Why You Need the Faith of Jesus | Sermon by John Lomacang

[Music] hello friends welcome to 3abn worship hour i'm pastor john loma kang and i want to thank you for taking the time to join us for a very thought-provoking topic entitled the faith of jesus before we go into the word i'd like to encourage you to maybe invite your friends and if you're watching from home just pray for the lord's presence to be with you but if you're with a group of individuals gather together now as we open god's word to find in it the message and the courage that we need let's bow our heads and ask for god's guidance and for the holy spirit's presence precious father in heaven we put our lives in your hand and now as you become the power the act of energy the act of agent we pray that you'll send your holy spirit lord to speak to me and through me and i pray that you'll bring your word to life to find fertile soil in the hearts and minds of those who are listening i pray in jesus name amen the faith of jesus let's catapult into the topic with a scripture in revelation chapter 14 verse 12 a very familiar scripture but a very timely one describing if i were to summarize the sermon it is about what kind of faith that the people of god are going to need to face the challenging times ahead of us and after we read the scripture i will describe briefly what kind of world we're living in unless you've been living under a rock you know the world is changing rapidly but let's begin by looking at revelation chapter 14 and verse 12. john the revelator starts with these very startling and direct words he says here is the patience of the saints here are those who keep the commandments of god and the faith of jesus my brethren these times are not ordinary times the covet 19 climate has drastically altered the routines of our lives normalcy has been deleted as it were the world as we know it is being reconstructed to re-enslave the population of humanity and like a frail distracted child playing in the path of a vicious stampede the world is asleep to its approaching destruction if you if you stop and pause and think about what's happening you will discover that religious and political leaders are activating demonic measures to humanity they are devising ways to become the conscience of the world that's why john the revelator says the patience of the saints in times like these the people of god are going to need patience to make it through the atmosphere and the society that's being reconstructed as we breathe the monetary system the monetary leaders of the world are merging and they are merging to snatch away the things that we have labored hard to secure financially economically politically and religiously the world is being barbed wired together and i can tell you today that the intentions are anything but pure conventional attitudes my friends that and established customs that created in us a sense of uninterrupted security have given way to pandemonium and uncertainty that's the kind of world we're living in today a world that's uncertain on every side a world that does not gift us with faith and trust a world that says to us whatever world you came from you're not heading to the same kind of world it calls once again for the patience and the faith of the saints you find also just recently the political intensity that was displayed on america's stage then you add to that the unyielding pandemic challenging world leaders then you add to that the religious lockdown that has arrested the world each of these independently but together are omens of a prophetic tsunami that's on the horizon of humanity but i believe sometimes god gives disaster and turmoil permission so that it can reveal to us the kind of faith that we need it can reveal to us the arsenal of the earth that's marshaled against us and god is saying through these disasters and turmoil the church has to wake up to the times in which it lives when i think about the atmosphere that's being constructed i believe that somewhere written in the eschatological agenda there is a divine recommendation from heaven and heaven is saying it's time to intensify the training of the saints it's time to get the saints ready for what's coming and i'll tell you friends as we were told by inspiration the final movements that are coming together are going to be rapid ones wake up to the times in which we live when i think about it the only evidence that i can cite for these ancillary disasters are found in the often overlooked and ignored words of the apostle peter we read in first peter chapter 4 verse 12 and 13 notice what peter contributes to the times in which we live he says beloved do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you but then he adds in verse 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of christ's suffering that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy you see the apostle peter reminds us that exceeding joy is the finished product notice what he says exceeding joy he says you're going through fiery trials but don't forget exceeding joy is the finished product but exceeding joy is being developed amidst fiery trials and strange things and only those that endure the fiery trials and the strange things will one day experience the finished product of exceeding joy and i can say with certainty 2020 has been a year of fiery trials and strange things in the minds of so many of us the phrase six feet has been heard and echoed and and advertised and publicized six feet apart we are told social distancing at a time when we must be drawing nearer and nearer to the lord 2020 has been