The Just Shall Live by Faith

In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in death often.

From the Jews five times I received forty stripes, minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods.

Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. At night and the day I have been in the deep, deep water, as we heard in Mr. Klein's message. In journeys often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Besides the other things what come upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches.

Those words were written by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 23 and 28, and they're incredible to me because they highlight what it was the Apostle Paul was willing to endure for his service to God and the people of God. And I have to admit, when I read the Bible, Paul is one of my biggest heroes of the scriptures. You know, the places he went, the things he was willing to do for God to step out. As Mr. Klein said, this life and this Christian life, it is about risk at a degree, but if God is with you, truly the blessing is there with you as well. But one must still step out. And as I read the stories of Paul and his travels and the various things that he faced in his ministry, one might wonder just where did his unique strength and perseverance come from? What was the source of his courage that kept him going forward? And how can you and I, for ourselves, grab hold of that, have that same level of endurance as we serve God in this life today? Fortunately, Apostle Paul, he doesn't leave us guessing. He's a very prolific writer in the New Testament. We have a lot of insight into his thinking, into what it was that was his perspective on the work of God. And when it comes to his ability to remain steadfast in God's service, he doesn't leave us guessing. In fact, he expresses the answer specifically, at least three times direct in wording, and I would say indirectly he expresses the answer a number more times than that in the New Testament as well, the emphatic answer to his own endurance, the just shall live by faith. The just shall live by faith. It's a quote which comes directly from Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 4, and one that has been in my minds and, you know, on my mind in recent days, I've I said I went down to see Gladys earlier this week and to see what it was that occurred around her place as the wildfires closed in and moved past. I'll get to that in a little bit, but the just shall live by faith is something that has really just been front and center to my focus and my thinking. What does that term mean? Why did the practice of it give the apostle Paul so much courage in the face of his hardships? And, brethren, how can you and I embrace such a perspective in our lives today? I want to explore the concept through the sermon, the just shall live by faith, and that is the title of the message today. Let's begin in Romans chapter 5 with understanding what it means to be the just, because that's the starting point, these individuals who live by faith. They actually have a certain standing before God. Romans chapter 5 and verse 1. Who are the just, and how do we be counted among the just? Romans chapter 5 and verse 1. The apostle Paul says, therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And in a nutshell, this is the definition. Those who are the just are those who have been justified, made right in the sight of God. It's a condition of righteousness, whereby we've had our sins washed away in the blood of the Lamb. We've been reconciled to God, and He has extended indeed to us a level of His righteousness, and we are in right standing with Him. We become the just when we've been justified through the sacrifice of His dear Son. Verse 8 continues into the same concept. Romans chapter 5 verse 8. It says, but God demonstrates His own love towards us, and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us much more than having now been justified by His blood. It says, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

And so the just are people of a spiritual standing. Again, not a standing that is of and by themselves. It's a standing which God has attributed to them as they have come under the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, as they have reached out by faith to God. Again, embrace that sacrifice and have been made right with Him. They are now counted as the righteous. And if they conduct themselves day by day walking righteously by the standard of God, they are considered, according to the words of the Apostle Paul, the just. And the expression we have today that we're considering is that the just, these individuals, will live by faith. They're going to be successful in this calling. That indeed will be the pattern of their lives, just as it was with the Apostle Paul, just as it was with Peter. And it's a condition that begins according to faith.

That's what we had. Let's go back. Romans 5 verse 1. That's what Paul said.

Therefore, having been justified by faith. So it takes faith in the beginning to be among the just. That's where it starts. But it doesn't by any means end there. It actually takes faith to continue going on being the just and to be those who live by faith. And they have the ability to walk in a way that is according to God's calling. It's an ongoing way of life. The just shall live by faith every day. Currently, I'm counseling five people for baptism between here locally as well as in West Africa. And faith is critical to that process of understanding what's this relationship about and what it is I have to have worked out in my own heart as I go under those waters of baptism. It's faith towards God. It's faith in His word that it indeed is true.

It's faith that Jesus Christ is the truth in the way and the life. That He is the Son of God.

