♪♪♪ WELCOME TO LOVE WORTH
FINDING WITH PASTOR, TEACHER,
AND AUTHOR, ADRIAN ROGERS. REACHING OUT WITH GOD'S LOVE,
BRINGING PEOPLE TO CHRIST, TOUCHING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD,
AND HELPING YOU FIND
THE ANSWERS YOU NEED TODAY. JOIN US AS WE PREPARE TO OPEN
GOD'S WORD AND DISCOVER HOW YOUR
LIFE CAN BE CHANGED FOREVER BY HIS GREAT
LOVE WORTH FINDING. THE TITLE OF THE MESSAGE,
"THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE." WE LIVE IN AN AGE WHERE WE
HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
CALLED STARS, MOVIE STARS. AND, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED IDOLS.
SPORTS IDOLS. IN MY HUMBLE BUT ACCURATE
OPINION, HUH, WE HAVE TOO MANY STARS AND TOO MANY IDOLS
AND NOT ENOUGH HEROES. I'M GOING TO BE TALKING
TO YOU TODAY ABOUT
HEROES, BIBLE HEROES. THE TITLE OF THIS SERIES THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN IS THIS, "CHAMPIONS OF FAITH,"
CHAMPIONS OF FAITH. WE'RE GOING TO STUDY PRIMARILY
IN THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE
BOOK OF HEBREWS ABOUT, UH, CHAMPIONS OF FAITH. BUT THAT CHAPTER IS SET UP BY
HEBREWS CHAPTER 10, IF YOU'LL
FIND THAT FOR JUST A MOMENT. AND I WANT YOU TO
NOTICE VERSE 38. HEBREWS
CHAPTER 10 AND VERSE 38. HERE IS A GREAT STATEMENT, AND
HA, HA, IT IS SO ABUNDANTLY
AND IMMINENTLY TRUE. "NOW THE JUST SHALL
LIVE BY FAITH." "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." NOW THAT, FRIEND, IS A QUOTATION
FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. IT'S A QUOTATION FROM
THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK. HABAKKUK WAS PERPLEXED. HE LIVED IN A DAY OF VIOLENCE,
A DAY OF DEGRADATION, A DAY
OF APOSTASY, A DAY OF DANGER. AND HE BOMBARDED HEAVEN,
AND HE WANTED GOD TO ANSWER. HE WANTED GOD TO EXPLAIN THINGS
SO HE COULD GET ALONG IN LIFE AS
IT, UH, IS AND, UH, GOD SAID, UH, "HABAKKUK, I, YOU
COULDN'T UNDERSTAND IF I
TOLD YOU WHAT I'M UP TO. YOU THINK I'M NOT WORKING? I'M WORKING AND HABAKKUK,
HERE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. YOU ARE TO LIVE IN THIS
UNCERTAIN AGE BY FAITH. YOU WANT ME TO TELL
YOU HOW TO LIVE? DON'T LIVE BY EXPLANATIONS.
LIVE BY FAITH." NOW, THAT'S NOT A LOT OF HOCUS
POCUS, SMOKE AND MIRRORS. WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT
HAS SPIRITUAL STEEL
AND CONCRETE IN IT. BUT, "THE JUST SHALL
LIVE BY FAITH." THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE. AS A MATTER OF
FACT, THIS SCRIPTURE IS
QUOTED HERE IN HEBREWS. IT'S QUOTED AGAIN
IN, UH, OTHER PLACES. IN THE WORD OF GOD. I WONDER IF GOD IS TRYING
TO TELL US SOMETHING. WELL, I KNOW HE IS.
"THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." SO WE'RE GOING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT FAITH TODAY. NOW, YOU HAVE SOME PROBLEMS
AND I HAVE SOME PROBLEMS. THERE'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT WE
HAVE THAT DOES NOT RELATE ITSELF
SOMEWAY TO FAITH AS THE ANSWER. FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WORRY.
ANYBODY HERE WORRY? LET ME
SEE YOUR HAND. HUH, HUH. UH, DON'T LIFT YOUR HAND. I THINK THAT'S ALMOST,
UH, PANDEMIC IN
OUR SOCIETY, IS WORRY. WELL, WHY DO WE WORRY?
LACK OF FAITH. UH, WORRY IS A MILD
FORM OF ATHEISM. UH, HUH, WO, WORRY IS A WAY
OF SAYING, "GOD, THIS PROBLEM
IS TOO BIG, UH, FOR YOU." OR "IF THERE'S A GOD AT ALL,
YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO HANDLE IT." AND SO, UH, WORRY IS JUST
FAITH TURNED INSIDE OUT. AND FAITH IS WORRY
TURNED INSIDE OUT. AND, IF, IF YOU'RE PRONE
TO WORRY, YOU NEED TO
STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH. ARE YOU LONELY? YOU SAY, "NOBODY, MY,
MY CHILDREN DON'T CALL. I DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS. MY FRIENDS HAVE ALL
GONE TO HEAVEN." OR "I'M A STUDENT HERE
AWAY FROM FAMILY." FAITH MAKES GOD REAL TO YOU. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE WHEN YOU
HAVE GENUINE FAITH BECAUSE
FAITH BRINGS HIM SO NEAR. SOME PEOPLE HERE ARE
BURDENED WITH GUILT. YOU DID SOMETHING SO TERRIBLE,
SO HORRIBLE, YOU HOPE
THE WORLD NEVER FINDS OUT, BUT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO FORGET. YOU'RE NOT ABLE SOMEHOW TO SET
YOURSELF FREE FROM THAT BURDEN THAT YOU CARRY AROUND LIKE A
SACK FULL OF STONES. WELL, WHY DO WE HAVE THIS GUILT?
LACK OF FAITH. BECAUSE FAITH UNDERSTANDS
THAT THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
HAS ATONED FOR THAT. BUT YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT
INTELLECTUALLY, OR YOU CAN HEAR
ABOUT IT THEOLOGICALLY, BUT FAITH LAYS HOLD OF IT.
MAY I TELL YOU WHAT FAITH IS? FAITH IS MY ACCEPTANCE OF
GOD'S ACCEPTANCE OF ME. GOD RECEIVES US NOT BECAUSE
OF OUR OWN GOODNESS, EH, BUT, BUT WHEN WE COME TO HIM
JUST IN FAITH, "THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY
FAITH WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST." DISOBEDIENCE. DO YOU HAVE
TROUBLE OBEYING THE WORD OF GOD? DO YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU WHY
YOU DON'T OBEY THE WORD OF GOD? YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT.
LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. THE BIBLE SAYS, "BRING ALL THE
TITHE INTO THE STOREHOUSE AND
PROVE ME NOW WITH, HEREWITH SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, IF
I'LL NOT OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS
OF HEAVEN AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING THERE NOT BE ROOM
ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT." THERE'S NOT A MOTHER'S CHILD IN
THIS BUILDING THAT DOESN'T WANT
THE HEAVENS OPENED ABOVE HIM AND GOD POURING OUT SUCH BLESSINGS
HE CAN'T EVEN CONTAIN THEM ALL. ALL OF US WANT THAT,
BUT NOT ALL OF US TITHE. WHY? BECAUSE WE DON'T
BELIEVE THAT PROMISE. YOU CAN'T TELL ME IF WE BELIEVE
THAT PROMISE, UH, WE WOULD,
I MEAN, IF YOU, IF, IF YOU BELIEVED THAT
WOULDN'T YOU DO IT? DOESN'T EVERYONE WANT THE
HEAVENS OPENED, A, AND DOESN'T
EVERYONE WANT A BLESSING? THEY JUST SIMPLY DON'T
BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD. HAVE YOU EVER PASSED A
WALL AND IT HAS A SIGN ON
IT THAT SAYS, "WET PAINT. DON'T TOUCH." WHAT DO YOU DO?
[ PTTTTH ]
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] WHY? YOU JUST DON'T BELIEVE THE SIGN. UH, YOU, SOMEHOW YOU
JUST, YOU SAY, "OH, I
DON'T BELIEVE IT'S WET!" AND YOU'RE GOING TO TOUCH IT.
NOW, WHY DO WE DISOBEY? BECAUSE WE DO NOT
BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD. SO, IN OUR STUDY TODAY WE'RE
GOING TO LOOK, UH, WE'RE GOING
TO LEAVE CHAPTER 10, AND WE'RE GOING TO COME OVER
TO CHAPTER 11, AND WE'RE
GOING TO THINK ABOUT FAITH. WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO HAVE IT,
AND THE ELEMENTS OF FAITH. NOW FIRST OF ALL, I WANT US
TO LOOK IN CHAPTER 11
AT WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL THE DESCRIPTION
OF A LIFE OF FAITH. NOW FAITH IS THE
ONLY WAY TO LIVE. "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
AND HERE GOD DESCRIBES FAITH. NOTICE IN HEBREWS 11 VERSES
ONE AND TWO, "NOW FAITH IS THE
SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN.
FOR BY IT THE ELDERS
OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT." NOW AS WE DESCRIBE FAITH TODAY,
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
FIRST OF ALL THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT FAITH IS NOT BEFORE
WE LEARN WHAT FAITH IS. FAITH IS NOT BLIND SUPERSTITION. NOR IS FAITH CLOSING
YOUR EYES TO REALITY. A LITTLE BOY SAID,
"FAITH IS BELIEVING
WHAT YOU KNOW AIN'T SO." NO, NO. THAT'S NOT FAITH. FAITH IS NOT POSITIVE THINKING
OR FEELING OF OPTIMISM. I LIKE TO BE AROUND
POSITIVE THINKERS. I LIKE
TO BE AROUND OPTIMISTS. I DON'T LIKE TO DRIVE AND GET
BEHIND A PERSON WHO THINKS
BEFORE THEY GET THERE THE LIGHT'S GOING TO TURN RED, AND
BY THE TIME THEY DO, IT HAS. YOU EVER GET BEHIND
THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE?
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE TO BE
AROUND NEGATIVE PEOPLE. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO BRIGHTEN
UP A ROOM BY LEAVING IT.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] I LIKE TO BE AROUND
OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE. BUT, BUT FAITH AND OPTIMISM, UH,
MAY BE IN SOME WAY TANGENTIAL
BUT THEY'RE NOT THE SAME. FAITH IS NOT POSITIVE,
AH, THINKING OR OPTIMISM. IT MAY LEAD TO THAT.
FAITH IS NOT A LEAP IN THE DARK. TO THE CONTRARY,
IT IS STEPPING IN THE LIGHT. AND FAITH IS NOT FAITH IN FAITH. BIBLE SAYS, "HAVE FAITH
IN GOD," IT DOESN'T SAY,
HA, "HAVE FAITH IN FAITH." SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL TELL
YOU, "JUST BELIEVE," AS IF
BELIEVING WILL MAKE IT SO. BELIEVING WILL NOT MAKE IT SO. NOW, WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT WHAT FAITH IS NOT. WHAT IS FAITH? WELL, HE TELLS US HERE THAT
FAITH IS THREE THINGS. AND I WANT YOU TO GET THESE
WORDS DOWN IN YOUR HEART. UH, FIRST OF ALL, CONFIDENCE,
CONVICTION, AND, AND CONFESSION. NOW, UH, I WANT YOU TO
GET THESE IN YOUR HEART. FIRST OF ALL, IT IS A
CONFIDENCE THAT RESTS IN HOPE. LOOK AT IT, "FAITH IS THE
SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR." "WELL, PASTOR, WHY DID YOU
CALL IT, UH, CONFIDENCE?" WELL, BECAUSE CONFIDENCE, AND
THAT'S THE WAY IT'S TRANSLATED
IN SOME, UH, BIBLES. NEW AMERICAN STANDARD, FOR
EXAMPLE, GIVES IT AS CONFIDENCE. WHY, WHY, DO WHY DO I
USE THE WORD CONFIDENCE? WELL, THIS, THIS WORD, ACTUALLY
IT, IT, IT, IS AKIN TO SUBSTANCE AND SUBSTANCE IS
AN ACCEPTABLE TRANSLATION.
