Sunday, January 30, 2011

Faith lives Crucified

Galatians 2:20 ~~I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. yet not I but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.~~

1. Crucified with Christ
2. Live as Christ lives through me.
3. Live by faith in Jesus in the flesh
4. Jesus loved and gave Himself for us.

What does it mean to be crucified with Christ?
Gal 5:24 Defines those who belong to Christ.
~~They have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.~~
That is we do away, make no provision, ignore, reject.
Now we need water, clothes, food, shelter.
- What we do for the flesh is maintenance.
In practicality if we put what pleases Christ 1st we won't have much time for other things.

But if we put Christ first and haven't crucified our flesh we will burn out because we are not able to do the things we desire. Instead put aside the desires of the flesh and go full bore for Christ. Don't look back to please the flesh. Push on to be pleasing to Christ.

Then how are we refreshed and not burn out in the work?
Ps 119 revived in the word
I revive myself in quietness in nature.

What is the difference between reviving myself with natural means and reviving myself spiritually.

Jesus said His food was to do God's will and accomplish His work John 4:34
Jesus anointing came from the wilderness as the Holy Spirit led Him. Let God refresh you. We all need times of rest. Mark 6:31

Faith is Content

Faith is content in the present in what one has and believes God for the future.

Contentment vs Desire

Are we content where we find ourselves?
There are lessons to be learned from our present situation.

But how can we cry day and night, if we are content where we are? Also In Isaiah 62:6,7 we are instructed to cry out to God day and night.

In Philippians 4:11 the context is our living situation.

Faith is content knowing God will provide.
1 Tim 6:6 we are to be content with the simple things and not seek to be rich.

In fact the responsibility of riches hinders our ability to walk in faith. We are to flee riches and pursue God. 1 Timothy 6:11

You can't try faith you have to believe.

You can't try faith you have to believe. Because the tests of faith will cause those who try faith to quit.

By its very nature, faith is in something that is hard. If it was not hard you wouldn't be worrying about it or spending much time on it. There would be no need for faith.

James 1 talks about the perseverance of faith. Faith must last through many problems. When you try something there is the mindset that you may receive and and you may not. Faith does not operate by that. Faith in God is hearing Him and being assured that what He has promised He is able also to preform. Then when all hell breaks loose against you, you still have the rock of God to stand on. And faith stands on that rock in the storm.

Many are the afflictions of their righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Count the cost before the fight. If you count the cost in the midst of the fight you are more likely to give up when the going gets tough.

Isaiah 7:9 is a good verse on this. If you will not believe you surly will not last.

Faith is required

Romans 14:23

The Christian life requires faith to function. Without faith life degenerates to religious observance. And life reverts back to sinful living.
Faith pleases God, but no faith turns from God. Faith allows us to rest and trust God, without it there is unease and turmoil. From faith flows obedience, without faith there is disobedience. Use the wonderful works God has done for you in the past to continue to trust Him. Without belief you can't last. There is love and life with faith but without it there is judgment and fire.

Romans 13:2 don't resist authority or you will receive judgment.
1 Cor 11:29 judge what you do or you will be judged.
1 Cor 13:2 Faith must have love to be effective.
Titus 1:15 Without faith you spiral down, nothing is pure.
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith you can't please God.
Hebrews 3:12 evil unbelieving heart causes us to fall away form the living God.
Hebrews 3:18,19 disobedient and unbelief keep us from rest
Hebrews 4:2,6 The word without faith is unprofitable. Disobedience to good news causes failure.
Numbers 14:11,12 Don't spurn and disbelieve God.
Numbers 20:12 Did not believe in God to treat Him as holy.
Psalm 78:22,32 God's anger because they did not believe God or trust in His salvation, in spite of His many works.
Psalm 106:21,22,24 Forgot God who did great things, despised the pleasant land, did not believe in His word.
Isaiah 7:9 If you will not believe you surly will not last.
Mark 16:17 These signs will accompany those who believe . . .
John 3:18,19 he who does not believe has been judged already
Gal. 5:6 Faith works through love.
Rev. 21:8 Unbelieving will be in the lake of fire.