That He is the Messiah, the one who gave His life. It's faith that there is no other name given on earth among men by which we must be saved. That He is the Savior sent by God into the world. So the just shall live by faith begins with the process of faith in our lives from the beginning of this relationship with God. And it continues on as an ongoing process of living faith all throughout our lives so that there's never a point that the people of God would say, okay, I've overcome this process. I'm done with the faith and I can carry on in some other way. The just shall live by faith. The book of Hebrews gives us a vital insight into what this faith looks like and frankly the impact that it has on the people of God and the actions that will spring forth from living according to that faith. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 11, known as the faith chapter. Hebrews chapter 11, and here we get a definition of what faith is. And actually, we have the expressions of what that faith looks like in action. Hebrews chapter 11, and beginning in verse 1, says, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it the elders obtained a good testimony. Biblical faith, brethren, is a deep and abiding belief in God and the promises of God. It's really that simple. It's a deep and abiding belief in God and the promises of God. It's easy for us as human beings to believe in something that we can see, isn't it? You know, you can look out the window, you can see the cars going by, you can see the trees in the parking lot, and you believe they're there. They're true. You can go up and touch them. You can climb the trees, and it's easy when we can see something, we can smell something, we can taste something. It's easy to have belief, to have faith in that way. But, you know, it's much harder to believe in what we cannot see or in the things which have not yet taken place.

And yet God asks us to do just that, and it's called faith. Again, the substance of things hoped for, right? You hope for it. It's future. It has not yet arrived. The evidence of things not seen. So there is substance, and there is evidence, but it's linked to something that is really beyond the physical senses in many ways yet to be revealed. Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 7 says, we walk by faith, not by sight. You know, it takes a huge degree of effort for us as human beings to do that. After all, seeing is believing, right? I'll see it. I'll believe it when I see it, when I touch it, when I smell it, when I'll taste it. But God says, indeed, as my people, you walk by faith and not by sight. To trust in God's faithfulness and to believe that He will fulfill His promises, which cannot yet be fully seen, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, but it's not here yet. But it does become a part of our lives. But to actively live for those things requires faith towards Him. And indeed, God gives us the faith if we ask.

Ephesians 2, verse 8 tells us the faith is a gift of God. So it's not something we can just sort of muster up by our own strength and our own power. God gives that to us, but it also comes as a result of a relationship with Him by which it is developed. But we also have to do our part.

So as we read through Hebrews chapter 11, it's filled with examples of individuals who acted upon their faith. They believed in God to the point that they uprooted their lives in some cases in order to follow where He said, you go there. Whatever it was they were doing, they were willing to do an about-face and follow God's lead in their life, not with something that He laid immediately before them, but something He held out as a hope.

But indeed, the evidence of their faith was brought to light in the action of following through in that calling. They had to have absolute assurance in the divinity of God, in the power of God, and in the faithfulness of His promises that indeed what He said was true and it would come to pass.

And once they grabbed hold of that in full assurance, they acted. You know, it's the same principle which allowed the Apostle Paul to endure hardships during his ministry, an absolute trust in the goodness and in the promises of God, because he looked to what was set before him, the promises that God had made, and as a matter of fact of that, he endured the hardships step by step each and every day because he knew it could not be compared to the glory that would be revealed when God fulfilled what He had promised.

And that was his hope each and every day. Brethren, you and I can endure our life's challenges because we trust in the faithfulness of God to fulfill what He has promised, and that faith gives us the courage to face whatever may come.

Again, I appreciated the sermonette very much. It's amazing to me how often God ties these things together. You know, you can step out. You can take the reasonable risks. You can follow where God says to go if you have your trust that He is there with you, and that whatever you may face in this life and service to Him pales in comparison to what He has in store.

Even though we can't see it with our eyes yet, maybe we see it in part. We're sons and daughters of the kingdom, as the Bible says, but that's what's been promised. It's not yet here, and yet, even though we can't see it, we can see and we can feel our relationship with God through experience, right? We know He's real. He's called us. He's opened our mind to His truth. He sent His only begotten Son who gave His life for our sins. He gave us His Spirit that guides and directs us. He gave us His Word that we live and we know it works, right?

Through experience of this relationship, we know God is true and we know His promises are true, and so He doesn't ask us to blankly believe and step out without, you know, anything to back that up. No, He's backed that up with the knowledge that He is God, and He has declared and He will fulfill that which He has declared. So we know we can trust in His faithfulness and in His promise blessings to us to come to pass, and that gives us the courage then to step out, to go into that deep water, and to trust. He is the sustainer of our lives.

