Answers to Prayers: Only A Matter of Faith?

I did want to take a little bit of time before diving into the sermon just to share our camp experience. For any who've been to our camp programs, you realize just how wonderful they are. And to those who haven't been, I encourage you to consider it any age you are to, if this is something you'd like to do. It's one of the amazing programs that we have in our church. It's an opportunity, whether it's for pre-teen, to help them to start developing relationships together and to realize that this calling that we have joins us together, pulls us and unites us very tightly together, and to cherish that opportunity that we have, similar to what we get to experience at the feast and things like that, where we're all together.

But then as they progress and get into teens and motions develop and personalities develop more and likes and dislikes for boys and girls start to develop even more, it's a wonderful opportunity to continue to bring these teens together. And so it was our first year to be at a teen program, and we were very encouraged to just see how it ran and to see how well it was ran.

My nephew, Aaron Creech, was the camp director. He's over in eastern Pennsylvania as a pastor. And so being my nephew, he put his family to quite a bit of work. So we were asked to run an escape room for the program. And has anybody ever done an escape room? No, not too many. A lot of our youth are doing these things now. An escape room, there's commercial ones available right now.

They're popping up all over the place and popping up so rapidly that some of them, I think, are failing because they just don't get enough support. But an escape room is like a kind of a... it would be like not a room just like this, but maybe a themed room in a strip mall or someplace like that where people pay money and you get 60 minutes to solve puzzles to find clues and do different things to then finally be able to get the final clue that you can then escape the room.

Most have pretty decent themes. There are some with dark themes, so we encourage you to definitely avoid those. But there are quite a few that have some pretty good themes, like maybe a classroom, for example, an elementary school classroom. So they'll have a teacher's desk. They'll have maybe something on the chalkboard, but it's written in code, and so you have to find the decipher for that code and different things like that. You have to explore the room, open up desk drawers, and find a key, and then figure out where that key goes to things. And so we were asked to kind of set one of these up. The theme was the camp director was kidnapped.

I felt like it was a safe one to go with, better than some of the other options. But it needs an error. He found... the program or the description was that the camp director found a biblical artifact, and thieves were looking to take it. And so they kidnapped him, hoping to get it. And so the campers were to find that Bible artifact in the escape room that we had. So that was our theme. That was our idea. And it went really well. A lot of fun seeing the campers work together, seeing them fail together. That's part of the camp program, to see where they run into difficulties, whether it's communication, maybe somebody getting bored with it and saying, I just want to sit out.

But then that was a draw... took away from their team effort. And so it's one of these opportunities that they get something fun, something challenging to do, but then also to debrief at the end and consider what went right, what went wrong, how to make some changes for the future.

Along with that, my nephew asked me to DJ a dance. That was my first experience ever doing that. I hope it's my last. That was not my forte, but I did it. After the fifth time in asking, I felt like at that point I had to say yes, because if a family asks you that many times, then they're either in a bind or they got no other options.

So I... maybe that's the same thing. Maybe it was the same. And then I also shared a message, a sermon, a Switzerland sermon, and then one of the Christian livings that they do. And so Lord and I were also dorm parents there. I'll get into that in a message in a little bit. But it was a great opportunity. Kelce had a wonderful time, met a lot more friends from the Midwest, more in the Minneapolis, Wisconsin, Illinois area, all the way down to Missouri.

We had people all over from the United States, California, Florida, Texas. Being our only winter camp, it draws a lot of the people from all over the United States, which was which was wonderful. It was cold, but I'm not complaining because you got the same weather here.

We just, I think, got it about a day earlier than you guys did the entire time. But the choice was that you could maybe stay indoors. And we didn't have that option. We were out playing winter games, somewhat snowboarding on the Sunday that we were gone, which I think got down to negative 10 that night. And so they were there after sunset. So the, you know, the temperature dropped super quick after the sun goes down. So they were snowboarding and outdoors in about zero degree weather. And so they got back pretty chilly. Everybody was safe, though, and so it was a good time. It was just neat seeing the attitudes and seeing everybody work together and just make the best of everything that we had. Thankfully, our escape room was indoors, so we didn't have to brave the winter too much. I did go out with our sister, our daughter Dorm, since we were dorm parents, I went out and watched them play, I guess you'd say it was hockey, but without the ice. It was just a hockey rink with cement floor. And so they were running around with the sticks, and it was probably about two degrees that day. And they're stripping off their jackets, taking off their hat and their gloves, because they're running around hot. And I'm hopping on the sideline just trying to stay warm. And I could only be there for about 30 minutes before I, I'm sorry, ladies, I got to go inside. This is just way too cold. And so those who are running those activities, of course, they don't have the option I did. I ran away for warmth, and they have to stay out there the whole time. But it was a good program. I encourage anybody who's wanting to go to winter camp or any of our camps to serve, or to take part of it to consider it. It's open for all ages, with experience or without, for example, a brand new DJ. No experience needed, but so if that's something that you ever want to do, it's a great opportunity. While we were there, leading into the message, we had time to dive into this last summer's camp theme, which was building your relationship with God. That was the national camp theme for all the camps all summer, and it carried on into winter camp. This topic is such an important one, because our teams are building their relationship with God. As we were talking as adults, standing around, talking about the theme, we realized this is a lifelong theme for all of us. Because no matter where you are at in life, we're all building our relationship with God, and it's a continuation every day. Each day, there were different Christian living classes, which were presented by different people to support a sub-theme of that major theme. Some of the sub-themes were our calling or the part, some of the sub-themes to support the main theme, the first one was, God is calling. We want our youth to remember that it's a promise of His, that He is calling them today. It's not a future calling, that they have to become 18 or something at that point. But God is actually working with our children through parents, through grandparents, through family.

