Romans 4:19-21 (NKJV)
19 And not being weak in faith, he (Abraham)
did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years
old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief,
but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He
was also able to perform.
If God said
it, you can expect it. It's a decision to believe what God has
said.
Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
3 For I say, through the grace
given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a
measure of faith.
When we get born again, God gives
us starter faith that He expects us to develop.
Matthew 6 (ESV)
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your
eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,
*You see
whatever you look at and focus upon. You eye is a lens like a
camera. You're brain interprets what you are seeing.
23 but if your eye
is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is
darkness, how great is the darkness!
*What you look
at or focus upon can bring light or darkness.
24 “No one can serve two
masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be
devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do
not be anxious about your life, (a command by Jesus) what you will eat
or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life
more than food, and the body more than clothing?
*Anxiety is a
fear about what might or might not happen.
26 Look at the birds of
the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to
his span of life?
*If worry
doesn't help, why do it? Would God tell us to stop doing something that
we can't stop doing? Our days of worrying can be over. When you are
tempted to worry, look for birds to remind you of Jesus's command.
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies
of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today
is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe
you, O you of little faith?
*What you look
at is the key to great faith. Jesus is telling us to look at birds and flowers
to increase our faith, and not what might or might not happen.
*Look at how
easily God feeds all those birds. Don't focus upon your problems which
leads to darkness.
*What reveals
little faith? Worry. The more a person worries reveals how small
their faith in God is.
*The
beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of faith is the
end of anxiety (George Mueller).
*We can choose
not to worry, or we can't. Jesus says you can. If the birds are
going to eat, I am too! Strong faith is simpler than you can
imagine. Great faith begins with a decision to absolutely refuse to
worry. You can't worry and be in faith.
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’
or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
*Worry is
revealed by your mouth. Faith is revealed with praise and worship of our
Heavenly Father especially in tight times. We
must be fully convinced like Abraham.
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
*Nothing
surprises your Heavenly Father. Stay on God's right path, and you will
intercept His provision. Do not commit the sin of worry.
33 But seek
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (God's right path), and all
these things will be added to you.
*This is God's
promise. God will provide our food and clothing if we keep the
conditions of His promise. God will either do what He said or He won't.
If you don't believe God, it is offensive to God.
34 “Therefore do not be
anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for
the day is its own trouble.
*There's
plenty of stuff to trust God for today. Most of our worries come
from what might or might not happen. Don't
borrow problems from tomorrow, and worry about them today.
John 14:1 (ESV)
14 “Let not your hearts
be troubled. Believe
in God; believe also in me (Jesus).
*Troubles are
coming, but do not yield to fear. Fearful situations can come upon us,
but they must not get within us.
John 14:27 (ESV)
27 Peace I (Jesus)leave
with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let
not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
*Pressures
will come from things you care the most about, but do not take fear within you.
*Draw a line
not to violate Jesus's command not to worry.
*Change the
channel of your mind, and think about something else. Think upon Jesus
and what He said. You can control what you look at.
*If you look
upon your problems. You'll be filled with darkness. Look upon
Jesus, and you'll be filled with light. It's a choice. That's what
Faith's about.
Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of
God.
Keith Moore, Faith Life Church
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