Growing an Unshakable Faith

Well, good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon, everyone. Been through that twice today, right? So very good. Very good to be here with all of you. Good to see all of you here. Welcome to those that are on the web. Thank you, Ayla. Fine job, as always, for that special music. This is our first week back in Cincinnati from the feast. I hope you all had a very good feast, a very inspiring feast. And that renewal that comes and that fire that should have been ignited in all of us is still burning brightly.

That's something we have to kind of continue to remember. You know, as we came back from the feast, there was a lot of uncertainty in the world. And even as we live our lives here, what was going on in the United States with all this election that has been just a very interesting but not a very pleasing whole campaign that has gone on for the last several months. It was good to see it finally come to an end and have some clarity.

And I know for many, no one knew what was going to happen with it. But as we see the outcome of it, I know there's a different mood and a different era we've moved into in the world again. Some didn't expect it at all. Some did expect it. As far as the church goes, I think it gave us clarity of what we are going to do going forward. It looks like God has given us some time, however long that might be, that we can preach the gospel with strength and clarity to the world because that is something that has yet to be done all over the world before Jesus Christ returns.

So as I mentioned in a letter yesterday, that you will keep that in your prayers, that God will lead and guide what He wants done in this time that we have. But you know, as we've entered into that time, it's been interesting to watch the reaction from around the world and even some things that have gone on in the last few days in the country. It's been eye-opening. And some of the aftermath are things that didn't happen, that some expected to happen, and other things have happened more quickly.

I think things will get more interesting as time goes by. But one thing and one scripture that's been on my mind for months now, as we enter into this time, I want to just begin with today just to keep us in mind of who we are, what God says, and where the world is headed, where it looks like things have changed. We know where God is.

We know what the plan of God is. And we know where this world is headed. So let's turn to 1 Thessalonians 5 and just read a few verses there to keep us focused on what God's plan is and what we know. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul is talking about these end times that we're end in. And he makes an interesting statement here. Let's begin in verse 1. 1 Thessalonians 5 says, concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.

Well, we always have need to go back and look at the words of God again and refresh our minds of what he says. You yourselves, he says in verse 2, know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night, for when they say, peace and safety. And this has just struck me as we've watched this campaign go for the last few years.

How many times has talked about peace, safety, security, return to the way things were, kind of all these things. When they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. So things look good. But this is a time that we don't lull ourselves to sleep. We keep remembering who we are. We keep remembering that we need to be close to God.

And in times where it looks like things might be OK, we keep our eyes on God and we grow closer to him. We do his work. We do his will. We do what he wants us to do. If we go on to verse 4, it says, you, brethren, are not in darkness that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. So we know, and we remember, we enjoy the times that we're in. We don't panic about them.

We don't fret about them. We know what's coming. God has called us to us. We've known from the time that God called us what the future holds. And those times before the return of Jesus Christ can be very daunting. We could turn to Jeremiah 30, read about the time of Jacob's trouble. And we know what those times are like. God says, and Christ himself says, there will be great tribulations such as was never upon the earth nor never again shall be. Those are things that we don't want to think about, but things that we just have to keep in mind, knowing it will happen whatever time God's is, whatever time his is, might be very short, might be years.

Sudden doesn't mean immediately. Sudden means when it's least expected. And we live in an age when those things can happen. It could happen through any number of things that have occurred and changed the world we live in over the last few months. And as we think about those things, and I know many don't like to hear about those things or think about those things, it can be frightful.

It can cause some fear when we realize the time we're in. Now, what can happen? But fear is not what God has called us to be. Fear is something of the past. Let's turn just a few books forward here to 1 John.

Remember, we are children of light. We know what's coming. And Christ says over and over again, don't be afraid. And as we live in God's way, as His Holy Spirit works in us and guides us, we learn that this fear is replaced by something other than fear. In 1 John 4, 18, we talk about agape, something we talked about at the feast. We pick it up in verse 17 of 1 John 4. He says agape, and let me just use the word agape because it's different than love. And I think we need to continue to focus on agape. That's one thing God wants us to build in our lives. And we have to build together as a church. It is a mark of His true church. And it is a fruit to the Holy Spirit that the Holy Spirit helps us to understand and develop in our lives. Apart from His Holy Spirit, it just doesn't happen. 1 John 4, 17, agape has been perfected among us. It grows with us. It becomes who we are. It's been perfected among us in this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in agape. But perfect agape casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in agape. So we have a ways to go. And when we love God, and we understand His plan, and we understand it's all for good. There are hard times, but just like in pregnancy, when that child is born, it was worth all the pain. All the expectation is met with something that is just absolutely fantastic. And that's what God has called us to. We know what the end is. The world looks around us, and they will panic because they have no idea what is going on. But we know. And we can be prepared. And that agape of God, and that agape we develop with each other, will see us through, and will strengthen us so we can be bold in that day, because we look to God. Not to ourselves, not to some government, not to some man, only God. If we look one chapter over in 1 John 5, we read about this fear a little bit more. Let's begin it in verse 3 here in 1 John 5. This is the agape of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God, that's begotten of God. That's you and me. When God calls, when we respond, when we repent, and when we're baptized, and we receive His Holy Spirit, whatever is born of God overcomes the world. The victory is there, not because of our strength. There are wisdom, or are smarts, but because of the Spirit that God gives us. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. Our faith. Got to have agape. Got to have faith, the faith that the Bible talks about. An unshakable faith, an unshakable faith that will see us through. Something that you and I have access to because it's a fruit of the Spirit. Something the world doesn't understand yet. It will one day when Christ returns. Faith and agape. Both of those required. For salvation, we will see. To overcome the world, we will see. To be pleasing to God, to be the children that He wants us to be. Let's go back to 1 Corinthians 13.

