WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?
SHALL JESUS FIND FAITH?
THE BATTLE BETWEEN FACTS AND FAITH?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I do this lesson in three parts.
TEXT: Luke 8:25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
I. THIS APPLE SEED IS A TANGIBLE SIGN OF FAITH!
A. I HOLD UP AN APPLE? I ASK WHAT IS THIS?
THE FACT IS THIS IS AN APPLE! I ask is this apple faith or fact?
The apple is fact, you can see it, hold it, and eat it.
The apple has hidden within great faith, the SEED!
B. I cut the apple away from the core and give it to people and I ask them to eat it.
I ask them if this apple is good? I finally get down to the apple core, and from the apple I dig out seeds. In the morning service I get 7 seeds. In the apple in the evening I get 4 seeds.
A SEED IS A TANGIBLE SIGN OF FAITH.
C. FAITH SAYS:
IN THIS SEED IS AN APPLE TREE!
FAITH SAYS IN THIS SEED ARE ROOTS, LEAVES, BRANCHES, A TREE TRUNK.
D. FAITH SEES AN APPLE ORCHARD!
E. FAITH SAYS THIS SEED CAN SURVIVE DROUGHTS, STORMS AND COLD WINTERS!
F. FAITH SAYS THIS SEED WILL OVERCOME BUGS, BEETLES, AND WORMS.
G. FAITH WILL EAT THE RESULTS OF HER WORK AND PATIENCE!
H. Every year when we reaped the fruit of our garden, Dad would save some of the corn, and some of the beans, for next year’s planting.
What would have happened if we had next year’s seeds ground for meal?
I. IF THIS SEED IS NOT ENOUGH, IT IS SEED FAITH...
DON’T EAT THE SEED CORN...
J. THE APPLE IS THE RESULT OF FAITH! FAITH TAKES TIME
AND PATIENCE!
Taste this Golden Delicious Apple?
You are eating the results of faith linked with Divine timing.
Joseph waited 13 years from the well to the Palace.
David waited 14 years from Samuel’s anointing to being King.
Moses waited 40 years in an hot, barren desert.
Noah worked 120 years before it rained.
The Israelites lived in slavery some 400+ years.
K. YOU CAN COUNT THE SEEDS IN AN APPLE,
BUT ONLY GOD CAN COUNT THE APPLES IN A SEED.
II. WILL JESUS FIND FAITH WHEN HE RETURNS?
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
We are all on a journey?
Fear, doubt, worry, anxiety, depression, loneliness, are trying to kill our JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE and our FAITH.
We must learn to guard our FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE.
III. WHAT IS FAITH?
A. FAITH:
FIDELITY TO ONE’S PROMISES
BELIEF AND TRUST IN GOD
FIRM BELIEF IN SOMETHING FOR WHICH THERE IS NO PROOF
COMPLETE TRUST
BELIEF WITH STRONG CONVICTION
WITHOUT DOUBT OR QUESTION
MENTAL STATE OF ACCEPTING SOMETHING UNSEEN AS TRUSTWORTHY
B. There is a Biblical definition!
KJV
Hebrews 11:1 Now 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 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.
NIV
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we
do not see.
Living Bible
Hebrews 11:1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we
want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for
us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.
Message
Hebrews 11:1 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith,
is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on
what we can’t see.
IV. FAITH MUST BE NOW!
A. You can not bank on yesterday’s faith.
B. You can not live on the CREDIT -DEBT of tomorrow’s faith.
C. I hear the DOOMS DAY CROWD talk of yesterday’s revivals and speak, doom and gloom to the modern church...
D.. THERE IS A GLORIOUS CHURCH, ALIVE AND THRIVING THROUGH OUT THE STORMS OF THE DARK AGES ---
Ephes. 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
E. FAITH MUST BE TODAY!
2 Cor. 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
F. Have you ever heard it said at a wedding ---?
SPEAK NOW OR ELSE FOREVER HOLD YOIUR PEACE.
V. LIFE IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE?
WHAT DOES A MOUNTAIN LOOK LIKE FROM AN EAGLE’S EYE?
