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August 11, 2016 6:07 pm
Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions were to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org. Father, we are so glad to be here in your presence on this day that you have made and you tell us in Scripture to rejoice and be glad in it.
The Lord as we look at the world around us.
It's just messed up everything's upside down. Seems like nowadays wrong is right and right is wrong. Reminds us what would your word says when you speak of a time when suite will be better in bidder will be sweet and it's so overwhelming. But yet Lord, you want to change this world and you want to do it through us so were asking you to speak to us through your word that we would learn what it means to be a world changer blesses time a Bible study blesses new series that were starting now, and we ask it all in Jesus name, amen. You can be seated. Good to see everybody. Let's grab our Bibles and turn to Hebrews chapter 11 and I don't know how it is in your house, but my wife and I are always well known as a fighting let's say were disagreeing over the temperature of the room. My wife likes it warm and I like it cool and sometimes I'll be sitting around and I'm breaking out in the complete sweat that I've dropped 4 pounds and I go over the thermostat and it settled like 78� and Allstate Kathy why did you send it that high line was warmth Walter to back down to an appropriate setting up you know 61 now the really high I like 77 is pretty good for me. You know she wanted warmer.
I wanted cooler so we go back to the thermostat again and again, why because the thermostat controls the temperature of the room so I will question for you. Are you a thermostat or are you a thermometer.
I'm a person what you saying I don't understand the question what comes out of this author wrote a thermometer is affected by its surrounding depending on the temperature. The mercury in the thermometer goes up or down in contrast of thermostat influences its surroundings. Unlike the thermometer thermostat controls the heat or coldness around it. So with that in mind.
Are you a thermometer or are you a thermostat, let me put it another way, are you changing culture or is culture changing you. Let me put it, even another way is the world changing you or are you changing the world we start a brand-new series and recalling it world changers and it's based on Hebrews chapter 11 in the title of my message is are you changing the world or is the world changing you and working a look at the stories of great men and women who serve God and in effect change their world and work in the sea after learning about them, how we can change ours. I mean, maybe it's a tall order to change the whole world.
What are your world. What about your sphere of influence. What about your friends and your family in your neighborhood.
You can have an effect. There you can be the change agent. You can be the thermostat you can be the world changer.
How do you do it you do it through faith.
Number of years ago I was in New York City and they had sort of pop-up rock 'n' roll Hall of Fame that was temporary and I went down to see if they had some pretty interesting stuff. John Lennon's piano that he composed imagine on a tall white their Jimi Hendrix's accounts. I would been more impressed if their Jimi Hendrix is guitar but is couch and I think he's out of the couch and put some of the songs they had no videos playing of rock stars doing their things will what you think of rock stars. I want you to apply that thinking to rock stars of faith really here in Hebrews 11.
These are people that change the world. People like Abraham peanut Noah Sarah Joseph, Moses, the list goes on. You probably noticed, the Olympics are upon us. How many of you watch the opening ceremonies. Not many I see it I heard viewership was that I can see that right now. Well, you know, II like the Olympics.
I like all the Olympics. I don't understand some of the event.
I don't know why some of those events are in the Olympics but my favorite events are synchronized swimming. I just love that I'm being facetious and also I love javelin catching that's how many of you love javelin catching.
There is no javelin catching it you would die if you cut a javelin right so now it's Thursday.
What I like is gymnastics is interesting to me swimming is good, but what I really love track and field. That's my favorite part of the Olympics and the reason I bring this up is here in Hebrews 11 and 12 as well.
That sort of the theme. It's like a big race that were all in effect. Hebrews 12 starts with these words. Seeing that were surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us run with endurance the race of the set before us, looking under Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, another cloud of witnesses that the author of Hebrews is referring to. By the way, we don't know who wrote Hebrews, the Holy Spirit, Ted, but it may have been to the apostle Paul, but we don't know the author but anyway, that cloud of witnesses that he is referring to are the folks talked about in the hall of faith in chapter 11.
These were ordinary people like you and me.
They change their world they discovered the secret of staying on top is not talent or opportunities, or status. It's faith in God and know that these people were not perfect.
In fact, far from it.