As Paul talks about agape and a lot, a lot in chapter 13. And in the early verses, you'll recall, he has some things that he says about just things that, boy, if we could be that way, how great would that be? And in verse 2, he talks about faith. Faith that probably, well, that I know I don't have yet. God has yet to develop that, and I need to allow Him to develop that faith more, as we all do. In verse 2 of 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says, and though I have the gift of prophecy, if I understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but I don't have agape, I'm nothing. So agape is important. Never lose sight of that. That's a fruit of the Spirit that God wants you and me to develop that we must develop. And he says this faith.

I don't know anyone who can remove mountains. We have faith that has to grow to that point, where we have that faith that matures in us, as God's Spirit works in us. And he says, even if you have that, but you don't have agape, you're nothing. And so he concludes chapter 13 with that, and now abide faith, hope. We've talked about hope before, a few years ago, and where hope begins, and now abide faith, hope, and agape, these three. And agape, these three. But the greatest of these is agape. But faith is there too. Agape without faith fails as well. We have to develop both. So if we turn over to Galatians 5, we read about the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5 and verse 22. The fruit of the Spirit is love. Now, when we talk about the fruit of the Spirit, we know that when God created the earth, he did tell Adam and Eve about the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And when they sinned and they chose their own way, the way was cut off to that tree of life.

But for you and me, God has opened that way to the tree of life. And so we have the fruit that grows from those trees when we have God's Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, agape, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness. And then the new King James says faithfulness. The old King James and the Greek just says faith.

The same word, pistis, P-I-S-T-I-S, Greek word, the Jews, wherever you see faith in the Bible. That's a fruit of the Spirit. That's a fruit of the Spirit, God says.

It's interesting that it's listed as a fruit of the Spirit. When we have God's Spirit, we can develop that faith that helps us overcome the world, that it's that agape that he wants us to have. And yet in Hebrews 6, it's listed as an elementary principle that we need to grow from. Let's look at Hebrews 6, verse 1.

There is the author of Hebrew. And we say the author of Hebrew. God is the author of all the books in the Bible. He inspired them. They're his words. In Hebrews 6 and verse 1, it says, therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let's go on to perfection. That's what we've been called to. Not to become the status quo. It's not enough to just be baptized and just be there. When we're baptized, growth is expected. That's what God wants us to do. The fruits develop. And they keep developing throughout life. Let us go on to perfection. Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. Listed there, an elementary principle and faith toward God of the doctrine of baptisms, of the laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. Let's grow beyond those things. So faith is listed as a fruit of the spirit that we have as we receive the Holy Spirit. And God opens up that tree of life that we can begin to develop those fruits with His Holy Spirit after repentance, after baptism, after laying on of hands. And yet here, He says, it's an elementary principle. We have to grow from it. And in those verses, because later on in Hebrews, we see we have the faith chapter. Let's go there for just a minute. Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 talks about faith, and it's a different faith than an elementary principle. It's not the same P-I-S-T-I-S, pistis. That's there in Hebrews 6. It's something that's progressed beyond that, because here's a chapter of all these men and women who have exercised faith that God says they've had faith which absolutely pleased Him. Not the elementary faith of Hebrews 6.1, but the faith that is a result of the Holy Spirit and the fruit growing in us.

Hebrews 11, verse 1 says, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. That's a very strong belief in God. Verse 6, without faith, it's impossible to please Him. For He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. And then He goes on and talks about all these men that we know exhibited tremendous faith. Men like Abraham, who were willing to give up his son because he believed God that much. He had that much faith that he knew whatever God asked it was for, the best thing for him, and he was going to do it, nothing. He would withhold nothing from God. All the other men and women you read in Hebrews 11, that's not the elementary faith. That's a faith that grows over time. And God expected that that faith we have, when we begin to turn to Him, when we learned that we believe Jesus Christ was a Savior, we believe Jesus Christ died for our sins, we believe God. We begin to believe the words of the Bible. That's a basic faith. We need that, but that's not the only faith we need. We need that faith to grow in us continually. Paul talks about that in 2 Thessalonians. Let's go back to 2 Thessalonians 1.