a year of fiery trials and strange things and that's why i say only by god's grace are we still alive today to listen to god's urgent message calling us to be ready for what lies ahead we find in the writings of the apostle paul he talks about not only what's coming but he talks about how god is still sustaining his people in troublesome times like these listen to his words second timothy chapter four verse eight and nine he says and i apply this to twenty twenty we are hard pressed on every side yet not crushed we are perplexed and yes we are but not in despair persecuted but thank god not forsaken struck down but not destroyed notice the contrast we are hard-pressed on every side yet by god's grace we are not crushed we are perplexed but brethren by god's faith in his word that we can rely on we are not in despair there's persecution on the left and on the right but god has not forsaken us and sometimes we feel struck down but praise the lord we are not destroyed then we listen to the apostle james as he also reveals that in this quagmire in this vortex of a changing world there's a method to the madness there's a reason why god is allowing the world to be in the swirl that it's in you notice hurricane season more active than ever before in recorded history the the rising crime rates in cities people losing grip on life many people not able to cope with the environment that they're forced to be sequestered in some people locked in their homes becoming voluntary prisoners because they just can't fit they just can't make sense of how the world is changing and how it's locking us down to something that is now being termed the new normal even with phrases such as the political phrases build back better many people don't understand that those three words mean that the world is being reconstructed whether we know it or not and we are being placed on a conveyor belt to a destiny that's outside of our control the apostle james says to us there's something behind all of that he says in james 1 and verse 4 but let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing james is saying be patient because there's some place where there's still order there's some place where there are still reliable promises that we can trust that's in the kingdom of god that's in the word of god while the world is crumbling in heaven god is still in control when you think about it in the examination of god's church god sees something in his people that are lacking that's why i believe he allows fiery trials that's why i believe he allows strange things that's why with his hand on the cord god is still holding back the winds of strife he is saying to his people feel the intensifying winds it's time to not play church any longer feel the intense changing political climate feel the closing in financial markets around us it is time to wake up and fully dedicate our lives to christ god is examining his church and he's wanting his people to be on target ready for what is about to break up on the world as an overwhelming surprise through the words of inspiration god's servant ellen white says to us in the book testimonies for the church volume 6 and page 14 she says the following words listen to these words she says events are changing to bring about the day of god which hasteth greatly only a moment of time as it were yet remains but while already nation is rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom there is not now a general engagement as yet the four winds are held until the servants of god shall be sealed in their foreheads then the powers of earth will marshal their forces for the last great battle what battle is that the battle of armageddon the final battle between light and darkness between truth and era it is being constructed today the stage is being built the final forces are are coalescing together the forces of hell and the forces of earth are looking at each other's agendas trying to figure out what measure is best to shake the faith of god's people but my brethren the day that is approaching is a day when the forces of earth will meet in the final confrontation with the forces of heaven i praise god that i can read god's word and know how it's going to end i praise god that i can pick up the bible and say i don't have to guess how the story is going to wind up i've read the back of the book and it ends with two words jesus wins now he's already won at the cross but my brethren the faith and the patience of the saints is needed the faith of the saints is needed the patience of the saints is needed to hold on as jesus says in matthew 24 he that endures to the end shall be saved these times these present times will separate the committed from the non-committed the church i believe is going through a time of sifting you know i like to read books i like to begin to add components into a message that gives us a sharpening understanding of how god sees his people i studied that during world war ii a special grade of soldiers were being developed by nato the north atlantic treaty organization these were specifically designated they were organized they were trained they were equipped with the most unconventional tactics techniques and mode of military employment integrated in their training was a curriculum that was intended to develop the following areas of military exploits they were taught about airborne operations counter insurgency counter terrorism foreign internal defenses covert operations direct action that's hand to hand combat hostage rescue high valued targets intelligence operations which god wants his people to be intelligent