Hebrews chapter 10, if we go back just a little bit from this definition of faith, we can see this principle in action very specifically, even to the point of enduring hardship for this level of of trust in God. Hebrews chapter 10 in verse 32, it says, "...but recall the former days in which after you were illuminated," okay, after the light of truth shown in your life, it says, "...you entered a great struggle with sufferings, partly while you were made a spectacle, both by reproaches and tribulations, and partially while you became companions of those who were so treated." He says, you know what?

You received the truth of God and you acted on it in faith, and the result was you were persecuted. You were hounded. You were chased around. You were driven out of your home, but you know what? It was because of the cause of God, a good and a righteous and a just cause. Verse 34, "...for you had compassion on me in my chains." We believe it very likely the Apostle Paul is the author of the book of Hebrews, and I believe so.

He says, "...and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven." And so they endured these sufferings. It says, joyfully, because they had faith in what God would make right in the end. Right? He had promised.

They believed the promise of God. They'd come in relationship with Him, and even though following Him meant trial and struggle and tribulation, that paled in comparison to what God promised. And they said, I will receive joyfully loss, for it is gained for the name of Christ, and it can't be worthy to be compared to what God has in store. Carrying on verse 35, it says, therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise, the blessing, what it is God has set before you. Verse 37, for yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not, now the just shall live by faith. Okay, here's our tagline, the just shall live by faith. That's to be their response to God, no matter what would come. But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. Verse 39, but we are not of those who draw back to perdition or destruction, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by the elders obtained a good testimony.

Again, brethren, in our lives divine faith is the evidence of what we do not yet have, by and large, and such faith actually precedes the actual fulfillment of the promise. Right? The promise is made, the promise is future, but you have faith today, because what God has set before you in your vision, and yet our faith is the verification that the very thing does indeed exist.

Right? When someone sees your faith, when my faith is acted upon, it is the verification that the promise that God has made is indeed real. It is the substance of things hoped for.

It is the evidence of things that aren't seen, and yet they can be seen in the real world here, the physical world, let me put it that way, through us, by our actions and our response to God. We're responding to what He has already done in our lives, through His Son, through His Spirit, through His Word, by relationship. We respond to that, and because of that, we're willing to sacrifice joyfully, maybe even painfully, in order to receive the promise which God has in store in the end. And that was Paul's vision, where he says, the just shall live by faith. It means each and every day the fruit of your hands and your lips and the action that you take. It's going to be based upon the promises of God and the knowledge that He is true in the faith that lives within you. If we jump down to Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 6, Hebrews 11 verse 6, it says, but without faith it is impossible to please Him. For He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So we have to have this kind of faith in order to have a proper relationship with God. We have to believe that He is, believe that He exists, that He is real, that He's true, that He is holy, that He is almighty, and His promises are true. You have to have that belief that He is. We have to believe that He hears our prayers. We have to believe that His Word is true. And you know, it's not true just because somebody dug an artifact up somewhere that as a piece of a scroll or a text that proves the history of the Bible. Okay, that is a proof of the Bible. And there's other ways that we can bring forth the proof of the Bible as well. But for me, the greatest proof of the Bible is when you read this Word and you live it, it works.

Right? It works in our life. That is the proof that the Word of God is true, in that He is.

We have to believe that His laws and His ways are good. We have to believe that He has our best interest at heart, even when it hurts, or even when we don't understand why. We have to believe that God will work out all things for the good in the end, even if we can't see the good in it in the here and now, even if we can't always make sense of what He's doing. We have to believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. And then we have to act on that belief. Step out. Get moving. Follow His lead. That's what we have recorded for us then, all through the book of the end of Hebrews 10 and now Hebrews chapter 11, individuals who stepped out in faith because they believed and they responded. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 7, by faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, right? Not what we have faith in, things not yet seen, moved to godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. The construction of the ark, brethren, was according to Noah's faith. God said the flood is coming. He preached. He was a preacher of righteousness, as the Bible tells us elsewhere, but his faith was demonstrated in the construction of the ark, a boat on dry land, the rain that nobody could see, the rain that had not yet come, but the faith brought forth works in his life. Big risk? Absolutely. From the human perspective, but not when you have the vision to see what God has set before you as a vision. He acted in response. That is living faith. Verse 8, by faith, Abraham obeyed, and he was called to go out of the place for which he received as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going. I like to know where I'm going. I like the age of GPS, personally. I don't like pulling the flashlight out at 11 p.m. in the dark car with a flashlight, trying to figure out which which road we turn on, but a lot of times I'll pull up the map before I even leave home. I like to know where I'm going. God told Abraham, you'll see it when we get there.