And verse 3.

2 Thessalonians 1, verse 3 says, we are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith, your pistis, grows exceedingly. It's not static. It's not just we believe God. We believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior. It grows exceedingly. And the agape of every one of you all abounds toward each other. We see the fruits growing just like the little apple that begins so small and then grows and it's green and then finally develops into the full fruit. That's so satisfying. Your faith grows exceedingly. And the agape of every one of you all abounds toward each other. So that, Paul says, we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God, for your patience and your faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.

Wow, the faith. All the things that confront you, all the things that come your way, that you didn't expect, the trials, the tribulations, whatever they may be. You endure them all and you keep your eyes on God. Not just because you believe and say, I believe that Jesus Christ is God.

It's because your faith has grown. It's an unshakable faith that no matter what happens to you, no matter how painful it is, no matter what comes in way or way, you still believe God. In fact, those things make us believe and trust in God more. That faith, that unshakable faith that grows in us that with the Holy Spirit we have. Because we know that He knows what's best for us, even though we may not understand it right now. But He knows what we need. You know, when you read through the New Testament, there's things that have an enhanced meaning. We talked about it when we talked about agape at the feast. And agape was a Greek word that existed before Jesus Christ was on Earth. No one really knew what it meant.

It had some meaning. But Jesus Christ, from the Bible we learn, what is agape that He wants in us? It's much like we learn about the Holy Days. In the Old Testament, we have Holy Days, and people will keep the days of unleavened bread, and they eat bread. But we know that there's a spiritual meaning to those Holy Days that we have that transcends just the physical that's in the Old Testament. When we read the New Testament, God defines what these words are, what these concepts are, and what we grow into. Much like we talked about agape, pistis, faith, has the same thing. In the New Testament, it takes on new meanings. I asked someone, I don't use chat GBT, but I hear more and more about chat GPT. And I said, just put in faith. What is faith? Only using the Bible. Only using the Bible, what is the definition of faith from the New Testament? Let me just read to you a little bit of what it came up with, which I thought was very interesting. Here's what it came back. Here's the classical Greek meaning of P-I-S-T-I-S. It says, in classical Greek, pistis primarily meant trust, reliability, or confidence. It was often used in the context of trustworthiness or faithfulness between people, a pledge or a guarantee, or a belief in someone's reliability or a set of facts. The term did not carry strong religious or spiritual connotations, as it did later in Christian usage as used in the Bible. It was more focused on human interactions, agreements, or subjective beliefs. And here's what it says about the New Testament meaning. In the New Testament, pistis took on a much deeper and broader theological meaning. It included faith in God and Christ. The word was expanded to express a profound, trust-filled belief in God, and specifically, faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior. This belief was not just intellectual assent, not just saying, I believe. I believe. You showed me the facts. I believe Jesus Christ lived. I believe he died. It was thus not intellectual assent, but encompassed trust, reliance, and personal commitment to God's promises and character. Second thing it says. It's a transformative faith that's required for salvation. Pistis in the New Testament refers to a faith that is required for salvation and transformation. It signifies a faith that justifies and connects a person with God's grace. This was a shift from the general idea of trust or confidence in classical Greek to a concept of transformative saving faith. We can think of Romans 12, verse 2, where it says, a renewing of your mind, transforming. God, when he calls us and he gives us his Holy Spirit, we transform the way we think. It transforms who we are. It changes us to the very core. It's not just a matter of just saying, I believe. It makes a fundamental change in the way we behave, the way we think, and the way we operate, and who we are. And finally, it says the New Testament emphasizes that true pistis is active and leads to obedience and good works.

This type of faith is relational, involving a deep trust in God that changes one's life and actions.

That's different than what the Greeks used that word for, but Jesus Christ and the Bible, that's what it talks about. You know, there's an elementary faith. The Christian churches of the world have an elementary faith. We could talk, ask a billion people in the world, do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior? They would say yes. Do you believe Jesus Christ died for your sins? Yes, they believe it. There's an intellect there, and it's a very basic belief that they have. It's elementary. And so they don't know the rest of faith. When they read about faith in the Bible, all they get out of it is it's enough that I just believe and say Jesus Christ is the Savior. They don't know the rest that you and I know. The faith they have is not toward salvation. The faith they have has to grow. Your and I, we're on my faith, have to grow in order to become pleasing to God and the people that he wants us to. That's what he called us to. That's what his Holy Spirit does. That's what the Spirit leads us to, a faith that's greater than just saying, I believe Jesus Christ is the Savior.

That's necessary. That's where we've all started. As God called us and we looked at the Bible, we believe the Bible is the word of God. But it changes who we are if it really has an effect on us, if we really understand what God is saying. So faith is more than just believing the way the world says. When I was pastor in Florida, I think the, and there's a few here who are from Florida, almost always when I would talk about the word believe in the Bible, I would always talk about Pistoio and that the word believe there is not just the way the world uses the word believe.