I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT. BUT IF I COULD JUST HONE
IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. IT MEANS ASSURANCE. ACTUALLY, IT WAS USED
IN THE LANGUAGE OF THIS
DAY FOR A TITLE DEED. NOW IF YOU HAD A PIECE OF
PROPERTY OR AN INHERITANCE THAT
YOU'D NOT YET SEEN, BUT YOU HAD THE DEED, YOU HAD THE ASSURANCE
OF THAT WHICH YOU HAVE NOT YET
SEEN, BUT YOU WANT TO HAVE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
YOU'RE HOPE IS IN. AND SO, UH, FAITH
IS A, A CONFIDENCE. IT IS NOT A, UH,
WILL-OF-THE-WISP
SORT OF A THING. UH, IT IS, IT IS SUBSTANCE. SUB-STAND, SOMETHING
BENEATH THAT WE STAND ON. WHEN WE LIVE BY FAITH, WE'RE,
IT'S NOT SMOKE AND MIRRORS. WE'RE NOT WALKING AROUND
ON EGGSHELLS AND JELL-O. IT, THERE IS AS I'VE SAID,
UH, SUBSTANCE, CONFIDENCE. NOW, IT IS THE CONFIDENCE
THAT RESTS IN HOPE. THE WORD HOPE, LOOK AT IT THERE. THE WORD HOPE, UH,
DOESN'T MEAN PERHAPS. NOR DOES IT EVEN MEAN WISH,
NOR DOES IT MEAN DESIRE. LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY OR
YOU'LL MISS THE WHOLE THING. THE WORD HOPE IN THE BIBLE
MEANS ROCK-RIBBED ASSURANCE BASED ON DIVINE REVELATION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SECOND
COMING OF JESUS IS
CALLED THE BLESSED WHAT? [ AUDIENCE: HOPE ]
THE BLESSED HOPE. DOES THAT, IS THAT
THE BLESSED MAYBE? HUH, NO. HEH,
IT IS ROCK-RIBBED ASSURANCE BASED ON THE PROMISES
OF THE WORD OF GOD. NOW, FAITH, THEREFORE, IS THE
TITLE DEED, THE CONFIDENCE THAT
WHAT GOD HAS SAID IS TRUE AND GOD WILL PERFORM IT.
NOW LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY. THERE IS NO LEGITIMATE
FAITH WITHOUT HOPE. AND THERE IS NO LEGITIMATE
HOPE WITHOUT FAITH. THESE CANNOT BE SEPARATED. "FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE
OF THINGS HOPED FOR." PUT DOWN THE WORD,
UH, UH, CONFIDENCE. SECONDLY, NOW THINK NOT ONLY
OF CONFIDENCE, BUT CONVICTION. UH, FAITH IS A CONVICTION
THAT SEES THE INVISIBLE. NOW HERE, WE, WE READ IT
HERE FAITH IS THE, EVIDENCE
OF THINGS NOT SEEN. NOW THAT WORD EVIDENCE MAY
REMIND YOU OF A, UH, COLOMBO,
UH, KIND IN HIS RUMPLED OVERCOAT LOOKING AROUND FOR SOMETHING. WELL, IT'S AKIN TO THAT. BUT ACTUALLY, THIS WORD
EVIDENCE LITERALLY MEANS
A CONVICTION, CONVICTION. JESUS CHRIST USED THIS SAME
WORD, UH, WHEN HE CHALLENGED
THOSE WHO WERE CHALLENGING HIM AND HE SAID: "WHICH OF YOU
CONVICTS ME OF SIN? WHO CAN CONVICT ME OF SIN?"
OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY, NO ONE. I WOULDN'T DARE ASK MY
FRIENDS THAT QUESTION,
MUCH LESS MY ENEMIES. "WHICH OF YOU CONVINCES
ME OR CONVICTS ME OF SIN?" BUT THE WORD HERE HAS
THE IDEA OF CONVICTION. NOW WHAT IT, WHAT IT MEANS IS,
THAT IF YOU HAVE FAITH IN YOUR
HEART THERE IS A CONVICTION OF SOMETHING THAT
YOU'VE NOT YET SEEN. BUT IT IS THERE. IT IS, IT IS AN ABSOLUTE
CONFIDENCE THAT LEADS TO A
CONVICTION EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE NOT YET SEEN IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE
IT FOR IT TO BE REAL. FRIEND, THERE IS
AN INVISIBLE WORLD. THAT INVISIBLE WORLD
IS ELECTRONICALLY ALL
AROUND US RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE MOVIES AND NEWSCASTS
AND MUSIC AND ALL OF THAT IN THE
AIR, BUT WE JUST DON'T TUNE IT IN RIGHT NOW,
BUT IT'S ALL THERE. THERE IS AN INVISIBLE
WORLD OUT THERE. UH, LISTEN TO COLOSSIANS 1:16,
"FOR BY HIM," BY JESUS, "WERE
ALL THINGS CREATED THAT ARE IN HEAVEN AND THAT ARE IN EARTH,
VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE." DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE OF THINKING
THAT EVERYTHING I, THAT,
THAT IS REAL IS COMMUNICATED TO US
BY THE FIVE SENSES. NO, THERE IS A SIXTH SENSE.
THERE IS ANOTHER WORLD.
THERE IS AN INVISIBLE WORLD. NOW WHAT DOES FAITH DO?
LISTEN CAREFULLY. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU.
IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE. FAITH ENABLES THE BELIEVING SOUL TO TREAT THE FUTURE AS PRESENT
AND THE INVISIBLE AS SEEN. YOU CAN TREAT THE
FUTURE AS PRESENT. AND YOU CAN TREAT THE
INVISIBLE AS SEEN BY FAITH. NOW THE BIBLE SAYS YOU
ARE TO LIVE BY FAITH. AND THEN, UH, THE THIRD THING
IS, IT IS A COMMUNICATION
THAT COMES FROM HEAVEN. NOW HEBREWS 11 AND VERSE TWO
SAYS, BY, "FOR BY IT,"
THAT IS BY FAITH, "THE ELDERS RECEIVED
A GOOD REPORT." THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY
MADE STRAIGHT A'S. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT DOESN'T
TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DID AT ALL. IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED TO THEM. THEY RECEIVED A GOOD REPORT. THAT IS, GOD SPOKE TO
THEM OUT OF HEAVEN. IT DOESN'T DEAL WITH
THEIR REPUTATION. NOW MAYBE THEY SHOULD
HAVE GOTTEN STRAIGHT A'S, BUT
THAT'S NOT WHAT IT DEALS WITH. THE GOOD REPORT MEANS
THAT THEY HEARD FROM HEAVEN.
THAT GOD SPOKE TO THEM. IT IS NOT THEIR REPUTATION
BUT GOD'S REVELATION
THAT IS SPOKEN OF HERE. THAT GOD SPEAKS TO THEM. THEY WERE CONSCIOUS OF
GOD TESTIFYING TO THEM. NOW IF YOU PUT THIS CONFIDENCE
AND THIS CONVICTION AND THIS
COMMUNICATION TOGETHER, WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER THEN YOU
HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR HEART,
INEXPLICABLE, BUT GLORIOUS AND WONDERFUL
AND IT IS CALLED FAITH. AND THAT IS THE
ONLY WAY TO LIVE. YOU WILL LIVE BY FAITH. NOW, WHEN YOU PUT THESE THINGS
TOGETHER, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO
UNDERSTAND FIRST OF ALL, THAT FAITH SHOULD NOT BE
ALTERED BY APPEARANCES. FAITH SHOULD NOT BE
ALTERED BY APPEARANCES.