And he went. Verse 9, by faith he dwelt in the land of promise, as in foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, theirs with him of the same promise. For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God, the new Jerusalem, right? The future, the kingdom yet to come. You can't see that with the physical eyes. You can't see that dwelling in the tent in the middle of a land that you don't actually own a piece of it for yourself. You know the promise. God said, this is all going to be yours. It's going to be your descendants forever.

But he had to be able to see it according to faith.

The just shall live by faith. That's what is pleasing unto God. Verse 11, by faith Sarah herself also conceived strength to conceive seed. And she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Right? We judge God faithful because of our relationship with him. This isn't based on nothing. This is based on knowing he is. And he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. But our practical relationship with him does help to establish the foundation for our faith. She judged him faithful who had promised. Verse 12, therefore from one man and him as good as dead were born as many as the stars of the sky and multitude innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were sure to them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

And truly, if they called the mind the country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. You know, they could see that place. They could remember that place. They could remember the blessing they had when they were there. But they were willing to leave it all behind to go somewhere that they could only see through spiritual vision. Verse 16, but now they desire a better that is a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared his city for them. Sometimes I just need to read through this whole chapter of Hebrews 11 for my own faith, for my own encouragement, motivating me to go out and live because of the way others have lived before me. That's why it's here for our admonition, for our encouragement as well. Verse 17, by faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promise offered up his only begotten son, of whom it had said, in Isaac your seed shall be called, concluding that God was able even to raise him up, even from the dead, from which also he received him in a figurative sense. So this is the seed of promise. Abraham knew that. God said, through you, right? All the families of the earth would be blessed, and yet he was willing to do what God would require of him, knowing that God is faithful, and would work everything out for the good in the end, no matter the struggle of the moment, no matter maybe even the personal cost or the personal pain at the moment.

This is what living faith looks like. Verse 20, so they passed it on. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob in Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped leaning on top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel and gave instructions concerning his bones. It carried forth generation by generation the faithful unto the faithful who knew the promises of God and saw his hand in their life no matter what he called them to do, no matter what the physical consequences maybe even would be. Verse 23, by faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child, the faith of his parents, and they were not afraid of the king's command. It says, by faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God and then to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Verse 26, esteem the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward. Again, he could see something that was not yet there, but God had said it before him. God had said, you follow my lead and indeed this will be the blessing. So, you know, living in Pharaoh's house, having the esteem of royalty, having the blessing of the power of his hand in that way, he was willing to walk away and take on what it was that God would have him take on, looking to the reward. Verse 27, by faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible the evidence of things not seen. That's what faith is. It is substance. It is evidence. But it requires our spiritual vision from God. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, which lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch him. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land or as the Egyptians attempting to do so were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down. If they were encircled for seven days, who's going to see that with their own physical vision? God said, when I say shout, you shout.

And down came the walls. 31. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah of David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, evidence, substance. This is the real thing. Quench the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword. Out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight, the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead, raised to life again. We love these stories and we love the result of this faith. And we want to grab hold of that with both hands and we want to live it for ourselves and it gives us confidence to step out.

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection.

Well, what was wrong with their faith? You know, because these were living, these were delivered, these were, you know, granted the mercy of God. What happened with these people? It's not a different faith and it's not a different God. It is a willingness to follow through whatever God may require of us, knowing what He has laid before us. That it can't be compared to what we're facing in this day and age. That indeed it is worth the effort. Would our faith be shaken if this was our outcome? You know, if God desired such of us to actually lay your life down in the flesh for the vision He has set before us. Again, we like the stories of what we would call success stories, but you know what? These are all success stories. Even unto death, it is a success story because it will lead to life. Verse 36, women receive their dead, raise the life again. Okay, we went, we went through these. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mocking and scourging, yes of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two. They were tempted. They were slain with the stored. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. These are the faithful of God. This is their story. These are people, he says, I am well pleased. Do you think the people living the life were well pleased?

Would we be well pleased?

We had the vision that God sets before us, such as the Apostle Paul did. I believe we would certainly be willing to accept what God allowed us to walk through for His sake.

