The Bible Speaks - What does it mean to have faith?

[00:00:00] We're going to be together on our knees, Let us pray together on our knees And I fall on my knees with my face to the rise in sun, Oh Lord, help us in on the knees Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock.

[00:00:30] The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of harvest international. Our prayer is that the Bible Speaks will encourage you in your study of God's Word. You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast. And now, here's Elgin.

[00:00:45] For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor power or things present, nor things to come, nor height or depth or any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[00:01:04] Brothers and sisters, I greet you happily in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and welcome to you to this week's discussion. As a Sunday school teacher, one of the things that I enjoy most are questions that arise during class.

[00:01:22] And today I wanted to talk about a question that was posed to me on this past Sunday. When someone asked me, What does it mean to have faith?

[00:01:33] And we know that faith is an integral part of our Christian walk because the Bible tells us that without faith is impossible to please God. But what does that mean? What must we do to have faith?

[00:01:48] So I wanted to spend some time with you today and discuss five attributes that a person with faith has, and maybe it will inspire you to take a deeper look at your walk and make sure that your faiths check is an order.

[00:02:06] The first attribute of a person with faith is belief in the unseen. Second Corinthians 4 and 18 reads, While we look at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, or the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

[00:02:28] As physical beings, we tend to gravitate towards those things that are definable and predictable. We like to be able to say and do things with the assurance that what we desire is possible.

[00:02:40] Believing in something that can change your life, but you can't see touch smaller tastes can be troublesome. So what do you do? The answer is, Pray, Study, Meditate and then act. Through these efforts, you can build a relationship with God through Jesus Christ,

[00:02:59] and will invariably lead to God showing you who He is and what you have available through Him when you're obedient. Through in the early years of our marriage, my wife and I didn't have a lot of money. And the car that we were driving was fairly old.

[00:03:17] So every morning before I left our home, I would pray with my hands on the dashboard of the car that it would get me safely to work and back home again. And I did this for many, many months.

[00:03:31] I was coming home from work one day and I stopped at a stoplight and the car cut off. And everything that I tried didn't work. I checked the alternator, I checked the starter, I checked the gas, I checked the battery, nothing worked.

[00:03:46] And then I remembered that I forgot to say a prayer over the car before I left. So I got back into the vehicle, put my hand on the dashboard, set a prayer, expert forgiveness for not saying the prayer earlier, turn the key and the car started right up.

[00:04:04] And I was able to head on home. My belief in the unseen is what I believe started that car. God can do anything in our lives. And when we trust Him, He will show Himself faithful.

[00:04:19] As a relationship grows, you'll become more and more comfortable with believing in what you cannot see. Because He has shown you that nothing is too hard for God. And in an instant, He can change in His scenario that you're in. Number two is trust and reliance.

[00:04:38] Isaiah 26 verse 3, reading from the English Standard version reads, you keep Him in perfect peace whose mind is staying on you because He trusts in you. Once we've come to the place where we can believe in the unseen, we can begin the journey of trust and God.

[00:04:58] Trust not as we understand it from our interactions with one another, but trust from the earnest expectation of what God is saying and promising is true. This realization leads to a lifestyle of prayer, supplication, worship, and obedience,

[00:05:16] which will lead to reliance on God for all decisions and the great benefits therein. In the verse I just read to you, it mentions perfect peace. For Christians, perfect peace is described in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament.

[00:05:34] In one very notable passage which is Philippians chapter 4 verses 6 through 7, reading from the new international version, Paul writes, do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present your request to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding

[00:05:58] will guide your hearts and your minds and Christ Jesus. Number three, understanding and acceptance. Job 28 and 8 reads, and unto man he said, behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding. When you consider how we learn,

[00:06:19] it generally goes in the matter of knowledge, understanding, and then with them. Knowledge is the attainment of information, understanding is the ability to comprehend the information, and wisdom is knowing when to imply the information you've learned.

[00:06:36] What Job is sharing with us in the spiritual realm is that learning about God is the beginning of understanding, and as we read and study more, we develop a fear or reverence of His greatness. And that is very wise. Through this fear, we understand that sin,

[00:06:57] which is defined as separation from God, leads to a path of destruction. Therefore, departing from evil shows you truly understand and accept that God's way is better. This level of understanding and acceptance is sometimes referred to as surrender. Number four, transformation. Romans 12 verse two reads,

[00:07:19] and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Having a true understanding of who God is and what your purpose is on earth

[00:07:37] will undoubtedly cause its transformation. You would no longer see things the same as before. All of your decisions and actions will be viewed through a God filter of consistency and compatibility with God's worth, but this transformation is not one and done.