It is a deep, life-changing belief that God is talking about when you read Pistoio, which is related to the pistas in faith. It changes the way you are. You're no longer the same person. You don't think the same way. God has opened your mind to a belief that makes you want to change. Not just say, I believe, then you go back to the way that you lived before or go on and think everything is okay. That faith, the faith of God, you live by his way. You want to please him. You live by his way. You understand that it's a transforming of the way that we think and the way that we are and who we are.

If it doesn't do that, if you just say you believe God, but you go ahead and keep on Sunday and you keep keeping Christmas and New Year's and all these other days that aren't in the Bible, then you don't have the faith that is required for salvation.

Only with God's Spirit do we get it. Let's look a little bit. Just a couple of verses here about this transformation. And there's many of them as you read through the Bible that you can keep in mind, but let's look at Colossians 2. Colossians 2 and verse six. And we begin to see how we change when that faith grows in us, when we have God's Holy Spirit and we agape him.

And we know that we need to live the way he wants because that belief, that faith in him is so deep. In Colossians 2 and verse six, again, it's Paul, he writes and he says, as you therefore have received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk in him, walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established, established in the faith as you have been taught abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Be thankful, be thankful for what God has called you to.

We go back to Romans, Romans five.

We see Paul again, talking about this calling that we have, abounded in thanksgiving. Be thankful for whatever God gives you. In Romans five and verse two, well, we'll begin in verse one here. Romans five, verse one says, therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope and the hope in God doesn't disappoint.

We glory in tribulations when we have that faith that grows, that unshakable faith. Why?

That's certainly a transformation of mind.

The ancient Israelites, they believed in God. They saw him work miracles. They saw him open the Red Sea. They saw him bring water from a rock. They saw him give them manna for food in the middle of a desert where there was no other food. Did they believe God exists? Absolutely they believed God exists.

Were they thankful to God?

No, every time there was some kind of little problem, they complained.

Why did you bring us out here? To starve us to death? To make us thirst to death? We'd rather be back in Egypt. We'd rather be where life was good. They didn't learn to be thankful. They just complained about God. They forgot all those things that he gave them.

But God says when we have faith, that transformational faith, we don't complain anymore.

We're thankful because we know God is working with us and he is working in us what is necessary for us to be in his kingdom. If we really believe that, if we're really committed to it, if we really are living the life that he wants us to with our eyes focused on then and not just what is in this life. That's what the Israelites did. That's what elementary faith is. But mature faith, unshakable faith is developed that even when these things happen to us, that we don't understand and they're painful. We know that God is in control. We know that he loves us. We know that he brings us to what he wants us, where he wants us to be and grows us to death. That's the transformation in thinking. Just Paul says, with everything, be thankful to God.

No complaining.

Going through a trial, what do I do? I changed my thought. I'm not gonna complain. Thank you God that you're working with me.

Teach me what I need to know so I can become who you want me to become.

Well, that's one way we can transform. Among many examples we could go in the Bible, Romans three, a couple of chapters back.

And verse 21, let's look at another one here.

Romans 3, 21, we come across a word here, righteousness. It has a more complete meaning in the New Testament than maybe it did in the Old Testament. Verse 21 says, but now the righteousness of God, apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. In the Old Testament, all that was required was physical obedience to the law.

But Jesus Christ, when he came, he magnified the Ten Commandments. He didn't do away with them like the world wants to say. He magnified them. Yes, we keep them physically, but there's also a spiritual application. That's what the whole sermon or portion of the sermon of the mouth is about. No longer okay to, no longer okay, or it's no longer okay just to not commit adultery. Don't even think about it. It's no longer okay just to not kill. Don't even hate your brother. All those things that Christ magnified because they have a New Testament meaning, it's more when we have God's Holy Spirit, not just the physical, and that's what he's saying here. The righteousness of God, apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe.

Not just the simple belief. Yes, I believe Jesus Christ is the Savior, but a belief that changes who we are, how we think, transforms the way we live our lives, our actions and reactions to all and on all who believe.

Righteousness.

In the Old Testament, keeping the law and obeying the law. Absolutely important, still important. Acts five verse 32 says, God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey him. But when you look in the New Testament, it's a subject for another time, righteousness, when you look at the righteousness of Abraham, did God say it's just because Abraham obeyed me?

No. He said in Galatians three, it's because Abraham had faith because of his faith, his mature faith in God, that it was accounted to him as righteousness. Righteousness is a condition where you are acceptable to God. And that's more than just obeying. It includes obeying, but our whole being becomes who God wants us to become. A condition acceptable to him.

