FAITH

 

     Today we are talking about faith and how the bible supports it.  Faith assures success and 2 Chron 20:20 shows how through faith the armies of Judah defeated their enemies.  Faith is a duty of the believer.  Jesus had told His disciples they were being sent to work in the communities around Galilee and faith would give them the victory.

     Faith is our defensive weapon.  We use the shield of faith to quench all the attacks of the enemy.  Faith is essential in prayer because you must believe that you will receive.  It is the effectual and fervent prayer od a righteous person that avails much. 

     Faith must be united with love.  Paul says that love is the foundation of faith and faith is the avenue in which love flows.  We are made right by faith because we have believed and this has made us right with God.  Faith brings answered prayer, sonship, power, rest, inheritance, foundation and assurance.

QUOTES FOR SEPT 26, 2026

 

being sure

 

     Being sure is being convinced and having absolute confidence in what you believe and see.  For the Christian it is having salvation and all the benefits there of.  Today many believe that you can get to heaven by good works, but the Bible makes it clear it is only but Jesus sacrifice that we can get eternal life.  Works are a result of our faith not the reason. 

     The Bible is evidence of who Jesus is and archeology backs it up as well.  The Bible of course claims that God is the author of its message.  It is a book that transforms lives and its promises are backed up by God himself. 

     Jesus Christ came and yes, he healed, taught but he is so much more than that He is the savior, healer, baptizer in the Holy Spirit and the soon coming king.  Many dismiss Jesus as the Son of God, but his resurrection proved beyond a doubt His claims. 

     People struggle because they base their faith on feeling which change from day to day.  Faith is an act of the will and facts.  We also have the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.  We also have the moral evidence of a changed life and the social evidence of being part of the family of God.  We love and view our fellow Christians with grace and mercy.  We are motivated by compassion and grace.

     Salvation is based up what Jesus did and not we have done.  Our faith is dependant on Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.  Never confuse faith with feelings.  Faith is based on the word of God and changed lives.  The Holy Spirit lives inside giving inward witness and guidance.  This helps you to live in assurance.

CONSEQUENCES

 

Sept 26 – Sin’s Consequences - Isaiah 59:1-3

 

     Isaiah reveals something about the Lord and His view of the present generation.  Isaiah of course lived through the reign of five kings.  He saw the reign of 3 godly kings and two ungodly kings.  He was finally killed by Manasseh the son of Hezekiah.  He says surely the Lord hand is not so short that he cannot save or his ears so dull or deaf that He cannot hear. 

     The problem is that the iniquities of the people have separated them from God.  Sin is doing wrong and evil.  It is an active force in mankind.  It is part of our DNA.  It causes us to hide our face from Him.  It causes Him not to hear when we call to Him.  The hands of the sin are stained with blood and fingers are covered in guilt.  This is the action of sin.  The attitude of sin is expressed in how we talk.  Lies and wickedness are spoken. 

PSALM SUNDAY

 

     On Palm Sunday Jesus had instructed his disciples to go and get a coat for Him to ride.  They found everything just as Jesus said.  This showed that Jesus had complete control over all that would happen to Him during the Passion week. 

     This animal knew that he could trust Jesus and so can you.  Jesus had the audacity to come in Jerusalem even when the leadership wanted Jesus dead.  When Jesus came into town the people spread palm branches and cloaks before him and they shouted, “Blessed he who come sin the name of the Lord and Hosanna in the highest. 

     Jesus was showing himself as the Messiah.  Many thought he was going to be a political person.  Jesus came first as the suffering savior.  Next time he will come as the conquering king.  The Pharisees told Jesus to quiet his followers, but Jesus told them it the crowd did not praise him the rocks and stones would call out.

     Jesus was not a moral teacher, miracle worker or a philosopher He is the Son of God.  He is God with a face.  The perfect union of God and man.  Jesus not long afterward wept over Jerusalem because he knew what was going to happen in the future.  The city would fall to the Romans, and the rejection of His Messiahship would carry a heavy price.  A lesson we need to learn is that when we do not recognize Christ in the moment, he is presented our rejection does carry a price.   

     Jesus then would cleanse the temple of the money changers and the merchants that had turn the temple which was a house of worship and prayer in a marketplace.  There were three explanations given of why Jesus could get away with this.  The first is the popularity of Jesus at the time.  John said secondly it was because it wasn’t Jesus’ time.  The last is that Jesus was in control and thus his death was entirely in His hands. 

     When one looks at Palm Sunday, we see Jesus in both his humanity and deity.  We see him being worshipped and then him weeping over the city.  We see him angry over the treatment of the temple.  All this shows that Jesus was a man of passion but in righteous control.  We should follow His example.

     

PAUL'S WISHES

 

      Paul had many wishes and desire for the church of then and now.  As he was called so are we.  God wants to bless us with all spiritual blessings.  We have been given a heavenly home.  Think about that.  We have been called his children.  God wants us to live in abundance.  He has made the mystery of Christ known to us and we are to tell others.  He wants us to be a family with others.  He wants us to walk in unity, love, acceptance and forgiveness. 

     We only have one life to live.  We are to bring hope, peace and love to our world.  Back in 1969, Dionne Warwick sand a song about how the world needs love.  Our world needs that today.  With wars raging in Ukraine and Iran the world needs love and the message of Christ.  Let us who it by our example and love.

WISDOM

 

     When God says He is going to do something, faith says, “I believe it”, and yes with a big exclamation point.  If you do not trust God, you will find yourself like the nation of Israel wandering around in a desert place for years.  Get out of your wilderness and desert by following Crist to the promised land.  Leave the dark by placing your life in the Light of the world.  If you want your promised land you will have to fight for it like Joshua did.  The greatest joy in your salvation is to lead another to it. The highest honor in salvation is seeing others walk in salvation and truth.  If you want to disperse your doubts and fear look to Jesus, the author and finishers of your faith.  If you want to increase your fear and doubts look to yourself and trust your own resources.  Many talk about heaven as if it is a matter of speculation but the Bible says it is true and an established fact.