mobility operations how to keep moving with god but never become disconnected and also unconventional warfare understanding that these are unconventional times but god still has in his armor the armor sufficient for the days in which we live but if you glance at those terminologies that were used in the united states arms forces you may have heard of these specialized forces on one side they were called the navy seals commonly known simply as seals they were expertly trained to deliver highly specialized intensely challenging warfare capabilities that were beyond the means of the standard military forces then on the other side there were the delta forces also known as special forces involved in special operations now the supreme function of these soldiers as it were were to defend and protect the interests of the united states of america through unconventional means well the reality about both of these forces is this members of both units were known as get this quiet professionals that were notorious for being massively secretive they were known as the ever ready soldiers now i like to dabble into military language but when i discovered something i discovered that in the preparation for the battle of armageddon god has ever ready soldiers god has specialized forces god has people that he's getting ready for unconventional warfare against the forces of darkness and my brethren let me say the best way to get ready for that is to study god's word god's word is like a two-edged sword and there's not a weapon that was ever created that could withstand the power of the two-edged sword of god's word specialized forces god has ever ready soldiers these men and women are no ordinary christians and their primary purpose is to defend and protect the interests of the kingdom of heaven through spiritual measures not military measures spiritual measures what kind of spiritual measures do you mean pastor john by an act of prayer life by a study life by a witnessing life by a life dedicated to being on target to being focused to understand that this here and now is not all that there is to understand that beyond the fight there's a victory to understand beyond the valley of the shadows of death there's the kingdom of god the house of the lord waiting for us forever these are soldiers that are determined not to bow to the forces that call for compromise these men and women have a relationship that in shaking times they remain unmoved god is calling for ever ready soldiers but right now since you can't know who they are to you they may be quiet professionals they may be individuals that you have not met but god is holding them in reserve and when all of the forces of darkness are marshaled against the forces of light these will step to the forefront because they are being trained in bible study trained in their daily prayer life trained in their devotional life trained in their commitment to christ they are being trained for the most intense battle of the ages the battle that's just ahead of us you see friends it's satan's purpose to keep christians from developing the faith of jesus it is satan's highest priority to keep us unprepared for what lies ahead it is satan's determination to create christians that intentionally ignore the commandments of god hoping that they'll still be ready but according to the passage you've got to be obedient to be ready to be a patient saint to be a faith-filled saint you also have to be an obedient saint when i look at what's happening i was reminded that no matter what's taking place around the world no matter what's happening in politics in america or in europe on asia or in the caribbean or in australia no matter what's happening around the world god reminds us that his purposes still will be accomplished look at isaiah 46 9-10 god always has the final say he says to us through the prophet isaiah remember the former things of old for i am god and there is no other i am god and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done sing i love this part my counsel shall stand and i will do all my pleasures whenever i read that passage it says to me no need to worry no worries as they say in australia no need to be concerned god is still in charge amen to that god is not able to be voted out nobody's going to take his seat because he sits high and looks low he is on the throne that is eternal but he sets men up and he brings them down but i want to say today it is completely beyond satan's pay grade to prevent god's plans from being fulfilled you may have missed that let me say it again satan is not capable there's nothing that he can do to prevent the plans of god from being fulfilled when you think about god's word the many statements of jesus confirm the fact that satan cannot prevent heaven's agenda from being accomplished because god will finish what satan has started god will always have the last word let's look at some reasons why i know that let's go back to the time when jesus was unjustly being interrogated and he was standing before the high priest and matthew 26 63 tells us that the high priest demanded that jesus respond to him he said to jesus if you are the christ are you the christ the son of the living god and jesus said in matthew 26 verse 64 listen to the words of jesus as he was being interrogated to confirm whether or not he is the christ look at what he said in matthew 26 and verse 64. jesus said to him it is as you said nevertheless i say to you hereafter notice the next two words you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven notice the words how do i know that satan