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First Presbyterian Church of
Telephone numbers: (310) 677-5133 Fax (310) 330-8342
Electronic mail: PRESBYTS@SBCGLOBAL.NET
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Rev. Dr. Harold E Kidd
Sunday, July
31, 2005
Romans 4: 1 -
22
Mark 11: 20 -
25
HAVE FAITH IN
GOD
"He
staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith,
giving glory to God." Romans 4: 20
"Have faith in God,
Jesus answered. 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."
Mark 11:22-23
This morning I want to
preach a simple sermon on the subject of Faith.
The Bible teaches us that
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
And that without faith it is impossible to please God, for in order to please
God one must believe that God is, and that He is the rewarder of those who
diligently seek Him. Amen.
In other words, faith
believes in God for that which has not yet been made manifest in the physical
realm or in our life experiences. The Bible further reminds us that "we
walk by faith and not by sight." We believe not because we see, but we
believe in an unseen God through whom all things are possible. We believe in
God who is almighty and therefore is able to bring it to pass.
Hebrews 11 is filled with
story after story of men and women who believe in God for that which had not
yet come into their experiential
existence. Though he was 99
and his wife Sarah was past child bearing years, against all hope Abraham in
hope believed and so became the father of many nations. Abraham became the
father of the faithful through his faith. He believed God. The word says,
"He staggered not, he did not waver, at the promises of God, but Abraham
was strong in faith giving glory to God." (Romans 4:20)
And what we learn from this
text in Romans 4 is that to be strong in our faith gives glory to God. Verse 19
of Romans 4 says that "Abraham was not weak in faith." “He staggered not at the promise of God through
unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God."
Abraham was fully persuaded
that what God had promised, he was able to perform.
When it comes to what God
wants to do in this church, what he wants to bring to pass in your life and
mine, when it comes to what God is bringing to pass in the earth, the Kingdom
of God on the earth as it is in heaven, He needs us to be strong in our faith,
to be steadfast for the Lord, to be pillars of faith for the Lord.
The problems will come, but
be strong in your faith. The setbacks will come, but be steady as a pillar of
faith. The challenges do come, but like Abraham, stagger not at the promises of
God. And if we do this our faith will give glory to God. Yes, have faith in
God.
The Lord has told the church
in His Holy Word, "For surely I know the plans I have for you, plans for
your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." (Jeremiah
29:11) And this word is still good for you and me this morning.
This word right here,
"For surely, I know the plans I have for you," is good for your life,
good for your family, good for this church, good for whatever is of concern to
you this morning. Stagger not at the promises of God.
As we further study this
text in Romans 4, verse 21 says, "And being fully persuaded that what He
(God) had promised, He was able to perform." So we learn that faith
believes God will ultimately bring to pass that which He has promised us in His
Holy Word.
Though one is not yet well,
one believes that they will get well as they place their faith in God,
believing that with God all things are possible. Though one is now unemployed,
they are believing that God is working in their behalf and as they keep on
making the phone calls, putting in the applications, going on the interviews, God
will open the door of opportunity that is right for them.
Though we are beset with
problems and challenges, though some of us may be experiencing a season in life
when it appears as though there is trouble on every side, we are believing in
God that He is working it out. One problem at a time. We believe in His Word
that "In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who are
called according to his purposes."
Yes, so that firstly, faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Secondly, we walk by faith and not by sight. Third, faith staggers not at the promises of God, but is fully
persuaded that what God has promised in His Holy Word He is able to perform, to
bring to completion.
A fourth principle is that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the
word of God. In other words, our faith grows and becomes stronger as we nourish
our spiritual lives in the word of God. Your faith will never grow to what it
can fully become without feeding on God's Word. Faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the word of God. So says Romans 10:17. If we don't believe God's
Word that it is truth, if we doubt His word, when the problems in life come,
we'll stagger, knocked to and fro, up and down. Be strong in your faith, which gives
glory to God. Have faith in God.
It’s all about the
relationship; the more intimate we become with God, the stronger our faith
becomes.
The text before us in Mark
11 tells the story of Jesus and his disciples returning from
Peter brought this to the
Lord's attention and he simply replied, "Have Faith in God. If anyone says
to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in
his/her heart, but believes that what you have said will happen, it will be
done." Jesus was using this illustration of the mountains to teach about
the prayer of faith. Amen.
When we pray we've got to
believe that what we ask of God is going to be done. We've got to have faith in
God about our prayers. One can't pray to God with effective results and be a
doubter. When you pray to God you've got to believe deep down in the marrow of
your bones, in the deep recesses of your heart, that God is able to perform
what you've asked of Him. The prayer of faith is the prayer that gets results.
And the Lord used mountains,
which were a common illustration in rabbinical teaching, to suggest that there
are no problems that we face in life, there are no obstacles that are
insurmountable if we believe, if we have faith in God. The prayer of faith says
that we believe God can do anything but fail. Yes, we believe with all our
heart, and we do not doubt that God will answer our prayer in accordance with
His will.
Some pray but they don't believe
in their own prayers. Some pray but they don't believe that God is going to
answer. And that’s why Jesus rebuked his disciples on so many occasion,
"Why did you doubt?" Yes, have faith in God.
Now the fig tree relates to
this teaching by the Lord on the prayer of faith in that the fig tree was
barren, it was cursed because it had not produced fruit. And there are so many
teachings and parables taught
by the Lord where we come to
understand that our lives were meant to produce fruit or a harvest for the
kingdom. So when we pray, our prayer should not be prayed selfishly. Prayers that are prayed for selfish reasons
are denied audience at the mercy seat of God because they do not produce any
fruit or harvest for the kingdom.
But when you pray that in God
answering your request, it’s also going to bless the kingdom, give witness to
the kingdom, and bear fruit for the kingdom, the answer is on its way. I'm sick
Lord, heal my body, but don’t just heal it, heal for your glory, heal for your
witness, heal that others might come to believe that you're God all by
yourself, through my weakness. Have
faith in God.
But Lord, if it will give
you the greater glory for this infirmity not to be taken from me, Lord if it
will give greater witness to your wonder-working power for me to live by grace
with this infirmity, Lord if it will bear more fruit in the kingdom, produce a
more abundant harvest for me to have this infirmity -- not my will, but let thy
will be done O God! Have faith in God.
Jesus is our example when it
comes to the prayer of faith. His prayers were always prayed for the kingdom.
Even when he prayed for himself it was in relationship to God's will for the
kingdom. "Father, the time has come, glorify your son, that your son may
glorify you." (John 17) "Father, all things are possible with
you. Make this cup pass from me, yet not
my will but let your will be done, O God."
Yes, so the prayer of faith
is prayed in accordance with God's will for our lives in relationship to the
Kingdom. Have a little talk with Jesus; tell him all about our troubles, but
pray with faith that God's will be done. And that mountain of a problem will be
cast into midst of the sea, to the glory of God. That mountain of difficulty
that you thought was too hard to climb God will help you to climb. To the glory
of God.
I ask you today, is there
anything too hard for the Lord? God is able to save, heal, and deliver,
according to His purposes in Christ Jesus.
Have faith in God!
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