When I was a child my Dad pastored a country church in Clemont County, Ohio.
Our garden was an important part of our life. We ate from the garden fresh food, and in the winter we had canned food.
We were working in the garden, planting Hickory Cane corn. We made the rows, and planted the seeds and covered just as dad said.
Mom came out of the trailer and told Dad of an emergency call, and Dad had to leave. Dad told me to plant the rest of the corn seed, make a new row, and plant it until all the seeds were planted.
I made one row, and planted it. I made another row and planted it, and the TV beckoned me. I dug a hold and dropped the whole brown paper bag of seed corn
in the edge of the garden, covered it up with dirt, and I went to watch TV.
A few weeks later Dad came in and was very mad at me.
I did not understand? Why? What did I do? I forgot?
Dad took me out to the edge of the garden and pointed to a big clump of green.
The corn grew and it’s little green fingers raised up to testified of my laziness and lack of planting.
It seemed like there was on million green leaves pointing to heaven.
I was caught! be sure your sins will find you out.
Dad said: Son, that was to feed our family this winter. Now we might not have a lot of corn to can.
Dad said, Son, if the family goes hungry this winter it is your fault.
Wow, this was heavy on a 6th grade boy. I was so shamed.
Several times I went to that mound of dirt and prayed and I asked God to please not make my family suffer hunger because I was lazy.
See, as I was planting the seed, I saw seed, I never saw food in the winter for my family.
God was kind, we did not suffer hunger, but I learned available lesson.
YOU CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE HUNGRY TO PLANT A GARDEN!
WHAT I DO TODAY, WHAT I PLANT TODAY WILL HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON MY TOMORROWS.
A. What is the difference between a mountain and a mole hill?
The bottom line is --- HOW MUCH DIRT?
Our God reigns over molehills and mountains.
B. We might all see faith from our perspective?
C. The snail is sailing through his journey when all off a sudden he finds himself riding on the back of a turtle, and the snail starts screaming,
WHOA! WHOA! We are flying.
D. The turtle stops to rest and observes a RABBIT RUNNING AT A FAST RATE of speed?
E. WOW! WOW! says the turtle. I shall never try this again, I am ashamed
of my slow pace.
F. Then the snail says to the turtle, I thought you was going so fast I were going to get a nose bleed?
G. THE REAL LESSON?
BY PERSISTENCE NOT SPEED DID THE SNAIL MAKE IT TO THE SAFETY OF THE ARK.
H. FAITH IS NOT ALWAYS INSTANT, OVER NIGHT ---
VI. FAITH IS AN ESSENTIAL TO THE BATTLE GROUND OF LIFE.
A. My doctor once said SELDOM ARE DIETS SUCCESSFUL ---
people tend to just temporarily change their eating habits.
REAL HEALTH ISSUES MUST BECOME LIFE STYLE CHANGES ---
EXERCISE, DIET, AND HEALTHY CHOICES!
B. Faith is a choice.
Faith is a life style.
Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
C. DO WE WANT TO PLEASE GOD?
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
D. FEAR KILLS FAITH!
FAITH KILLS FEAR! IT IS UP TO YOU!
Matthew 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
VII. DEGREES OF FAITH? AT WHAT LEVEL OR DEGREE ARE YOU?
A. NO FAITH
Mark 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
B. LITTLE FAITH
Luke 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is
cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
C. FULL OF FAITH
Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
D. GREAT FAITH
Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
E. SO GREAT FAITH
A. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON ---
B. SO:
To a great extent or degree
Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found
so great faith, no, not in Israel.