God has went through His word, we see He works through families, and God is calling. He often works through families. But God is calling even our youth today. The second sub-theme was building with faith. That's one that I shared a message on or shared a Christian living with, that it takes faith in God, that He is who He is, says He is, and that if He is, He's a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. His promises are there. So that was our second sub-theme. The third was pray with purpose, encouraging the campers to continue having their relationship with God.

And then the fourth was learn from God, meaning other opportunities, whether it's here at Sabbath services or God's word or other areas. And then the fifth was respond to God, meaning at some point our teens have to recognize this is an opportunity that they get to choose. Are you going to follow God and make Him part of your life? Because it's a choice. No one's going to force them to do it. So these themes all point back to that main of building a relationship with God. And as I mentioned, I was asked to give the one on faith. Faith is a critical element that a Christian must be developing and continuing to maintain throughout their life. It's not easy, always easy, to have faith in what we can't see and can't completely understand. But we know from Hebrews 11 verse 6, and that's where we'll spend quite a bit of time today, in Hebrews 11, and in verse 6, that it's impossible to please God if we do not have faith.

This is Hebrews 11 and verse 6.

Here in Hebrews 11, 6, the verse reads, While at times in our life, our faith can be hit by really difficult challenges that we face, we know we can't allow ourselves to remain in these low points when our faith is seems, maybe it even seems like it's wavering. I sometimes use the analogy of pitching a tent versus building a house in this type of an example. We do have ebbs and flows of life. Challenges come. Sometimes there are highs. Sometimes we have lows. But one of the things that can never stray or vary too much is our faith in God and His promises. When we're at these difficult times, sometimes we have to be there for a little bit. God doesn't just deliver us from this difficulty or this challenge right away. I've heard the analogy of building a tent versus building a house in these instances. We can choose to have a temporary dwelling, one that we know this is not where I want to build a home, but yet I have to endure through this challenge. I have to be here for a little bit. But I'm not going to build a brick home, because brick homes are permanent. That's a place that I'm going to stay. And so often I'll use that analogy when we talk about the highs and lows of life, of pitching a tent, not building a home.

At these low moments, we desperately desire a way of escape, a way of healing, or a way that God will provide direction that we're asking for in our life. And that's at these times we are often seeking direction and answers from God that we go to Him in faith, knowing that His promises stand true and that He will show us the direction and guide us through the process. Something I've heard said before is, if they only had more faith in God, they would be healed of their health trial.

You may have heard this personally about a difficulty that you've gone through.

Is this an accurate statement? Can this statement be supported from Scripture?

In the message today, we'll look at how faith is complete trust in a holy and sovereign God despite our circumstances, and that faith is not a way to control God and force Him to give us what we want. I'm kind of going ahead and giving you the answer to today's question. Because I've heard it said before, if they only had more faith in God, they would be healed of their health trial.

We're going to explore whether that's an accurate statement or not. So what is faith? I think the most straightforward and simplest answer that we have is right here in God's Word. It's in the same book that we're already here in Hebrews 11. But let's look at Hebrews 11 verse 1.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In the New Living Translation, the verse reads, faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen. What we hope for will actually happen. It gives us assurance of things we cannot see.

As I mentioned earlier, faith is one of those critical components to our Christian calling.

Laura and I had an opportunity to be dorm parents at winter camp this year. A dorm parent are usually a husband and wife team who comes into the dorm in the evening while the dorm is starting to get settled. The counselors usually have kind of a debrief session for the day. What went well, what didn't. They'll review maybe the things coming up for tomorrow on their schedule, what they would like to maybe see. And so the dorm parents are invited in to be part of this discussion. We take a back seat to the counselors, but often the questions that the counselors or that the campers have get focused to the dorm parents. One of them that they always, I understand, they always like to know. And so I'm thankful we got a little bit of a heads up. They want to know our story. How did me and Mrs. Phelps meet? And how did I propose to her? And different things like that. It was with a G4, so it's the oldest girl's dorm. I don't think the oldest boy's dorm would be as concerned with that, but the girls were. They like to have just to talk about different things. And it also opens up and gets them an opportunity to get to know us personally. But then as camp goes on, as the week goes on, a lot of these questions start getting a lot heavier hitting. A lot more about Bible, about trials. You'd be, maybe you wouldn't be amazed at some of the difficulties some of these teens have gone through in their lives. Split homes, parents, siblings who they cannot get along with because the siblings are making horrible choices and that go contrary to God's Word and bringing that into the family. Some really difficult things, and they're wanting to err, and they're not embarrassed to let other teens hear. They're very aware that the situation is sensitive, but they're wanting some help, and they're wanting to see from their own peers ideas and things. But one of the good questions that come up, because this was one of our highlights of being at camp, was that one of the young ladies in the dorm wrote on a piece of paper. She didn't want to ask the question. I don't know if she was nervous or what, but she was saying, what are the steps in becoming baptized?

