Faith
FAITH
PREACHER – GREG WYNN
17 June 2012
War-cries
We’ve got the Spirit yes we do, we’ve got the Spirit, how about you?
Give me an R, Give me an E, Give me a LATIONSHIP, what does it spell? Relationship!
Christianity is all about a relationship with Jesus.
We live in the kingdom in community by the power of the Spirit.
So this gift of faith sermon is actually all about a relationship with Jesus, first and foremost if you don’t have love, you don’t amount to anything.
We can pray to God if we are in a relationship with Jesus. We can hear from God if we have a relationship with Jesus.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (NRSV) 1 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Faith in general:
Faith is used so often in the Bible, and the words related to it are words like
- believe,
- trust,
- rely upon,
- trustworthy,
- true,
- put faith in.
Faith is seeing possibilities and opportunities instead of impossibilities and obstacles, sharing vision with the leadership and inspiring faith in others.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see
Our faith is in God!
God is faithful, we are called as followers of Jesus to be faithful. We are called to have faith. God is firm, secure trustworthy, we are called to stand upon his word and be faith-full.
How faith works
- Bottled water
- 2. Rugby Ball
- Ticket
Faith is not just believing that something is true, it means that you are prepared to act upon that belief and rely upon it! What does that mean? Having faith? Leaning back on the chair; believing that the chair can hold you and then putting that belief into practice.
Biblical men of faith
Abraham: He had a deep relationship with God. He hasn’t had a son for all these years, and then, he has a son! Woohoo! Rejoicing! Yayness!
Then God tells him to go, take his son and offer him up to the Lord as a burnt offering. Dude!!! What??? He takes his son, and he goes, he doesn’t say, well God, you know that you gave me my son, and now you’re asking me for him back.
David: he trusted in God in his fight against Goliath
Paul: He was shipwrecked and the storm kept on coming, but he knew that God had called him to Rome, and to Rome he would go!
So many more!
Heroes of the faith
George Muller: Born in 1805, He had a rough youth and young adult life. Woohoo, there is hope for people like me! But then he heard God speaking to him and he set up houses for orphaned children in Bristol, UK.
Hudson Taylor: Born in Yorkshire he grew up with a strong relationship with God and he heard God call him to go to China as a missionary. He went through rough times, but he knew that God had called him.
Esther Alm: she knew that God had called her to work with the disabled children of Bulwer and she did it, she waited in faith for finances, resources, food, clothing, but she already knew that God had called her and God would equip her with everything that she needed.
Pat Lambie: A quiet happy, humble and generous Christian.
So many more!
Things to learn from the heroes: they all had a strong, vibrant relationship with the Lord Jesus. They all were praying and God spoke to them. They all obeyed!
Personal Testimony
God is good! God provides, God equips, God calls,
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Money: Kenya, Trinity College, Call back to Africa.
How do we seek that gift of faith?
Spend time with the Lord.
- If you don’t hear his voice then he can’t show you where or what to do.
- Was looking at this guy and I had just bought myself a healthy snack bar, but he was eating a mars bar, I smirked, then I looked at his side profile and he was well defined and buff, I on the other hand was not; it takes living in that lifestyle of prayer and dedicating your life to the Lord.
Live in a community.
Ask Christian friends for specific needs about which to pray.
Trust and obey
- Who do we trust? Do we put our trust in God? Do you know that old song, Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.
- An interesting side is if you say obey backwards it says: YEBO! If you hear something from the Lord then you have to say Yebo.
I want to encourage you, that there is so much faith in this room tonight.
There are people who have spent hours on their knees before the Lord, there are people who like Abraham, Muller & Taylor have a history of faith.
This is a faithful community which can be seen from the works and the ministry that you do.
Let’s share Jesus with friends and family and through faith come to see their coming to an understanding and a love for him.
Shall we stand?
What are the problems which are facing you right now?
What are the mountains that you are staring at?
God calls! God is Good, God equips! God provides!
Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.