LOOK AGAIN IN 11 VERSE ONE, "NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE
OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS
NOT SEEN." WHEN YOU LIVE BY FAITH,
YOU LIVE ABOVE "SEE" LEVEL. UH, YOU LIVE ABOVE THE LEVEL
OF WHAT YOU CAN, UH, SEE. WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT SAYS,
UH, UH, "SEEING IS BELIEVING." THE BIBLE SAYS,
"BELIEVING IS SEEING!" PUT THIS VERSE DOWN, JOHN 20
VERSE 29, "JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, 'THOMAS, BECAUSE THOU HAST SEEN
ME THOU HAST BELIEVED. BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE NOT
SEEN AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.'" THAT'S YOU, FRIEND. THOMAS THERE EXAMINED THE
NAIL PRINTS IN JESUS' HAND,
THE WOUND IN HIS SIDE. JESUS SAID, "BLESSED ARE
THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN,
YET HAVE BELIEVED." FIRST PETER 1:8, PUT THAT
DOWN, SPEAKING OF JESUS, "WHOM
HAVING NOT SEEN, YE LOVE." YOU SEE, BY FAITH WE SEE THE
INVISIBLE, SO FAITH SHOULD NOT
BE ALTERED BY APPEARANCES. DON'T LET ANY SO CALLED
APPEARANCE MAKE A LIE OUT OF THE WORD OF GOD
IN YOUR HEART AND YOUR MIND. NUMBER TWO, FAITH SHOULD
NOT BE FETTERED BY FEELINGS. FAITH IS CONFIDENCE
THAT GOES BEYOND EMOTIONS. I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE
THAT YOUR EMOTIONS ARE THE
SHALLOWEST PART OF YOUR NATURE. FAITH IS THE DEEPEST WORK OF GOD
AND GOD DOESN'T DO THE DEEPEST
WORK IN THE SHALLOWEST PART. DON'T LIVE YOUR LIFE
UNDER THE TYRANNY OF
EMOTIONS, BY FEELINGS. NOW IT FEELS GOOD TO FEEL GOOD. AND NOTHING WRONG
WITH FEELING GOOD. BUT FEELINGS ARE FICKLE. SOMETIMES YOU WAKE UP
WITH A DULL HEADACHE. SOMETIMES THINGS WILL HAPPEN
AND, AND YOU WILL GET, UH,
YOU'LL GET ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE BECAUSE OF, UH, FEELINGS. SOMETIMES THAT
HAPPENS TO PREACHERS. NOW, YOU KNOW WHEN I COME UP
HERE ON THE PLATFORM, I ALWAYS
TRY TO LOOK LIKE I'M HAVING A GOOD TIME AND I FEEL GOOD.
BUT SOMETIMES I DON'T. SURPRISED? MAYBE I DIDN'T GET
ANY SLEEP LAST NIGHT.
MAYBE I GOT A UPSET STOMACH. MAYBE I'VE GOT A, A DULL
HEADACHE AND I, AND I COME UP
HERE, BUT IT'S TIME TO PREACH AND I'M GOING TO PREACH. NOW THEN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES
YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A
GOOD SERVICE AND, AND YOU GET YOUR FOOT IN A LARD BUCKET
AND CAN'T GET IT OUT
WHILE YOU'RE PREACHING. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] AND YOU
TRY TO SAY SOMETHING AND YOU GET
YOUR TANG ALL TONGULLED UP. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
AND THE USHERS WON'T USH.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] AND THE CHOIR SOUNDS
LIKE A COUPLE OF CALVES
DYING IN A HAIL STORM. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
AND YOU SAY, "GOOD NIGHT! GOD IS LIGHT YEARS
FROM THIS PLACE." AND YET HEAVEN COMES DOWN. YOUR EMOTIONS HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. YOU SEE, LISTEN, FAITH IS NOT
ALTERED BY, UH, BY APPEARANCES. UH, FAITH IS, IS NOT LIMITED,
UH, BY YOUR FEELING. IT, IT'S NOT
FETTERED BY FEELING. I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING
ELSE ABOUT FAITH. FAITH IS NOT LIMITED BY LOGIC. FAITH IS NOT, UH, ALTERED BY
FEELINGS OR FETTERED BY FEELINGS AND IT IS NOT LIMITED BY LOGIC. YOU KNOW, FAITH IS
NOT CONTRARY TO LOGIC. FAITH JUST GOES BEYOND LOGIC.
NOW, IF, IF THIS RUG IS A DITCH AND I'M OVER HERE AND I'M MOVING
STEP BY STEP BY STEP BY STEP TO THIS DITCH, AND LET
MY WALK BE FF, LOGIC. THEN I COME TO A PLACE
WHERE LOGIC ENDS. AND I NEED TO GET OVER THERE. I NEED TO TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH. NOW I COULD COMPLETELY
JUMP OVER THIS RUG, BUT
I DON'T WANT TO SHOW OFF. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] AND,
UH, AND I, I COME ACROSS; I COME ACROSS BY A LEAP. THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU
HAVE TO MAKE A LEAP OF FAITH. FAITH IS ROOTED IN LOGIC. FAITH GOES BEYOND LOGIC. FAITH BECOMES ITS
OWN BEST LOGIC. UH, IT IS NOT CONTRARY;
IT IS NOT LIMITED BY LOGIC. WHEN JESUS WAS THERE WITH, UH,
HIS, THOSE PEOPLE FOLLOWING HIM,
AND THEY WERE TIRED AND HUNGRY, AND HE CALLED PHILIP AND HE
SAID, "PHILIP, HOW ARE WE
GOING TO FEED THESE PEOPLE? THERE ARE 5,000 THERE.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO FEED THEM?" PHILIP GOT OUT HIS
POCKET CALCULATOR.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] "OH," HE SAID, "WELL, IT, IT'D
TAKE A LABORING MAN A YEAR'S
WAGES TO FEED THESE." TECHNICALLY HE WAS RIGHT. BUT ANY GOOD RED-BLOODED ATHEIST
COULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. NOW WHEN JESUS ASKED
PHILIP, "HOW WE GOING
TO FEED THESE PEOPLE?" HE WASN'T ASKING FOR
INFORMATION BECAUSE THE BIBLE
SAYS HE KNEW WHAT HE WOULD DO. HE KNEW WHAT HE. HE WASN'T, HE WAS JUST
WANTING PHILIP TO LEARN
SOMETHING ABOUT A MIRACLE. AND, OF COURSE, THERE WAS A
LITTLE BOY THERE WITH A LAD'S
LUNCH AND, AND, UH, FED THE WHOLE MULTITUDE WITH THAT, UH,