cannot prevent god's agenda from being accomplished the words that jesus said in that passage you will you will meaning i may look arrested now but the day is coming when there will be no shackles on my hand there'll be no thorns of crown on my brow there'll be no nails through my hand i'm going to be free and you will see the other side of this scenario so my brother and sister when the days come that your faith is being challenged when the days come that it doesn't seem like there is any end in sight or that the world is squeezing your faith out remember that jesus said beyond the cross as the crown beyond the persecution is the preparation for the celebration of the ages beyond his trial is a triumph and the same is true for every one of us but you have to hang in there you got to pray and work and study and and commit yourself to hold on to the faith of jesus now why does he call it the faith of jesus because it's not humanly born it is divinely born it is a faith that does not come from having a good diet as good as a good diet is this faith is not developed by a good diet it's not developed by a great exercise program although it's good and very necessary to have a good exercise program this is a faith that's born through the trials of jesus that he is willing to impart to his children to get them ready for what's ahead i know that the lord will come back i know that he will finish what he promised because he said to his persecutors you will see but let's look at another example looking down to the time when jesus will reward his saints with that eternal compensation listen to what he said in matthew chapter 25 and verse 23. look what he says well done good and faithful servant you have been faithful over a few things look at the next two words i will make you ruler over many things enter into the joy of your lord notice again he said to his persecutors you will he said to those who are being faithful i will that is a forward-looking statement in spite of what it looks like now those of you in the crowded cities that are congested in traffic jams congested wondering how and when and if you're going to catch cove at 19 those of you that are terrified when you see people coming that are coughing and sneezing god is saying hold on it's not always going to be that way because the greatest blessing is yet to come i will make you ruler over many things if you just simply hang in there you also find that when jesus was sealed into the tomb and his executioners were quite sure that he would not come out notice what they said this is an amazing statement matthew 27 verse 63 another statement of confirmation they said sir we remember while he was still alive how that deceiver said after three days i will rise look at that what a powerful statement sometimes your enemies will testify to the certainty of your approaching victory they crucified jesus but they could not they could not dismiss the possibility that he's not in there permanently he's going to come out somehow some way or another he said he will rise again and i want to tell you today we know that what jesus said is true he ever lives to make intercession for you and me he did rise again praise god and he is our intercessor in the heavenly sanctuary but notice the two words that we continue to see coming back you will i will i will the certainty that what jesus started he will finish one more example finally when jesus successfully rose from the tomb on the third day and he was preparing to ascend to heaven his words once again confirmed satan's inability to prevent heaven's agenda from being fulfilled look at john chapter 14 and verse 3 the words the the forward-looking words of the promises of jesus he said to his disciples and if i go and prepare a place for you here it is again i will come again and receive you to myself that where i am there you may be also notice you will i will i will i will continuously what are we saying the lord is saying when he makes a statement i will that is a forward-looking statement he is saying regardless of the fact that i'm leaving i will come again regardless of my persecution i will rise again regardless of my accusations i am the son of god and you will see me coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory you see brethren those with the faith of jesus are not looking for some new political agenda that's being surmised or created by earthly powers we put our faith and trust in the unwavering word of god i know that we just came through an election that just caused some people's face to twist and their hearts to stutter some people got rashly angry on one side and people were bewildered on the other people were putting their hope in one man or the other but i want to tell you today i put my hope in nobody but jesus christ i put my hope in nobody but the one who has never lost why he says to me make your calling and your election sure the only election that the saints need to be concerned about is making sure that they are a part of the election of grace that when the time comes you must know that jesus christ has cast a vote in favor of having you in his kingdom eternally that is the election that causes you to embrace the faith of jesus so friends today we stand on the unstoppable declaration of jesus and what is that i will come again i will rise again praise god for that but the apostle paul he could not keep himself outside of this scenario notice what he says in philippians 1 and verse 6 he also contributes to the faith of jesus he says my brethren philippians 1 verse 6 being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you