Monday, November 29, 2010

Praising God Defeats Unbelief

Rom 4:20,21 "yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.
Belief is a decision and praise chases the feeling of doubt away making it easier to believe.

We enter the presence of God through praise.

Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

Psalm 34:1 A decision to bless the Lord and praise Him. This praise allows the Spirit of God to flow.

Praise can be a decision to believe in Jesus and the deliverance He will bring that will counter worrying about the problem. Many times for me it will take a long time to overcome worry with praise.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Shield of Faith

Faith does not consider a report against God's promise.
Eph 6:16 "in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Deut 33:29 The Lord is the shield of your help
Ps 3:3 The Lord is a shield about me.
Ps 5:12 The Lord surround me with favor as with a shield
Ps 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield
Ps 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield

We extinguish flaming arrows with the shield of faith.
How?
A shield blocks.
How do we block flaming arrows? 2 Cor 10:3-5 explains.
1. Destroy speculations
2. Reject every thing that comes against the knowledge of God.
3. Reject every thought captive in obedience

So when a thought comes against a Scriptural promise it is rejected and instead the Scriptual promise is accepted.

Idle thoughts are put aside to allow communion with Christ.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

God Opens the Door of Faith

Acts 14:27
God opens the door of faith

1 Cor 16:9 A wide door for effective service has been opened to me and there are many adversaries.

2 Cor 2:12 A door was opened for Paul in the Lord.
Col 4:3 Pray for God to open a door for the word.
Psalm 24:4-10 is a prayer for the doors to be opened.

Rev 3:7,8 God is the one who opens and shuts doors.

The door is an opportunity, it takes faith to go through the door.
The works of faith are in the areas God opens to us.
Opposition is not a closed door, if you can continue to minister. 1 Cor. 16:9

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Faith is the Assurance of Things Hoped For

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Faith is assured.
Hebrews 3:6 "But Christ was faithful as a Son over His house, whose house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end."

Hebrews 3:14 "For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end."

So assurance is confident and boasts of the hope firm until the end.

Rom 11:22 Continue in His kindness or you will be cut off.
1 Cor 15:2 Your are saved if you hold fast the word which I preached to you (if you don't hold fast) unless you believed in vain.

Quiet confidence, trusting in quietness
assured, faith rests instead of striving.
To be assured is t know without a doubt.
Assurance on sure foundation of Scripture. Let your mind be full of the Scripture of God.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

How can you believe when you receive glory from one another?

John 5:44 "How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God."

Approval from others actually hinders our ability to believe! To seek that approval is to be crazy, if you want to be a person of faith.

Live for the approval of God not others. Daily look for His guidance and direction. When we receive glory from God we have what we need. When we receive glory from others, we have to shake it off before we can move forward in faith.

John 12:43 loved approval of men instead of God.

Romans 8:7,8 mind set on flesh is hostle towards God.

1 Sam 2:30 God honors those who honor Him.

2 Cor 10:18 "For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends."
James 2:1 "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism."

Galatians 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I wre still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."

John 5:41 Jesus does not receive glory from men.

So seek approval from God, and be careful when men approve of you.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Faith and Pride Can't Co-exixt

Hab 2:4 "Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith."

This Scripture contrasts pride with faith. We are not to look to ourselves but to Jesus.

Remember our ability comes from God and all good things are from the Father. James 1:17 Our wealth is a gift from God, Deut 8:18 and Jesus is the source of our life.


Job 40:11,12 Talks of bring the proud low.
Daniel 4:30-37 Nebuchadnezzaar lost his kingdom because of pride. After he gave God glory, his kingdom was restored to him.
Luke 18:14 Publican and pharisee. God is not impressed with our righteousness but with humility.
1 Peter 5:5 It is to our benefit to be subject to elders and be humble with others.
James 4:6 God is opposed to proud but grace to the humble

Faith is reliance on God, pride is reliance on yourself.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Your Faith will Be Tested

Judge 20:18-23 Does failure cause us to turn from God's will?

Deut 13:1-3 does the enemies success cause us to turn away?
We are being tested by God. Deut 13:3

Ps 11:5 The Lord tests the righteous and wicked.

Gen 22:1f God tested Abraham with Isaac.

Psalm 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all."

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who preserves under trial, for once he has been approved he will recieve the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

Ex 20:20 thunder, lightening and smoke tested Isralites.

Deut 8:2,16 Wilderness was a testing of the heart; Mana was also a testing.

1 Cor 11:19 Factions allow those that are approved to become evident. So trials will allow those of true character to shine.

Luke 2:35 sword will pierce your soul revealing hearts thoughts.

2 Cor 13:5-7 Test yourself to see if you are in the faith.

John 6:6 Jesus tested Philip asking where to buy bread to feed the 5000

Ex 15:25 Here is an interesting verse that has a lot of meaning.
1) Water represents the teachings of Jesus.
2) The tree is a type of the cross of Christ. We must have the cross of Christ in our life to be able to receive the teachings of Jesus.
3) With the cross in our life the teachings of Jesus are sweet. Without the cross in our life the teachings of Jesus are bitter. The cross is the sufferings that go along with serving Christ.
2 Chron 32:31 God left him alone to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

Faith trusts God and does not consider circumstances or the report of the world. Faith does not listen to reasoning against the Scriptures. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

The problems/tests will increase our faith/patience as we continue to look to Jesus. Why? Because we are looking at what Jesus said and trust His faithfulness and do not consider the current circumstances.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Jesus is the Finisher of our Faith

Jesus is the Finisher of our Faith Heb 12:2
Heb 7:19 Jesus brings a better hope than the law. The law was a type that pointed to Christ. Jesus fulfilled the law and gave us a better covenant.

