Strengthening Our Faith | Bella Vista Church of Christ

Strengthening Our Faith

Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
5/25/97 pm

Strengthening Our Faith

Reading — Hebrews 11.1-16


Faith is the most important facet of our Christian walk, without faith we cannot become children of God. Our text says, without faith we cannot please God.
Let’s begin our lesson by defining faith

FIRST, WE NOTE THAT FAITH IS A KNOWLEDGE OF GOD... KNOWING HIM.
Ignorance is the antithesis of faith... The opposite of faith. Ignorance is the enemy of faith. To be pleasing to God there must be a knowledge of Him and His will in our lives. Romans 10.17 tells us that, faith is a result of hearing about God and His will through the Word.

FAITH IS MENTAL ASSENT.
Faith is acceptance of God, acknowledging Him as the Supreme being; the creator, sustainer, provider of the universe. Paul declared to the Areopagus on Mars Hill, He made the world and all who are in it... It is in Him that we live, move and have our being. We must not only know God, we must acknowledge Him as God.

FAITH IS NOT ONLY KNOWLEDGE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD... FAITH IS A TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN HIS PROMISED.
Our text, in verse 11 says, We must believe that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Do we believe that God will forgive our sins in New Testament baptism? Do we believe He will work all things out to the benefit of His children? Do we believe that Jesus will return again and that God will judge the world in rightness? Do we believe He will save the church, the body of Christ in eternal heavenly bliss? You see, faith is trust, confidence in His promises thorough the Word.

FAITH ALSO INCLUDES OBEDIENCE.
- By faith Able offered a more excellent sacrifice than did Cain.
- By faith Enoch walked with God.
- By faith Noah was moved to build an Ark.
- By faith Abraham, who when he was called, obeyed.

There is an interesting verse in 1 John 5, For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandment. For this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. John is saying:  Faith that obeys God is victorious.  Faith that keeps HIS commandments overcomes the world.

With this verse in mind Ephesians 2.8 takes on new meaning, For by grace are your saved through faith.
- A faith that includes obedience.
- A faith that includes keeping His commandments.

You see, loving God and keeping His commands is a function of faith.  Here it is audience. You search the world over, you gather up all the folk you can find that live victoriously, that are overcoming their doubts, fears, and are really coping with their health problems, and I’ll show you people of genuine faith.

People who live and die by faith are indeed victorious people. NO, NO, NO, victorious living is not found in:
- Material possessions,
- Not in popularity,
- Power,
- Prestige,
- Pleasure, but in faith.

Did Howard Hughes live victoriously?  Did John Belushi, Dean Martin or Sammy Davis Jr. live and die victoriously?  Did Hitler live and die victoriously?
NO — they lived and died in shame, wasted their lives.

Now let’s bring this home -- Did:
- Peter, James, John, Paul,
- Guthrie O’Neal,
- Harry Branstetter,
- Marty Fritz, live and die victoriously?

Question! What made the difference?  That’s right... Their faith!  Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

Go with me now to Mark chapter nine. Mark nine begins with Jesus taking the elite of the elect, Peter, James and John up into the Mount of Transfiguration. In verse 14 they have returned from this mountain top experience to find an argument going on. We begin reading with the verse numbered 14, When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. "What are you arguing with them about?" He asked. A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." "`If you can'?" Said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Let’s pray together.
Father thank you for your word that tells us about you, your will and lets us know about faith that pleases you. Father all of us here tonight believe, you know that, but help our unbelief. Strengthen our faith as we study this lesson tonight and as we strive to live by faith tomorrow... In Jesus name we pray... Amen.

OK: — How do we acquire faith? And how can we make our faith stronger?

FIRST, FAITH COMES AND IS INCREASED BY OUR OWN CHOICE... OUR OWN WILL AND DETERMINATION.

I know what you’re thinking. Are you sure Randall that faith comes by choice? Listen to this verse from John 7.17, If any man will chose to do my will, he shall know this teaching, this doctrine is from God. This scripture is saying, he who wills to know God, will know God. Church, faith is a determinate choice on our part to know and believe in God. We must want to believe. We must choose to believe.

Our churches are filled with people who don’t want to believe. Oh sure, they say they believe, but they don’t really.
- They don’t want to believe enough to quit living a life of materialism... Trusting in the things of this world.
- Not enough to forsake their life of sin, to give up their sexual exploits, they drinking, drugs... etc.
- Not enough to give up fishing on Sundays or doing something other than worshiping Him.
- Not enough to give as they’ve been prospered.
- Not enough to stop their gossiping and sowing discord among the brethren.

Now, Don’t put words in my mouth. I am not saying that faith is perfection. But faith is perseverance — Faith is keeping on keeping on. In Romans four Abraham is called the father of the faithful. But his faith was not perfect. Truth is Abraham’s faith is a lot like ours.

- God comes and says, I want you to leave your country, your kin and your fathers house. Abraham says, I will, and so he left. But, instead of leaving his father, he took him with him. Not only that, when they got up to Haran, about halfway to the Promise Land, they stopped and setup house keeping. Now, we do that don’t we.?