They failed often they're not heroes in the hall of faith because they were great people there heroes in the hall of faith because they had faith in a great God and we can have faith in the same great.I mean look at some of them are Gideon was a frightened farmer when the angel of the Lord came to him with hiding out from his enemy of the Midianites that were oppressing the people of Israel hiding beside a wall and an angel appears and says hey Gideon you mighty man of God of the Lord is with you, the public remedy we talking to me.
I mean, there's no way he was anything but a mighty man of valor at that moment he was afraid and timid but God saw him for what he could become, or you look at Moses.
He was a fugitive from justice when the Lord spoke to him. Jeff though was an illegitimate son unwanted by his family.
So these are very ordinary people to God, touched, and they ran this race and some of them rented better than others. Some ran well from beginning to when others ran well and fell and got up again and finished the race, see the people of Hebrews 11 are sinners just like you and me. But here's an interesting twist on the story, you will not find one single mention of any of their sin. In this chapter, and if you go back and read the accounts of these folks there were sins, and in some cases, significant want to get in Hebrews 11, sort of.
This look back on their lives is not one mention of sin. Abraham is mentioned he lied twice about Sarah being his wife. His son Isaac did the same thing Sarah left in God's promise and then denied. She laughed, Moses lost his temper and killed someone.
David committed adultery and try.hide his sin. Samson was very immoral, yet they all make it into the Hall of Fame so they didn't always collect metals. Sometimes they collected scars but not one word of their failure is mentioned in Hebrews 11 wife because they were forgiven and God gave them a second chance. Do you need a second chance in life. Maybe you're feeling like you've messed your life up. But here's what I want to say to you, your story is not over yet. Okay. And so there can still be redemption are, you can still get up again and finish this race just because you started well and you fell doesn't mean you can't get up and finish well and will get to see as we look at these people that some of them did that and the way you're going to do it is through faith. First John five horses. This is the victory that overcomes the world are they. But you know we talk about faith. Let's think about it a little bit more understand that faith is a lot like a muscle, the more you use a muscle or another way to say that the more you break down a muscle, the stronger the muscle becomes if you neglect your muscles they will not develop if you neglect them for too long. They can even atrophy I was at the gym a while back and I saw a guy's a big bodybuilder guy. I don't know why but he decided that he only wanted to build his upper body. So the guys massive shoulders, arms, chest, you know sixpack the whole deal. And then he had legs like chicken legs.
They were just like I might seriously while the getting. I mean it's like really don't ever wear shorts and I wouldn't aver but it's funny how I want to build. I want to be with the resident and that's all some people other sort of underdeveloped you use your muscle and you get stronger faith is the same way. Use it or lose it. In fact, over in Jude 120. It says dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit staying right at the center of God's love keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that's telling us that faith does things. Faith's activities is be praying be staying be keeping two things with your faith.
Don't neglect your faith for me.
It seems that a lot of people out faith in them is like. It's like a four-wheel-drive vehicle. You know they make amazing vehicles. Now and guys of God do it but just of aftermarket equipment. You know the raise and get giant tires giant wheels wench on the front of a huge light should also they pull up behind you. You look in your rearview mirror, you're looking at the chassis of the car and so maybe they pull into a gas station which we have to do a lot like every four minutes. You know, because they bring a lot of fuel. You pull up in your little pre-has me your wheels are this bring me so you have mats that things call you a lot a four wheeler and the guys like what you kidding me. Not much I spent on this thing so well wanted to get on the dirt where you going now going to another car washing out. It's kind of like all show and no go take that bad boy in use it for what it was designed for. That's what faith is like for some people, you know, we talked about it and in week, you know, we like to discuss it but we don't use our faith. We treat faith like an egg. It's it's fragile, don't drop it.
I've discovered whenever I go to the market in a five, 10 bags of groceries. If any of them contain eggs, you know, if I drop one bag what's in the back right there knows that you drop one back. Never the cancer cares about the dented can never the bread the bread can take it know it's always the eggs cracked and we treat faith like an egg, will be careful, don't breathe on it. No use. It jetted out on the dirt put it into action. Watch what God can do with faith. Okay, now let's read about it. Hebrews 11 reverses one to 10. There's more in the chapter. I encourage you to read the rest later will come to it in time, but for now let's read these verses, verse one now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen for by the elders obtained a good testimony by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts and though he was dead, he still speaks by preteen. It was taken away.