COUPLE OF FISH AND, AND LOAVES. NOW, YOU SEE, IF YOU'RE ADDING
UP AN EQUATION, YOU'RE NEVER
GOING TO GET THE RIGHT ANSWER IF YOU LEAVE OUT
ONE OF THE ELEMENTS. YOU SEE, WHAT PHILIP DID,
HE, HE LEFT OUT GOD. HE JUST, HE JUST
FIGURED WITHOUT GOD. NOW, LOGICALLY, IT WAS RIGHT. BUT FAITH IS NOT
LIMITED BY LOGIC. ARE YOU TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT SOMETHING? SOME OF YOU, I MENTIONED
TITHING A WHILE BACK. SOME OF YOU ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW YOU TITHE. AND YOU GET ALL THE FIGURES
AND SAY, "WE CAN'T DO IT." DID YOU ADD GOD IN? DID YOU ADD GOD IN? I MEAN, IS GOD A
PART OF THE EQUATION? FAITH, FRIEND, IS
NOT LIMITED BY LOGIC. BRING GOD INTO
YOUR CALCULATIONS. NOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
THE DESCRIPTION OF FAITH,
LET'S TALK SECONDLY, LET'S, LET'S SHIFT GEARS,
ALRIGHT? PUT IT IN ANOTHER GEAR
AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
DYNAMICS OF A LIFE OF FAITH. LET ME TELL YOU HOW
DYNAMIC FAITH IS. YOU SEE, WE LIVE BY FAITH. FIRST OF ALL, FAITH IS THE
DYNAMIC OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM. THERE ARE THINGS THAT
YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND
APART FROM FAITH. NOW LOOK IF YOU WILL IN
VERSE THREE, "THROUGH
FAITH WE UNDERSTAND." DON'T YOU LIKE THAT? DON'T YOU LIKE THAT? "THROUGH FAITH WE UNDERSTAND
THAT THE WORLDS WERE FRAMED BY
THE WORD OF GOD, SO THAT THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN WERE NOT MADE
OF THINGS WHICH DO APPEAR." PLAIN ENGLISH: THE VISIBLE WAS
MADE OUT OF THE INVISIBLE. NOW, UH, GOD IN THE
BIBLE IS NOT EXPLAINED. GOD IS NOT ARGUED.
GOD IS JUST SIMPLY PRESENTED. AND GOD MUST BE
ACCEPTED BY FAITH. GO DOWN TO, TO VERSE SIX. HEBREWS 11 AND VERSE SIX, "FOR
WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
TO PLEASE HIM: FOR HE THAT COMETH TO GOD MUST
BELIEVE THAT HE IS." WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WISDOM NOW. THE SKEPTIC WILL SAY TO YOU,
"PROVE THERE'S A GOD." DON'T EVER TRY IT. NEVER! WHY? BECAUSE THE FINITE CANNOT
PROVE THE INFINITE. AND YOU SAY, "WELL, I CAN'T
DO IT." AND HE WILL SMIRK.
BUT, IT'S NOT OVER YET. YOU SAY, "NOW, FRIEND,
PROVE THERE IS NO GOD." OF COURSE HE CAN'T
PROVE THERE IS NO GOD. UH, HE HAD, HE ACCEPTS
BY FAITH THERE IS NO GOD. ALL PEOPLE ARE BELIEVERS. THERE ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE
IN GOD AND THOSE WHO
BELIEVE THERE IS NO GOD. THEY ARE ALL BELIEVERS. YOU SEE, UH, PEOPLE ARE TRYING
EVER SO OFTEN, ABOUT EVERY THREE
OR FOUR MONTHS THERE'LL BE SOME NEW ARTICLE IN
THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE
ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE. DO YOU EVER NOTICE THAT? BUT IT'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT, HA,
HA, THEY NEVER HAVE THE ANSWER. EVERY NOW AND THEN A
SCIENTIST WILL SAY SOME
GOOD WORDS ABOUT GOD. THAT DOESN'T GIVE ME
ANY MORE FAITH IN GOD. A LITTLE MORE FAITH
IN THE SCIENTIST,
MAYBE, BUT NOT IN GOD. WHAT, WHAT IS SCIENCE?
SCIENCE IS THE STUDY OF
PHENOMENA NOW EXISTING. GOD ASKED OLD JOB THIS QUESTION
IN JOB CHAPTER 38 VERSE FOUR, "WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I LAID THE
FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH?" THERE WERE NO SCIENTISTS THERE.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT
THEY CAN EXPLAIN IT. HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND IT?
BY FAITH. EH, YOU SAY, "WELL, THAT'S
TAKES A LOT OF BELIEF." WELL, FRIEND, I TELL YOU IT
TAKES LESS BELIEF THAN TO
BELIEVE THAT NOTHING TIMES NOBODY EQUALS EVERYTHING.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] THAT'S,
THAT'S WHAT THEY BELIEVE. I MEAN, GOOD NIGHT. NO WONDER THE BIBLE SAYS,
"THE FOOL HATH SAID IN HIS
HEART, 'THERE IS NO GOD.'" GOD IS THE SUPREME FACT
AND THE MAN WHO DENIES
IT IS THE SUPREME FOOL. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
"THE FOOL HATH SAID IN HIS
HEART, 'THERE IS NO GOD.'" NOW REMEMBER, FAITH IS
NOT CONTRARY TO REASON,
IT'S JUST SIMPLY BEYOND REASON. TO GO IN THE LABORATORY TO TRY
TO PROVE GOD WOULD BE LIKE
TEARING THAT PIANO APART TRYING TO FIND A TUNE.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
YOU CAN'T DO THAT. NOW, NOW FAITH, LISTEN,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE DYNAMIC OF FAITH. FAITH IS THE DYNAMIC
IN SPIRITUAL WISDOM. IT IS THE DYNAMIC
IN SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. LOOK AGAIN IN VERSE SIX,
"BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM." WORSHIP IS PLEASING TO GOD. "FOR HE THAT COMETH TO GOD
MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS." NOW YOU SAY, "GOD, YOU
PROVE YOURSELF TO ME
AND I'LL SERVE YOU." NO, NO, NO, NO. GOD'S NOT GOING TO
PROVE HIMSELF TO YOU. HE'S NOT UNDER ANY OBLIGATION
TO PROVE HIMSELF TO YOU. FAITH IS NOT A
RESPONSE TO PROOF. THAT'S WHAT THOMAS DEMANDED. AND JESUS SAID, "THOMAS,
YOU'VE SEEN AND YOU BELIEVE. BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE
NOT SEEN, BUT THEY BELIEVE." WHAT IS FAITH? FAITH IS THE HEART'S RESPONSE
TO THE CHARACTER OF GOD. WHEN JESUS CHRIST CAME TO THIS
EARTH, HE LEFT ALL OF THE
SPLENDOR, ALL OF THE GLORY, ALL OF, ALL OF THE,
THAT IN HEAVEN. AND CAME TO THIS EARTH
AND, AND CAME IN A VERY
ORDINARY, NONDESCRIPT WAY. THE BIBLE SAYS, "WHEN WE
SEE HIM, THERE'S NO BEAUTY
THAT WE SHOULD DESIRE HIM." DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU
THINK JESUS LOOKED LIKE? YOU THINK JESUS LOOKED
LIKE THE PAINTINGS THAT
THE PAINTERS PAINT? LIKE HE JUST STEPPED
OUT OF A BEAUTY SALON? [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] WHITE FLOWING ROBES
MOVING AROUND WITH A DINNER PLATE
BEHIND HIS HEAD.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] DO YOU THINK THAT'S
THE WAY HE LOOKED? IF THAT'S THE WAY HE LOOKED,
THEN WHY DID JUDAS
HAVE TO POINT HIM OUT SO THEY COULD TAKE HIM AWAY? THERE'S NO BEAUTY THAT
WE SHOULD DESIRE HIM. VERY ORDINARY,
NONDESCRIPT PERSON. BUT YET THERE WAS IN HIM ALL OF
THE GLORY, ALL OF THE SERENITY,
ALL OF THE DIGNITY, ALL OF THE MAJESTY, ALL OF THE PURITY,
ALL OF THE CHARACTER
OF GOD IN HUMAN FLESH. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
BUT NOT BECAUSE
OF OUTWARD EXTRAVAGANCE. HE DIDN'T COME IN A JEWELED
CHARIOT WITH, DOWN TO THIS
EARTH, BORN IN A PALACE. BORN, RATHER, IN A STABLE. AND WHEN HE DID MIRACLES THEY
WERE NOT PUBLICITY STUNTS. OFTEN HE WOULD SAY,
"DON'T TELL ANYBODY ABOUT THIS." NOW FRIEND, IF WE DID THEM,
WE'D HIT THE ROAD. WOULDN'T WE? "DON'T TELL ANYBODY ABOUT THIS. I DON'T WANT THAT
KIND OF FOLLOW-SHIP." OH, HE DID MIRACLES THAT
ATTESTED TO THE FACT THAT
HE WAS WHO HE SAID HE WAS. WE HAVE THOSE PEOPLE TODAY
WHO ADVERTISE MIRACLES
AND DON'T DO THEM. JESUS DID THEM AND
DIDN'T ADVERTISE THEM. WHY DID HE COME AS HE DID? BECAUSE HE WANTED WHAT HE
WANTED, WHICH IS FAITH. "WITHOUT FAITH IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM." HE COULD BUY US. HE COULD BRIBE
US. HE COULD CONVINCE US. HE COULD TAKE THE ROOF OFF
THIS BUILDING AND SAY, "BOO!" YOU'D SAY, "I BELIEVE." HE DIDN'T WANT THAT. FAITH IS THE HEART'S RESPONSE
TO THE CHARACTER OF GOD. WHEN YOUR EYE IS RIGHT,
IT RESPONDS TO LIGHT. WHEN YOUR EAR IS RIGHT,
IT RESPONDS TO SOUND. WHEN YOUR HEART IS RIGHT,
IT RESPONDS TO GOD AND THAT
RESPONSE IS CALLED F-A-I-T-H. FAITH. AND SO, FAITH, FRIEND, IS
THE HEART'S RESPONSE TO GOD. THAT'S THE REASON THE BIBLE
SAYS, "BEWARE LEST THERE
BE IN ANY OF YOU AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF." UNBELIEF NEVER COMES
OUT OF THE HEAD. UNBELIEF COMES OUT OF THE HEART. FAITH IS THE DYNAMIC
OF SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. FAITH HONORS GOD
AND GOD HONORS FAITH. NOW HERE'S THE THIRD THING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE DYNAMIC OF FAITH. AND, AND WE SAY IT'S THE, IT'S
THE DYNAMIC IN SPIRITUAL WISDOM. IT'S THE DYNAMIC
IN SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. AND IT IS THE DYNAMIC
IN SPIRITUAL WEALTH,
IN SPIRITUAL WEALTH. LOOK AGAIN IN HEBREWS 11:6, "BUT
WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
TO PLEASE HIM: FOR HE THAT COMETH TO GOD MUST BELIEVE
THAT HE IS," NOW WATCH THIS,
"AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT
DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM." WELL HOW DO YOU SEEK HIM?
BY FAITH. JESUS SAID, "BE IT UNTO YOU
ACCORDING TO YOUR," WHAT?
NOBODY KNOWS. "BE IT UNTO YOU ACCORDING TO
YOUR [ AUDIENCE: FAITH ] FAITH." THANK YOU. HELLO? O.K.
NOW, [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FAME. NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FEELING.
NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FUTURE.
NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FORTUNE. NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FRIENDS.
NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR FATE. BUT ACCORDING TO YOUR
FAITH BE IT UNTO YOU. FAITH IS THE MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE
IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. IF YOU PRAY WITHOUT FAITH
YOU DON'T GET AN ANSWER. "WHAT THINGS SOEVER YOU DESIRE
WHEN YOU PRAY, BELIEVE
THAT YOU RECEIVE THEM AND YOU SHALL HAVE THEM."
PRAY, BELIEVE, YOU'LL RECEIVE.
PRAY IN DOUBT, YOU DO WITHOUT." NOW, GOD IS A REWARDER OF
THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM. FAITH IS THE DYNAMIC
OF SPIRITUAL WEALTH. HOW SPIRITUALLY STRONG ARE YOU? HOW WEALTHY ARE YOU? HOW MANY, WHAT KIND OF
RESERVES DO YOU HAVE? WELL, IT IS ALL
ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH. NOW, LET'S MOVE TO THE
THIRD AND FINAL POINT. NOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
THE DESCRIPTION OF FAITH. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
THE DYNAMIC OF FAITH. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
DESTINATION OF A LIFE OF FAITH. YOU SEE, LIFE IS A JOURNEY. WE'RE HEADED SOMEWHERE. AND IT IS NOT A CASUAL JOURNEY.
