BLUE MOON FAITH? VS. NOW FAITH? GIVE GOD A CHANCE...
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Text:
Matthew 23:37 --- how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
I. THIS ENEMY OR OBSTACLE MIGHT WELL BE GOD’S DOOR OF
OPPORTUNITY.
A. Jeremiah --- what do you see...
1. Rod of the almond ... Hope, awake...
2. Seething pot... Judgment
Jeremiah 1:12 Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen:
for I will hasten my word to perform it.
IT IS ALL ABOUT GOD’S WORD.
B. Often times Christians allow their dreams and goals to be defined by
lack. God’s work can be set back or hindered from progress by lack.
YOU CAN NOT SEPERATE FAITH FROM FAITHFULNESS.
II. FAITH IS NOT ONCE IN A BLUE MOON...
IT IS NOW FAITH... NOT PAST FAITH... ARE WE LIVING WITH NOW FAITH?
A. A BLUE MOON is not seen on a regular bases.
A blue moon is when you have two full moons in one month. Blue moons are rare.
FAITH IS NOT TO BE A RARE THING AROUND GOD’S PEOPLE.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
B. NOW:
The present, immediately, this time...
Today
C. FAITH:
Faith comes from a Latin word: FIDES.
The word faith can not bypass TRUST, dependable, reliable, stable,
firm, to support or uphold.
D. Perhaps the word FAITH in the Bible is much different and deeper than
what the word faith means in society or by terms of philosophy.
The world’s understanding of real faith can never grasp the OBJECT OF
WHAT FAITH REALLY IS...
E. Biblical FAITH must involve knowing God’s word. BIBLICAL FAITH
OPERATES UNDER THE REVELATION OF GOD’S WORDS and God’s actions.
F. Failure to trust God will always lead to worry, fear and sin.
Adam and Eve never trusted God in the Garden of Eden.
The subtle enemy placed doubt in the minds of God’s creation.
G. GOD DESIRES HIS PEOPLE TO TRUST HIM. God wants the church to accept
He is in control and He does what will lead to the best for His people.
God wants the church to know THEY NEED HIM!
H. FAITH CAN NEVER OPERATE IN PEOPLE WITHOUT A KNOWLEDGE OF
GOD’S WORD ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.
II. FAITH MUST BE LIKE A BABY IN THEIR PARENTS ARMS...
2 Chron. 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
A. Place a two year old child in a baby seat in the back of the car.
The child does not know where they are going? The child does not
know when they will get there?
The child does not know if we have enough gas? Or does Daddy
have enough money to buy more gas? The child has never looked
at the tread on the tires? Or when was the last oil change?
Does Dad know how to get where we are going?
B. ALL THE CHILD KNOWS IS HIS DADDY! The child trusts this ride, because
he trusts his Dad enough to know everything will be OK, because my
Dad loves me and will watch over me. My Dad will support me,
my Dad will uphold me by his strong arms.
C. FAITH AND TRUST MUST BE GENERATED AND REGENERATED FROM
WITHIN THE HEART OF THE INDIVIUAL. If we have come to God, we have
to accept God is FAITHFUL TO PERFORM HIS WORD.
D. We must face this truth: IS GOD RELIABLE TO HIS WORD?
III. WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH?
A. DO YOU THINK THIS SITUATION CAUGHT OUR GOD OFF GUARD?
B. Do all things work together for the good? Some of the things?
C. UNDECIDED STATE OF MIND...
SKEPTIC
NOT CERTAIN
NO JOY
ANXIETY
FEAR
WORRY
DOUBT
LACK
HESITATE TO ACCEPT OR BELIEVE
IV. SOME FAITH LEVELS ARE OPTIONAL...
GOD WILL NEVER EVER FORCE FAITH AND TRUST UPON HIS PEOPLE.
A. Remember in the book of Daniel ... the mighty man of God preached
an honest and hard sermon to the King.
Daniel preached to NEBUCHADNEZZAR a lesson regarding ISSUES OF FAITH,
PRIDE AND SIN.
B. NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD A DREAM ABOUT A BIG TREE...
Daniel 4:14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
C. GOD SAID: NEVERTHELESS LEAVE THE STUMP...
7 YEARS TO BE DRIVEN FROM MAN AND LIVE LIKE A BEAST...
7 LONG YEARS OF NEEDLESS NERVOUS BREAKDOWN --- BECAUSE
NEBUCHADNEZZAR REFUSES TO EXERCISE FAITH AND TRUST GOD...
HE WOULD RATHER DO IT HIS WAY...
Daniel 4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee,
and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing
mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.
D. By faith Nebuchadnezzar could have WRITTEN A DIFFERENT HISTORY...
NEBUCHADNEZZER’S FAMOUS LAST WORDS:
I HAVE BUILT! --- MY POWER! --- MY MAJESTY!
E. SEVEN SAD YEARS LATER:
Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
WHY HAVE A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN RATHER THAN TRUST GOD?
Worry and fret? Loose sleep? Talk negative? Quit? Run?
You will find God at the end of your pain.
V. WHY CAN’T PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT FAITH FROM OTHER PEOPLE’S
LACK?
A. Nebuchadnezzar had a son named Belshazzar.
His son must not have learned about FAITH, TRUST AND A RELIABLE
GOD... from his father.
Daniel 5:25 And this is the writing that was written,
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
B. The message was: MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN...
King Belshazzar was having a party. In a drunken stupor they reached
for the golden glasses from God’s house.
C. The Preacher warned:
1. God has numbered your days... YOU ARE FINISHED...
2. You are weighed in the balances ... YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND WANTING...
You lack faith...
3. Your Kingdom is divided...
D. THAT NIGHT THE ENEMIES OF BELSHAZZAR KILLED HIM...
THERE IS NO RECORD OF HEEDING THE WARNING... THERE IS
NO RECORD OF REPENTING...
E. FAITHLESS PEOPLE TEACH FAITHLESS LESSONS.
VI. HAVE YOU EVER EVALUATED WHAT THE NOW FAITH IS... ?
WE NEED NOW FAITH, NOT TELL IT LIKE IT WAS...
A. The greatest distance in the world is the 18 inches from your
heart to your head.
B. Some have FAITH in their head. Still others have FAITH in their heart.
We must combine the faith of God to have head, heart and mouth faith.
Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
C. THE CHOICE IS YOURS...
Joshua 24:14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers
[15] And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
D. WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SERVING THE LORD?
Psalm 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
E. ARE YOU A BIG HYPOCRITE IF YOU THINK YOU CAN LAY HANDS ON
OTHER PEOPLE AND PRAY FOR A DIVINE TOUCH AND THEN WALK
IN FEAR THAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE GREATER THAN GOD’S
KNOWLEDGE OR POWER TO HANDLE?
F. God has a plan to give power and authority to His people.
Jeremiah 29:10 --- I will visit you, and perform my good word toward
you, in causing you to return to this place.
Ezekiel 12:25 For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.
G. Now faith is above the earth side of faith, NOW FAITH REACHES HEAVEN’S
SIDE... WE MUST ACTIVATE THE DIVINE SUPPLY...
Our limited power and limited resources must yield to the UNLIMITED SUPPLY, THE MIRACLE SUPPLY OF AN OMNI-POTENT GOD.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
CONCLUSION:
This enemy, this giant, this obstacle, this hindrance, this negative situation, this need, this problem is part of God’s plan to release the WORD and bring about great faith... I give, I tithe, I pray, I agree with the WORD, I attend church with GREAT EXPECTATIONS and thus release GOD’S BLESSINGS.
If God be for us --- THEN... THEN GOD...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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