notice a forward-looking word again will complete it until the day of jesus christ oh i love that phrase you see sometimes we don't look like christ some days we don't sound like christ some days we don't behave like christians some days we don't talk like christians or maybe do things as a christian should but the lord is saying i'm not done with you yet the work that i began in you i will complete it because i've got a day of completion that i focused on it's called the day of jesus christ as the apostle john says it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we do know that when he is revealed we shall be like him i want to tell you even as a pastor those words encourage my heart because no matter how many sermons i preach i can't preach my way into the kingdom i've got to get it under the grace of christ i too must hold on to the faith of jesus i cannot rely on the things of earth i too must walk the same path that you walk with the patience and the faith of the saints but i too must be obedient to the commandments of god because they are not separated from patience and faith connected to the saints of god in the last days the apostle paul continues to remind us that the work that christ has started will be completed look at romans 9 and verse 28 romans 9 and verse 28 he says to us today for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness because the lord will make a short work upon the earth i read that passage and i said thank you lord i couldn't take 200 more years of this stuff even though i can't live for 200 how much more can you take my brother how much more can you take my sister find your comfort in the words of the apostle paul the lord will make a short work upon the earth it's going to get rough but the roughness is going to be short the joy is going to be permanent the joy the blessings are going to be eternal the rescue from this planet in rebellion is going to be forever and forever god's going to finish the work that he began he's gonna cut it short for righteousness sake and the lord is gonna make a short work upon the earth that's why friends the faith that resides in jesus will also reside in his end times people only the faith of jesus can sustain us up to and through the final conflict how do i know that a lot of people that have doctrinal integrity but let me make it very clear today doctrinal integrity is not enough to sustain us we are not sustained by academic attainments we are not sustained by intellectual stimulation we are saved by spiritual transformation and that only comes through the faith of jesus how does that happen colossians 1 verse 27 gives us a glimpse into how spiritual transformation can get us ready for the days that lie ahead the apostle paul says in colossians 1 verse 27 speaking about the saints he said to them notice the two words god willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles what is it which is christ in you the hope of glory i love that not money in the bank is our hope of glory not a stable paid off real estate lot not a solid education or possessions that we don't even have the ability to keep track of what is it christ in us is the hope of glory christ in your life christ in your daily life christ in your thoughts christ and your actions christ in the transformation of your character and i know that we are not yet where god knows we're going to be but praise the lord we are not where we used to be the faith of jesus is unrelenting it's looking into the nooks and crannies of our thoughts and lives and actions into our words and deeds and saying that we still need to be chiseled we still need to be sanded down we still need to get ready to one day look like jesus in the book desire of ages page 677 paragraph one notice these encouraging words we are told the life of christ in you produces the same fruit as in him living in christ adhering to christ supported by christ drawing nourishment from christ you bear fruit after the similitude of christ notice notice that statement adhering to christ living in christ supported by christ drawing nourishment from christ if christ is your source it is impossible to have fruits that's different from christ if you are connected to jesus it's impossible to be anything but like jesus that's where the faith of jesus is formed the faith of jesus is not formed in ease it was chiseled through unjust accusations jesus became pure through the furnace of affliction and the reality is some of us are going to have to go through the furnace of affliction but don't fear the fire just pray that on the other side you come out like purified gold as one writer said the refiner's fire has now become my soul's desire and god said he's going to purify his church he's going to purify us in the furnace of affliction not that he wants to burn us up but he wants to ignite our lights he wants to clean us up he wants to remove from us every sense of impurity getting ready to exhibit to the world the faith of jesus that's why on the heels of the most urgent messages to humanity the three angels messages revelation paints a vivid picture of those that stand on the podium of the victory those that gain victory over the mark of the beast over his name over his number those that gain the victory over everything that satan has thrown their way how do they gain victory because they have on the whole armor of god how do they gain the victory not because they fought their way through but they put themselves in the presence of christ and every battle that the saint go through the battle belongs to the lord but when we stand