FAITH

“Unbelief puts our circumstances between us & God. Faith puts God between us and our circumstances.”
-F.B. Meyer-

Years ago, a small town in Maine was proposed for the site of a great hydroelectric plant. Since a dam would be built across the river, the town would be submerged. When the project was announce, the people were given many months to arrange their affairs and to relocate.
During the time before the dam was built an interesting thing happened. All improvements ceased! No painting was done. No repairs were made on the buildings, roads, & sidewalks. Day by day the whole town got shabbier & shabbier. A long time before the dam was built and the waters came, the town looked uncared for and abandoned — even though the people had not yet moved away. One citizen explained: “Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.”

Some one has offered this erroneous definition of faith: “The ability to believe in something without evidence.” Not true! Faith is always based on evidence although it may not be in the form of scientific data. God’s handiwork in creation, the life, death and resurrection of Christ, the miracles and growth of the first century Church, and the change that is produced in the hearts of converted men & women are all bits of evidence that God does exist and that He intervenes in the lives of people.

Hebrews 11 is referred to as the “faith chapter” in the Bible. This chapter identifies several characteristics of true faith:

1.) Faith Sees the Invisible.
A young man lost both eyes in an explosion in World War 2. When a British entertainer attempted to comfort him, the soldier said, “It doesn’t really matter; I’m going to be a minister some day and you don’t need eyes to please God.” That young man possessed the inner eyes of faith.
2.) Faith Hears the Inaudible.
There are about 9000 TV signals in a large metropolitan area, but without the aid of TV equipment, the pictures & sounds go undetected by us. Likewise, faith is the equipment which enables us to sense God’s direction and reassurance.
3.) Faith Believes the incredible.
Many say, “I just can’t believe in miracles or in heaven & eternity; I can’t believe the Creation story.” Hebrews 11:3 answers, “Through faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God.”
4.) Faith Thinks the Unthinkable.
While the doubters and pessimists are declaring, “It’s impossible, it can’t be done,” the person with faith is thinking of ways to accomplish what the cynics refuse to consider.
5.) Faith Accomplishes the Impossible.
After faith thinks the unthinkable, it accomplishes the impossible. According to Charles Spurgeon, God delights in impossibilities: “One man says, I will do as much as I can. Any fool can do that. He that believes in Christ does what he cannot do, attempts the impossible, and performs it.” And of course, it was Jesus who said, “…if you have faith as a mustard seed…nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
6.) Faith Inherits the Indestructible.
Only treasures stored in heaven are protected from rust, moths, thieves, inflation, and taxes. It is faith manifested through our acts of service that inherits these eternal and indestructible rewards.

Faith is an aptitude which can increase in strength and improve in quality when properly exercised. The greatest faith one can achieve is the ability to believe when God’s voice is silent and His hand is still. A victim of the German holocaust scratched these words into the crumbling wall of his cell before his death: “I believe in the sun – even when it does not shine; I believe in love – even when it is not shown; I believe in God – even when He does not speak.

My Time With God

Preparation Time
George Mueller said, “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of faith is the end of anxiety.” Begin your time with God with great expectations. Remember, “You have not because you ask not.” We fail to ask because we lack faith.

Waiting Time
During your waiting time, let God…

Love You.
“God, I feel Your love today, especially in the area of…”

Search You.
“God, You have permission to reveal any wrongful doubts in my life.”

Show You.
“God, is there anything that I need to know which will require more faith as I enter this day?”

Confession Time
In Mark 9:24, the father of a demon-possessed boy brought him to Jesus and said, “I do believe, help my unbelief.” Take a moment and confess to God areas of unbelief in your life.

Bible Time
“I prayed for faith, and thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the 10th chapter of Romans, ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.’ I had closed my Bible, and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since.” -Dwight L. Moody-

We can never pray out of God’s will when we pray God’s Word.

…Read Hebrews 11: 32-40 slowly a couple of times.
…Close your eyes & allow a main truth to surface in your heart.
…Pray the Scripture and allow God to minister to you.

Meditation Time
After praying the Scriptures, write down the thoughts that God has impressed upon your mind.

Intercession Time – Praying for Others
Begin this time with a prayer of blessing & thanksgiving for the people for who you will now intercede.
Name Request

Petition Time – Praying for Yourself
How to Petition God Properly
Talk to Him about the “little things”
Be Honest with God
Pray “Thy will be done”
Prayer Requests

Application Time
The smallest obedient act is better than the greatest intention.

Q: What is the main thing that God has impressed on me today?

Q: What am I going to do about it?

Steps To Take in My Obedience to God:

Faith Time
Faith is our positive response to what God has said. Spend a few minutes praying, through your eyes of faith. Tell God the positive things you see happening because of His goodness!

Praise & Thanksgiving Time

Praise God by recognizing WHO HE IS!
Thank God by recognizing WHAT HE HAS DONE!

This Week’s Memory Verse: (Hebrews 11:1)

This Week’s Time Alone With God

Monday – This Lesson

Tuesday – Review the Hebrews 11 outline at the beginning of this lesson. Are the characteristics of true faith evident in your life?

Wednesday – When Arthur Rubinstein, the famous concert pianist, was in New York, someone invited him to attend church. His answer: “Take me to a church that will challenge me to attempt the impossible.”

Thursday – Do the same exercise in regard to your work.

Friday – Do the same exercise in regard to your family and personal life.