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The Foundation of Obedience - The Fear of the Lord

2008-01-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

There is much in the Bible regarding "fearing" God. Are we to be terrified of this loving heavenly Father or does "fear" mean something else?

The Foundation of Obedience - The Fear of the Lord.doc

Four Soils

2007-09-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

Jesus told a story of four different kinds of soils that represent the heart of people. Each of these soils having different result/experience from the truths of God in their life.

Four Soils.doc

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Four Soils! What are you?

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Mark 4:14-20 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”

Luke 8:11-15 11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Four Kinds of Soil = Four kinds of heart conditions
Four life experiences = Four responses and results
The Heart Condition is THE issue.

I. Soil along the Path / Hard Soil.
A) Heart Condition = Hard with unbelief, doubt, lack of understanding, no spiritual discernment.
B) Life Experience = Satan comes and steals away the Word/Truth, they believe the lies and stay in darkness and bondage.
1) Due to a trust in the wisdom and arguments of the world rather than God and the authority of His Word. (Fall prey to the same temptation as Adam & Eve.)

Result: A hardened heart void of truth. Resistant to truth. Unless soil is broken it will never receive seed.

II. Stoney Ground (Rocky Soil)
A) Heart Condition = Shallow/Uncommitted…No root can grow deep producing deep true commitment resulting in a lack of maturity and no depth of love, commitment, or relationship.
B) Life Experience = Trouble or Persecution (testing) because of the Word/Truth of God causes them to turn away.

Result: They turn away, abandon, desert, distrust, judge unfavorably, take displeasure in, become resentful and indignant toward truth and God’s plan for their life.

III. Thorny Ground.
A) Heart Condition = Uncommitted, Unfaithful, Adulterous, Friends and lovers of this world (James 4:4)
B) Life Experience = More interested in the riches and pleasures of this world and the worries that accompany such pursuits. The thorns/weeds of worry and a desire for more and finer things choke this life that could bear fruit. Cares and anxieties, the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things. (James 4:4 “Friend of the world”)

Result: Life and power of the Word of God is choked out leaving the word unfruitful, unproductive, and of non-effect in our life. The root exists, growth is stunted, but they are of no earthly value to the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

IV. Good Soil
A) Heart Condition = Noble, Honest, Good, faithful, and Faith-filled
B) Life Experience = Hear the Word, accept it, understand it, retain it, and with perseverance produce fruit (put it into action, not quitting when it’s tough, and get out of it what God put into it, what He promised).

Result = 3 levels of productivity... 30, 60, 100 fold (3000, 6000, and 10000 times what was sown). The grow, mature, bear fruit, and contribute to the advancement of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Absolute Faith

2007-08-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Bible says we are saved by faith, receive all of God's blessing by faith, and are to live by faith.

This makes faith very important.

Ever wonder WHAT faith is or isn't, HOW faith works or doesn't, and like questions?

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Absolute Faith

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Absolute Faith
The Importance / Role of faith

Hebrews 11:6 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Romans 1:16-17 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

2Corinthians 5:7 7 We live by faith, not by sight.

Galatians 2:20 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 14:23 23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Galatians 5:6 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (NIV)

Hebrews 6:12 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Hebrews 4:2 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. (NIV) [Ex. 1Jn 2:4 4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.]

2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.(KJV)

Hebrews 4:6 6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. (NIV)

6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: (KJV)

Matthew 14:22-33 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 17:14-20 14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 21“However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

(NKJV) 20So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21“However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Mark 6:1-6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Luke 7:1-10 When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Hebrews 4:11 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. (NIV)

11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (KJV)

1Timothy 6:12 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Matthew 11:12 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. (NIV)

12"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (NKJV)

The basis for faith / Gods Character & Integrity of Word

Genesis 1:1-31 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

John 1:1-5, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Titus 1:1-3 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior

Hebrews 6:16-18 16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

Matthew 24:35 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

John 17:17 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Psalm 119:160 160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

1Peter 1:23-25 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord stands
forever.”
And this is the word that was preached to you.

Isaiah 55:6-11 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Jeremiah 1:12 12 The LORD said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

Romans 4:16-17 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

1Corinthians 1:18-31 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I
will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1Corinthians 2:6-14 6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

What faith is not

1. Faith is not denial

Romans 4:19-20 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

2. Faith is not a belief

James 2:14-19, 24, 26
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Acts 26:20 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

3. Faith is not good works

James 2:14, 17, 26 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Ephesians 2:8-10 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

4. Faith is not religious language / words

Mark 11:20-23 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Mark 9:14-19 14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

Matthew 7:21 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 15:7-9 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 ”‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”

5. Faith is not always logical
1Corinthians 2:4-8 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

1Corinthians 1:27 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
1Corinthians 1:17-21 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I
will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

6. Faith is not based on sense knowledge (knowledge we’ve gained through the 5 senses)

1Corinthians 1:21 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

1Corinthians 1:28-29 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.