Verse 38, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth. All these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, not in their day, not in their physical life, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. So when it comes to you and me, God has a plan to reward our faith all together with them.

The first resurrection, as the Bible tells us, we will rise to meet Christ in the air together, not apart from one another. It will be a day of rejoicing as the reward then, and the promise is beginning to open up in fulfillment. And truly the life that God has called us to is just beginning now for eternity. But they had to live in the moment of this day by living faith. And Paul said, the just that was in this relationship with God shall live by faith.

Different circumstances for different people, but the same faith, the same God. Brethren, all these of Hebrews 11 knew their faith must be in God. And it could not be in self, and it couldn't be in a king, it couldn't be in the strength of another man. Understand, if we put our faith in any other place but God, we will be sorely disappointed. He is the dependable one. He is the faithful one. He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Romans chapter 10 verse 11. Romans 10 verse 11. Let's remember who our faith is in.

Romans chapter 10 verse 11. And I'm specifically trying to focus a lot of this message in Paul's writings because I like to look into what was the insight of his mind to endure what he did. And he spread the answer in some direct points but also written all throughout his word. Romans chapter 10 and verse 11 says, for the scripture says, whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. Okay, so if it's in a man, if it's in the president, man or woman, whoever that may be, if it's in a leader, if it's in another human being, ultimately they will let you down. But to put your faith in God, he will never disappoint. Verse 12. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who calls upon him, the rewarder of those who diligently seek him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call upon him whom they have not believed? How so they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how so they hear without a preacher? And how so they preach, unless they are sent, as it is written, a beautiful art of feed to those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. And so there is actually a place and a role for the ministry that would go out and preach by actually living their own faith and sharing the words of God, then to play a part in what would be the faith of others who would hear. Verse 16 it says, but they have not all believed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Hearing God's word read, studying it for yourselves, internalizing it in your heart, in your mind, and making it a part of who and what you are. Brethren, this builds faith.

Reading the accounts of others who have gone before us in the same spiritual journey builds faith.

Story of David and Goliath. Story of Daniel and the lion's den. Story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the fiery furnace. You know, these are things that have been boiled down in our day and age to children's bedtime stories. These are stories of the faithful and living according to that faith and the blessing of God. Those things build our faith. You know, someone might say, but I'm not a David, I'm not a Daniel. It's pulling a woman. I'm not a Deborah. Right? Those are great heroes of faith. Those are people I could never live up to that stature of faith in my life. Well, what about Elijah? What about Elijah? James chapter 5 verse 17, lest we think we could never rise to the occasion of such determined and steadfast faith.

James chapter 5 and verse 17, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. He says, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. He prayed again and the heaven gave rain and the earth produces fruit. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. You recall after the contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel when God gave him the victory. He slew the prophets of Baal. Spiritual high, right? Faith exercised. Slam dunk.

But then Jezebel hears about it. Jezebel says, Elijah, you're a dead man. And Elijah goes on the run. And he runs and he sits down under a broom tree and he is so depressed with his circumstance that he asked God to kill him. God, why don't you just let me die? Great man of faith, man with a nature like ours. A man who did many, many mighty works. But you know what? He had fears. He had insecurities. And he had doubts as well. But he was useful in God's service when he looked at God in faith. When he trusted in God and the power of God, God could do a mighty work in him. When he looked at Jezebel by comparison to himself, he had his eyes in the wrong place and the faith faltered when he looked at himself in comparison to Jezebel or anyone else. His faith faltered. The point is, look to God and the promises of God and what it is that God can produce so that the power is of God and not of man. And it's the same with us today. As long as the just live by faith, they will be whatever God determines he desires them to be in his service. And they will fulfill what it is that God has given them to fulfill. And through thick or thin, they will walk through the fire if indeed that is what God has required. Sometimes we simply have to get ourselves out of the way and allow God to do his work. And the just must absolutely, if this is going to work, live by faith. So again, reading these stories bring faith. But is it that you suddenly go from zero percent faith to a hundred percent faith all in one day? You know, how does our faith grow? I believe there's times and places of stepping stones in our faith. Have you ever gone hiking up a mountain and it's a steep mountain trail and it kind of notched out in the trail and they put stones in there and you just take one step after another and you step up and you step up and you step up until you're in a better place. And the view improves. Stepping stones of our faith, I do believe, are real. After all, are you going to go out and slay a giant on your very first day of faith? Or will God perhaps help to build up your faith to that point? Right. First Samuel chapter 17. First Samuel 17. Stepping stones of faith.