So we did not see death was not gone because God had taken him or before that before he was taken. He had this testimony, he pleased God without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and is a rewarder of those that diligently By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen move with godly fear and prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to God to a place where he would go to receive as an inheritance and he went out, not knowing where he was going by fainting 12. The Melinda promise is in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise three waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God love that all right. Let's break it down no point number one if you're taking notes faith does things faith does things so many verses here speak of helping work able offered a sacrifice.
Noah prepared an ark. Abraham obeyed and later even offered up Isaac. It comes down to this, of faith, with no words of faith that does not work. So these people use their faith. Listen, you can't run in standstill at the same time. If you're sitting you're not running and if you're running you're not sitting how we all wish we could find some La-Z-Boy we could sit in and still get the benefits of exercise will not such thing exists in the same wherefore running in the race of life.
We can't be sitting, so faith is getting out there and running this race but one is a you know we tell people to have faith just have faith and trust God. They have a crisis will believe in the Lord will get you through. And then it happens to us. All of a sudden what were not so big on it because we are struggling with heard about a woman who had a crazy husband and she went to the pastor and said pastor.
My husband tells me if I keep coming to the church you'll kill me pastor says now don't be afraid. Have faith in God, the Lord will protect you. So she came back again pastor.
My husband said again if I keep coming to this church still kill me to just trust in the Lord, the Lord will protect you.
She came back many times giving this message to the pastor each time he reminded her. Have faith in God that one day she came and said pastor.
My husband just set up IT coming to this church, he's gonna kill you. Then the pastor said you want to look into that church. On the other side of town that just started up the good place for you to land yet sees. He did tell others they have faith until my faith is tested.
But listen to this. Number two. Faith grows stronger through testing.
Faith grows stronger through testing even as muscle get stronger through use being broken down and built up the same is true of faith.
James one says from the Phillips translation when all kinds of trials and temptations crowd of your lives. My brothers don't treat them as intruders but friend realize they come to test your faith and to producing you a quality of an torrent lesson. God will test your faith for your own good.
I know you would like to have a trouble-free life. I know you would like to have a temptation free life is all about her comes a trial. I don't want to be tempted. But it's been said one Christian who has been tempted is worth a thousand haven't been.
It's also said Christians are a lot like teabags you don't know what they're made of, until you put them in hot water and maybe your hot water right now the hot water of temptation. The hot water of difficulty in your faith is being tested know this God will give you more than you can handle, but you can handle more than you can think, or more than you think you can more than you can think that makes no sense at all. You can handle more than you think you can handle very lightly got the correct sentence is all I can handle it answer you probably can and of the Lord came into you. You can handle it. And if you couldn't handle it while he wouldn't have given it to you. He'll give you what you're ready for a take Abraham of the Lord started by just saying leave your country. Later on he said I want you to take your son a lamb on the altar will talk about what that meant. Later, we started with a simple task and went on to harder test Jesus.
Yes, he told Peter to walk on the water.
But before that, he said just move your boat in the water to to deeper waters so the point is, he didn't go for the hard thing in the beginning he let them build up to it. You're going through a series of tests in your Christian life of faith in each one's going to make it stronger. And then you get a get stronger. Yes, the tests will get harder but you're going to get even stronger because God's whipping you in the shade for greater challenges and greater opportunities.
Everything is preparation for something else but sometimes we sort of went out while I can handle it when young Jeremiah was ready to drop out of the race.
God said to him in Jeremiah chapter 12 so Jeremiah, if you're worn out in the foot race with men.
What makes you think you can race against horses. If you can keep your wits during times of calm. What's gonna happen when trouble breaks loose like the Jordan in flood. I would say men toughen up the one room of the horses then don't get worried when when you're just in a foot race with somebody else and by the way, if you want to be a world changer hang around with other world changers hang around with other people to get this you know hang around with people that have faith and want to trust God when it will be God viewing around with people who are having the world change them if they can drag you down. Listen if you want to run with the horses don't hang around with the jackasses. Okay so that's what God was saying to Jeremiah time to step your game up because faith is not just a feeling. It involves our emotions, but faith is even more than assent to what is written in the book, though it's based on the book faith is obeying God in spite of feelings, circumstances, or consequence may sit again. Faith is obeying God in spite of your feeling circumstances or consequence. That's great. By the way, what is faith and we really can you define faith, while hubris does verse one.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So so that's what faith is, what is that mean I have no I do.