IT IS A RACE. NOW NOTICE HERE IN HEBREWS 12. LET'S GO ON; WE'RE GOING TO SKIP
ALL OF THESE CHAMPIONS OF FAITH
BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND TAKE THEM ONE BY ONE. ALL WE'RE DOING NOW IS JUST
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK, OKAY? HUH, ALL RIGHT, NOW, HERE IN
CHAPTER 12, IT'S KIND OF A
CONCLUSION TO ALL OF THIS. VERSES ONE AND TWO, "WHEREFORE
SEEING WE ALSO ARE COMPASSED
ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US LAY ASIDE
EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH
DOTH SO EASILY BESET US, AND LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE
THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US. LOOKING UNTO JESUS," NOW WATCH
THIS, "THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER
OF OUR FAITH: WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED
THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME,
AND IS SET DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD." NOW THE LIFE OF FAITH, THE
ONLY WAY TO LIVE, IS A LIFE
THAT HAS A DESTINATION. IT IS LIKE A RACE. IT HAS A GOAL. NOW FAITH HELPS US TO FIND THAT
GOAL, WHICH IS THE WILL OF GOD. DO YOU KNOW WHAT
LIFE IS ALL ABOUT? IT IS TO FIND, TO FOLLOW, AND
TO FINISH THE WILL OF GOD. TO FIND, TO FOLLOW AND TO
FINISH THE WILL OF GOD. THAT, MY FRIEND, IS THE
DESTINATION OF FAITH. THAT'S WHAT FAITH IS ALL ABOUT. NOW, HOW'RE WE GOING TO DO THAT? WELL, VERY QUICKLY I WANT
TO MENTION SOME WAYS. FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE
TO BE MOTIVATED BY
THE SAINTS AROUND US. WE'RE TO BE MOTIVATED
BY THE SAINTS AROUND US. LISTEN, HE SAYS, "SEEING
WE'RE COMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO
GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES." THERE THEY ARE.
YOU CAN'T SEE THEM. BUT JUST AS THOSE PEOPLE UP
THERE IN THE BALCONY LOOKING
DOWN ON US, ALL AROUND US IN THE HEAVENLY GALLERY, THERE
IN THE STANDS, A GREAT
CLOUD OF WITNESSES. THESE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF
FAITH WHO'VE GONE BEFORE. NOW, THERE THEY ARE
IN THE RING OF HONOR. UP THERE LOOKING DOWN, AND WE
HAPPEN TO BE ON THE FIELD BEING
WATCHED BY THE GALLERY OF THE GREAT AND THEY ARE CHEERING
US ON AS WE RUN THE RACE. ABRAHAM, MOSES, DANIEL,
THEY'RE UP THERE IN HEAVEN
SAYING, "GO ADRIAN, GO, GO!" CHEERING US ON. AND THAT'S THE REASON I'M GOING
TO BRING THIS SERIES OF MESSAGES
ON THESE CHAMPIONS OF FAITH, AND SO THEY CAN ENCOURAGE YOU. WE'RE TO BE MOTIVATED
BY THE SAINTS AROUND US. NUMBER TWO, WE'RE
TO BE SEPARATED FROM
THE SURPLUS UPON US. NOW MANY OF US ARE
CARRYING EXTRA WEIGHT. THE BIBLE SAYS WE'RE TO,
"LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT." NOW THESE ARE NOT SINS,
THESE ARE WEIGHTS. IN THE OLDEN DAYS, I USED TO
BE ON THE TRACK TEAM, TO RUN. AND WHEN I WOULD RUN,
I WOULD GET THE LIGHTEST
SHOES I COULD GET. AND JUST A PAIR OF VERY
LIGHT SHORTS TO WEAR. AND, AND A SHIRT DIDN'T EVEN
HAVE SLEEVES IN IT, JUST LIKE A
SHIRT MADE OF NY, A LIGHT NYLON. AND TO GET DOWN THERE WITH YOUR
HANDS SPREAD OUT AND YOUR FEET
THERE ON THAT STARTING BLOCK. EVERY MUSCLE READY TO GO.
HEADED TOWARD THE GOAL. NOW ONE THING I DID NOT DO, I
NEVER RAN WITH AN OVERCOAT ON. [ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] NEVER. ANYTHING WRONG WITH OVERCOATS?
NOT A THING IN THE WORLD. NICE TO WEAR IN COLD WEATHER. BUT IF YOU'RE IN A RACE,
WHAT DO YOU DO?
YOU LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT. EVERYTHING THAT IS SUPERFLUOUS. IF YOU WANT TO BE A SUCCESS
IN LIFE, DON'T GET IN THE
KINDERGARTEN STAGE OF SAYING, "IS THIS RIGHT OR IS THIS WRONG?
IS THIS LAWFUL, OR IS THIS
UNLAWFUL?" FORGET THAT. YOU ASK YOURSELF, "IS THIS THING
A WEIGHT OR IS IT A WING?" AND FRIEND, NEVER EXCHANGE
WINGS FOR WEIGHTS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE
NOT BAD IN AND OF THEMSELVES. BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY,
"THAT'S NOT FOR ME. NOT IF I WANT TO RUN THIS RACE. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT
I AM GOING TO DO WITHOUT. I HAVE TO BE MOTIVATED
BY THE SAINTS AROUND ME. I AM TO BE SEPARATED FROM
THE SURPLUS THAT IS UPON
ME, ANY EXTRA BAGGAGE." NUMBER THREE, I AM TO
BE LIBERATED FROM THE
SNARES BENEATH ME. WE'RE TO BE LIBERATED FROM
THE SNARES BENEATH US. THE BIBLE ALSO MENTIONS,
"AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH
SO EASILY BESET US." ALL OF US KNOW WHAT
A BESETTING SIN IS. IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN
WRESTLING WITH, FOR A LONG TIME. ACTUALLY, THIS WORD "BESET"
MEANS TO ENTANGLE YOU. I, IT, IT, IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WOULD TRIP YOU UP. WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A RACE,
ASK WHAT IT IS THAT
KEEPS TRIPPING YOU UP. WHERE DO YOU KEEP FALLING? NOW NOTICE WHAT IT SAYS,
IT SAYS, "LAY IT ASIDE!" "LAY IT ASIDE!" COME TO GRIPS WITH IT! BE DONE WITH IT! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE GREAT ENEMY
OF FAITH IS? IT IS SIN. "BEWARE LEST THERE BE IN ANY OF
YOU AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF." YOU SAY, "I HAVE
INTELLECTUAL PROBLEMS." NO YOU DON'T.
YOU HAVE DIRTY, ROTTEN SIN.