on the podium of the final victory you'll find standing there those that are resolute in a vacillating society today they are a vivid representation in a vacillating society they are a vivid representation of those that are sold out to jesus christ they are categorically and undeniably soldiers of an eternal kingdom unashamed of the gospel of jesus christ unapologetic for the truth as it is in jesus christ undaunted by the heckling of satan's fiercest allies one day friends reverberating through limitless space and time you'll find a description of god's elite soldiers covered by the faith of jesus come with me let's peek behind the curtain and see how the bible introduces them revelation chapter 14 we find verse 4 and 5 gives us a description of god's elite soldiers these are the ones who are not defiled with women for the bible says for they are virgins these are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes these were redeemed from among men being first fruits of god and to the lamb and in their mouth was found no deceit for they are without fault before the throne of god what does all that mean what does that mean these are the ones heavens quiet professionals that are quiet no longer their lives and their lips reveal and proclaim the faith of jesus to a crumbling world you know what friends i want to be in that group i want to be a part of those when the world is looking for light that they can turn to my life and see that god's light is shining through my actions that god's light is shining through the way i live through the things i say through the way that i exemplify myself in a shaking society that i will remain unmoved in an unstable world no longer quiet but looking for opportunities to proclaim goodness to the lord recently i was on the elevator in a town i won't tell you exactly where but i was going to meet my wife who was getting her hair done and as i entered the elevator there was a young lady on the elevator and i was singing a song in preparation for my sermon that night but i was singing i guess a little loudly and people that were waiting in the foyer before the elevator heard it and when she stepped on the elevator she says was that you singing and i caught myself i thought i had gotten to the ground floor but i had just gotten to one floor below where i was standing and she said that was a lovely song what song was that and i said well it's a song i wrote entitled never alone and tonight i'm going to be talking to young people encouraging them to give their lives to jesus and she looked at me and i had my glasses on she said oh the moment i looked at you i realized i forgot my glasses and when she turned i saw her printed on her mask on her covet mask church of satan on her mask and i said does it say gnostic church of satan on your mask she said yes she says i'm a member of the church of satan and immediately in my mind i said boom witnessing opportunity witnessing opportunity and i said to her how can i find out more about what that means and she said you want to find out i said well how can i find out well we made it to the ground floor and i said what's your email i got her email what's your name i got her name and i spoke to the local pastor a good friend of mine pastor john stanton and i said i got an email for you and i got a name i believe that that young lady became a member of the church of satan because she had never had an encounter with the man called jesus you see friends in the last days god does not need quiet soldiers god is not looking for quiet professionals god is looking for those that are willing to speak up and to to speak up for the kingdom of god to know that in this war in this final battle there are those that still need to be rescued satan is trying to claim precious lives and god is saying let my faith in your life mean something don't be ashamed of the gospel what does it mean when it says they were not defiled with women that means they were not corrupted by false doctrines they were not corrupted by those who aim for popularity and financial gain they were a part of the remnant they take their stand with a message that infuriates and frustrates satan's dark kingdom that's why they are virgins undefiled the bible says they were not defiled with women but it also says for their virgins what does that mean they are true to one man alone they remain loyal to no one other than the man christ jesus they are impenetrable they have on armor that cannot be broken through why because the faith of jesus is their shield they are virgins meaning they have been undefiled they listen to a thus saith the lord they trust god's word and god's word alone their minds are not a dumping ground for philosophy and ideologies that conflict with a thus saith the lord but to understand what's ahead we've got to look at what's behind us you see the faith of jesus is the ingredient that separates failure in our past from success in our present and in our future but how do we get that success where do we find that success how does that success lead us to develop the faith of jesus notice the words the apostle john in first john 5 and verse 4 notice what he says for whoever is born of god john says overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith wow did you get that the victory that overcomes the world simply two words our faith i've been talking about the faith of jesus but how does the faith of jesus become our faith simply put we become his children if he's our father and we're his children we become instant inheritors of what rightfully belongs to christ we become instant