Heart, mind, soul, all committed to him, 100% given over to him, yielded to him, allowing his Holy Spirit to lead, guide, change, reveal to us the weaknesses, faults, other parts of our life that have to be thrown out and replaced with the things that God has. It's part of the process that God has called us through because remember perfection, blamelessness, purity. That's what he called us to. And if we're led by God's Holy Spirit and we have that faith in him, that's what we desire, truly desire, not just lip service to it, but truly desire to become like him.

Galatians five, Galatians five and verse five.

Here again, Paul writing, he says in verse five, for we through the Spirit, only one way to receive the Holy Spirit, God calls genuine heartfelt repentance, baptized hands laid on for we through the Spirit, eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but it's faith working through agape, faith working through agape.

Physical is still important, but it doesn't end there.

Faith working through agape. He goes on to the Galatians, we know them, he says, you ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion doesn't come from him who calls you and a little leaven, a little leaven leavens the whole lump. If we let a little leaven in, if we look at the way the Christian, so-called Christian religions of the world believe, and we let a little leaven in, let's believe what they do. Let's do things the way do. They, no, no, no, only what the Bible says. This is what defines who we are. This is what defines what agape is. This is what defines what faith is. This is defines what we are, not the churches of the world, not adding to or taking away, but the Bible is what leads us. We look to it when we have questions, we look to it when we need answers. We look to God and he will provide those answers to all of us.

So we begin to build a little bit of definition of faith. Let me just recount a little bit of what we've done as we've looked at the Bible, not looking at Christ's words yet, which we're going to do in a minute. Unshakable faith, and we're gonna call it unshakable faith because it's gotta be the faith that we have as the time of Christ's return draws near. That shakable faith that no matter what winds blow, no matter what storms come, no matter what trials come, we stand firm. We stand firm because we know God, we trust him, and we believe him with all our heart and all our mind. It's an unshakable faith from the whole that is developed through the Holy Spirit. It's required to please God. It's required to overcome the world. It's required to receive salvation.

Faith grows throughout our life. It's like fruit on the tree. It doesn't stay in the elementary stage. It grows throughout life.

It transforms our thinking, the way we think about things, the way we react to things, the way we see life. And sometimes we just have to stop and say, no, that isn't the way I'm thinking about that. I'm not going to complain anymore. I'm going to be thankful to God.

I'm going to do that. I'm going to remember who I am and stop. No more that thinking. Replace it with the thinking that God has. Become in a condition acceptable to him.

So let's look at a few of Jesus Christ's words because he had a lot to say about faith.

Let's start in Luke 18.

Luke 18. And verse eight.

The question that a lot of people ask, that Jesus Christ asked, and it's one that we can reflect on. In verse eight, he says the first part of it, it's this last sentence that I'm looking for. He says, I tell you that he will avenge him, speed elite. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?

Will he really find faith on the earth?

Well, the answer should be yes. And that faith should be you and me because we know what it is. We have God's Holy Spirit and we should be working on that and allowing God to develop in us and making choices along the way that build that faith and not slinking back into our old ways. And the world might say faith, yes, as well. Well, yes, of course we believe in you. Of course we believe you're our savior. But then you look at that and Jesus Christ answers the question again, that lets us know the faith grows beyond what the world says faith is, or even the classic Greek faith that in the New Testament, it becomes something you and I will strive for as we yield to God. In Matthew seven and verse 21, Christ answers that question.

As the world would say, well, yes, we believe in you. Yes, we do. But Christ says, not everyone in verse 21 who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my father in heaven.

Well, that includes living by the law of God, growing, overcoming, becoming righteous and in a condition acceptable to him in all ways, heart, mind and soul. Many he says in verse 22 will say to me in that day, Lord, we believed in you. We said that we believed in you, Lord, Lord, haven't we prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name? Haven't we done many wonders in your name? And I will declare to them, Christ said, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.

You didn't do anything I said. All you said is a very elementary, I believe, but you didn't embrace it. You didn't live the way. You didn't let it change your life. You didn't look into the Bible, follow the Bible. You did your own thing. You just said, I believe that's very elementary. Elementary doesn't count growth, growth to an unshakable faith that God wants us to have.

And yet many will say and be surprised. What do you mean?

What do you mean, lawlessness? Anytime we do things apart from God, do things our own way when we are on Sunday instead of Sabbath and we're on Christmas and Easter to the holy days of God.

When we're looking to other places than the Bible and trying to adopt into our belief, then we're not doing things, we're doing things our own way. We do things God's way.

Will he find faith? Yes, he should.

He should find faith and he will find faith in his true servants who he's working with and who are yielding to him.

Mark five.

Mark five, we'll look at another word that Jesus says here, or another comment he has. Mark five, we will look at verse 36.

I'll set the context here. There is someone who comes to Jesus Christ, his daughter is very sick.

And he comes to Christ and he wants him to come and he wants him to lay hands on her that she may be healed and she will live. As Christ is on his way, he runs into the, well, he doesn't run into her, the lady who has been suffering 12 years from bleeding, who the Bible says in Luke that she spent all her money on physicians trying to get it resolved. She finally realizes, have faith in Christ.