Let's think about David's experience with the Goliath for a moment. We had it clearly acted out for us a few weeks ago. It should be fresh in our mind. All right. Because I believe this is telling in how God sometimes works through stepping stones to build up faith in our lives. Was the giant Philistine warrior David's first faith-building exercise? Or had he already had stepping stones along the way to bring him to, indeed, this level of faith? First Samuel chapter 17 verse 32. David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Goliath's out there challenging Israel.

They're quaking in fear who can defeat this giant. Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, You're not able to go and stand against this Philistine to fight with him for you are youth. And he's a man of war from his youth. But David said to Saul, Your servant used to keep his father's sheep. And when a lion or bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it, struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. And when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, struck it, and killed it. I rest my case for short-trimmed beards. Don't give the enemy a handhold. Okay. Personal comment.

Verse 36. Your servant has killed both lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing as defied the armies of the living God. Moreover, David said, The Lord the Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion, from the paw of the bear, he will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you.

Okay, so this was not David's first experience with a dangerous enemy, right? He had experience with the lion, he had experience with the bear. And God was with him, and God granted him success. And these were each, these were stepping stones of building his faith to the point now he could stand out here in confrontation of this giant, not because of his stature, but because of the God who backed him up. He knew where the victory came from, and he knew where the power lie. And he put his faith in God. And we know the rest of the story. God granted David the victory once again.

And so this is how it works with our faith at times. God allows faith-building experiences in our life that if we can see them for what they are, I believe we'll recognize these are stepping stones which help us to bring ourselves to, he brings us to another level of faith, another strength of faith to acknowledge that his presence is with us. And once he's proven himself faithful in one area, and he's emboldened our faith, and we stand strong, you know what? He may just take us to the next level to build what it is he's developing in us. Why? Because the just shall live by faith. This is where the success is going to come from. Romans chapter 1 verse 16. Romans 1 verse 16. I do believe the Apostle Paul acknowledged this concept of faith-building step by step. Romans chapter 1 and verse 16. Paul says, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, also for the Greek, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. So here's our tagline again, right? The just shall live by faith. But I do believe Paul's reiterating the point of stepping stones in this passage when he mentions from faith to faith, that God often bolsters our faith by providing opportunities to build trust and faith in him and then takes us to the next level. Brings us along until, again, we truly learn to trust in him even more fully. From faith to faith, this phrase can also refer to those who God brought along in the faith before us and those that he has placed in the faith around us so that when we look at the example of one another who stand faithfully, it bolsters our faith. And when we look at the stories that are recorded for us, such as Hebrews 11, indeed it adds to our faith. From faith to faith, the just shall live by faith.

Stepping stones, I think they're very important. And I was meditating on this idea this last week on Wednesday, actually. I went down, as I let you know, to go see Gladys. She'd returned from her home, or to her home, from evacuation. The Gwyn fire erupted very suddenly, exploded, you know, within a matter of, I don't know, minutes. The sheriffs knocking on the door, telling her to get out, telling her their place is at risk. The Gwyn fire at Julieta, Idaho, the last numbers I saw on Friday, just over 28,000 acres burned. It's a little hard for me to kind of put that into understanding 28,000 acres. That is 43.75 square miles burned. I picked up Gladys and we drove down the Clearwater River over an hour over to see Geraldine, and had lunch with Geraldine. And we were just amazed as we left her place. We drove drove over to down Highway 12, made the connection just east of Lewiston, and then over to the east along the Clearwater River, just to see the hills burned away.

Where Gladys lives, she's in a mobile home park, hill behind her, which is where actually the fire started. So, hill behind her, valley, another set of hills with a creek between. This fire roared down the hill, jumped the creek up the other side of the hill, burned the winery. You may have seen that on the news, burned the winery, carried on over the top of the next set of hills, down into the valley. Now it's the Clearwater River, jumped the river, burned the island in the middle of the river, jumped to the other side, and up and over the ridge. And off it was gone again, and carrying on also to the west, 43.75 square miles.

Blackened hills on both sides of the Clearwater River. The road had just opened the previous day. We were stopped a couple of times. Road crews were cutting down trees, which were dangerously hanging over the road and burnt out. Another crew was removing rocks that had come off the hillside, down onto the roadway there. Last report I saw was 143 structures burned.

