"WHAT FAITH DOES"
(By Emerson Blythe)
WHAT FAITH DOES. . .
And Why You Need It 1. FAITH GIVES PURPOSE FOR LIFE
2. FAITH DISCIPLINES US
3. FAITH GIVES US SANITY
4. FAITH GIVES US COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE
5. FAITH GIVES US HOPE AND PEACE
6. FAITH IS A PREREQUISITE FOR BEING RIGHT WITH GOD
1. FAITH GIVES PURPOSE FOR LIFE
As we realize we are NOT here by mere chance; that there is a Designer and Creator. We are here by that design, and for a PURPOSE. And thus it causes us to seek to find and fulfill that purpose.
I am persuaded that the reason so many people in the world today are so reckless and aimless in the lives they live is simply because of a LACK OF FAITH.
People search for fulfillment in many vain things:
ENTERTAINMENT (We are an entertainment crazed society.)
REVELLING AND MERRIMENT
ALCOHOL
DRUGS
Important questions need to be answered:
WHERE DID I COME FROM?
WHAT AM I HERE FOR?
WHERE AM I GOING?
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WHILE I AM HERE?
Without faith in God, these important questions remain UNANSWERED!
People think they came from a cell that happened to mutate millions of years ago.
That they are here by pure blind chance, with no real purpose at all
That they are going nowhere in particular
And that leaves them with no idea what they are supposed to do while here.
BUT THROUGH FAITH WE CAN SAY:
(Psa 100:3-4) "Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. {4} Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."
(Psa 139:14-16) "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. {15} My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. {16} Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."
WHAT IS THE BELIEVER HERE FOR: (Rev 4:11) "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
2. FAITH DISCIPLINES US
As we realize God made us, and that we are ultimately accountable to Him, we will make sure that our lives and the hours of time God has given us are not squandered and used for ulterior purposes.
Without faith, our motto would doubtless be that of the unbeliever and materialist: "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." Without faith, we would throw our lives away on that which is useless and trivial.
(Col 3:17) "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Col 3:23-25) "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; {24} Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. {25} But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons."
(Rom 6:17-23) "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. {18} Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. {19} I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. {20} For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. {21} What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. {22} But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. {23} For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
3. FAITH GIVES US SANITY
Without faith in God and in the purpose of His scheme, life would be pure chaos. We would pull out our hair in despair over all the things that we have no control of, except that we realize through faith that Someone with the might and the wisdom required is at the helm! We know not what tomorrow holds, bur through faith, we know who holds tomorrow.
(Phil 4:12-13) "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. {13} I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
(Acts 20:24) "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."
(Rom 5:1-5) "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: {2} By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. {3} And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; {4} And patience, experience; and experience, hope: {5} And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
(2 Cor 4:16-18 thru 5:1) "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. {17} For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; {18} While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. {1} For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
(2 Cor 5:6-7) "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: {7} (For we walk by faith, not by sight.)"
4. FAITH GIVES US COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE
How long would we hold out on the path of righteousness and self-discipline without faith? Through faith we realize that if we persevere, the reward will be well worth the wait!
(Heb 11:1) "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
(Heb 11:8-10) "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. {9} By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: {10} For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
(Heb 11:23-26) "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. {24} By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; {25} Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; {26} Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward."
(Heb 11:32-35) "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: {33} Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, {34} Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {35} Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:"
5. FAITH GIVES US HOPE AND PEACE
What could we hope for in this old world without faith? All we would ever hope to become would be a pile of dust. Though we don’t know all there is to know about what our future will be like, we belileve that if we live for God, the good we have seen thus far is only the tip of the iceberg!
(Phil 4:6-7) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. {7} And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
(2 Tim 4:6-8) "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. {7} I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: {8} Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
(John 14:1-3) "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. {2} In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
6. FAITH IS A PREREQUISITE FOR BEING RIGHT WITH GOD
It grieves God to see us doubt and fear and fret. He wants us to trust Him and place ourselves, our cares, our ambitions in His hands. If we can only take that step of faith, we will be richly and eternally rewarded.
(Heb 11:5-6) "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. {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."
IN FAITH, WE KNOW WE WON’T HAVE TO CROSS JORDAN ALONE. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE KNOW WE DON’T HAVE TO BEAR OUR BURDEN OF SIN ALONE. IN FAITH, WE ACCEPT THAT JESUS TOOK OUR SINS TO CALVARY AND BORE THEM UP GOLGOTHA’S HILL. (2 Cor 8:9) "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
IN FAITH, WE REPENT OF OUR SIN, AS WE DEEPLY REGRET GRIEVING THE LORD AND GOING IN THE WAYS OF THE WORLD AS WE MAY HAVE IN THE PAST. WE DETERMINE THAT WITH THE HELP OF THE LORD WE WILL LIVE SOLELY FOR HIM FOR THE REST OF OUR DAYS.
WE ARE EAGER TO CONFESS THAT FAITH BEFORE MAN, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (Acts 8:37)
THEN THAT FAITH LEADS US TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO THE LORD IN BAPTISM. (Gal 3:26-27) "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. {27} For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
FROM THAT POINT ON, WE EMBRACE THE WORDS OF JESUS IN Rev. 2:10: "...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."