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Finding Faith

Finding Faith. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Romans 4:3. Righteousness. Faith. Grace. Unpacking Abraham’s Faith. Passage. Gen 15:6 Believed in unseen God. And he believed in the LORD ; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Rom 4:17

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Finding Faith

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  1. Finding Faith

  2. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Romans 4:3 Righteousness Faith Grace

  3. Unpacking Abraham’s Faith Passage Gen 15:6 Believed in unseen God And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Rom 4:17 Resurrection & Promises As it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations." Abraham acted in faith when he stood in God's presence, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don't even exist. Rom 4:19 Believed the impossible He was then almost one hundred years old; but his faith did not weaken when he thought of his body, which was already practically dead, or of the fact that Sarah could not have children. Rom 4:20 Energizing His faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God's promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God. Rom 4:21 Unassailable Conviction He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised.

  4. Belief beyond Reason • Brings life from death • Calls into existence things that do not exist Romans 4:17 Who against hope When there was no reason for hoping The realm of the impossible God does not expect us to submit our Faith to Him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make Faith a necessity

  5. Our Faith • Belief in the unseen God • Belief in Resurrection • Belief in impossible – We can be made right with God • Unassailable Conviction • It is Energizing – Results in Action

  6. Finding Faith Session 2 – Faith Perfects

  7. 1 6 The Basics of Faith – Faith Saves The King of Faith – Faith by Example 2 3 5 4 The Mind of Faith – Faith Perfects The Refining of Faith – Faith in Suffering The Victory of Faith – Faith in Suffering The Fathers of Faith – Faith in Action

  8. The Mind of Faith Illustrated The Story of the Rich Young Man Matthew 19:16 KJVR And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

  9. Compliance leads to Compromise And Pharisees actually believed that they could be good and acceptable before God because they complied with the “requirements” of God: Philippians 3:4-6 KJVR Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Before we shake our heads at the Pharisees: We must remember how easy it is for us to fall into the works/compliance mindset: We see discipleship as a series of things we must do: Be baptised Attend the meeting Help the needy Visit the sick Preach the Gospel As if any of these alone can save us … Matthew 15:4-9 WEB For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God," 6 he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.' " Lowering the bar • To make 100% possible – laws were diluted and made possible • Focus was on legal correctness – forget the spirit of the law

  10. Only God is Good There is no one Good but God Salvation comes to those who recognize the condition of human nature and seek God’s grace through faith. Instead of focusing on mistakes and trying to bring God down to an achievable level (compliance) – they stretch for perfection relying on the grace of God (excellence) Jesus was sinless but he was still flesh In God’s eyes flesh can never be good – it needs to be transformed 1 Peter 1:24 KJVR For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: What happened to the best person ever to live: Galatians 3:13 KJVR Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: • Why did Jesus challenge this first statement: “Good Master”? • He was challenging the mindset that any flesh can be good before God.

  11. Keep the Commandments What about the God-focused Commandments? Mat 19:20 WEB The young man said to him, All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack? I’ve watched and measured my performance on the compliance graph – Do I lack anything or am I OK? Do not Commit Adultery Do not Kill Do not Steal Do not Bear False witness Honor Your Father And Mother

  12. Graphical representation of Compliance-Based Salvation Good On track for Eternal life Lacking a little Work to do Rules, Commandments, Regulations My works

  13. Is God Topping us up? Passage Isa 64:6 Filthy Rags But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Deut 6:25 Our Righteousness And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us. Jer 23:6 God’s Righteousness In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jer 33:16 God’s Righteousness In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. Jer 51:10 God’s Righteousness KJV The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

  14. In Search of Perfection… Mat 19:21 WEB Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

  15. Mission Impossible Mat 19:25-26 WEB When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved? (26) Looking at them, Jesus said, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible

  16. How does God make impossible possible? Mat 17:20 KJV And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. If only you had Faith and relied on God And not Riches and relied on Yourself

  17. FAITH (Gal 5:5) GRACE (Eph 2:8) LIFE (Eph 2:8) RIGHTEOUS-NESS (Gal 5:5) Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin. (Rom 3:20 WEB) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23 WEB) Starts with God WORKS (Rom 3:20) SIN (Rom 3:20) WAGES (Rom 6:23) DEATH (Rom 6:23) For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (Gal 5:5 KJVR) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: itis the gift of God: (Eph 2:8 KJVR) Starts with Man

  18. Compliance vs Faith Mindset

  19. Pushing for Perfection through Faith Philippians 3:12-15 KJVR 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing Ido, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

  20. Faith Perfects Mat 5:48 WEB Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

  21. Amen

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