That's what it is we really understand what that saying of the new living translation puts it this way, what is faith. It's the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen and see evidence of things we cannot yet see what comes out of this faith sees invisible things I see dead people know not that kind of thing.
That's a line from a film, forget it. Okay it sees invisible things. Faith sees what could be Oswald Chambers said and I quote. Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present in the invisible, as seen." That's good so you you can see a problem but can you see a solution.
Faith sees solutions so I look at the state of America right now look in the moral breakdown.
I look at all the problems were having.
I just want to bring my hands and Xander know what to do when a second look at it with faith now and say, could God change this to the Lord. Send a mighty spiritual awakening will start praying for that.
Or maybe you have a marriage you see that's coming apart. Maybe it's your marriage and you say well I guess it's just doom.
There's nothing I can do what you talking about put some faith in there and take action. What action should I take. I don't know wanted to go apologize what I've done anything wrong arty know you're doing some wrong by saying you didn't do anything wrong. You're probably the major part of the problem now. Come to think of it. After listening to you say I didn't do anything wrong. I love anything to apologize. Yes, you do every husband just changing the temperature of the thermostat, every wife dies, everyone dies.
Go to your spouse and your estranged from her having friction within say I'm sorry. By the way, there's a right and wrong way to apologize. There's a lame apology. I'm sorry for you thinking that what I said or did was wrong because I was not my intention. That was not an apology is when an apology sounds like I'm sorry I did that to you. Please forgive me. Yeah, that's an apology to catching think takes action. Faith doesn't just talk about it for a dozen live in the realm of theory faith route lives in the world of activity. It does things the someone you know that's not a Christian. You can even imagine the member being a Christian, just the whole idea of them holding the Bible never happened. What can happen.
God can convert anyone start praying for them. Take it to the next level and fights into the crusade, although say no yeah maybe they well what if they say yes are you going to know if you don't try. Well, I don't want to try and fail. Why not I rather try and fail than not try at all when you that's faith.
Faith takes risks.
Faith will bet the farm on something people say let's just see what the Lord will do you sit around the neck inactivity and nothing is going to happen.
Here's another point faith can make the difference between something happening and not happening. We can make the difference.
Faith can make the difference of receiving or not receiving what God has for us. There was a woman with her daughter who was in need of help, and she came and asked Jesus to intervene and Jesus said woman, great is your faith, it will be done as you desire notes interesting. The Bible says Jesus didn't do any miracles in his hometown of Nazareth because of unbelief so you know Jesus had begun his public ministry in and back and Nazareth is increased. Don't Jesus since he was a little dude you know he is a skateboard down the street here working this dads carpenter shop yeah so well we we know when he was little Saul.
He's the Messiah you had the little Messiah living in your town.
Now he's no full-grown Messiah, ready to start his music. We don't believe that just what no miracles happen. So yummy.
Why won't happen for me. God would never do that probably won't within someone else's old man. I prefer that I asked for that Lord see that for faith comes in is a story of a woman who had a medical condition. She spent all of her money on quack doctors to no avail. And she reason and I don't know of anyone telling her this but she believed that she could touch the edge of the robe of Jesus, she would be healed enough to lay his hand on her.
Not to speak to her. All she had and it was touching.
She got all be healed. So here comes Jesus walking through town.
As usual, there's a crowd around and people are pushing, pulling, dust is flying everywhere.
Lots of commotion since if I can just touch the edge of his garment.
She reaches the pitch catches it. All of a sudden Jesus outflow touch me. Everyone's like we all touched you that we were shoving you and pulling you know who touched me says I perceive the power has gone out of me.
The crowd parts and there's that lady I want to rebuke her whole wanted to commend her great is your faith woman because she reached out and put her faith in the action. We need to do the same.
If you don't reach out to God not much will happen.