* Hold to God with one hand and hold to the world with the other.
* We go halfway with the Lord... Half way to the Promise Land.
Abraham’s faith was not perfect.

- Notice another... Abraham you’re gonna have a son and a great nation will come from your loins... All the world will be blessed through your seed. Abraham and Sarah both believed in God, but not enough to trust in his promises. They laughed at God... They didn’t think He could pull off this, late in life birth.

- Then there was that little incident down in Egypt that demonstrates a lack of faith. Pharaoh wanted Sarah, Abraham said, take her, she’s my sister. Now church, I’ve done some bad, ugly things, but I’ve never given my wife to a greasy fingered old king to save my own hide.

- One more.  Sarah’s doubts, lack of faith, drives her to suggest that Abraham sleep with her hand made and have a child. Abraham says, OK. That would be adultery today, truth was it was adultery then. Abraham was an adulterer. What we’re seeing here is Abraham struggling with his faith. He stumbles and falls, gets back up, then stumbles again. Building faith is not easy, nor does it demand perfection. What it does demand perseverance. You see, Abraham believed, trusted God and set out for that city... That promise of God. Abraham set one foot in front of the other with his toes pointed toward Canaan. Then he took another step, and another and another.

If you choose to do my will, you shall know this teaching comes from God.
- Our faith comes and is made stronger by our own determination to believe God and trust in His promises.
- And a determination to keep on keeping on... Perseverance.

SECONDLY, TO BUILD... TO INCREASE OUR FAITH, WE MUST CONTROL OUR ENVIRONMENT.

If we want to have a strong faith we cannot continue to cultivate in-depth relationships with unbelievers. Instead we must go where faith is. This is who God called Abraham to separate himself from the rest of the world. That’s what the Body, the Family of God, the Church is all about. A place where I can say, I believe, help my unbelief. I am encouraged when you come and say brother Randall, I still believe, are your still believing?

Church, isn’t this what we do each Sunday around the Lord’s table? Proclaiming to one another our faith in His death, burial and resurrection until He comes again?... Of course We’re building faith. We are continuing steadfast in the Apostle’s Doctrine, in fellowship, In breaking bread and in prayer.

- No wonder the Hebrews writer admonishes us to, forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, as the habit of some has become; but exhort one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.
- No wonder Paul warns us about the wrong kind of company in 1 Corinthians 15.33, Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. Evil companionship stunts Christian faith. We must know tonight that our faith is strengthened by choosing to be around and among the faithful. Are we willing?

NUMBER THREE, FAITH IS INCREASED BY MIND CONTROL.

Solomon said, As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Whatever we fill our mind with, that is what we will be. We become what we think about. That’s the reason Jesus said:
- Hate is mental murder.
- Lust is mental adultery.

Even the Ten Commandments said, covetousness is a sin. We don’t have to steal something... Take something for it to be wrong... Like another man’s wife. Thinking, coveting is enough to make it sinful.

I recently read about a man who said, I was raised in the church and I know the case for Christianity, now I am going to check out the other side. The first book he read was “Why I Am Not A Christian” by Burton Russell. Low and behold he became an unbeliever. Can you imagine that? I can, because Paul said, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

- Peter tells us about mind control in 2 Peter 1.5-9, And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

- In Philippians Paul says, Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

THIS BRINGS US TO POINT NUMBER 4, WE MUST EXPERIENCE OUR FAITH... LIVE OUR FAITH... TRY IT... USE IT.

Church, reading the Bible, listening to good sermons is not enough... IS IT? David, in Psalm one writes: Blessed is the man who’s delight is in the law of the LORD.
- Not just hears it,
- But, walks in it,
- Stands in it,
- And sits in it.
- Who meditates on it day and night.

Our faith is strengthened when we:
- Try it,
- When we talk the talk,
- And walk the walk.

Let me ask you, how many here tonight know how to ride a bicycle? Good!... How many of you learned to ride that bicycle by reading a book? NO... How did we do it? By experimentation... By trying, and trying, and trying. We got on... Fell off... Got on... Fell off... Got on and first thing you know we were riding. It was much like Abraham’s faith, wasn’t it?

Nikita Kruschev memorized the entire Gospel of John, but he never had faith... Never translated that knowledge into a walk with God. We an cloister ourselves in a convent or a preachers study until we have all the right answers to all the issues, but still not have a God pleasing faith. We must know it... Believe it... Accept it... Try it... Live it!

For instance Jesus says:
- It is more blessed to give than to receive... Have we proven this?
- Happy are the pure in heart.... Have we experienced this happiness yet?
- Blessed are the meek... Have we tried this faith promise yet?
- The greatest in the Kingdom will be the servant of all... Have we lived this promise?

So tonight, we have learned that to have faith and strengthen our faith we must:
- Choose, will to believe... Determine to increase and strengthen our faith.
- Go where faith is.
- Place faith building materials in our minds... In our hearts.
- And prove faith by trying it... Living and experiencing it.

Well, we must stop, but I want to suggest that we see faith, not as a parking place, but as a road that leads to somewhere we want to go. Don’t park your faith tonight. Determine to become the people and person God would have you be today.

Written By

Bella Vista Church of Christ

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