[00:07:54] We must continually work on ourselves so that God can use us across many scenarios. This includes personal growth, as well as spiritual growth. If we one God to expand our territories, we must become who He needs us to be in order to do it

[00:08:11] and do it with excellence. One of the greatest examples of transformation would be saw later known as Paul, who underwent a significant personal and spiritual growth as a fair see before his transformative and kind of with Jesus on a road to Damascus. This growth played a crucial role

[00:08:31] to prepare him for his influential ministry, particularly among the Gentiles. So I wanted to share with you some of the aspects of Saul's personal growth that contributed to his readiness for a Gentile ministry. As a fair see, Saul received a rigorous education in Jewish law and traditions.

[00:08:51] His knowledge of the scriptures, including the Old Testament, provided a solid foundation for his later teachings among both Jews and Gentiles. Saul was born in Pursus, a city with a diverse population which likely expose him to various cultures and perspectives. This multicultural black background may have contributed

[00:09:13] to his ability to relate to a broad range of people. Saul's upbringing as a fair see also provided him with a deep understanding of the Jewish perspective on the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. This knowledge would prove valuable as he navigated the complexities

[00:09:31] of preaching the gospel to both groups. Saul was also a Roman citizen, a status that granted him certain privileges and protections. His citizenship became a strategic asset during his later ministry, allowing him to navigate the wrong legal system and travel freely within the Roman Empire.

[00:09:51] So you see even though that personal growth was attained with another purpose, God was able to use it to convert Paul and have him then write almost two thirds of the new testaments. And the refined is gratitude and worship. Saul's 100 verse four reads,

[00:10:14] enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his course with praise. Be thankful on to him and bless his name. Join gratitude for all God does in our lives as accomplished through our prayers, pies and offering lifestyle, serving others, reading and meditating on the word,

[00:10:34] communion, ministry and testimonials. Worship involves reverence, adoration and the acknowledgement of God'sworthiness. Worship goes beyond praise and God for specific attributes or actions. It is a holistic response to his presence. Worship encompasses various elements and include prayer, singing, meditation, and acts of devotion that express a deep connection

[00:11:01] and submission to God. It involves a lifestyle of honoring God and all aspects of our lives, not just doing specific religious rituals or gathering. What we think about an example of worship, what comes to mind is King David. The worshipful event involving King David

[00:11:21] and returning of the ark of the covenant is recorded in 2 Samuel 6 and 1st Chronicles 15. This event is marked by exuberant celebratory worship as the ark representing the present of God was being brought back to Jerusalem. The narrative describes how David with great joy and reverence

[00:11:42] led the procession to really the ark of the covenant from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David. David danced before the ark with all his might, wearing a linen E-Fine, a garment associated with priests and leading people in joyful worship.

[00:11:59] The worship included an array of musical instruments, such as harps, liars, tamarines, castines, and symbols. Skill musicians played these instruments, creating a festive and melodious atmosphere. The people led by David, engaged in singing and chanting. They lifted up their voices and praise and thanks given.

[00:12:21] Celebrating the presence of God symbolized by the ark. As the ark was being brought into Jerusalem, David offered sacrifices of burnt offerings and peace offerings. This act demonstrated his acknowledgement of God's holiness and his desire to honor God's divine presence. David also organized the Levites,

[00:12:42] specifically the sons of Aaron, to minister before the ark. They were appointed to play musical instruments, offer sacrifices and perform other preachely do these during the worship. And finally, David recognized the holiness of God and a significant of the ark as a symbol of God's presence.

[00:13:00] This awareness permeated the worship, creating an atmosphere of reverence and in awe. So in conclusion, we can say that faith is an action word. It requires us to do our part as God does his part. It is truly, as it says in Hebrews 111,

[00:13:27] now faith is the substance of things hope for the evidence of things not seen. I pray that God will continue to bless you and all that you come in contact with until we meet again, God bless you and keep you. Amen. I've wandered far away from God.

[00:13:53] This program is cared for by listeners who care, your prayers and financial investment in this ministry helps to keep the good news on the air. We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to write us at harvest international, post office box 66090 O'Cala Florida 34488.

[00:14:14] Again, that's harvest international post office box 66090 O'Cala Florida 34488. O'Cala Florida 34488.