In fact, it's impossible to please God without faith. Verse six reminds us without faith it's impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him close come now to our first world changer if you're taking notes right this name down our first world changer from the hall of faith Hebrews chapter 11 ready the first world changer is you willingly mean my name is not in their no, actually, in a way that is sort of a blank space where you can write your name. Look at verse three of Hebrews 11 again by faith we understand the worlds were framed by the word of God's of the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. The first phase for the name of a world changer of Israel is reserved for you and me by faith we understand it's as if the divine roster of faithful saints begins with a blank and you're invited to add your own name to this faith is not a leaders it's not only first saints enshrined in stained glass or people on pedestals. It's for all of us here is a very important thing.
Our faith must be in God and only talk about faith were not talking about faith in some kind of power to power three is a faith does matter what your big event just to say it, speak it will happen or not cemented all this is faith in God. But, conversely, by faith we understand the worlds were framed by the word of God. So the object of our faith is God Almighty Jesus said in Mark 1122 have faith in God. The reason I bring this up is somebody will say well I don't I don't believe in faith. Faith is for the simpleminded. I am a person who believes in facts I go live by fiction. I'm a person who believes, you must see it to believe it. I don't apply faith anywhere my life. Faith is for full really come on.
You spent all the time when you went to that restaurant and sat down and ordered they put food in front of you.
By the way, that server is a complete stranger you don't know who made it in the kitchen and you don't know what they were doing back in the kitchen. You take care and will forgive you starting that that's faith that they're going to follow safety standards health standards.
Prepare your food properly, when he went to the doctor for a diagnosis.
The doctor told you needed the surgery you went down I made an appointment in the let them do that surgery that I was faith in what they said, when you go to the pharmacist and a person puts a little kills in your and your little witty, thin bottle that I want to say cup of sonic carpet tomorrow.
Yes. So they give you those procure trustingly put the right bottles and the right are the right bills and the right bottle, when you board is 747, though you know little about aerodynamics you trust that somehow, even though it has a takeoff weight of 900,000 pounds that babies gonna get up in the air and get you safely to your destination and you're also applying faith toward the people in the cockpit that are flying that beast. So don't tell me you don't use faith use faith every day you put your faith in pilots and doctors and servers and chefs and pharmacist God seem put your faith in me. Have faith in God with that all said let's come now to our first world changer next to you or me of the first thing that pops up in this account of the great heroes of faith.
The surprising we would think it would be Abraham or Noah or Moses or Sarah first person able look at verse four by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, that though he was dead, he still speaks not it's an interesting thing because when you think of heroes of the Bible. Abel doesn't usually come the mind. You know he didn't survive in a dental appliance. He didn't destroy Philistines with a job only picked up off the ground. He he didn't do any of these incredible things a part the Red Sea and on the list goes is able well and see who is able as a brother of King of course they were the sons of Adam any remember that God put our first parents in the garden said hey you guys enjoy. Have a great time in the shop every day looking at the conversations going to be amazing. 1 Restriction Stay Way from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Everything else is good seeing to Adam and Eve at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil really all the trees yet were here just happened to be here coincidental. What happens, the serpent comes the devil tempts in the either the forbidden fruit keno fast-forward rent chapter 4 of Genesis. They have two sons, Cain and Abel see they were literally raising Cain. That's an expression came from two boys and no Cain and Abel are young men and they come and bring an offering to the Lord.
Cain worked out there in the fields and Abel choose me, I became brought from over some of the scraps from this field and then Abel brought some firstborn lands the Lord accepted the offering of able and he rejected the offering of King why was because of the offering itself no it was because of the motive behind the offering allowed tents to make a big deal about what people get or how they singer are sort of the outward things you you might get Turgeon some things very loudly and incredibly, and they know they're incredible but for this insula and wow that's God must really like that.
Maybe I don't know depends on their heart and or somebody else that deal they can't stand pitch. There also but that may be of pleasing sound to heaven more than the person is things incredibly wife because God looks on the heart.