She reaches out and touches him and he turns around and talks to her. And in the meantime, the young lady dies, verse 35.

While he was still speaking to the lady who he just healed or was just healed, while he was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, your daughter is dead, your daughter is dread. Why trouble the teacher any further?

And Christ's words are very notable here. You can almost see what he does when he hears them say the daughter is dead. As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he said to the ruler of the synagogue, he caught him, don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Only believe, only believe.

All you need is me, he said. Only believe, have faith in me, have trust in me.

You can almost see the man who was thinking what was going on and Christ stopped him. Just believe. Sometimes when we're doubting, sometimes when we have things going on in our lives, we don't understand, we can think, is God working? Is he there? Is he listening? Stop, only believe. God has called you and me to a wondrous calling. We absolutely know what his plan is. We absolutely know that he is returning. We absolutely know, but we have to make the choices and we have to focus on belief in him, a faith that grows, a gape that grows, working together so that we can stand through whatever it is and not allow doubt to enter into our minds.

Only believe is what he says.

None of us are there yet, but there will come a time as we let God grow, only believe. There's another time that he was healing the man at the well and it was just, all you need is me.

Don't look around, all you need is me.

And we need to come to that. And through all our lives, we learned that.

None of us, I don't think are there yet. We will be as God works with us, perfects us as we allow him to do those things in our lives and we catch our life, we catch ourselves in what we're doing, only believe. Only believe, a goal. Matthew eight.

Matthew eight, verse eight.

Interesting, you know, Christ doesn't use very many adverbs or adjectives with faith. And there's two times in the Bible that he talks about people who have great faith, great faith.

He wants you and I to have great faith.

Matthew eight, verse eight.

The Centurion, not a Jew, not of the people of the Jewish, of Judah. The Centurion answered and said, Lord, I'm not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only speak a word and my servant will be healed. For I'm a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, go and he goes, another come. And he comes into my servant, do this. And he does it.

Jesus sat and listened to him.

When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to those who followed, assuredly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.

You don't even have to come. I know and I believe all you have to do is say the word and my servant will be healed.

Chapter 15, verse 28. Verse 28.

We'll pick it up in a woman who was looking to have her, a demon cast out of her daughter. She's not at the house of Israel either. Christ in verse 24 of chapter 15 says, I wasn't sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And she came and worshiped him and saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, it's not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. That would be a put off, right? But she still had faith. She still believed and knew what he could do. And she said, yes, Lord, not yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. And Jesus is answered and said to her, a woman, great. Great is your faith. You believe, you believe, let it be done to you as you desire.

That's a faith we aspire to. It's not the elementary faith. It's the faith that grows over time with God's Holy Spirit. As we go through life, as he gives us the opportunity to build that faith through good times, through good times, also through some tough times that we never give up on God. We know he is in charge and everything he does is for a purpose and has us in mind for it.

Mark 11.

Mark chapter 11.

Those two that had great faith didn't doubt. They just believed Mark 11 and verse 22.

As they're walking, we'll come back to it in a minute.

The day before Jesus Christ had passed by a fig tree that had no fruit on it, he cursed that tree. And as they're walking by the next day, the fig tree has all dried up. And Peter comments on that. And verse in response, Jesus said to him, have faith in God.

Have faith in God. For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe, heart, core, the transformational belief, whenever you believe, believe that you received them and you will have them. Only believe.

Now keep your finger there in Mark 11. Let's go back to the book of James because there he talks about doubt and we know doubt is an enemy of faith. We're all susceptible to it. Not one of us are not, but we learn over time to build that trust. In James 1 and verse six, here in the very early epistle of James, he talks about asking God for wisdom. The wisdom that only comes from God. In verse six, God inspires, let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For not let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from God if we doubt.

He's a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

We're still there.

We have to become single-minded people that look to God, that trust in him with all our heart, mind and soul. That's a process. As long as we're alive, we're still working toward that. God is still giving us the opportunities to not doubt. And when that doubt comes into our mind to stop ourselves and say, no, I will only believe.

I will only believe. Or as Christ says later on, help my unbelief or pray to him. Increase our faith.

The apostle said at one time, we'll see that here in a few moments. Increase our faith. Let me believe in you. Let me take this opportunity. No, I will not doubt, but I will have faith. And I will believe in you that your will will be done.

We go back to Mark 11, where we were.

Let's look at that fig tree for a moment.

We talked about the fig tree that had no fruit on it.

God expects any tree to have to bear fruit. It's worthless, he says, if it's not bearing the fruit, if you're not bearing the fruit, he tells us in John 15, bear fruit. God is only pleased if we're bearing that fruit, if it's growing on us. And the longer we're following him that that fruit becomes evident, he can see it.

Rippening and developing. If we go down to verse 25, we were just there about doubting, but notice what he says in verse 25, when he talks about praying. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you don't forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Isn't it interesting that he ties that fruit and that you will have faith to forgiveness?