Faith is Made Strong in Weakness

Hebrews 11:34 out of weakness were made strong
Judges 7:10-25 God works with Gideon's weak army of 300
Judges 8:4-10 Gideon routed 2 other towns after the 1st battle.
Judges 15:14-20 Samson broke the ropes around him and killed 1000 with a jawbone, because the spirit of the Lord came upon him.
Judges 16:19-30 Samson went too far with Delilah but God still worked with his weakness to tear the temple down.
2 Corinthians 12:9,10 grace is sufficient, power in weakness, boast in weakness and content in all.
Isaiah 40:29-41:1 God brings strength as we wait.

Our weakness brings strength. God will work with us if we walk in faith in weakness. It does not matter of our strength but the Spirit of God. God will work with us even in our sin if we will return to the Lord. Use your weakness as a tool to trust God for greater things than before. When God doesn't answer, we are weak, therefore God will answer even greater!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Faith is not Disappointed

Romans 10:11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

Isaiah 28:16
Romans 9:33
Isaiah 49:23
1 Peter 2:6

Believe in God brings the answer. To be disappointed is to give up on God. Don't give up, keep trusting Him. The one who made the worlds will come to our aid as well.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Don't Fear an Evil Report - Trust God

He will not Fear Evil Tidings his heart
is steadfast trusting the Lord.
Psalm 112:7

Psalm 27:1-3 The Lord is my light,
salvation,, defense, whom shall I fear or
dread. those who come to devour , stumble
and fell, my heart will not fear a host
or war. I will be confident.

Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord and He
answered me and delivered me from all my
fears.

Psalm 56:3,4 When I am afraid I will put
my trust in you. In god I put my trust
what can mere man do to me?

Proverbs 1:33 But he who listens to me
shall live securely and will be at ease
from the dread of evil.

Proverbs 3:25,26 Do not be afraid of
sudden fear, nor of the onslaught of the
wicked, for the Lord will be your
confidence and keep your foot from being
caught.

Luke 21:9,19 When you hear of wars and
disturbance do not be terrified. By your
endurance you gain your lives.

Psalm 57:7 My heart is steadfast O God my
heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes I
will sing praises.

Psalm 118:6 The Lord is for me I will not
fear, what can man to do me.

Isaiah 26:3,4 The steadfast of mind you
will keep in perfect peace, because he
trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever,
for in God we have an everlasting rock.

Daniel 3:16
Acts 20:24 But I don not consider my life
of any account as dear to myself.So that
I may finish my course and the ministry
which I received from the Lord Jesus so
to testify solemnly of the gospel of the
grace of God.

Acts 21:3 What are you doing weeping and
breaking my heart, for I am ready not
only to be bound but even to die at

Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Psalm 62:8 Trust in Him at all times O
people, Pour out your heart before Him
God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 64:10 The righteous man will be
glad in the Lord and will take refuge in
Him. And all the upright in heart will
glory.

Psalm 118:8,9 It is better to take refuge
in the Lord than to trust in man. It is
better to take refuge in the Lord thane
to trust in princes.

John 14:1 Do not let your heart be
troubled, believe in God believe also in
Me.

Acts 27:25 Therefore keep up your courage
men, for I believe God that it will turn
out exactly as I have been told.

These many Scriptures attest to the proven
fact, we can rely on God through thick
and thin. Don't turn away from trusting
God, turn to Him by reading and
meditating on His word. Reject thoughts
of doubt and accept what His Word says.

Take His Word over others.
Don't fear evil tidings, have a steadfast heart trusting the Lord
Don't fear, be confident
Don't fear seek the Lord
Don't be afraid trust the Lord.
Listen to the Lord and trust Him. You will be at ease from the dread of evil.
Don't fear the wicked, but be confident in the Lord.
Don't fear disturbances and wars, but live with endurance.
Have a steadfast heart as you sing praises to the Lord.
The Lord is for me, what could man do?
The steadfast in mind will have perfect peace.
Do not consider your life as dear to your self.
Keep up your courage and believe God.

We should not view our work as needed to
please God. We should rest from work and
trust God's finished work on the cross
for us.

Faith Rests From Work.