I wanted offering is receiving a 1 Person May Dr. a big roll of bills are like a gangster you know there it dropped like the mob guys carry the roles of bills in their pocket. My friend Dennis argued Damien when I last checked, was not a mobster on carries a roll of bills to and and sometimes taken a broad dollar buckles about appeals about them somewhere in the Starbucks once in. I saw the tip jar there and I said Dennis can I borrow a dollar a century pole of the big roll and I grabbed it and dropped it in the little tip thing I've never seen an older man move so quickly in my life. I didn't know it was pot to pull her back hello brought a panic.
There and I did it again second time, can I borrow some bills and this time I was even worse.
I had all time that I reached in so quickly and pull all the money out dropped his role and put them on top of it and then I said what are you doing because the moment I said in his hand was in the box and everyone was like if you're stealing the money Leesburg uterine since my money my money my money is a job not a back third time he said Dennis can I borrow a dollar. He said nobody you can know it.
But you know maybe you and offering someone pulls out a big roll of bills dropped to the wall of the Lord. So please buy that.
Yeah, maybe somebody else puts in one dollar. Well there cheap hey you don't know what's going on and seems that person that gave all that money they have so much more. And it's nothing to them and that person to give one dollar, then maybe everything God looks on the heart and so here comes came with his offering. It is sourcing. I am not interested. It wasn't offered in faith motive is wrong, then Abel comes along and brings his offering of privileges. Yeah, that's good. And then the Lord actually warns Cain because she Cain was ticked off that his brothers offering was accepted and his was rejected. He's steaming mad. I think Cain was clearly a hothead you know if he had a car he would've been one of those road rage people you know he just was that guy just said mad, you know, angry that the Lord accepted his brothers offering over his own.
So God literally speaks the Cain directly, it would even appear audibly and says the human Genesis 47. He came listen to me for a second if you do well you will be, will you not be accepted. But if you do not do well symbolizing your door and its desire is for you so you need to rule over it. Got St. listen.
Sin is at your door this to be literally translated, sin is crouching at your door. Translated from Chinese. It would be crouching sin, hidden danger. Cain sin is like a wild beast it's ready to pounce to you better get control over it.
This is going to get the best of you will. Clearly he had not been doing well up to this point he gave into it because ultimately he killed his brother killed his brother because God accepted his brothers offering and not his reminds us what how powerful sin is sin. Sin is at your door to sins at my door. The devil is looking for opportunities in your life.
He's looking for vulnerabilities. He's looking for weaknesses is looking for ways to take you down to read a book a while back, I think it's out of print now. It's called death in the long grass. It was written by a big game hunter and he went out hunting all kinds of creatures in Africa but he told the story of a particular group of lions that sort of turned the tables on the hunters. So instead of the hunters going after the lions. The lions were going after the hunters because they got a taste for human blood. They would sneak into their camps late at night and they would step over several men without waking them choose their prey and drag them into the night. He writes that one line in particular killed over 100 men, he wrote in his book that a charging lien can cover 100 yards just three second so what is bizarre is you know that they would be asleep in the lions were wood to pick the randomly are. They had their opinion.
I like the size of that had that would really discredit you know whatever other kinds got a big bellied out of the good enough. Whatever. So they taken the people away that this is a line strike and you don't know when it's gonna strike it did so affected about what it does. That sin don't underestimate sin. Don't leave a foothold for sin in your life.
That's why the Bible says don't give the devil any room in your life. Ephesians 426 says don't let's don't send by letting anger gain control of you. Don't let the sun go down while you're angry for angry or anger gives a mighty foothold to the devil. Don't give the devil put all because of you. Give Satan and then shall take a mile.
If you invite them for tea. He's going to have a seven course meal if you invite them to you know stay overnight make you move in so you know McKinney deals with him. You keep your distance from him. Well, Cain did not master sin. Sin mastered King and God put a mark on him and he judged them that brings us to point number seven living by faith as a price.
Living by faith is a priceless and faith is the willingness to obey God regardless of the circumstances know sometimes when you decide to walk with Jesus as you ought to.
As a Christian.
Not everyone likes it, you know, maybe some of you have a husband that said, I don't want you to go to church today. I don't want you to be a part of the outer wife even some of you have friction with coworkers used to get along well gone after work of drinks everything the school and you got yourself saved now you don't want to go have drinks anymore. And now you want to talk about your faith and then on like that one bit. Or maybe it's something else. Some of the conflict that is developed. Here's what's really strange sometimes it's lame Christians who will drag you down is in it.