7. Faith is not Mental Assent / Sense Knowledge Faith.

John Wesley: “The Church has embraced a satanic counterfeit to true Biblical Faith; it is Mental Assent.”

E.W. Kenyon: “Sense Knowledge Faith is based upon physical evidence. We see and believe. We hear and believe.
The great body of the church has Sense Knowledge Faith, rather than faith in the Revelation that God has given to us.
Sense knowledge has given to the church Mental Assent, which looks so much like faith that many people cannot see the difference.
Mental Assent agrees that the Bible is a revelation, that it came from God, and that every Word is true, and yet when the crisis comes it does not work. It simply recognizes the truthfulness of that wonderful Book, but it does not act upon it.
Mental Assent says, “It is beautiful. I know I should have it. For some reason I don’t get it. I cannot understand it.”
Sense Knowledge Faith / Mental Assent says, “When I see it, when I feel it, I will know I have it.”
Sense Knowledge has had the dominion over the spirits of many Christians and the Word of God has not yet gained supremacy in their lives. They know the stories and can quote chapter and verse, but it’s not alive in them, it’s not their life, it has not yet gained supremacy.
Sense Knowledge will fight every step of the way to hold us in the realm of things seen, felt, and heard. As sense knowledge is limited, so Sense Knowledge Faith is limited.”

Mark 4:35-41 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 5:21-43 21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”
36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Where does faith come from

1. The Word of God.
A. Hearing the Word. (reading, Scriptural preaching & teaching, Praise and worship)
Romans 10:17 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (NIV)
(NKJV) 17So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

B. Meditating on the Word. (not memorization) to moan, growl, roar, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak, imagine (Heb.)
Joshua 1:8 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

i. Four things to meditate on: Gods Word, Gods Works, Gods Ways, Gods Character.
(Psalm 1:1-3; 48:9; 77:12; 119:15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148; 143:5; 145:5)

C. The Word living in you and you living in the Word.
Colossians 3:16 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

John 15:7 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (NIV)
(NKJV) 7“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Abide/ Remain – to dwell, live, not to depart, stay, to continue to be present, to be held, kept, last, endure, wait, continually, to make as a permanent home and thus your life.

(Amp) If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

2. Knowing God.
Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Acknowledge - know 645, known 105, knowledge 19, perceive 18, shew 17, tell 8, wist 7, understand 7, certainly 7, acknowledge 6, acquaintance 6, consider 6, declare 6, teach 5, misc 85; 947 to know, learn to know, to know by experience, to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess, to perceive and see, find out and discern, Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse.

(Amp.) Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct, and make straight and plain your paths.

John 17:3 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Know - to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of, perceive, feel, Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman, to become acquainted with, to know.

3. Experiences with God.
1Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

1Thessalonians 1:4-5 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

Philemon :6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

What faith is

1. Faith – (pistis: Gk) Faith, trust, trustworthiness, reliability; confidence, assurance, conviction; belief, doctrine. Fidelity, faithfulness; to rely on, put confidence in; lean or rest upon. It is both an attitude and an action. Absolute trust / confidence

2. Faith is unconscious of itself, it’s a normal way of life for the Christian

2Corinthians 5:7 7 We live by faith, not by sight.

Hebrews 10:35-39 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while,
“He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38 But my righteous one will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

• Living by faith is as normal to the Christian as living by breathing is to all of humanity

3. Faith is a belief that produces corresponding action

James 2:14-19, 24, 26 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

• Bible faith is very simple: it is knowing what God says, choosing to accept that as absolute truth (believing in it), and then living according to that truth (obedience, corresponding action.).

• Faith is demonstrated by our attitudes, words, and deeds.

• Faith is a compound not a singular primary element (Ex. In chemical terms, Faith is like water [H2O]. It isn’t just H [Hydrogen] nor is just O [Oxygen] it is a specific combination of the two elements.

4. Faith is absolute confidence / trust in the person.

Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

Mark 11:22 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered

Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust (be bold, be confident, be sure, be secure) in the LORD with all your heart and lean (to lean on, lean upon, support oneself, trust in, support) not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Acknowledge - know 645, known 105, knowledge 19, perceive 18, shew 17, tell 8, wist 7, understand 7, certainly 7, acknowledge 6, acquaintance 6, consider 6, declare 6, teach 5, misc 85; 947 to know, learn to know, to know by experience, to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess, to perceive and see, find out and discern, Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse.