You need to forgive. There's an element of faith, of course, with agape, that builds the unity and reconciliation that God wants. His will is, everyone of his family will be at one.

The old issues, the old self, the old egos, whatever it is in the way, God says, get it out of the way. Faith in him, he's in control. He leads, he does the things. We believe he is leading. We believe he is the head of the church. And from here on out, he will bring us to where he wants us to be. He will get the gospel preached the way he wants.

He will get the church in the order that we need to be in if we believe, if we follow, if we do what he wants us to do.

Part of the fruit that God has in that is that we become one.

We were in James, I should have told you to keep your finger there.

You know, part of what we do is faith, it is believing, but we have to have, we have to do the things that go along with faith. In James two and verse 14.

James two, 14, well, you know this verse. He says, what is it? What is it, prophet, my brethren? If someone says he has faith, but doesn't have works, can faith save him?

If a brother or sister is naked, a destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you don't give them the things which are needed for the body, what is it, prophet? Thus also faith by itself, if it doesn't have works is dead, you have to do things. You have to follow what God says. You have to make choices to let God build that faith in us. Ephesians two, Ephesians two and verse eight. Again, Paul talks about faith and the what's required for us. Verse eight of Ephesians two, for by grace you have been saved through faith.

You have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God.

Agave is a gift from God.

Faith is a gift from God. Not of works, gotta have works, but it's not because of us, it's not us who do those things is what God works in us. Not of works, lest anyone should boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. When we were baptized, when we had hands laid on us, when the Spirit was in us, a new creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Faith, faith, active faith.

You can mark down Luke 17 and verse five.

There, I referenced that verse already, where the apostles came to Christ and they said increase, increase our faith. You'll notice when you look at that verse, he says that, they say that after he talks about forgiveness again.

The forgiveness, the unity, getting the things out of the way that keep us from being with one another, becoming the family that he wants us to become, getting rid of those things, faith in him, trust in him, self gone, transformation. Our focus is on what God's doing, not what we're doing. Focus on God, focus on his will, not our will.

Trusting in him.

You know, as we look at all these things, and you could do a study on faith and see how Jesus Christ, well, how he expanded all of the verbiage about faith and what it means to us and where we need to go, where we need to be, and as this time from now until the return of Jesus Christ to continue to build that faith so we become the people that he wants us to become, the people who can stand right through it all during that time, not fretting, not doubting, not looking somewhere else to save us, understanding only believe and have faith in him.

Peter, the apostle Peter is a good example of faith growing in him. We don't need to turn to Matthew 16, 18. You know that when Peter, when God, when Christ was asking people, who do men say that I am?

And they had various answers, but then Peter answered and said, you're the son of God.

You're the son of God. And Jesus Christ looked at him and said, blessed are you Simon Barjona, for it isn't man that has given you this, God gave you that knowledge.

God gave him that knowledge. He knew Jesus was the son of God. He had no doubt in his mind who he was.

But as you look at Peter's life, from that point forward, he had a lot to learn about faith.

What did he do when Jesus Christ was arrested?

Three times he denied him.

Did faith need to be built in him?

The Holy Spirit was with him at that time, but the Holy Spirit wasn't in him at that time. That was before the day of Pentecost came and the Holy Spirit was put in Christ's disciples.

He denied Christ three times. And yet he knew that elementary faith, I know you're the son of God.

He had a lot to learn and he did learn. You know, through the course of the Bible, you see where Jesus Christ would say, and Peter heard it at least three times, oh you of little faith. Sometimes when we look at oh you of little faith, we should pay attention because it might be exactly what Jesus Christ is teaching us.

Let's look at a few of those oh you of little faiths. Matthew six.

Matthew six and verse 30.

Sermon on the Mount, Moreth verse 30.

Chapter.

He's talking about trusting in God to provide what you need, not looking to the world around us in verse 30. Christ says, if God so closed the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won't he much more clothe you, oh you of little faith.

Believe he can do it.

Don't worry about it. He will provide. He provided for Israel all those years, their shoes never wore out. It tells us in Deuteronomy eight, everything worked fine. God will provide. He will see us through. We don't have to worry about it. We just need to believe. We just need to believe and know he's in control.

Don't doubt. Take the anxiety, take the worry, what's gonna happen if, what's gonna happen if, give it to God and tell him, I believe you.

I don't know how. I don't know when. I don't know what you will do, but I know you will. You will see us through, however it is.

The Israelites had no idea God would open that Red Sea, but he said, stand still, see the salvation of God.

When we are in those situations, stand still, see the salvation of God, believe, know he knows, know he knows, and he will see us through.

If I have written down here, Philippians four to six, verses six through eight, in that Paul says, be anxious for nothing, but with everything in thanksgiving, cast your cares and concerns on God.

Transformation, no longer worry, give it to God.