Christians want to just give the bare minimum, I mean consider this when Moses wanted to deliver the Israelites from Egypt's fellow Jews got mad at him.
Hey Moses, what are you even doing here you know we had a good live hang and you know working in the hot sun getting whipped by Egyptians all day and you come along with your big idea is of faith and getting out here going to someplace we've never even heard of. And you know now our life is harder and the pharaohs taken our straw way and it's harder to make bricks cannot hear those are fellow believers, and sometimes person I would've totally followed Christ and sometimes even people who profess to be Christians will think you know you're getting a little to something a little to go. Maybe because after church is that hey I love this one point for the message. I would only want talk about that would rather gossip because we loved it costs. It even hisses when you say it is fun. We want to complain. I want to tell jokes or whatever you're bothering SEC though be opposition.
The people who step out in faith would happen to Abel. He stepped out in faith, and his brother killed him yet. So listen, you need to step out in faith, but it's not always the easiest thing to do while God's judgment came upon Cain, and I already told you the curse came upon Cain and after he called his brother the Lord said, hey came where's your brother's blood cries to me from the soil enables Arkansas efforts.
My my brother's keeper. The words my my brothers babysitter courts as I know where your brothers now. This curses on he went out and had a family lived in aimless purposeless life.
Meanwhile, evil made it into the hall of faith is a bona fide world changer diverse for God testifying of his gifts, though he was dead, he still speaks no words are recorded from Abel anywhere in the Bible, yet it says he being dead still speaks. You know, sometimes your life speaks volume. Sometimes it's just what you do. That is your sermon. It's been said Christians are walking epistles written by God and read by men and one day your life. My life is going to come to an end and it's can it be our funeral service. I'm going to talk about that person. And though it is sad when a Christian dies, and though we miss them terribly specially if it was unexpected. We do have hope that will see them again in heaven and it's wonderful to talk about a life that was lived well and invested for God's glory and and you know to really speak of that.
That's a great thing.
But then there's the services are people while they were technically Christians. But you know they really didn't do much with their life.
They want a world changer that's for sure affected anything the world change them more than they change the world but yeah well that there in heaven so you know once they had a cup of coffee for me, my modules, but there it is.
And then there are people that didn't know the Lord at all and really want to talk about the afterlife or them at such a scary thought to think about them separated from God for all eternity. Life comes to an end and then we leave our legacy. What kind of legacy are you going to lead. Are you a world changer or as a world changing you will people look back and say that you were a thermostat, or were you a thermometer. See Abel is remembered as a hero of the faith.
Cain is remembered as the first murder. Abel please God and God rewarded Abel Kane gain the world and lost the soul Abel lost his life. But again the approval so live your life well be a world changer.
Let me say one last thing about faith.
It's faith in God. Not everybody has it. You know it's possible to have the faith of a demon. What will the Bible says even the demons believe, and tremble. I would never want to do this, but imagine for motorbike and of Satan appear on the stage or a demon and interview them that I would be scary, but I think you might be surprised at some of the things they would say if I were to ask the devil or a demon skews me blue server on let me ask you this, to believe that Jesus is the son of God. When you get say it's a yes or how do you know that because in the temptation of the wilderness Satan said, since you are the son of God. Why don't you do thus and so that's the best translation even better than if since Satan knows he's the son of God member Jesus and because demons out of people in the demons intake. Don't send instant judgment before our time. Jesus son of God, he would say he's a semi-governing ask another question double you believe that the Bible is the word of God. Yes I hate every word of it, but I believe it. Let me ask you one more thing you believe Jesus Christ is coming back. Oh yes, to try to wreck as much havoc as I can until the day but I believe it to. He believes but he's not a believer in the sense of knowing Jesus.
A memo is a printed Christian like couple weeks old, my faith, I went to a little prayer meeting attended by other young Christians member someone said, let's pray for the conversion of Satan, so he won't tempt us anymore and I thought that's what the way, you know. Even then I knew that was crazy. No same socket to be converted is going to oppose this till the last day. That's the reality of so there's that kind of faith.