I thought that was an awesome question. It's one of those that when you get it, whether it's from a teen or from an adult, everybody always realizes that this calling is so great. To be willing to commit our lives to God in baptism is the biggest commitment any of us will ever make.

In the note, she wrote that she knows God is real, and she's trying to live her life according to his word, but that she's never talked to anybody about baptism. She had some questions, some unknowns about it. I understand she'd never been to a Passover, so she always wondered what that was like, and so we dove into that a little bit. But it's great to be able to have that opportunity of talking about where belief in God and that he is who he says he is, and his promises are for us all, and that belief then leads to faith and having faith that we have to change our lives and live according to God's word, which is we do the best we can, and when we slip up and we fail, we recognize that that's where repentance comes in and the need to have our sins forgiven, and then ultimately through Christ's blood to have them completely wiped clean, which then is through baptism and actually committing yourself that final step of being reconciled with God and receiving that gift of his Holy Spirit. So it's awesome when these types of questions come up, and faith being one of those critical components of this whole experience, this whole commitment of becoming baptized. In Ephesians 1, we read that a little bit about this commitment. Actually, a lot about this commitment, actually, in Ephesians 1, because here in Ephesians 1, we realize that through baptism we receive the Holy Spirit, which is our down payment on eternal life. It's this unbelievable gift that God will freely give to those who sincerely commit their lives to him. Ephesians 1, verse 13. Ephesians 1, verse 13.

In him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory.

This aspect of the Holy Spirit being our guarantee of our inheritance is vitally important for us to remember. Though the word here guarantee can also mean a pledge, that is, or part of the purchase money or property given in advance as a security. Many times you'll think of it as earnest money, something that you want to purchase or something you want to have, and to have that down payment already made so that you're already on your way of obtaining that item that you're wanting.

Often you have to make payments or you have to continue your part of the deal, but that down payment's already paid. And we do have our responsibilities that we are to walk, as we know in James, according to God's word. There is an aspect that we fulfill to this, but yet God has already gone the distance, an amazing distance, to pay the down payment for our eternal life.

So as we go back to Hebrews 11 verse 1 again, well, I'll just reference the Scripture. We don't need to turn there. We're going to turn back there in a little bit. But going back to Hebrews 11, 1 again from the New Living Translation, faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen. That faith component, that what God has promised, that we can have confidence that this hope that we have in all of His promises will actually happen. And going on, it gives us assurances about the things we cannot see. Again, to connect with the campers, I use the example of feast gifts as a physical example of this. Growing up in the church, I remember every feast receiving those great, awesome feast gifts from my mom and dad and from others in the church and family members and things like that. And at first, I don't remember when I got received that first gift. It just seemed like part of the feast was receiving these gifts. But then growing up and becoming two and three and four and five, then you start expecting, kind of, you know, this is what mom and dad does. This is part of the feast experience. It doesn't have to be, but for most parents, that's what we do.

And so, those expectations of receiving those gifts are there. I didn't see my parents gotten by the gifts. I didn't see where they might have kept them as we traveled to the site.

But when we got there, I had full assurance that there was going to be at least one gift, maybe a couple that I'd be able to have. That's a physical example of what we have. But yet, you and I have been given so much by God. Whether you were born and raised in the church and this is part of your life, or whether this was God called you to this way and you made a major change in your life and you started following Him, you started realizing that this way comes with blessings. It comes with changes that impact your life in a positive way. And then you started living that life and realizing, yeah, this way works. God's way works. And then comes, we read His Word and we know all the promises that yet we have not received, but they're out there. They're for us to receive. And if God's given us these promises, these smaller ones, or these maybe even big promises so far, what's in store for us down the road, He will, because of His faith, honor that. He's not one who promises things and then says, well, I'm going to change my mind later on. No, He is faithful to us to give us the promises that He wants to give. We go forward in life with this faith and the unseen, as described in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 5. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 5.