(Amp.) Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct, and make straight and plain your paths.

John 14:12 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

5. Faith is the supremacy of Gods word in our life

Colossians 3:16 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

John 15:7 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (NIV)
(NKJV) 7“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Abide/ Remain – to dwell, live, not to depart, stay, to continue to be present, to be held, kept, last, endure, wait, continually, to make as a permanent home and thus your life.

(Amp) If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

• Not only must you know what it says but it must be alive/ real to you. More than head knowledge.

• E.W. Kenyon “Faith is a result of the Word dwelling in us. There is but one foundation for Faith, the Living Word.
As we become one with the word in our actions, then faith becomes an unconscious reality. You never think of your faith, you only think of the need and His ability to meet it.
If you wish faith to grow and become robust and strong, soak in the Word, feed on it, meditate on it, until you become one with it in the sense that you are one with your business.”

6. Faith is believing Gods Word (truth / promise) above all / in spite of natural circumstances

Romans 4:16-21 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

(NKJV) 20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

• Faith is a mindset. A state of mind/mental discipline to look at, reason, and understand things from the perspective of God’s word always keeping solidly fixed to the foundational truth that God and His word are perfect and absolute truth. That God’s word is never wrong or in error, I just need to grow in my understanding. As it is written, “The entrance of your word gives light (understanding).”

Philippians 4:8 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

7. Faith is believing God’s word is true before you see the natural evidence.

John 20:26-29 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed (Mental Assent / Sense Knowledge Faith ); blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Not Blind Faith, Biblical Faith)

• E.W. Kenyon “Real faith in the Word says, ‘If God say’s it is true, it is!’ There is a challenge in the scripture for our confidence. You are not to draw back to sense evidences and to sense knowledge, but are to walk on with Him in the light of the Word.

• Faith is seeing the unseen, seeing the promise of God as reality even before it is such in this natural realm.

Mark 11:24 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

8. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the Evidence (title deed) of things unseen.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (NIV)

(KJV) 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

(Amp.) Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

• “Now faith is” – Present Active Indicative (faith is presently actively continuously operating)
• “being sure / substance” - That which has foundation, substructure, is firm. That which has actual existence, a substance, real being. The steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution.
• “evidence” - A proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested (a correction or rebuke to unbelieving)
• “seen” – To see with the eye, perceive with the senses or feelings, to discover by use or known by experience, or discerned by the mind.

9. Faith is a Law

Romans 3:27 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.(NKJV)

• In reference to salvation God says that it is not by obeying the law of works, but rather the law of faith.

Law- a relationship between cause and effect, or a statement of what occurs in nature, as found by observation and experiment to be true.

— What makes a law a law is that it works the same for everyone. (Ex. Gravity, Speed limit, etc.)

— As there are natural laws that God has chosen to govern nature, there are spiritual laws that God has chosen to govern the realm of the spirit. ~one such law is the “law of faith”

— As in nature laws interact and counteract other laws (ie. Gravity Vs Lift). The same is true in spiritual things.

Mark 11:23-24 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (NIV)

John 14:12 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

10. Faith is of the Heart/ Spirit.

Romans 10:8-10 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

HEART – 2588 kardia { kar-dee’-ah} prolonged from a primary kar (Latin, cor, “heart”);
1) the heart 1a) that organ in the animal body which is the centre of the circulation of the blood, and hence was regarded as the seat of physical life
1b) denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life 2a)the vigour and sense of physical life
2b) the centre and seat of spiritual life
2b1) the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavours
2b2) of the understanding, the faculty and seat of the intelligence 2b3) of the will and character
2b4) of the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions
1c) of the middle or central or inmost part of anything, even though inanimate

Proverbs 3:4-5 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (to perceive, discern, understand, or know with the mind, Sense Knowledge); 6 in all your ways acknowledge (645 out of 947 = know) him, and he will make your paths straight.

E. W. Kenyon – “Knowledge of our intellects has taken the throne, and our spirits have been locked away in a prison.”

E. W. Kenyon – “When we crown Jesus as Lord of our lives, we crown His Word as Lord of our lives. This gives the Word its proper place. Here we’re told Be not wise with sense knowledge which leads us to repudiate the Word or to act independently of it. The Word must be superior to Sense Knowledge, whether that Sense Knowledge be ours or someone else’s. We want to remember that Sense knowledge is always limited. No man has perfect Sense Knowledge. This is assurance which is independent of Sense evidence. It may contradict Sense evidence as it often does, but we know that spiritual things are as real as material things. We know that spiritual things are superior to physical things, for God, a spirit, created physical things. We know that spiritual forces are stronger than physical forces.”