Matthew eight, Peter would have heard those words and learned those things as well as the other apostles and or disciples, you and I read those words. They're still here for us today. Christ still speaks to us through the words of the Bible. Matthew eight, verse 23.

When he got into a boat, when Christ got into a boat, his disciples followed him and suddenly out of the nowhere, they didn't expect it, everything looked calm, but suddenly a great tempest rose on the sea so that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep and his disciples came to him and awoke him saying, Lord save us, we're perishing. But he said to them, why are you fearful, oh you of little faith?

And he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm. So they marveled saying, who can this be? That even the winds and the sea obey him.

As we look beyond now, beyond today, to what is going to occur before the return of Jesus Christ, there will be storms, there will be tempests, they'll arise suddenly, we won't expect it. God says it'll happen several times in Isaiah as he prophesies about the end time, he says suddenly I did it, suddenly the wall broke, suddenly these things happened, we got used to life the way it is, but he says don't worry, don't worry, he's in charge, he can calm the storms. Oh you of little faith, trust in him is the answer.

Develop now that unshakable faith that will see us through that absolute faith in God that no matter what storm comes our way, no matter how high the winds get, no matter how high the flood waters get, we trust in God.

He delivers through anything and he has our best interest at heart. He knows who we are, he chose you, he chose us and gives us everything we need to become who he needs, who we need to become.

Matthew 14, verse 28.

Verse 28, Peter, again, Peter involved in this. Peter who said I believe your God denied three times, Peter answered him and said, oh but immediately they see Jesus walking on the water.

Christ says as they think, oh it's a ghost, we're afraid. What's this happening here? And Christ says be a good cheer, it's I, don't be afraid. Peter answered in verse 28 and said, Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water. So he said, come. And when Peter came, got out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he looked around and saw what is going on, how do I survive this? What did this mean? I didn't expect this to happen. This isn't what anything I counted on.

This doesn't make sense to me. When he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and at the beginning to seek, he cried out saying, Lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, caught him and said, oh you have little faith. Why did you doubt?

As long as he kept his eyes on God, on Christ, he was fine. The moment he looked around and thought, what about this? What can I do here? This isn't possible.

Forgetting that Jesus Christ said, with men, things are impossible, but with God, all things are possible.

That no matter what we're called to do, no matter what it is, the situation, all things are possible with God if we have faith in him and had developed that faith.

In Hebrews 11, we were there not too long ago in that chapter of faith that talks in Hebrews six about an elementary faith, but then grows into a faith with salvation, we find all these men and women and others besides those who are listed there, that God said, they're in a condition acceptable to me.

Verse 13, Hebrews 11, these all died in faith.

Not having received the promises, they may have thought they would live until they showed the return of Jesus Christ, but they died in the faith. They didn't receive the promises, but having seen them afar off or assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They didn't look to this world for salvation. They didn't become entangled in the affairs of this world. They kept their eyes on God and realized, yes, we live in the society, yes, we grow in the society, yes, we learn to say no to the world around us and yes to the ways of God, always submitting ourselves the authorities as long as it doesn't conflict with the ways of God and learning that process as we go through it.

But we're citizens of the land that God has called us to. That's where we look to. They were assured of them, they embraced, they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare the world and say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland, that's what we're looking to, that's what we're going and truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had the opportunity to return.

We all have the opportunity to return to this land and trust in government, trust in man and all those things that have absolutely no basis for any trust. Only God is where we put our trust. But we have the opportunity, God says, if you want that, choose it.

No one in this room, no one listening to this should ever think I'm going back. No, we cling to God. He is the only hope. He is the one who will save all of mankind. He has given the promises, we know them. We are assured of them. We live our lives in that regard. They don't return, they desire a better. That is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared a city for them.

He has prepared, he has prepared a place for us if we continue to grow in faith. Let me close here a little bit, I guess over time, but I want to close here with some verses from Peter. Peter, who we looked at, and he's this example of, he knew it was the son of God, he denied Christ through times, but he learned in faith. And let's look at just a few verses here.

And the first epistle of Peter here, and let's begin in verse, well, let's begin in verse three. And notice how many times, and what he talks about faith in these. This is a faith that he has learned over the course of his life that he's telling us about as God preserved these for us today. Verse three of 1 Peter 1. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith, through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been greed by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you agape, though now you don't see him yet believing the right sense of the word believe, though you do not see him yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Faith that builds through time, faith that builds with agape, both required for salvation, both required to be pleasing to God, both that we are called in this lifetime to build and allow God to build, but we have to make choices along that way, along the way to have that happen, and be conscious of our calling all the time, and remember and have our focus on the return of Jesus Christ, even through times that change, and even through times that may look one way, but always remembering that God's word stands, and God will do what he says. Never a time to sleep, but always to be awake, always to be working with God, allowing him to work with us, building that agape, and building the unshakable faith that will see us through and with Christ, and with his spirit, be able to overcome ourselves and the world around us.