Subject: Faith’s Place in Our Trusting
by Rick Welborne
Proverbs 3:5-10 (NKJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Hebrews 11:1-6 (NKJV)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
4 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 through it he being dead still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
4 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 through it he being dead still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 (MSG)
1 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see.
1 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see.
--Last week we looked at the concept of how God has the power to bring us out of our tests and how we expect Him to do so. We looked at how God helps us in our circumstances. We looked at how God can bring us thru.
--I asked our connect group last week three questions: How many of you God has helped you out of situations? How many of you God has helped you in your situations? How many of you God is helping you thru situations? Everyone raised their hands for every question.
--I have said it at least a hundred times here at Life Church…Between the promise and the prize there is always a process. Our faith, our obedience, combined with God’s will determines the process.
--At our connect group, which met at a Mexican restaurant (God’s will), one of the men asked a very important question about God bringing us out, Him helping us in, or God bringing us thru.
--Pastor, for those of us who were maybe brought up under teachings that said God would do whatever we confessed or believed, how do we reconcile our faith and what God’s will is in our situation? Great question!
--I told him to put my sermon notes together for today but have not received them yet. Hear me, I am not talking about taking a passive approach to our faith but to believe God and trust Him with all your hearts.
--I believe answering this question is so crucial to our walk with God, to our faith in God, to walking between feast and famine that I felt strongly that my points today should be scriptures that God has directed me to.
1. Hebrews 11:1 NKJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
--Think about that statement…Faith is the substance…isn’t it true that whenever we go thru a trial or a major test we find out what substance we have…listen to the definition of substance:
Substance – the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists and which has a tangible, solid presence…the quality of having a solid basis in reality or fact.
--So let me summarize…faith must be the matter…the stuff we have in a person (actually in three personalities, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and in their solid presence with us based in fact in the Word of God.
--So we do not have faith in faith, faith in a formula of prayer, faith in a certain confession but what makes our faith substance is that it is directed to the God Who can deliver us or sustain us.
--Christianity was never intended to be a magic formula, that if we do certain things or quote certain verses over and over, the magic will work. We look to Holy Spirit, to Jesus, and to the Father.
--Our text gives us direction for where our faith, our hope, our trust should be directed and then, it immediately discourages us from depending on self or any other source to help or deliver us.
Proverbs 3:5-7 (NKJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
--Every time I am faced with calamity or a bad report I have a choice…I can panic and operate in fear, I can get angry with God and people and operate in bitterness, or I can try erroneous teachings that don’t work.
--My other choice is trusting in the Lord, hoping in the Lord, or have faith in the Lord. I can choose to acknowledge Him…I can choose to know Him better and more intimately in my mess. Best choice.
--We struggle so much with the unseen…the evidence of things not seen. Even though we do not see God, faith (that substance) tells that He is real and He is there whatever we are going thru…a rewarder to those who seek...
1 Timothy 1:17 (NLT)
17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
--When you think about it, this journey is very exciting…we are trusting or having faith in a God we cannot see and trusting Him to do in and for us what seems to be impossible.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
--Those referred to in Hebrews 11 (the heroes of faith) had to keep their eyes on an invisible God and they had to keep an eternal perspective…is this possibly where we miss it in our faith? All we see is now.
--We act like every person in the Bible received whatever they asked for and they received it immediately but that is now how faith works…faith trusts whether it sees the promise fulfilled or not. Abraham and Sarah.
Hebrews 11:13-16 (NLT)
13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own.
15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.
16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own.
15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.
16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
--God help us walk in faith and to continue walking in our faith whether the promise is fulfilled or not. That kind of faith has substance that will last for eternity.
Hebrews 11:39 (NLT)
39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.
39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.
2. Daniel 3:17-18 (NLT) 18 But even if He doesn’t…
Daniel 3:17-18 (NLT)
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
--Now wait a minute…it sounds like these Hebrew young men gave God an option to be God and to do what He willed or pleased to do. Pastor, it is God’s will to rescue everyone…if we just have enough faith…really?
--Let me throw out a hypothetical at you…how many of those faithful in Heb.11, how many believers put in arenas with lions, how many believes burned at the stake, how many crucified prayed a similar prayer.
--These guys prayed and they were delivered but others (Heb.11), Paul, Stephen, Jesus…all died in their faith.
Hebrews 11:13 (NKJV)
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises…
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises…
2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Acts 7:55-56 (NKJV)
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
John 19:30 (NKJV)
30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
3. Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
--Ok…what are we to do? Fix our eyes on the One Who endured scourging, mocking, humiliation, thorns, nails, crucifixion on an old rugged cross, a spear, death. We fix our eyes on Him because He is our example.
--We fix our eyes on Him because that is what all the heroes of faith did…looking for a builder and Maker with Jesus as the foundation.
--We fix our eyes on Him and solidify our faith that whether He brings us out, or sustains us in, or takes us thru we will not bow to this world.
--We fix our eyes on Him because we believe He is going to recue us but even if He doesn’t, we will not worship the king’s idols or image.
--We fix our eyes on Jesus because we agree with Job and identify in his faith:
Job 1:21-22 (NKJV)
21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
--Heard someone change the song…The Lord gives and takes away…to The Lord gives and makes a way. They said makes away sounds better…not negative. Sometimes life is negative. The Word!
--Job’s point was I will trust God when it’s good and I will trust Him when it is bad, just fix your eyes on Jesus. Trust in the Lord with all your heart!
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