inheritance of his righteousness so therefore his faith now removes our faith our faith is is replaced by his faith and that is an overcoming faith because those in the hall of faith were members of these special forces when you read the bible you'll discover that throughout the ages from the beginning of time to the present there are those that chose not to be sold out there are those that said regardless of the call of the wild regardless of the call of the enemy regardless of the agenda of society i'm going to stand firmly and heaven introduces these unvacillating soldiers in a single statement in the book of hebrews chapter 11. let's look at verse one the hall of faith the members of the special forces the faith of jesus the bible says who are they now faith hebrews 11 1 is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen let me make it very clear my brothers and sisters faith is not developed in the checkout line it is developed by daily training your mind in god's word as romans 10 verse 17 says look at what it says so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of god you cannot have faith without studying god's word you cannot be ready for what's coming unless your mind is being molded by a plain thus saith the lord and finally when everything else around us is failing only the authenticity of god's word the veracity of god's word the surety of god's word will sustain us through the trials and the battles just ahead of us in great controversy 1888 edition page 593 paragraph two listen to what alan white says she says notice none but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the bible will stand through the last great conflict notice she says none but those who have fortified the mind with the truth of the bible will stand through the last great conflict notice what she didn't say she didn't say none but those who own the bible no you can have a box of cereal and starve to death if you don't eat it you can have nutritious foods surrounding you and die emaciated because you refuse to allow your body to be affected by ingesting that which will give you strength what am i saying when god's word is studied you begin to develop a faith and a walk with god that will not be developed any other way that's why the book of hebrews is the hall of faith it talks about those whose faith carried them through the most trying times now why do i think that's important because there were difficulties in the past when we look at the determination of their faith we find courage for those things that are yet ahead of us look at hebrews chapter 11 verse 32-40 what a powerful retinue of those who stood firmly and they had the faith of jesus the bible says what more shall i say for the time would fail me to tell of gideon and barack and samson and jephthah also of david and samuel and the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms worked righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lion verse 34 quench the violence of fire escape the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong became valiant in battle turned to flight the armies of the aliens verse 35 women received their dead raised to life again others were tortured not accepting deliverance why that they might obtain a better resurrection but it keeps going verse 36 still others had trials of mockings and scourging yes of chains and imprisonment they were stone they were sawn in two were tempted and slain with the sword they wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented verse 38 of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth and finally verse 39 and all these having obtained a good testimony through faith did not receive the promise and look at verse 40. god having promised something better for us that they should not be made perfect apart from us what a list what a list of people that went through stuff now get this if they can go through that and wait for a better resurrection my brethren you haven't seen anything yet you haven't been sawn into you haven't been imprisoned in chains and stoned and and and walking around in goat skins and destitute we haven't seen anything yet but god is saying if you can look back and find soldiers that endured the things of the past oh my brother the same god they trusted into the same god you can trust and the same one that gave them strength to hang on is the same christ that could give you strength to hang on today what kind of faith did they have a faith that looked beyond the trial to the triumph of faith that looked beyond the persecution to the preparation of the celebration of faith that refused to lay down they stood up in spite of what could happen to their lives but in the closing scenes of the kingdom jesus is looking for that group once again those that refuse to turn back in the face of sacrifice and challenge those that know that beyond the valley of shadows awaits the house of the lord where we will have joys forevermore those that realize that hardship is a short season but heavenly joy is eternal praise god for that i'm looking forward to those days i'm looking forward to the greater thing that's on the horizon i'm telling you today yes there's covert 19 yes there is instability in the economy yes in the minds of some they still don't know who the next president is but i want to tell you today i know who's on the throne of the kingdom of god i know who's interceding for me today and he is his name will never change he is the only victorious one that i need to remain connected to and i find these words in a very inspired text from ellen white she says in the