Hebrews 4:1 "Therefore, let us fear lest,
while a promise remains of entering His
rest, any one of you should seem to have
come short of it."

Ps 95:11 Therefore I swore in my anger,
Truly they shall not enter into my rest.

Deut 12:9 "For you have not as yet come
to the resting place and the inheritance
which the Lord your God is giving you."

Ex 20:8 "Remember the sabbath day, to
keep it holy."

Gen 2:3 "Then God blessed the seventh day
and sanctified it, because in it He
rested from all His work which God had
created and made."

In a way God is saying you can do more in
6 days and resting the 7th then you can
in 7 days of work.

Matt 11:28 Ps 100:2 God gives us rest as
we come to Him with praise.

Matt 11:29 Jer 6:16 Take God's yoke and
learn and walk in the old path, then you
will find rest.

Jer 31:25 God refreshes everyone who
languishes.

In a busy life with many things banging
for our attention, it takes faith to rest
from work. Trusting God to help, when
things are left undone. To rest in faith
is to realize that God is also involved
in the work we are doing.

Isaiah 58:13,14 explain that keeping the
sabbath/resting will allow us to delight
in the Lord and the blessings from
delighting in the Lord will be ours. Ps 37:4,5

Note: We are not to keep the law to honor
God. It is a time set aside that we are
able to spend time with the Lord. Also we should not view our work as needed to please God. We should rest from work and trust God's finished work on the cross for us.

Oral Roberts 3 Steps of Faith

Phil 4:19 God is our source
2 Cor 9: Sow into your need
Mark 11:22-24 Expect a miracle

Some throw out Oral Roberts as being prosperity teaching. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Yes some have taken faith teaching to gain riches. But the Bible is clear on this. If you ask to consume it on your lusts you won't get the answer. James 4:3 Faith is not for riches 1 Timothy 5:9

Faith is needed to serve God. If we take God at His word, (and that is what He wants us to do) we can count on Him to back it up. And as we sow we can count on God to support us. When we believe God we can look for His miracle.

Phil 4:19 The Philippians sent gifts to Paul. These gifts were called a fragrant aroma, acceptable sacrifice and were well pleasing to God.
Ex. 29:18; 2 Cor 2:14; Eph 5:2; Ex 29:10-21
These are offerings of consecration of Priests. An offering of taking up our cross. Have as an offering/purpose of making Christ known. With this kind of giving we can know God will supply all our needs.

2 Cor 9:6 we reap according to what we sow.
2 Cor 9:7 We should do as we purposed cheerfully in our heart.
2 Cor 9:8 And because of God's grace we have abundance for every good deed.
2 Cor 9:9 As Psalm 112:9 He has given freely to the poor, his righteousness endures forever.
2 Cor 9:10 The God who has everlasting supply of seed and bread will multiply what we have for swowing and cause increase.

Mark 11:22-24 Faith energizes and then with assurance we receive.

God Will Answer Prayer.

John 14:13 Whatever you ask in the name of Jesus that will Jesus do.
Because Jesus goes to the Father.
Jesus sends the Holy Spirit from heaven when we do something in Jesus name, we are abiding and obey Jesus.

Matthew 7:7 Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened. God wants to answer. God will treat us better than we would treat our own kids. We can rely on God.

John 14:14 If you ask Me anything in My name I will do it. Jesus is almost begging us to ask.

John 15:7 If you abide in Me (as a branch on the vine gets sustenance from the vine.) Ask what ever you WISH and it will be given you. Abiding, and asking and receiving. They all go together.

John 15:16 When our fruit remains God will answer our prayers.

John 16:24 A promise for a new Christian. If we haven't asked anything ask and you will receive that your joy may be full.

1 John 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and to the things that are pleasing in His sight. Ask, receive, obey and please.

1 John 5:14,15 "this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." We can know God's will by studying the Bible and asking as James 1:5,6 explains. Then with the knowledge of His will we can ask with assurance.

Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you."

These 9 Scriptures can't be denied. But will God find faith on the earth?? Luke 18:8

The prayer of faith accomplishes the work of faith. Hebrews 11:1 Faith is assured. We live in the Word of God and as the Spirit brings the Word alive in our heart the assurance of faith will come. Then we can pray with faith.