Mark 11:23 23 “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Hebrews 3:12 12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

11. Faith is Powerful.

Ephesian 2:8-9 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

Romans 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 3:22-23, 28 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Galatians 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

Acts 3:16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Galatians 3:8-9 8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

1John 5:4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Matthew 9:22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

Matthew 9:29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";

Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 21:21-22 21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

2Peter 1:3-4 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Faith can be abandoned / shipwrecked / thrown away:

1Timothy 1:5-6 5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.

Wondered – (GK) To deviate from, go astray, miss the mark, err

Turned to – One Greek word meaning to turn or twist out, to turn away from, to shun, to avoid, in a medical sense it refers to the dislocation of a limb.

1Timothy 1:18-20 18Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

Rejected – To thrust, push, or repel away || to reject, repudiate, refuse, or cast away.

1Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

Abandon – (GK: Aphistemi) To stand off, stand aloof; to go away, to depart from, to desert, withdraw, shun, flee; to fall away, to become faithless.

1Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Wandered – (GK) to cause to go astray, to lead from the truth to error; to be seduced.

1Timothy 6:20-21 20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.
Grace be with you.

Wandered – (GK) to deviate from, miss the mark, swerve, err

Hebrews 3:12-14 12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Vs. 12 Turns Away – (GK: aphistemi)

Vs. 13 Hardened – (GK) to make hard, to render or become obstinate or stubborn

Hebrews 6:4-6 4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Fall away – (GK: parapipto) to fall beside; to slip aside; to deviate from the right path, turn aside, wander; to slip aside to error

2Thessalonians 2:3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

Rebellion – (GK: apostasia) Lit. to abandon one’s post; a falling away, a defection, to forsake, to rebel

Acts 21:20-21 20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.

Turn Away – (GK: apostasia)

Roadblocks / hindrances to faith:

1. Ignorance of the knowledge/word of God.
Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (NASB)

2. Doubt / lack of faith
Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Matthew 21:21-22 21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Mark 16:14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

James 1:6-8 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Hebrews 4:2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

3. Fear
Matthew 8:25-26 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Matthew 14:25-31 25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

4. Failing to understand the action side of faith. A belief without action is not faith.
James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

2Peter 1:5-9 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

5. Ungodly Character / Purposeful, blatant, willful sin.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear. (NIV)

(NLT) It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.

(CEV) Your sins are the roadblock between you and your God. That's why he doesn't answer your prayers or let you see his face.

6. Lack of perseverance / endurance / patience
Hebrews 6:12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

7. Lack of connection / relation and activity / serving with the rest of the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-16 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Four Soils

2007-07-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

A study on the story of the sower of seed on four different kinds of soils an the experience of each soil.

Which one are you?

Four Soils

Spirtual Growth

2007-04-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

6 myths of Spiritual Growth that every Christian should understand.

Myths of Spiritual Growth

Prayers to pray

2007-04-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what to pray for yourself and others? This is a list of scriptural prayers for you to pray.

Scripture Prayers

The Bible

2007-04-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Where did the Bible come from? How did we get it in the form it's in today? Why is there an Old and New Testament? Who decided what books to keep or leave out? Why are there so many translations?

This is a short study on the questions above.

Bible Basics

Authentic Christianity

2007-04-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

Are we living up to the lable "Christian/Christ Follower"? This is a study to revive and renew your faith and challenge status quo religion.

Call to Authentic Christianity

Step Up To Life

2007-04-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

What is "Salvation"? How does a person get "Saved"? How do we know if we are really a Christian/Saved? What does the Christian life look like? What's after "Salvation"? How do I lead someone to salvation?

This is an indepth Study on Entering the Christian life.

Step up to life

Elementary (Foundational) Truths

2007-04-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

What are the basics when it comes to following Jesus? Hebrews 6 gives a list. Check out this document to read an indepth study on these elementary truths.

Elementary (Foundational) Truths

Absolute Faith

2007-04-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

Document Library

2005-10-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

This is where you can download forms for ministries, and browse through other church documents that you might need.

Strategic Planning Form: Download the Strategic Planning Form in Word Format. (other formats coming soon. Form can be printed and delivered to appropriate Executive Hub Member, or filled out and emailed to Josh Hatcher at hatcherfam@hotmail.com