Here in 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes, Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. In other scripture referencing this guarantee. Verse 6, So we are always confident, knowing while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. And verse 7 is a critical one I want to point out. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We walk by faith. We get out of bed. We make choices in our life by faith, not by sight because of the promises that are still down the road that we can't see yet. If I was to ask everybody to stand up and come to this side of the room and to walk across it and go through the door and out the back towards the shed out back, it'd be pretty easy for you to do today. It wouldn't take much faith in me because you'd see the lights are on, you know there's a doorway, you're familiar with this room. You'd probably be willing to do that if I asked. But what if I blindfolded you, took you to a whole another location, it was night out, it was a dark room, and I did the same thing. I said, I want you to walk through this room. There's a door on the other side that you can't see, but it's there. Trust me, it'd take a whole other level of faith that there wasn't an obstacle on the way to trip over chairs or maybe a pit with an alligator. I don't know. That it wouldn't be something there that I would be leading you astray with. It would take quite a different amount of faith in that second scenario than it would be here today. That's an aspect of faith that walking by faith, not by sight, leads us to another concept of faith that is vital for us to understand, and that faith is a complete trust in a holy and sovereign God despite our circumstances.

And it's not a way to control God and force Him to give us what we want. We have to believe that God is faithful and will honor all of His promises that He has made to each one of us.

And when we have faith in God, He will align our desires with His purpose when we pray for His will to be done in our lives. You can put in your notes Romans 8 verse 28. Romans 8 verse 28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who love God, to those who are called, once again, that calling that we've received according to His purpose.

So we know that we have faith in God and that He will align our desires with His purpose.

That's one of the key components to this message I want to share because we're going to get into something in a little bit that's going to question that a little bit. Is that how God works in our lives? Because there's a thought in Christianity today that I really want to address with this topic. And we'll get into it in a little bit, but it gets down to the crux of this, that when we have faith in God, He will align our desires with His purpose. Sometimes in life we may try to force our desires ahead and God may allow us to do things our way. I know it's happened to me more times than I can count, but I've tried to say this is the direction I think I need to go. I'm going to grab the steering wheel. I'm going to steer the car this direction and God may let me go there, but that's not according to what He wants for me, but He's going to allow it because there's something for me to learn and something that He wants me to see. And more often than not, it's that it doesn't quite work out so great when I'm the one that's driving the car. So even when we try to force things in life, ultimately this is still according to God's ultimate plan for us, because God works all things for good. James gives a warning about it, though, about our motives when we ask something of God. James 4 verse 2. Let's turn there. Because we can ask a miss of God. We can ask from a motivation that is not right. And sometimes we may go ahead based on us asking and thinking that this is where we should go, and God may allow us to go forward.

But here in James 4 verse 2, actually let's go ahead and read starting in verse 1. James 4 verse 1. Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure, that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask a miss that you may spend it on your pleasures. Has that ever happened to us before that we've asked because we had our own motivations in mind? In the New Living Translation for verse 2 it reads, yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong. You want only what will give you pleasure. Sometimes we think that this is what God wants for us. Sometimes we think this is what we need. But often if we only received pleasure in life, would we develop the fruit that comes from enduring pain or challenge? Sometimes in life, as parents, you want to give your kid everything they ask for. And it sometimes hurts to not give them what they want. But we have a responsibility that some things we can't give because it's not for their benefit. We know it actually would be for their detriment. If we only focus on whatever our request is, getting back to the Scripture here in James, then we run the risk of being left with nothing if our request is refused. For example, if we were to ask God for this one thing that we need most important in our whole life, and we put all of our eggs in that one request, and if there's no way for us to have peace or satisfaction or happiness, if that request is not made, then what do we run, what risk do we run if that request is not honored? If all of our eggs are in that one basket, that that's the only way that I'll be happy in life, the only way that I'll be successful in life. And if God says no, we run a huge risk. Sometimes the only thing we're left with at the end of a request is that original faith that we're asking it in. Sometimes that's all that we have left. When God says no, or maybe not yet, we have to go back to our faith in Him that He knows what's best for us. He's looking out for our best interest. He's a God that has promises for those who endure to the end. And so we got to make sure that we don't just ask expecting only one answer, and if we don't get that answer, then there is no God or there is no faithful God, because He's not answering my prayers that I'm asking in sincerity. We have to remember we don't want to be left with nothing if our request is said no or not yet. So I'd like to look at a few ways that we can develop the strong faith that we need to walk by faith and not by sight. Romans chapter 10 gives a great answer as we start off looking at these different ways that we can grow our faith. We can develop a stronger faith. Verses in Romans 10 verse 17.

One of the largest ways that we can grow our faith is right here in Romans 10 verse 17, where the scripture reads, so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

There are multiple ways that we can hear God's word. Just a little bit before that, in Romans 10 verse 14, Paul points out one of them. Romans 10 and verse 14, how then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe on Him in whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher? So we do know the importance of God calling certain individuals to be spokespersons for His word, to be teachers, to be helpers in understanding His word, and that that's a heavy responsibility that is placed on those that He calls. That's one way that we hear His word. But we also know that each of us have a responsibility to study and meditate on God's word individually. You can put in your notes Psalm 119 verse 105. Psalm 119 verse 105, which says, Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

Once again, if we had that dark room analogy where I said, walk by faith across this room, to that there's a door on the other side. If you had God's word as a light, or you had a flashlight that could light your way, you could navigate that dark room. And that's the power of God's word in our lives. We have that source of light, that source of truth, that power that we have in our hands at our disposal. But we have to study it. We have to meditate on it. We have to dive into it.