book bible training school march 1 1909 paragraph 3 listen to what she says paragraph 3 she says i am sure satan with his hellish agencies is striving his best to dishearten and discourage but we must not be discouraged neither must we fail we must suffer loss and be spoken against and have false witness born against us and take it patiently for christ's sake one thing is sure she says god is true amen for that we may lean heavily upon him and we shall not become confused amid the babble of voices we must put on armor and keep it on then what fight manfully she says the battles of the lord and having done all i love this stand ready for another conflict we must keep in harmony taking the whole armor of god we must have increased faith and move forward carrying this banner of truth and what is it the commandments of god and the faith of jesus boy that's a mouthful but i hope you didn't miss it what we are being told is these are not ordinary times these times call for a faith far beyond ordinary faith these times call for the calibration of our mission for the sharpening of our vision for the re-commitment to an agenda that will never fail these are not ordinary times but neither is jesus an ordinary god he is the same yesterday today and forever and when we think about christ we can say in christ alone i place my trust in christ alone i have that blessed assurance no other one but jesus friends the day is coming when we are going to be able to stand before christ and say thank you for fighting the battle for me i'm going to invite tim to come and i'm going to invite ryan to come and as you're listening to the song and christ alone i pray today that you'll be thinking what can i do how can i find my anchor in the faith of jesus how can the spirit of god move me to be obedient to the cross of christ in christ alone that's the only place that we will find the victory that is awaiting us listen to the words of the song and after the song i'm going to have an appeal for you stay by i want you to know that before this broadcast is done there's something today that you must do listen to the words of the song in christ alone [Music] christ alone will i glory though i could pride myself in battles of wine for i've been blessed beyond measure by his strength alone i overcome oh i could stop and count successes like diamonds in my hand but those trophies could not equal to the grace by which i stand in christ alone i place my trust and find my glory in the power of the draws in every victory let it be said of me my source of strength my source of hope is christ alone in christ alone will i glory for only by his grace i am redeemed only his tender mercy could reach beyond my weakness to my knees now i seek no greater honor than just to know him more and to count my gains losses to the glory of my lord in christ alone i place my trust and find my glory in the power of the cross in everything let it be said [Music] my source of hope is christ alone i place my trust and find my glory in the power of the cross in everything [Music] my source of strength my source of hope is [Music] [Music] is [Music] amen what a powerful testimony in christ alone my brothers and sisters thank you ryan thank you tim that's our declaration how are you going to have the faith of jesus the answer was in the song the answer was in the message in christ alone i want to say that again because in this nation that's still split on so many levels it has even affected the church where people in the environment that has shaped the way that society thinks has poured also into the minds of many of our church attending members they've lost their compass they are angry they're frustrated because they're forgotten that there's only one agenda that we must remain true to that's the agenda of christ the unchanging word of god it's time to put down politics it's time to put down the things of the world that are designed to do nothing but distract us and give our hearts and minds to christ again it's time to be a people of reconciliation to not be a person on the left or a person on the right but to recognize that on the wings of the eagles both wings are needed for us to soar on the glory of the righteousness of jesus i was listening recently about an article that one pastor said i'm a purple pastor the christian color purple a purple pastor preaching to blue christians and red christians he says what can i do and the thought came to my mind well if the color of christianity is purple and the color of one party is blue and the color of the other party is red if you merge blue and red together you get the color purple what am i saying my brothers and sisters abandon the left and the right and stand with the man in the middle his name is jesus these are not ordinary times but we don't serve an ordinary god and revelation 14 12 reminds us once again when it is all over and it's all said and done here is the patience of the saints here are they that keep the commandments of god and the faith of jesus may you pray for the faith of jesus and do your part that when jesus comes you will be in the armor of none other than the faith of jesus god bless you [Music] you

Channel: Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN)

Views: 493,265

Rating: 4.8073921 out of 5

Keywords: 3ABN, Three Angels Broadcasting Network, yt:quality=high, Worship Hour, john lomacang, Sermon, bible, live church, christians, jesus, god, seventh day adventist, the faith of jesus, the battle of Armageddon

Id: BD3SyHi0iV0

Length: 58min 0sec (3480 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 11 2020