence, and seemed to be surprised that their exorcism did not work. They could have also taken for granted their position and not exercised trust. Confidence cannot precede faith; confidence must come from faith and one’s growth in Him. Confidence without faith is pride—a heinous sin!

   Submissiveness to God shows faith more than any deed (Mark 9:29).

  We have to be on guard that we do not overlook how God is working. We can be so busy serving and trying to please Him that we do not bother ourselves to know Him through prayer. Nothing God calls us to do is impossible when we are focused on Him with our faith, trust, obedience, and mindsets

   A person’s personal prayer life is key to being used by God and to using God’s power (Mark 9:29).

   We, as Christians, should always focus on His truth and not our rights.

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