Another way that we can hear His God is through our conversations with Him, as His Spirit prompts us to. Jeremiah 29 verse 12. Let's turn there real quick.

Because we must be praying to Him all the time. And through those prayers, God can prompt us to listen and to perceive things differently than maybe we went to Him originally in that prayer. There's been more times that I can count than I'm praying about a situation, or I'm praying for just guidance and insight. And in the midst of that prayer comes that guidance, comes that insight.

And God wants to help us through that. He doesn't always answer it right then in that first original prayer. Sometimes it comes through studying His words. Sometimes it comes through counseling. Sometimes it comes through other areas that we can continue to see His fingerprints on the answer that we're desiring to see. But sometimes it does come just from those prayers that He can talk to us through His Spirit and prompt us with our thoughts. Jeremiah 29 verse 12.

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. God is not away on vacation. He's not binge-watching Netflix. He's not someplace where He doesn't want to be bothered by our prayers, by our talking to Him, by our requests, by our needs that we are seeking to find some answers for. Jeremiah 29 verse 12. And I will listen to you, and you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all of your heart. So we grow in faith by hearing God's word expounded, by reading and meditating on His word, and in our prayer time with Him. Another way that we can grow our faith is by remembering that we are not in this alone. I've mentioned Ephesians 4 before. Let's go ahead and turn there again. I try not to overuse this Scripture, but it's one of my favorites because of just what it means to us. And it's so much to the core of who we are as God's people, who we are individually and collectively as God's people, because we are not in this alone. He's called us as family. He's called us as a body of believers. And here in Ephesians 4, it just supports that so beautifully. Ephesians 4, verse 1, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling of which you were called. Again, that calling by God that we know we've received is referenced here to start out. And so how are we to walk? Verse 2, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, all of these powerful action words of our relationship, of how we should be growing together and enduring with one another. And in verse 4, because there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all, that oneness that we have with God's Spirit, I don't have a different Holy Spirit than you do. We have God's Spirit in each of us when we are baptized and when that's given as a gift from Him, that unifies us, that draws us together so that as we are growing in faith, hopefully collectively we're all growing in faith, we're not alone in our Christian calling, we're not alone in our trials and our difficulties. This is part of remembering that we can grow our faith by remembering that we're all enduring with the same finish line out there for each of us. We're all children of God and we all know that that promise of eternal life has already had the down payment paid for. We have to just do our part and endure together as a family and get to the end.

Another way we grow our faith is in by remembering God's promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us. That is in Deuteronomy 31 verse 6. And that He will finish the work that He has started in us. That's Philippians 1 verse 2. Because sometimes, as I mentioned before, the trials and the weight of life, they get heavy. They hit us when we're not expecting it. Or even if we are expecting it, it just still knocks us down. And it's at those moments that sometimes our faith can seem to waver, can seem to wonder. Our thoughts go different directions. But if we go back to God's promises, we realize that I can't stay there. I'm not going to allow my faith to waver to the point where I start to believe myself. We have to realize that His promises are what we have to lean on.

Those promises that He will never leave us and forsake us, and that He will finish that work. Why would He say that if He's just going to let us wander off? He wants to finish that work that He has started in us, and it's one of His promises. Another way that we grow our faith is by remembering the answered prayers and the amazing ways that God has worked in our life. I love using the example of fingerprints, because if I was to go touch a door, you'd see you may not see those fingerprints. And often that's how God works in our lives. He touches our lives. He works in situations around us. And maybe we can't see those fingerprints on the door, but they're there. We just have to learn how to see them, learn how to be in tune with them, learning how to. And that's what life brings, because early in my Christian calling, I had a difficulty wondering, when was God working? Where was He at? What was going on? I couldn't see those fingerprints. But then as you trust and rely more, and you realize He's always there, and you realize and remember His promises, and know that He'll give an answer, He works in our lives powerfully, then you start to realize those fingerprints are all over the place. We just have to realize where they are and to notice them.

So when we're trying to grow our faith, when we're struggling or wanting to just have a stronger faith, we have to remember that God does answer our prayers in amazing ways. Maybe a no, maybe a not yet, but God does answer our prayers, and He has worked amazingly and worked powerfully in our lives. And another way we grow our faith is by making choices, demonstrating to God that we have faith, that He is actively working in our lives. As I was mentioning with those campers about baptism, what does it mean to be baptized? How do I become baptized? What are the steps?

And to realize the component of faith plays in so strongly that if we have faith that God is who He says He is, then we have our part to play, and we want to play that part. We want to follow His way.

And that this is the way that He wants us to live. That we're not just thrown around in the waves of the water, but that He wants us to live this way of life. Let's turn to Proverbs 3 verse 5.

I know this is a kind of a heavy scriptural message. We're doing a lot of referencing scriptures and turning to them. But this is not something I want to just get up here and expound on myself when we talk about what is faith. It's such a critical component to who we are as a Christian that I want to use a lot of God's words today. Proverbs 3 verse 5.

