Sustainable Faith

(Enjoy this weeks sermon in video format if you prefer)

People are in a constant state of  SHOW  ME,  MAKE  ME  FEEL  IT,  PROVE  IT  TO  ME !

When the Lord prepared to deliver Israel at Israels request (Exodus 2: 23-24) He showed the people great signs and wonders through Moses, whom He had chosen to be their deliverer. (Exodus 7-13).  The Passover feast was established for Israel at this time and they were delivered from the oppression of the Egyptians.  They came to the Red Sea and fear caused them to tremble and cry out against God and He parted the waters and brought them across in safety (Exodus 14: 12-).  After seeing and experiencing such great deliverance at the hand of God they swore to obey and serve Him. (Exodus 14:30 - 15:22)
Almost immediately after praising the Lord for His deliverance they begin berating Moses with complaints.  They're hungry, they're thirsty.  We would like to think that thankfulness has a long lasting deep effect but the truth is the moment to moment need and desire of our flesh is what has the greatest influence over what drives us!  It's hard in the routine of daily life.
When there is deep sadness, discouragement and sorrow in our lives, remaining steadfast and faithful in matters concerning the Lord God are particularly difficult.  The truth is that even when everything in our lives is going GREAT it can be hard to sustain faith.  Our fleshly sin nature is constantly waiting to erupt and we have an adversary who is only too gleeful to assist those eruptions or indeed, be the catalyst for them occurring in the first place.

Why is faith so difficult even after we witness great miracles?  Did the Apostles have some secret to sustaining their faith even in the face of torture and death?  Is there a method to sustaining faith?
Yes, there is, but it isn't long term, one time, one size fits all.

Let's take a quick look at one of the Apostles, Peter, who denied that he knew Jesus at all, and how Jesus restored him after that awful situation.  John 21:15-19  Jesus gently, firmly reminds Peter that it ISN'T  ABOUT  PETER  IT  IS  ABOUT  JESUS!  Do you LOVE  Jesus?  Then serve Him.  Don't waste time dwelling on yourself, spending time berating yourself, beating yourself up or fashioning for yourself methods and agendas and unkeepable promises - JUST  LOVE  JESUS.  He'll provide the grace you need to move forward!  (Unkeepable may not be in the dictionary, but we all know those kinds of promises, made and just as quickly broken, don't we?)

The Apostle Paul confessed his weakness and need to "die daily" in ICorinthians 15:31.  In Philippians 3:12 he makes known his need to LET GO of things in order to obtain the better things of God.  It is the same for all of us.  We desperately need the constant, daily and ongoing reminder, the continual "cheerleading from God that He is on our side" in order to bolster our HOPE  and sustain our  FAITH.
Vi
God is glad to provide it for the simple reason that He loves us.  The relationship between the Israel people and the Lord is a physical picture of the spiritual relationship we now have the opportunity to experience since Christs sacrificial death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin, now and  FOR  ALL  TIME !  Just as with Peter on the shore that morning Jesus offers us restoration based on His grace which is immediate, not on any works of our flesh!  Even if our own hearts condemn us, the Apostle John reveals in IJohn 3:20 For if our heart condemns us God is greater than our heart and knows all things.  

We are no surprise to the Lord.  Our actions, just as Peters actions after Jesus' arrest, are no surprise to God.  He loves us  NOT  because we get things right, for while we were still SINNERS  He loves us.  He loves us because HE  CHOOSES  TO.

Faith is not a method, not a program, not a series of steps you take to attain some goal.  Faith is sustained by the grace of God which works in us according to HIS,  GODS  PLEASURE.  It really is all about HIM and not about us.  And it pleases Him to show us His love over and over every day in every way  JUST  BECAUSE  HE CHOOSES  TO.

Need more proof?  Hebrews 11:6 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.  


Oh there's so much more to fellowship with the Lord!  We start right where we are, but He does not leave us there!  Subscribe to our updates and continue to grow and learn about this "walk" with a Lord God who loves you!  Questions?  Comments?  Please leave them below and we will respond.  Prayer requests?  Send them to us, we will pray for you!  Need to talk?  Email a number, we'll call you!  Changing lives one at a time.....TURN THE TIDE MINISTRIES