United Church of God

Three Steps of Faith

You are here

Three Steps of Faith

Downloads
MP3 Audio (16.41 MB)

Downloads

Three Steps of Faith

MP3 Audio (16.41 MB)
×

Faith, without which it is "impossible to please God", is a very serious and important attribute. But, how do we grow it, how do we practice it, how do we refine it, how do we strengthen it?

Sermon Notes

A partial set of notes and Scriptures used:

Last week I spoke about  Judgment Day. ... it is now upon us in the Church.

The Law and the Prophets should be our guide. IT is not about a miracle but DOING THE RIGHT THING.  Sometimes it means STEPPING OUT IN FAITH... as Peter did stepping onto the water.

Esther stepped out in faith and prevailed and saved her people.

Daniel continued his prayers as always. 

THE OUTCOME of the decisions we make via prayers, can lead to various endings as we see in the Scriptures.

SO HOW do we obtain THE COURAGE in life to do the right things when every fiber of our being says NO !!!

Exo 14:1  Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 
Exo 14:2  "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. 
Exo 14:3  For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.' 
Exo 14:4  Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so. 

GOD led them in a different way...  and HE had a purpose... 

(Exo 14:5)  Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, "Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
(Exo 14:6)  So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him.
(Exo 14:7)  Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them.

http://www.jewishhistory.org/
http://www.jewishhistory.org/jews-short-movie/ 

(Exo 14:8)  And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.
(Exo 14:9)  So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
(Exo 14:10)  And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.
(Exo 14:11)  Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?
(Exo 14:12)  Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."

ULTIMATE ASYMETRICAL WARFARE!!!

(Exo 14:13)  And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.
(Exo 14:14)  The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

"FEAR NOT, Stand Still, HOLD your PEACE"
rEALLy.... FEAR NOT???
Roosevelt, "nothing to fear but fear itself"
To Abrahan, DO NOT be afraid.
Joshua: DO NOT be afraid... 

1 Tim 1:7


Children of fear:  Worry, Anxiousness, Fretting.
Fear instantaneous... 
Worry about my job because I fear loosing it.

Matt 6:25 


(Mat 6:25)  "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
(Mat 6:26)  Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
(Mat 6:27)  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
(Mat 6:28)  "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
(Mat 6:29)  and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
(Mat 6:30)  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
(Mat 6:31)  "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
(Mat 6:32)  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
(Mat 6:33)  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
(Mat 6:34)  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

ANXIOUSNESS: 
(Php 4:6)  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
(Php 4:7)  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

(1Pe 5:6)  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
(1Pe 5:7)  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

DO NOT FRET:
(Psa 37:1)  A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity
(Pro 24:19)  Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked;
(Pro 24:20)  For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

(1Jn 4:18)  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

LET US WRITE THOSE FEARS DOWN and take them to GOD.  Show HIM the List.
GOD, here are my worries, doubts and fears, Please take them from me and cleanse me from them and infuse me with your LOVE.

(Rom 8:28)  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
(Rom 8:29)  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
(Rom 8:30)  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Challenge to WRITE THOSE FEARS down...

2 - STAND  STILL!

(Exo 14:13)  And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.
(Exo 14:14)  The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

(Mat 26:50)  But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.
not a pretty SIGHT... YOU HAVE SEEN "POLICE BRUTALITY" ... 

(Mat 26:52)  But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
(Mat 26:53)  Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
(Mat 26:54)  How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"

(Deu 1:30)  The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,
(Deu 1:31)  and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.'
(Deu 3:22)  You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.'

(Psa 46:1)  To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. A Song For Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
(Psa 46:2)  Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
(Psa 46:3)  Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
(Psa 46:8)  Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth.
(Psa 46:9)  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.
(Psa 46:10)  Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

(Psa 37:1)  A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
(Psa 37:7)  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.


(1Sa 24:1)  Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi."
(1Sa 24:2)  Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
(1Sa 24:3)  So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)
(1Sa 24:5)  Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe.
(1Sa 24:6)  And he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD."
(1Sa 24:7)  So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.
(1Sa 24:8)  David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.
(1Sa 24:15)  Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand."

3 - HOLD YOUR PEACE.
(Exo 14:14)  The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." Be still, Be silent, Hold on, Be quiet.
A STATE OF MIND

(Psa 62:5)  My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.
(Psa 62:6)  He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.
(Psa 62:7)  In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.
(Hab 2:20)  "But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him."

OFTEN Activity is confused with results and efforts with outcomes.
(Isa 26:3)  You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
(Isa 26:4)  Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.
(Isa 26:5)  For He brings down those who dwell on high, The lofty city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He brings it down to the dust.
(Isa 26:6)  The foot shall tread it down— The feet of the poor And the steps of the needy."

(Dan 6:10)  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
(Dan 6:11)  Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
(Dan 6:12)  And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered and said, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter."
(Dan 6:13)  So they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."
(Dan 6:14)  And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
(Dan 6:15)  Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed."
(Dan 6:16)  So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
(Dan 6:17)  Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
DANIEL did NOT SAY ANYTHING.

(Dan 6:21)  Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever!
DILIGENCE: 

(Pro 10:4)  He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Ernest Hemingway: "Takes 2 years to learn to speak and 60 to learn to be silent" 

(Joh 14:27)  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(Joh 14:28)  You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.

WE TRUST IN GOD and stand in awe... any of our enemies... we will see no longer.
 

Comments

  • ALLAN DIGNADICE
    Good day Pastor Tim thank you again for a very inspiring sermon standing firm in our conviction often times we fall back due to lack of diligence but the best way to strengthen our spiritual growth involves prayers, meditation and fasting.
  • timpebworth
    Hi Allan - that's right, often we fret and worry as we go about our day instead of just taking the time to bring our decisions before God and trust in Him to fight our battles for us. We all need to be diligent in taking our cares to our heavenly Father. Stand Firm!
  • SISTERSWITHLOVE
    Thank you so very much for this sermon. It fit so very well with a decision I made last night. Thank you once again
  • timpebworth
    This is so encouraging to hear! I will pray that in the days and weeks ahead you will, "Fear Not, Stand Firm and Be Still" as the impact of your decision is understood. Thank you for your comment.
  • Join the conversation!

    Log in or register to post comments