Proverbs 3 verse 5, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. And that's what we do when we go to Him with these prayers of faith. We ask for Him to work in our lives to show us the path that we need to walk, to show us the answers that we're seeking. Not necessarily just choosing the path of life that leads to more money or to power or looking for the path, but really looking for the path that God wants us to lead in our lives. And then, regardless of life circumstances, we must follow God and be actively following Him through our works. As I referenced already, the book of James speaks to faith leads to works, leads to action. We're not just simply to call out on God's name, and that's the end of it, which we'll get into here in a minute, but there's a works component, there's an action component. With this basis, let's address the statement I mentioned earlier. If they only had more faith in God, they would be healed of their health trial.

This could also relate to other things. It could be anything someone's praying for their life, a job, wealth, blessing, you name it. If they only had more faith, is that a fair statement that God would heal them of their health trial? The stance actually has a name in Christian circles today. It's called name it, claim it. This belief is built around the fact that God has numerous promises that he's made to believers, but that believers have to claim the promise before it can become effective. Name it, claim it. What are some of the scriptures? As we dive into God's word continually, let's look at some of the scriptures that they use to support this name it, claim it theology, and see if it holds water. The first, let's look at Matthew 17 verse 19.

This is one of the scriptures in my research that is used to support this name it, claim it belief. Matthew 17 verse 19.

Matthew 17 and verse 19.

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, Why could we not cast it out? The referencing being sent out and trying to cast out demons and it didn't work, didn't go so well.

In verse 20, Christ says, And so Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief, for assuredly I say to you, If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.

At first glance, it seems pretty straightforward, right?

If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can do whatever you want. Nothing will be impossible.

But it takes two things to move mountains. One is faith, as it says here and as we've gone through so far in the sermon, it does take faith. But the second part takes the power of God according to His will. The answer to the things we pray about in our lives are directly related for God's will in our life. This was a teaching lesson for the disciples. Were they doing things of their own, or were they fully trusting God? Full faith in God comes with knowing that we are in His mighty and powerful hands at all times. And as I said, He's never not away from us, where we can't call on Him. And that He always works for our good over the long term. An example that Christ was getting at is the spiritual mountains that we all face many times in life.

He was using this physical analogy as He often did, was to get to a much greater spiritual analogy of the mountains that you and I face. Sometimes it is those challenges, sometimes it is those trials that come up in life. But He's saying that if you have faith that God can move those mountains. He's the one that can work mightily in our lives. He's the one that can provide a way of escape when we need it, not by our own hands, but through His action and working in our lives. That's one of the scriptures that they use. Another misuse of scripture is from Romans 10 verse 13.

Romans 10 in verse 13.

Romans in verse 13 reads, For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Again, with a limited view of this scripture, it can seem kind of straightforward. But we know from scripture that the kingdom of God is not here yet on this earth. And to be saved from our own lives, we needed a Savior who has overcome this world. Some other, so in the same vein as this one, some other scriptures that are misused is Mark 1 verse 14. So you can just kind of keep jotting these down or turning with me if you like, because these are all in the similar thought of belief, that all we need is belief. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Or whoever believes will receive what they ask. Mark 1 verse 14. Mark 1 verse 14. After John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe in the gospel. So maybe belief is all that we need. Again, Mark 16 verse 15. Same book, but just forward. Mark 16 verse 15.

Mark 16 and verse 15. And he said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. So is belief all that we need. The name it, claim it. If you believe it, it has to happen.

But we know from Scripture, included with belief, is the keeping of God's commandments. You can put in your notes 1 John 5 verse 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. And let's turn to John 14 and verse 15.

John 14 and verse 15.

If you love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever. We understand that these Scriptures, if taken out of context, can lead one to believe that that's all that you need is belief. That name it, claim it idea. But is that it? Let's dive into this theology a little bit more, because these are some of the Scriptures they use. I was surprised to realize that this is the bulk. This is the core of what they believe, and there's so much more that's being ignored from God's Word. If you don't dive into more Scriptures, if that's all you want to read, and that's all you want to believe, yeah, you can maybe make it fit. But I want to continue to look at some other aspects, because this is a problem with the name it, claim it, belief. Let's look at how it's described from a couple different sources. Okay, the first one I'm going to quote from is Wikipedia. So don't look at me too crazily, because in a lot of research, I was looking from a lot of different areas, and Wikipedia kind of took a lot of the different thoughts and summarized it down pretty concisely. I don't quote from Wikipedia too often, but here I am, because they did a pretty good job at locking this one in pretty tight. From wikipedia.com, Prosperity Theology, which is also known as Word of Faith, Prosperity Gospel, Health and Wealth Gospel, or Gospel of Success, so you might have heard some of those. The definition they use is, a religious belief that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth. Prosperity Theology views the Bible as a contract between God and humans. If humans have faith in God, he will deliver security and prosperity. That's one of the trains of thought out there, one of the movements in theology right now. Another definition, this one's from rationalwiki.org, rationalwiki.org, and it defines name it, claim it. This is, the Bible contains numerous promises from God to Christian believers, but that believers have to claim the promise before it becomes effective.