And then there's real faith. The Bible says whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. You have that kind of faith in God heard the story about a guy known as the great Blondin.
He was sort of a daredevil short of the evil Knievel of the Robbie Knievel of his day.
He would do great feats of derring-do and people would come and watch them and so one day the great Blondin strong, a tight rope over the Niagara Falls and it was going to crossover while big problems on each side there churn among girl grateful that we know you can do it is to go for the credited how many of you believe that I the great Blondin can walk across as tight rope to get to the other side. We believe we believe they said and he said how many of you believe that I the great Blondin can cross that tight rope pushing a wheelbarrow in front of me. We believe we believe how many of you believe that I could push a wheelbarrow across the rope over the Niagara Falls with the person inside labeling. The one guy was yelling a little louder than the rest, and Blondin said get in the wheelbarrow he got you left the place quickly so do you believe in Jesus all I believe. I believe Jesus is given the wheelbarrow. Trust me, put all your faith in me, your faith will not be misplaced because God will be there for you. He will forgive you.
He will be for you there for you and the other side. When you enter eternity as well and I ask you, enclosing view of this faith in God. Right now, not faith and faith.
Faith in him you believe in him is he living inside of you say well I think maybe God's in there somewhere.
No listen, if God's living in your life you'll know it if you don't know it. Hey, maybe he's not there that can change right now because the Bible says, for as many as received him give them the power to become sons of God, daughters of God. Children of God forgiven knowing they're going to happen if you don't know that yet how many give you a chance to believe is not enough to offer mere intellectual assent. The demons do that.
I already pointed that out. You have to get in the wheelbarrow and believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord, to give you an opportunity to do that is we close in prayer. Let's all bow our heads if you would.
Everybody praying father I ask now that you will speak to any here who do not yet know you help them to see how much they need you because are separated from you by their sin. Help them to turn from their sin and believe in you help them to come into our relationship with you today. We would cost on what I had said about her eyes are closed and were praying together. How many of you would say today. Greg, I want Jesus Christ to come in my life. I want him to forgive me of my sin. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven. I want my guilt taken away. I'm ready to say yes to Jesus if that's your desire. If you want Jesus to come into your life right now. Would you raise your hand up and let me pray for you wherever you are, richer hand, bless you left your hand up. I reckon see it you want him to forgive you of your sin, you want to go to heaven when you die I'll pray for you now. God bless you raise your hand up, I reckon see it please God bless that some of you watching the screen right now.
I can see you but the Lord sees you, would you raise your hand as well. Wherever you are, wherever you're seeing the same guy I want Jesus on my like God will see it, that's all that matters. Anybody else what I have just about you want Christ to come in your life. Raise your hand up a pray for you accomplish. Maybe some of you will fallen away from the Lord, you sort of collapsed in a heap in the race of life. You feel it's over for you.
It isn't, you can get up again and run this race and still have a wonderful story to tell. At the end but you must recommit your life to Christ he must ask for his help. If you need to come back to the Lord. Recommit your life to the Lord, would you raise your hand up right now. Let me pray for you wherever you are, bless nobody else is your hand.
Plus, Naaman asked everyone of you if you would please add them. Raise your hand onto the stand your feet and I'm a lead you in a prayer of commitment. Stand your feet if you raise your hand. Even if you did not, but you want your sins forgiven you want Jesus to come in your life you want to make a recommitment to stand up, you heard me right. Stand up, others are standing by the way, you're not the only one to stand your feet will get a pray together even if you did not raise your hand. You want to make this commitment a recommitment stand your feet get a pray publishers that are standing few more of you think want to stand stand now, wait another moment stand. God bless you away one more moment you want to make this commitment a recommitment to Jesus stand up. I will pray together, bless you, bless you right. Bless all of you are right you that are standing. I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. This is where you're asking Jesus to forgive you of your sin again as I pray pray this out loud after me right where you stand. Okay and you guys watching the screen you pray this out loud right where you are again pray this now after me out loud, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin. I churn from that sin. Now that I choose to follow you from this moment forward as Savior and Lord his God and friend. I want to run in the race of life I commit my life to you. Now in Jesus name I pray, amen, bless you guys afraid