[ AUDIENCE: THAT'S RIGHT ] I TOLD YOU THAT YOUR HEART
WILL RESPOND IN FAITH WHEN
YOUR HEART IS RIGHT. NOW IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE
WITH FAITH, TRY REPENTANCE. IN THE BIBLE, IT ALWAYS COMES
THIS WAY: REPENTANCE AND FAITH. NEVER FAITH AND REPENTANCE. REPENTANCE AND FAITH. TRY REPENTANCE. GET YOUR HEART RIGHT. GET THE SIN OUT OF YOUR LIFE AND
YOU'LL BE SURPRISED HOW QUICKLY
THE FLOWERS OF FAITH WILL GROW WHEN YOU GET THE SIN OUT
OF THE SOIL OF YOUR LIFE. UH, "LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT
AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH
SO EASILY BESET US." WELL, YOU SAY, "YOU KNOW,
THIS, THIS, THIS LITTLE SIN
I HAVE, IT'S SO PRECIOUS." [ KISSING SOUNDS ]
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] IS IT? IS IT WORTH GOD NOT
ANSWERING YOUR PRAYERS? IS IT WORTH A RIGHT
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD? IS IT WORTH NOT BEING
A MIGHTY POWER FOR GOD? IS IT WORTH IT? NO!
LAY IT ASIDE. BE DONE WITH IT. NOW NEXT, FRIEND,
WE'RE TO BE ACTIVATED
FOR THE RACE BEFORE US. NOTICE, HE SAYS,
"WE'RE TO RUN WITH PATIENCE
THE RACE THAT IS BEFORE US." PATIENCE MEANS DETERMINATION. GOD DOES BUSINESS WITH
THOSE WHO DO BUSINESS. GOD HAS A COURSE FOR YOU. GOD HAS SET A RACE BEFORE YOU,
AND YOU'RE TO GET ON THE TRACK. LAST OF ALL; BE DEDICATED
TO THE SAVIOR ABOVE US. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN HEBREWS
12:2, "LOOKING UNTO JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND
THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH." "LOOKING UNTO JESUS." FRIEND, LISTEN TO ME. IT'S NOT GREAT FAITH
IN GOD THAT YOU NEED. OH, WE ALL WANT
GREAT FAITH IN GOD. BUT THAT'S A BY-PRODUCT. NOT GREAT FAITH IN
GOD THAT YOU NEED. LISTEN, LOOK AT THIS PASTOR. IT IS FAITH IN A GREAT GOD. DID THAT SINK IN? IT IS FAITH IN A GREAT GOD. DO YOU KNOW WHAT FAITH IS? IT IS THE BY-PRODUCT
OF LOOKING UNTO JESUS, WHO IS THE AUTHOR
AND THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH. HE'S THE ALPHA, THE OMEGA.
HE'S THE ONE THAT FIRES THE GUN.
HE'S THE GOAL TO WHICH WE RUN. HE IS THE COACH THAT
COACHES US AS WE RUN. PUT YOUR EYES
[ SLAP ] UPON [ SLAP ]JESUS
[ SLAP ] CHRIST. [SLAP ] IF YOU NEEDED TO CROSS A
BRIDGE AND YOU'RE NOT SURE IT
COULD HOLD YOU, LET'S SAY THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE OVER
HERE, YOU COULD TREMBLE AND
TRY TO SCREW UP YOUR COURAGE. THAT WOULD BE ONE WAY TO DO IT. AFRAID THE BRIDGE MIGHT FALL. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU COULD
STEP BACK AND LOOK AT IT AND SEE
SEMI-TRUCKS, EIGHTEEN WHEELERS GOING BACK AND FORTH
AND AUTOMOBILES. YOU COULD SEE THE GREAT PYLONS
AND THE STEEL AND THE GIRDERS. NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO
MAKE YOURSELF BELIEVE. YOU JUST GO ACROSS THE BRIDGE
BECAUSE YOU SEE WHO IT,
WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT CAN DO. LOOK TO JESUS. FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS. STUDY JESUS. AND YOU'LL FIND HIM IN THE WORD. FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND
HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING
ABOUT CHAMPIONS OF FAITH. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE
BY FAITH AND YOU WILL
NOT LIVE WITHOUT FAITH. DO YOU KNOW JESUS? WELL, YOU CAN EXIST
WITHOUT FAITH, [ THUMP ] BUT YOU
WILL NEVER LIVE WITHOUT FAITH. JESUS SAID, "I'VE COME
THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE." YOU PUT YOUR FAITH WHERE GOD HAS
PUT YOUR SINS, ON JESUS CHRIST. WOULD YOU BOW YOUR
HEADS IN PRAYER? HEADS ARE BOWED
AND EYES ARE CLOSED. IF YOU ALREADY KNOW JESUS, I
WANT YOU TO PRAY FOR THOSE ROUND
ABOUT YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW HIM. AND I WANT TO LEAD
YOU IN A PRAYER NOW. GOD WILL GRE, GIVE YOU
ALL THE FAITH YOU NEED
TO TRUST IN JESUS. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE
TO MANUFACTURE IT. YOU JUST SAY, "LORD, HELP ME
TO BELIEVE." AND HE WILL.
ARE YOU READY TO PRAY? PRAY THIS PRAYER, "DEAR GOD," IF
YOU'RE NOT CERTAIN THAT YOU'RE
SAVED, PRAY IT RIGHT NOW. "DEAR GOD, I KNOW THAT
YOU LOVE ME AND I KNOW
THAT YOU WANT TO SAVE ME. JESUS, YOU DIED TO SAVE ME
AND YOU PROMISED TO SAVE
ME IF I WOULD TRUST YOU. I DO TRUST YOU.
RIGHT NOW, THIS MOMENT, THIS MOMENT, NOW,
RIGHT NOW, THIS MOMENT
I RECEIVE YOU BY FAITH. I DON'T ASK FOR A SIGN,
I DON'T LOOK FOR A FEELING. I DO IT BY FAITH. I TRUST YOU TO SAVE ME. BECAUSE YOU DIED FOR ME. YOU SHED YOUR BLOOD FOR ME. YOU PAID MY SIN DEBT WITH
YOUR BLOOD ON THE CROSS. YOU WERE RAISED FROM THE DEAD. I BELIEVE IT AND I RECEIVE IT. YOU'RE NOW MY LORD, MY SAVIOR,
MY GOD, AND MY FRIEND. BEGIN NOW, LORD JESUS, TO MAKE
ME THE PERSON YOU WANT ME TO BE. GIVE ME THE COURAGE
TO MAKE IT PUBLIC. IN YOUR NAME I PRAY, AMEN." ♪♪♪ WE PRAY GOD HAS BLESSED YOU AS
YOU'VE WATCHED THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU'D LIKE ADDITIONAL COPIES
OR INFORMATION ON OTHER
RESOURCES, WRITE US AT: YOU CAN ALSO VISIT OUR ON-LINE
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GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU. ♪♪♪