Barbara Enrike, an American author, wrote a book entitled, This Land is Their Land, Reports from a Divided Nation. That's the title of the book. And her quote, and from it, she's referencing this newer theology. In her quote, she says, our critical faculties were dimmed by the habit, a demic of the 2000s, of magical thinking. One of the biggest self-help bestsellers of the era tells you how you can have anything you want simply by willing it. And the fiction side of the bookstore was ruled by a young magician in training. So she's talking about both sides of the bookstore in this magical thought. She goes on to say, the fastest growing brand of religion is of the magical name it, claim it variety, in which the deity exists only to meet one's immediate self-identified needs. That's how she ends that comment. By having a belief that we can get what we want, rather than having a full and complete faith in God, even during times of severe trials or challenges, we are simply playing God. That's what we are doing when we have this mindset. We are playing God. As we looked at before, faith is a complete trust in a holy and sovereign God, despite our circumstances, not a way to control God and force Him to give us what we want. And ultimately, this false teaching gets down to this premise. What you think or believe will happen is ultimately what controls what will happen. What you think or believe will happen is ultimately what controls what will happen. This belief is just plain wrong and is not scriptural at all. And not only that, it's actually dangerous as it can lead to doubt, discouragement, disappointment, or loss of faith. All of these things that Satan tries to use against us, doubt, discouragement, trying to weaken and undermine our faith, so that we must go on today, being very careful when we hear similar beliefs to this teaching. To counter this belief, though, let's look at Christ's own words in Matthew 16. That's again, go back to the source of truth, because there are so many scriptures that speak to the difficulties we have in life, the challenges, the trials, enduring that is needed. We don't have enough time to dive into every single one of them.

But here in Matthew 16, we have Jesus Christ making the statement that we must be willing to aside anything that we desire, even our own lives. Matthew 16 and verse 24.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. We'll pause for a minute right there, because that's one verse with a lot of meat to it. If anyone desires to come after me, this desire, this choice that you and I have made to come after Christ, it's a choice. It's not a forcing. Nobody is standing behind us saying, you must walk this path. Christ is saying, if anyone desires, if anyone chooses to come after me, let him deny himself. This isn't the same type of deny, like I had one donut for breakfast, so I'll deny myself the second donut. That's not the type of deny that Christ is getting here. He's talking about the same denying that Peter did when Peter said, I do not know that man.

When Peter denied Christ, we know that Peter utterly denied him, completely denied Christ. That's the same use of this word deny here, that Christ is saying, let him, let you and me, utterly deny ourselves, our nature, our way of thought. And then he says, and take up his cross.

Bear the difficulties that come with living life the right way, whether that's personal tribulation, whether that's other challenges that you have, but removing any doubt, refusing to let our faith waver, knowing that his promises are true and that we have to hold to this part, to take up his cross. It's lowercase h, not capital, so it's referring to us. It's referring to you and me, our personal crosses that we must bear. And then finally, follow me. Follow Christ to walk and step right behind Christ on that trail in the woods, not to get found over in the thorns, to get tripped up and fall off the side of the cliff, but to follow Christ in action, in word, in whatever ways that we are to do. Again, verse 24, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me, and continuing on, for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? What does it matter if you become the CEO of the biggest company in this country? Have the most money, have the nicest car, have the perfect health? What's it matter if you gain the things of this world, but in the process of it, you lose your own soul? Verse 27, for the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works. Christ's message through these scriptures is one of self-denial, but the name-it-claim-it belief is one of self-satisfaction.

This name-it-claim-it belief avoids becoming more Christ-like because it falls into the idea that we can avoid enduring through the challenges of life. If we just claim it, that's all we have to do. Just claim it. Does it take faith to be healed? Absolutely, it takes faith to be healed.

But again, what is faith? We've defined faith already in this message today. Many believe faith is simply believing in the existence of God and in Jesus, but Gary Petty, in one of his more recent Beyond Today programs, made the statement, faith is more than just belief in God's existence. Real faith transforms one's life. Going back again, what is baptism? What is the importance of faith in it? That we live a new life. We follow a new master. Not our own hearts, not our own desires, but we follow God in the way that He wants us to live our lives. In doing so, it transforms one's life. So again, let's look at Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 1.

It's important to kind of wrap back around to Hebrews chapter 11. Once again, verse 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it, the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Verse 6. But without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. If your sights are only focused on the healing or something else that you want from God, then you may not be able to see what else God is doing or what else He is desiring for your life. It's kind of like those horses downtown that pull the carriages with the blinders on. They can only see whatever is in front of them. And if that's our goals in life, these desires, these hopes that we have to have is the only thing we can see, we could maybe miss what's going on next to us as God is working around us. Maybe He's giving answers. Maybe He's providing guidance. But if we live with those blinders on, because that's the only thing we can allow ourselves to see, that's the only outcome to the situation that we deem necessary or possible, we may miss the other things that God is doing, the powerful things that He is doing in our life. Because in Ephesians 2, verse 10, we can turn there. We're not too far from Ephesians 2, verse 10. We realize that He is working powerfully in our life. Ephesians 2, verse 10.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, that we are His workmanship. It's kind of like that lump of clay sitting there on the potter's wheel. God is that master craftsman. He is that master potter. There is nobody better at shaping or molding clay, and we have to be that clay.