We drove by several houses very close to the glottices that had been completely burned to the ground, just the rock chimney left standing. And what was incredible is to get out of the car at her house, to step out. You smell the smell of burnt vegetation, and to turn around and look. And literally, if you had a good arm, you could throw a football and hit the back fire line.

The 43.75 square miles of burnt territory. It's like God literally said, it will go here and no farther, right across the street from her house. And yet it started very, very close to her.

We had lunch with Geraldine, and we all prayed together, and we thank God for his protection, and his blessing, and for protecting Gladys and her property and her neighbors. Don't you think that's a faith-building event for her? I can tell you it was for me just to stand there and see the line, literally a line. It stopped. And to see the vast expanse where it burned forward from there, it gave Gladys faith to see that. Gave me faith. Now she already had faith. She told me whether it burned my house or not. I knew God would take care of me. It's okay, I'm in his hands.

But you know, you'd rather not lose everything you have, but God provided. But this event serves to reinforce that faith, to strengthen her faith, knowing who is in charge of her life. She said she knew, again, that God would take care of her, and he did. From faith to faith. These events, brethren, in our life, when we experience them personally, don't they impact us the next time we face an event, no matter what it may be.

I'm not going to rehash the story because I've told it a number of times, but the mudslide in 2017 that displaced us from our home, I could hike up the hill and look down the mouth of this thing and see, you know what, if it had just gone straight down the hill, as gravity you would think would take it, it would have gone right over the top of the house. Family was there. They would have been buried, and yet I could stand there, and I could see it slid at an angle.

And the news reporter that came out put one hand on the house and one hand on the debris field, you know, as reporting their story. And I could look and say, God was here. I truly believe that built my faith up another step. And that's with me. When I go to Africa, when I'm serving God's people wherever I'm going, these are the things that help to give you confidence from faith to faith, knowing, okay, you might be the ones in Hebrew 11 where it's a great victory in the end, or you might be the ones where it's still a great victory, but the celebration will come.

But it is true, and it is sure. But we still have to do our part. We still have to live by faith, not merely by our own set of human reasonings. Oh, well, the fire just stopped there. The wind shifted direction. Okay, you can think that. I tend to believe God said no farther.

You live by faith. Let's speak at the final instance where Paul uses this phrase, the just shall live by faith. Galatians chapter 3, verse 11.

Galatians chapter 3 and verse 11. I'm just going to jump into the middle of the context.

He says, but that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith. And you know what? This brings us back around full circle to where we begin the message today. Justification being made right with God only comes through faith. You know, no amount of law-keeping can make us right with God because we've all sinned. We've all fallen short of the glory of God. You cannot come back into a justified state with God by doing it perfect from this point forward. We're justified by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and being reconciled to God by faith. It is how we become the just in His sight. Now, we must still obey the law of God. That is clear, and Paul reiterated that in so many other places, but in breaking them does make us wrong. That standard doesn't change. But no one is justified by the law on the sight of God. But the just shall live by faith. That's the answer. And the point is, brethren, the law cannot and it will not justify us. Only the mercy of God through the exercising of faith can. So, in conclusion, how did the Apostle Paul endure all those hardships in his ministry and yet keep on going in his service to God and his people?

The answer is through exercising absolute confidence in God and the promises of God.

It was through walking by faith and not by sight. It was by growing from faith to faith.

As a result, his endurance reflected the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. All that he went through. It was substance. It was evidence. But it pointed to, indeed, what it is God will fulfill. In Paul's final writings to Timothy just before his death, he expressed the following thoughts regarding his life. I have fought the good fight, he said.

I finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally there's laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing. At 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 and 8, again, the vision at the very end of his life was secure and steadfast. He said it was all worth it because, indeed, the reward will come. Brethren, you and I have been given the same opportunity as the apostle Paul and the rest of those listed in Hebrews 11 to be there in the first resurrection, to receive the fulfillment of the promises of God we have not yet seen by physical sight, but he's given us the vision and he's given us the promise. And no, we're not there yet.

And we know we cannot say, well, there it is immediately around the corner, but we trust God. We know that he is. We know that he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him. We know we're not alone in this world, and we know that, brethren, we must do our part because the just shall live by faith.