C. DO YOU HAVE GREAT FAITH?
VIII. I HAVE THE ANSWER? I HAVE IT? I CAN REASON MY MIRACLE AWAY? BUT WHAT ARE THEY AMONG SO MANY?
A. ANDREW SAYS TO JESUS:
John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
B. JESUS HAS A PLAN, DO WE KNOW THAT THE DIVINE PLAN WILL WORK?
John 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
C. THERE IS A PROMISE, A PROBLEM, A PROVISION!
IX. CAN YOU SEE FAITH? YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF FAITH!
A. There are four men that wake up determined to get their sick friend to Jesus.
B. The men develop and plan, and make a portable bed, and head toward a miracle.
C. The men’s plan faces obstacles.
D. The men overcome the obstacles, and their faith releases Jesus.
Matthew 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed:
and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
E. HAVE YOU SHOWN OTHERS YOUR FAITH?
If they had a trial today to prove your faith, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
X. LORD, WOULD YOU PLEASE INCREASE MY FAITH?
THE PROBLEM IS NOT AN ISSUE OF IF WE CAN BELIEVE?
THE PROBLEMS ARE ISSUES THAT WE ARE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT
GOD’S PLAN AND HIS DIVINE OFFER!
A. Lord, Jesus I have weak faith, GIVE ME MORE!
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamore tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
B. Jesus says you have enough faith: YOUR MEASURE IS ENOUGH, MORE THAN ENOUGH. --- USE WHAT YOU HAVE...
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
C. YOUR MEASURE OF FAITH WILL BE ACCORDING TO YOUR NEED!
If in life you will face little needs, you will have a little measure of faith.
If in life you will face great needs, God will give you a great measure of faith.
D. You have what ever measure you will need.
USE WHAT FAITH YOU HAVE!
XI. REAL WORSHIP IS MORE THAN A FORM, A CERMONY, OR A RELIGIOUS RITE, IT MUST BE THE ISSUE OF ATTITUDE AND HEART AND MIND.
WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?
WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM GOD?
JESUS ASKED THE BLIND MAN EITHER A REALLY DUMB OR A REALLY GOOD QUESTION?
BLIND MAN WHAT DO YOU WANT?
A. What is faith? Identify your need.
Luke 18:41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?
And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
B. A Nobleman’s son was sick, he traveled and found Jesus. The Noble man asked Jesus to come home with him and heal his son.
C. Jesus did not do as the man expected, but Jesus healed the son ---
FAITH RELEASED.
John 4:50 Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.
D.When was my son healed?
John 4:53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
XII. DO YOU WANT TO BE WHOLE?
KJV
John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"
Writer unknown:
An Irishman in a wheelchair entered a restaurant one afternoon and asked the waitress for a cup of coffee. The Irishman looked across the restaurant and asked, "Is that Jesus sitting over there?" The waitress nodded "yes," so the Irishman told her to give Jesus a cup of coffee on him.
The next patron to come in was an Englishman with a hunched back. He shuffled over to a booth, painfully sat down, and asked the waitress for a cup of hot tea. He also glanced across the restaurant and asked, "Is that Jesus over there?" The waitress nodded, so the Englishman said to give
Jesus a cup of hot tea, "my treat."
The third patron to come into the restaurant was a Redneck on crutches..... He hobbled over to a booth, sat down and hollered, "Hey
there, sweet thang. How’s about gettin’ me a cold glass of Coke!" He,too, looked across the restaurant and asked, "Is that God’s boy over there?"
The waitress once more allowed as how it certainly was, so the Redneck said to give Jesus a cold glass of Coke, "on my bill."
As Jesus got up to leave, he passed by the Irishman, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed." The Irishman felt the strength come back into his legs, got up, and danced a jig out the door.
Jesus also passed by the Englishman, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed." The Englishman felt his back straightening up,
and he raised his hands, praised the Lord and did a series of back flips out the door.
Then Jesus walked towards the Redneck. The Redneck jumped up and yelled, "Don’t touch me... ... I’m drawin’ disability!"
XIII. LET THE WORD OF GOD DO THE WORK OF GOD!
AS YOU BELIEVED, SO BE IT!
KJV
John 5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
NKJ
John 5:38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
NIV
John 5:38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
Matthew 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame
hour.
XIV. SO SAD WORDS: ARE YOU LEAVING ME?
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
CONCLUSION:
WILL JESUS FIND FAITH ON EARTH?
WILL HE FIND FAITH IN YOUR CHURCH?
WILL JESUS FIND FAITH IN YOU?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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