So that clay had nerve endings, and if it could cry out, it probably would as it's being worked, as it's being changed, because it's fine being a lump of clay. But is that what God, that master craftsman, is that all He had in store for it? Or does He need to shape it and ultimately fire it to make it usable in another fashion, to make it worthy of what He wants it to become? We are that clay. We are His workmanship. Sometimes through trials, most of the time through trials, through challenges, is when we are shaped, when we are changed, when we realize that our faith has to depend on Him, that we can't waver. And so just like that clay that's being changed into something that's going to serve a useful purpose, something that the clay doesn't have an idea of, many times we have no idea what God is doing in our lives. Why is He allowing this to happen? But we know it's for a purpose, because we see that purpose in His Word. We know that He's transforming us to be more like His Son, and we have to allow Him to transform our lives, because we are His workmanship. Did Paul lack faith? And that's why his health problems was never healed, even though he asked God of it three times. But if his faith was only stronger, I'm sure God would have healed him. Is that why he was never healed? No, but God said that his grace was sufficient for Paul, and that through God's strength, he would be seen as being made perfect through his weaknesses.

Let's actually read 2 Corinthians 12 verse 9.

I don't want to just paraphrase it, because I probably did a poor job.

Let's turn to 2 Corinthians 12 verse 9.

Let's actually start in verse 8, where Paul actually asks, Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times, and it might depart from me.

And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Therefore, most gladly, I'd rather boast in my infirmities, this is Paul speaking again, than that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

So we know that Paul didn't lack faith. What about Paul when he was in prison? Did he lack faith, and that's why he was found in prison? What about John the Baptist? Did he lack faith, ultimately in prison and then led to his beheading? We know that this is ridiculous. We know that this is not the problem. And actually, if we continue reading in Hebrews chapter 11, we'd see many were martyred, many died for the faith that you and I have, the belief, and holding strong to it. Were there doubts? Did they lack faith, and that's why their end came the way it did? We must understand God's word and the desires that he has for our lives to counter this wrong thinking of name it, claim it. When this type of earthly thought begins in our mind, we must remember that those who are faithful did not have all their prayers answered in this physical life because it was not in their best interest over the long term according to God's perfect will. It first takes belief in God to build faith, and as we grow in faith in God, we continually put more and more of our life into God's hands. Whatever it is that God decides to do in our lives, real faith is being at peace with God's sovereignty, his decisions for us, and we must remember that our hope can never be diminished because it rests on the promises of God. Hope that a better future time is coming to this earth and to our lives. Hope that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Hope of an internal resurrection full of complete healing and restoration. God did not send his son, our Savior, to give us complete health, wealth, and happiness right now today. Christ came as an example to the world of God's fullness, dwelling in men, and he came to give us life, and in doing so, paid the penalty for our sins so that we may have eternal life. Let's finish today looking at Romans 8 verse 16.

Romans 8 verse 16.

The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together, that we may suffer with him, that ultimately we may also be glorified together.

So I wanted to share this message. It's been one that I've been thinking on for quite a while. I didn't want to, since it is such an important message, one of faith, one of the cornerstones of who we are as Christians and who we are as to God, that we must be developing this faith to honor him, because this thought is prevalent in the world. And as a shepherd and as one that is looking out and doing the best I can with God's help, I wanted to point that out, because at times these thoughts enter into our walk. They enter into our Christianity and onto our fellowship. And we need to see when these thoughts enter in that they don't hold water, that they are wrong, because the world is full of wrong religious ideas, and this is one of them that's very prevalent right now. I don't need to name names. You know who I'm probably talking about. Some of the preachers said, all you have to do is turn on Sunday morning TV, and you can see them. It's not accurate. It doesn't hold water. There's a lot being missed from their message. But we have God's truth, and we know that our faith doesn't have to waver. And so I wanted to share this with you. I wanted you to know just this balance what God's word says on it, not just what somebody else says, because there's times where I've seen it from members that they'll say, maybe on a Facebook post, just claim it. Those that little two words, just claim it. And we have to be able to realize that that's not scriptural. That's not accurate. It's one that I don't see too often, but it's prevalent and up there enough that I deemed it was important praying over and God continuing to lead this over many weeks of development of this message. I could share this with you and with the other congregations up here in Michigan. So, as we always do, we study God's word, we dive deep into it, and we know what his promises are. And we also know how the end of the book works out. That those who are faithful to the end win through Christ and through God's great and miraculous plan, through their power of the Holy Spirit that sits and resides in each of us. That greatness that you and I have, that we can go on and we can live strong lives. We can endure challenges, but our faith can't waver. Our hope can't be extinguished. Those are promises that are true and that we can go to sleep knowing that our God is looking out for us, and he'll finish that work that he started.