Heb 10:14 We the sanctified, are perfected by Jesus' offering.

Ps 138:8 The Lord will accomplish what concerns me.

Phil 1:6 Jesus will perfect the work He started.

Psalm 57:2 I will cry to God most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Faith Prepares for the Future

Faith prepares for the future. Noah Genesis 6:13-22
Noah built an arch when God told him of a flood.  Noah worked many years to prepare for this event. The boat was about 450' buy 75'. A lot of trees needed to be cut and hauled to the site, milled into boards and cut to size. As long as it took it seems like Noah would have had time to  plant trees to grow and be cut latter, when they had grown to a mature size. This preparation was a work of faith.

Our work at the direction of the Lord will be a work of faith in what God will do for us.

We are to number our days to apply our heart to wisdom. Ps 90:12

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Jesus is the Author of Our Faith.

Hebrews 12:2
Jesus is the author of our faith.
The Bible was written by Jesus. It is as real to our heart today, as it was when it was written. Matt 4:4 and Heb 4:12


Hebrews 2:10 Jesus is the author of our salvation through sufferings. He is the one who brings all things.
Mark 9:24  I do believe, help my unbelief
Luke 17:5 the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
Acts 5:31 Jesus grants repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Rev 1:8 Jesus is the Alpha and omega
Rev 1:17 Jesus is the first and the last.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Looking To Jesus Builds Faith

Look to Jesus Hebrews 12:2; Numbers 21:6-9
I look to Jesus when I go through my day. Prov 3:5,6
I look to Jesus to sustain me when I am weak Ps 72:12-14
I look to Jesus to move even when I don't deserve to have Him move. 1 Cor 15:9
I look to Jesus because of who He is not what I deserve Jn 1:14
I look to Jesus because of the power that flows from His throne Col 2:10 Heb 4:16
I look to Jesus because the vision for the future come from Him. Hab 2:2
I look to Jesus because life flows from Him. Jn 4:14
I look to Jesus because with Him I get to my destination Jn 6:21
I look to Jesus because He saves me from the penalty of my sin Rom 6:23
I look to Jesus because He wants to be my friend. Jn 15:15
I look to Jesus because He tells me what will come. Jn 15:15
I look to Jesus because He teaches me. Col 3:16
I look to Jesus for He sustains me. Ps 107:9
I look to Jesus because He heals me. Ps 107:20
I look to Jesus because He delivers me from my problems Ps 121:1,2
I look to Jesus because He is my savior. Jn 3:16

Thursday, November 4, 2010

He Did Not Answer Her a Word

Jesus did not answer her a word. Matt 15:23-28; Mark 7:24-30
Many would say that a no answer is an answer of no.

What does God want? Does He want obedience? Yes but He wants more than that. Does He want church attendance? Yes He wants us to gather together but He wants more than that. What does God want? From what I know of the Bible Hebrews 11:6 says that God is pleased with faith. Faith will not take a no answer or an answer that is not adequate as the final answer.

Jesus disciples tried to stop her, and Jesus testing her tried to put her off. Yet she was not put off.

What did the woman do that demonstrates this great faith?

Because of the love for her daughter, she sought an answer from Jesus.
When she hears of Jesus, she immediately comes to where Jesus was.
She calls out to Him as she approaches Him.
When she gets to Him, she falls at His feet and worships Him.
She does not let a lack of response from Jesus stop her.
She does not let the opposition of the religious leaders stop her.
She does not let the reasoning of Jesus stop her.
She does not let offense stop her.
She does not let a pre-planned method stop her.
She keeps asking until she gets the answer.
She didn't take a lack an answer as the final answer.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The Poor are Rich in Faith

James 2:5 The poor are rich in faith.
Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God. Luke 6:20
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:3

Isaiah 14:32 Afflicted people seek refuge in Zion.
Isaiah 29:10 Afflicted and needy will increase their gladness in the Lord
Zeph 3:12 A humble and lowly people will take refuge in the name of the Lord.
Zech 11:11 Afflicted will know God's word.
Matt 11:5 Jesus preaches to the poor.
Luke 9:58 Even Jesus was homeless.
1 Cor 1:26 Not many mighty or noble were called.
2 Cor 8:9 Jesus became poor that we may be rich.

It's not that the rich can't have faith. It's just they think they don't need God. Rich feel they can take care of themselves.

The poor are needy. And faith is only possible if there is a need. Following the example of people of faith, gets me out of the self reliance mindset.

People of faith see their need for God and His provision. Self absorbed people don't consider God as viable for them.

Lord I am a needy person. I need you to come to my life and provide me with the living word.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Faith Understands Authority

Luke 7:1-10
Matt 8:5-10
The Centurion shows that faith understands authority.
"Just say the word and my servant will be healed."
Luke 4:36 With authority and power  Jesus commands the unclean spirits and they come out.

Joel 2:11 . . . For strong is he who carries out His word.
Micah 5:7-9 Action does not wait or delay for others

Authority and submission involves obedience and respect. If we obey and respect God, then we can ask with belief.

"Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21

Jesus was sent with authority and we have the same authority.

Matthew 28:18-20
All authority has been given to Jesus and He has commissioned us to be His spokesman in this life. We can go in that authority as we are under His authority. Faith is built as we live in obedience to Jesus.

Lord let me submit to your authority. I want to act in courage and trust that you will back up your instructions with power.